Why hire The Touch?

Because it's two lead vocalists, one male, one female. Plus a seven piece band consisting of Sax, Trumpet, Trombone, Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, & Drums.

Let The Touch take you & your guests on a musical journey that is sure to put a smile on the faces of all in attendance. Featuring the timeless music of the swing era to the most recent  hits of today. We pride ourselves on being able to satisfy any crowd.

To learn more about each member of the band, click on their names:

James "Chip" Allen Jr./ Lead Vocals & Band Leader
Kaimy Masse/ Lead Vocals
James Kamal Jones/ Drums
Bill Fanning/ Trumpet
Tony Vaughn / Bassist
Bill Benoit / Guitarist
Bill Jones/ Saxophone
Paul Barbato/ Keyboard
Scott A. Grant/ Trombone

Click below to view a short video of The Manhatan Touch performing!
Video 1
Video 2

James "Chip" Allen Jr. / Lead Vocals & Band Leader
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Chip started his musical career in his teens as a vocalist in various singing groups and in church. He studied piano and organ for a few years privately then at the age of seventeen attended   the Berklee College of Music in Boston, majoring in piano performance and arranging and composition. After Berklee, he perfected his craft by playing gigs in local Boston bands. Sometime in the late seventies formed   "The Midnight Stars". The "Midnight Stars", became a very successful touring band performing countless engagements throughout the U.S., Europe, and Canada for several years. The group changed it's name to "Skyline" sometime in the late eighties.and shared concert stages with The Pointer Sisters, George Clinton and the P Funk All stars, The Village People, and Peabo Bryson, just to name a few

In the early 90's, Chip was hired by "Next Plateau Records" and "Famous Artist Agency" in N.Y. as the musical director for international recording artist "Sybil". His band (Skyline) performed the "Don't Make Me Over" tour with Sybil throughout Europe and the states.   Chip served as musical director, keyboardist, vocalist, and choreographer for the tour. "Sybil" had a string of hit's in the 90's   - Don't Make Me Over - Guaranteed Love - Walk On By - Loves Calling - and - Crazy For You, a song that also featured rap pioneer's and label mate's "Salt and Pepper".    

During the Sybil tour, Chip became more involved with the recording and production side of the business and evolved into a music producer / songwriter / engineer.   He built his project recording studio "DreamSuite"    sometime in the early 90's and worked on productions with Kevin Antoons (Musical Director for NSync and Brittany Spears) and several other local artist . Chip has composed songs for ESPN, commercials for JAMMIN 94.5, and Dunkin Donuts, and trained countless vocalists around the area over the past ten years.

Currently Chip works as a vocal producer/vocal coach at MDI productions with producer Bob Yen, founder of M.D.I. Chip performs weekly and is bandleader/ lead vocalist of "The Manhattan Touch" a nine piece corporate/wedding function band.

Kaimy Masse/ Lead Vocals
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Born and raised in Boston, MA, Kaimy has been singing since the age of three and performing since age 9. In August of 1993 she was awarded a full-tuition scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music.  Kaimy went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Music Business Management and Voice. She currently teaches music for her alma mater and the Boston Public School system.  Kaimy has performed with and for such notables as Nancy Wilson, Andre Crouch, Patti Labelle, James Taylor, Chick Corea, Michael “Moses” Mathis, Tarralyn Ramsey, and Natalie Cole. She is also an aspiring actress and has performed in plays such as “42nd Street”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, “The Wiz”, and “Halleluiah In A Flat”.

James Kamal Jones/ Drums
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James Kamal has been a professional musician for over twenty-five years. Born in the South Bronx of New York City, his informal music education included the influences of his Puerto Rican heritage and the pop culture of his inner-city upbringing. As an early musical student, he sat under the teaching of master drummers Charles Persip, Kenwood Dennard, and Freddie Waites, and studied at the reputable Jazzmobile School. Kamal's musical influences also stem from his travels throughout the world and exposure to a wide range of people. James Kamal believes that one of his strongest qualities is his ability to understand and address differences in culture, class, and living environments.

James Kamal's music effectively combines the traditions of jazz, pop, gospel, and other contemporary genre with the exploratory drive of the avant-garde into a uniquely dynamic and personal style. As a five-year member of Ornette Coleman's group Prime Time, Kamal became proficient in Coleman's Harmelodic Concept, a form which has had a major impact on contemporary improvisational music. James Kamal has also been the heart of rhythm sections for such renowned and diverse musicians as Roberta Flack, The Delphonics, Cab Calloway, Yusef Lateef, Shirley Cesar, Leroy Jenkins, Leo Smith, Oliver Lake, Jack McDuff, Lonnie Smith, Africa Bembatta and the Soul Sonic Force, Frank West, and Al King, among others.

Kamal has performed in major festivals and concert venues throughout the United States, Canada, Iceland, Europe, the Middle East, and Japan. He was also a 1992 recipient of a Jazz Performance grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Over the past twelve years, James Kamal has taught privately and worked with various human service agencies

Bill Fanning/ Trumpet
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Graduating from New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Massachusetts with a Master of Music in Jazz Studies with Honors

Bill continues his private Studies with legendary Bobby Shew.                         

