Somewhere along the way, I added another line to my resume: Artist Manager. Here’s how it came about…
I’ve been to more than 500 concerts in my lifetime from Jay Z to Wilco, Auckland, NZ to Austin, TX. I grew up in a household where music was always playing and my middle brother was always tweaking the EQ or making his own beats. In middle school and high school, I played baritone in concert and marching band. Moving to Austin was the best thing that ever happened to me not only because I’m an entrepreneur, but also because I love live music. I’m always discovering new artists, putting my friends up on shows, and checking out tour dates on Pollstar.com and making “best of” lists with my oldest brother, Kahron, a music writer for the Austin Chronicle. In 2018, I started managing a talented singer-songwriter and musician named Angélica Rahe, and in late 2019, while recording her debut album in Brooklyn, I met an incredible piano/organ player named Jake Sherman and started managing his project with Abe Rounds called Jake & Abe, too. Now, with a management roster of three talented songwriters and musicians - including Dallas’ Cameron McCloud - I feel like I can put all my love, passion, interest, connections and know-how toward people I fully believe in. Since you’re wondering, here’s what I’d say: Angélica reminds me of Sade or D’Angelo, but sings in Spanish while Jake & Abe are like this amazing hybrid between the humor of Weird Al and the songmaking of Hall & Oates. Cam is the second coming of Andre 3000, no cap.
Photo by Madison Lloyd
Cameron McCloud
Cameron McCloud, who Dallas Observer recently wrote, "might be Dallas' most ambitious artist,” is a rapper and singer on the verge of acclaim. Cam's ability to let his music serve as a beacon of mental and spiritual focus while living with bipolar paranoid schizophrenia is only part of what makes him unique.
Raised in the Dallas area, Cam ranks Erykah Badu, Outkast and legendary Houston rapper Bun B among influences (the latter of whom he's recently collaborated with). Cam's verse on Angélica Rahe's song, "Como Yo," led to a collaboration for the duo that makes up Cure for Paranoia's upcoming October album "7 Days in the Life" consisting of seven new tracks featuring Cam's lyrics / vocals on Rahe's soulful beats. His upcoming project, "7 Days" will showcase his flow that feels both familiar and totally original.
Photo by Parker Moore
Angélica Rahe
ANGÉLICA RAHE (pronounced “ray”) has an artistic journey that truly spans the globe. Her music and art reflects her journey of femininity, sensuality, and self-love.
On Valentine’s Day 2020, Angélica gave the world her debut album, REINA, which speaks to her personal journey of reflection, rebirth and self-love. REINA, recorded across studios in Brooklyn, features Angélica on vocals and guitar with Cleon Edwards (Erykah Badu, Jill Scott) on drums, Jake Sherman (Nick Hakim) on keys, and Nick Clark (Kanye West, H.E.R.) on bass. Her North America tour to support the album was cancelled due to COVID-19, but she returns as a showcasing artist for SXSW 2022 so stay tuned! Here is some press mentions about REINA:
“Rahe capitalizes on her rich collection of musical influences delivering scintillating compositions that infuse everything from traditional Spanish flamenco to soul and contemporary R&B.” - Austin Monthly
“Much like Solange, Rahe’s music doesn’t resemble the packaged, made-for-radio R&B of today. “Como Yo” and “Templo,” two singles from Reina, are velvety and seductive, like a Sade record you can’t stop listening to even after 20 years.” - The Dallas Morning News
“We are treated to entrancing cascades of guitar, Spanish poetry whisper sung over lush and lovely soundscapes and a sensual vision of femininity at its most powerful.” - Austin American-Statesman
Before REINA, in 2018, Angélica toured across the U.S., Europe and Latin America with Columbian-American R&B sensation, Kali Uchis, as her musical director, guitarist and backup vocalist (including a North America run opening for Lana Del Rey) before offering the Love, Translated EP, a collection of songs recorded in Austin, Texas, with Grammy-winning producer and musician Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas.
Photo by Conor Nickerson
Jake & Abe
Jake Sherman and Abe Rounds have spent decades making music. First, they did it out of childhood passion, but then it became their chosen professions after meeting at the Berklee College of Music. In the years since, they’ve become contributors to the live shows or recorded music for artists like Aimee Mann, Andrew Bird, Bilal, Blake Mills, Blood Orange, Chance the Rapper, Doyle Bramhall II, Emily King, Nick Hakim, Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Meshell Ndegeocello, Sara Bareilles and Seal.
Born in Boston, Jake learned classical piano by listening to his father play Bach every morning. If not for an intervention - stumbling upon the catalog of Weird Al Yankovic at 11 years old - he would have followed in his father’s path or perhaps become a jazz purist.
Thankfully, after attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Jake found a way to combine his appreciation of great songwriting with his piano/organ-playing prowess to chart his own musical path. He has since become a go-to musician on recordings and tours for a range of artists including Bilal, Emily King, Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Andrew Bird and Nick Hakim. Everything from gospel heavyweight Doobie Powell’s “Close to You” to Chance the Rapper’s Grammy-winning song “No Problem” includes Jake’s work.
Hailing from Sydney Australia, Abe started playing drums at the tender age of one & has never looked back. Abe is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, where he received the Alan Dawson Achievement award.
Now residing in Los Angeles, Abe is a member of his musical mentor Meshell Ndegeocello’s band. He has been writing, recording, performing as a multi instrumentalist & touring extensively with other artists/producers such as Seal, Andrew Bird, Sara Barellies, Blake Mills & Trevor Horn. As a TV composer he has contributed to all four seasons of the OWN Network series "Queen Sugar" directed by Ava Duvernay and produced by Oprah Winfrey. He has also contributed original score to upcoming Netflix release, "Madam CJ Walker" alongside Larry Goldings.