By Yolanda Melton
Contributing Writer
Within the crevices of San Diego’s music scene are artists waiting for their time to flourish in the sun like a rose struggling to grow between the cracks of concrete. It’s hard out here for many artists being that San Diego isn’t a major music city in comparison to the likes of Los Angeles, New York or Atlanta, yet it’s seemingly even harder for those doing R&B here. However, that doesn’t in the least bit stop San Diego’s R&B scene from grinding hard, and one of the players amongst them is singer/songwriter Curt Quinn.
Curt Quinn [Coleman], a 29-year-old New Orleans, Louisiana native, found his way to San Diego almost nine years ago — just months prior to Hurricane Katrina — to help his younger brothers through school while their mother was deployed with the Navy. Due to both parents having been in the military Coleman moved around a lot, yet no matter what side of the map he’s on, music has always been something that has followed him throughout his life.
Growing up singing in the Baptist church is where Coleman got his start, and by the fifth grade he was already writing songs and singing in a group called “Waterfall,” comprised of him and two friends, performing at talent shows. “During [my] middle school years, I fell back [from] music. I was just reading comic books; being a kid. But when I got to high school, I went head first [into music],” Coleman remembers. At the age of 17, he moved to Norfolk, Virginia to audition for a youth record label called Youth Entertainment Studios (YES) where “it was my first time not being around my group; my first time having to explore my own artistry.” He ended up being picked up on YES’s compilation album and he wrote on three of the ten songs. “That’s when it really hit me ‘Oh snap I’m really good at this.’” However, he wouldn’t have gotten very far without having a host of positive influences in his life.
“I had a very good musical influence [named] Eric Christian who took me under his wing and really pushed me to learn my craft,” Coleman said. Shortly thereafter, his parents were stationed in Hawaii where he would end up studying music theory. “Those are some of the things that pounded music in my brain.” He cites his family as being incredibly influential as well; having a wife who is also a musician, and three children, definitely incites plenty of inspiration. “[My wife] likes to challenge me. I think she’s a better singer than me so I don’t really be having it,” he laughs, “but I look at my kids and what I want to give them, and I know that if I stick to this thing then I will be able to give my kids and my wife not only the things they need, but want.” In addition to his family, Coleman finds himself to be impacted by other artists such as Mali Music, Musiq SoulChild, Eric Roberson, and Carl Thomas.
Akin to his wife giving him a challenge, so does life. “The notion of being your own boss and taking care of your own business is so romantic,” he explains with a chuckle, “it’s just a beautiful idea but it’s real work getting the music that you love out; getting it out of your head to a CD. It’s so much that goes into that that people don’t understand.” However, he says that he’s still “blessed” because he’s worked with a lot of great producers such as local production team, Sound Collage Music, and Haze Banga who does tracks for Beyoncé.
Coleman is currently working on his first project entitled “Finally” which he says is “appropriately named because it took so much. From me coming out here realizing this is what I’m doing, doing regular life stuff with the kids, performing everywhere all the time, it’ll be a release and a relief to put it out.” The album will be a culmination of “real life music” as he states, and anyone who has seen him perform or heard his music online knows that Coleman definitely has his way of putting a twist to everyday experiences. “You’ll hear a mixture of my influences from being in different places.”
In addition to working on his craft, Coleman has partnered up with another local R&B artist, Keyon “On-Key” McCray, on a business venture to help other artists like themselves get recognized. They’ve started a show called “Spotlight” which will run once per season and will highlight various types of music artists here in San Diego. “Spotlight” not only showcases artists in their element, but they’ve made it a point to have the DJ play local artists’ music as well to get the crowd familiar.
Catch Coleman on stage April 3 at the Hard Rock Hotel for the San Diego Entertainment Industry Mixer, as well as hosting the spring installment of “Spotlight” April 5 at the Hart Lounge, which will feature hip-hop/R&B duo Soulistik and singer/songwriter Chauncey Maynor.
For more information about Curt Quinn and his music, visit his Reverbnation page at www.reverbnation.com/curtquinn.
