Professor RJ Ross: Motor City Bred, Bay Area Based Soul-Jazz Singer/Songwriter Professor RJ

Los Angeles, CA (Top40 Charts/ LUCK Media & Marketing) - Back in the day, when RJ Ross was a singer and keyboardist with various funk groups in his native Detroit, his seriousness about music and expertise at running rehearsals earned him the nickname �Professor.� Emerging as a solo artist after several busy decades behind the scenes, the soulful musical innovator-who�s been working professionally since age 11-brings a lifetime of funky music, hard knocks and hard-hitting stories about triumphs over adversity to his easy grooving debut album Face to Face.

A lot of that funk came in his 20s when he was a founding member and frontman of the red-hot Motor City band Brainstorm, and broke through to national attention with the dance hit �Lovin� Is Really My Game.� The cult hit was featured last year on Fox�s �So You Think You Can Dance.�

Produced by Jerry Stucker (Chuck Prophet), Ross� infectious new collection was recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood with legendary, multiple Grammy winning engineer Al Schmitt, who has worked with George Benson, Steely Dan, Ray Charles, Diana Krall, et al). Grammy winner Ed Cherney (Bonnie Raitt, Michael McDonald) mixed the album at The Village in Los Angeles.

One of the top MIDI experts in the Bay Area, Ross� background includes a lengthy stint at the world famous Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, where he brought his MIDI magic, keyboard and arranging skills to projects by everyone from Jeffrey Osborne and Eddie Money to Huey Lewis, MC Hammer and 2Pac.

Complementing Ross� deep, sensuous vocals, piano and keyboards on Face to Face are drummers James Gadson (Donald Fagen, Marvin Gaye) and Steve Gadd (Michael McDonald, George Benson); bassist Freddie Washington (Simon & Garfunkel, Michael Jackson); B3 organist Neil Larsen (Aaron Neville, Al Jarreau); and tenor and soprano sax player Ernie Watts (Steely Dan, Dr. John).

While Ross� compelling and highly personal self-penned songs are the emotional core of Face to Face, his unique take on America�s �Ventura Highway� is already popping at smooth jazz stations and the timeless Johnny Mercer chestnut �Autumn Leaves� is being spun on traditional jazz outlets.