b. Jon Marcus Lucien (real name: Lucien Harrigan), 8th January 1942, Tortola Island, British West Indies, Caribbean.
d. 18th August 2007, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.
Jon Lucien was born on the island of Tortola in 1942, and raised in St. Thomas by a guitar-playing father and greatly inspired by Nat 'King' Cole.
He relocated to New York in the mid-60's, where he began his musical career.
In 1970, he released his debut album 'I Am Now'.
1973 saw the release of the, much sought after, album 'Rashida', containing the popular tunes 'Would You Believe In Me', Lady Love' and the title track.
For the follow up, 1974's 'Mind's Eye', Lucien collaborated with veteran producer Dave Grusin.
The album contained the rare groove tunes 'Listen Love' and 'World Of Joy'.
The following year, Jon had moved to the CBS label for the album release 'Song For My Lady', followed by 'Premonition', for the same label, in 1976.
Only one release spanned the years between the Seventies and Nineties, which was 1982's, 'Romantico', for the Precision label.
After a long absence, Lucien returned in 1991 with a release that was very much what he'd done in his peak '70's years.
Further releases included 1993's 'Mother Nature's Son'.
A few months after his 17 year-old daughter Dalila was killed on Flight 800 in July of 1996, Jon went into the studio and began recording 'Endless Is Love'.
Jon reflected 'My daughter doesn't want me sitting around being unhappy. I look at her and we communicate. We make music. The music is a special force.'
Having carved himself his own unique niche, within the jazz market, Jon Lucien remains one of the most distinctive vocalists over the last 30 years.
A 'Best Of' compilation of his earlier work was released in 2001.
Jon sadly passed away on the 18th of August 2007 from respiratory failure and other complications.
Albums:
I Am Now (RCA 1970)
Rashida (RCA 1973)Mind's Eye (RCA 1974)
Song For My Lady (CBS 1975)
Premonition (CBS 1976)
Romantico (Precision 1982)
Listen Love (Mercury 1991)
Mother Nature's Son (PolyGram 1993)
Endless Is Love (Shanachie 1997)
By Request (Shanachie 1999)
Precious (Love Arts 1999)
The Best Of (Camden Deluxe 2001)