Bill has taught at the Indian Hills Music School, and the Hudson Arts Alliance in Hudson, Massachusetts as well as other fine places of distinction

Bill has performed with the U.S. Navy Band, Holland American Cruise Lines and freelance with noted artists, Chester Thompson - jazz combo, Bernard Purdie - jazz quintet, Jeff Coffin Ensemble - jazz sextet, Bela Fleck - jazz sextet and Som Brasileiro - Brazilian jazz.

Recently, Bill has performed with the Artie Shaw Orchestra, Benny Goodman Orchestra, Nelson Riddle Orchestra, The Temptations, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and Jazz in the Sanctuary Concert Series

Tony Vaughn/ Bassist
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Born in Greensboro, North Carolina Tony Vaughn's career as a bassist extends over more than a 20-year period with national and international credits performing both live and in the studio with many R&B, Soul, Jazz, Rock and country artist. He is well known for his ability to find the heart of any groove and for his sense of where and when to place his style bass solos. He has also been featured as an actor in supporting roles on various television shows while living in Japan.

While living in New York and playing with Millie Jackson, known for her multi-million seller "If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Won't To Be Right", his sessions included a live in Tokyo Japan double record concert, supporting character in Japanese soap opera, game show assistant host and session bassist on these shows. Tony's concert credits, while with Ms. Jackson includes; The Isley Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Ohio Players, Natalie Cole, Richard Pryor, James Brown, Rob Monsey of Carly Simon, B.B. King, Bobby Blue Bland, The Manhattans, The Whispers, Steve Wright Band, Jackie Wilson, Randy Klein (New York Grammy winning Industrialist) and a host of others.

Tony Vaughn later moved to Boston to play with the Ellis Hall Group, a well-known Jazz-funk-rock band based in Boston during the late 1970's and early 1980's, his session credits include LA sessions for CBS and RCA, Tom Scott, Brecker Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fires horn section, Norman Connors and LA super session guitarist Michael Thomson. The Ellis Hall group also opened in concert with bands such as the Average White Band, The Cars, Tower of Power, Ralph Graham and was associated with the a Boston Red Sox's publicity campaign that involved a bass performance on "No More Games."

Now based in Boston, Tony continues to perform on numerous CD's and live concerts for many of Boston's finest up and coming talent such as; Michael Whalen (movies scores and producer of E3), Andre Ward (saxophonist), Larry Watson (vocalist), Pascal Boka (formally of the late Dizzy Gilispie's Band) and the Manhattan Touch, a hard hitting Boston based musical group armed with a horn section and specializing in a plethora of musical styles.

Bill Benoit/ Guitarist
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Guitarist Bill Benoit is 25 year veteran of the Boston music scene.   After studying audio engineering at Berklee College of Music from 1978-1981, Bill played bass in several local rock outfits including The Lines, The Make, and The System. During that early 80's period, Bill appeared onstage with Grace Jones and opened for Blue Oyster Cult. In '85, Bill switched to guitar and started The Ducktape Messiah's. In '88 he became a sound engineer/performer in Five Gone Mad. In the early 90's, Bill formed and fronted Lounge 2000, a popular Alternative Rock cover band that played regularly in the New England area.   He was also the entertainment manager at the Tam in Brookline, MA. In addition to playing guitar and singing backup in The Manhattan Touch, Bill is a songwriter, audio engineer, and audio consultant.

Bill Jones/ Saxophone
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Bill Jones began performing in the south eastern Massachusetts/Cape Cod area, playing jazz, blues, and rock and roll.  He attended the University of New Hampshire where he earned his degree in Music Education. Upon graduation he moved to Boston where he was accepted at the New England Conservatory of Music.  There he studied with legendary jazz saxophonists Jerry Bergonzi and George Garzone. While there he was able to study with other greats such as: John McNeil, George Russell, and Bob  Brookmeyer.

Jones has performed with Joe Lovano, Bob Gullotti, John Lockwood, George Garzone, Billy Hart, Herb Pomeroy, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Nicolaos Athansiaou and the Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra. Jones performs in the Boston, New Hampshire and Cape Cod regions.   He has also established himself as an educator, with a studio of over 40 students.  He has performed at Chan’s, Ryles Jazz Club, the Zeitgeist, Natick Center for the Arts, Wally’s Café, Skol, the Acton Jazz Café,  The Top of  The Hub, The Middle East, The Portsmouth Press Room, Michael Timothy’s, Avalon., and others.
 

Bill lives in Chelsea MA, with his wife Karyn. He continues his studies with legendary pianist, teacher, theorist, and composer Charlie Banacos.

Paul Barbato/ Keyboard
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One of eleven children from parents of a musical background, Paul grew up in a home where everyone in his family played & studied music. Paul started his career at age 11 playing drums for a jazz band led by his father which included 5 of his brothers. During high school, Paul studied piano which led him to enroll at the Berklee College of Music where he graduated with a Major in Jazz Arranging & Composition. While performing throughout the New England area   with various club bands during the mid 80's, Paul formed his own Jazz Fusion band with 2 of his brothers under the name " Liaison " which performed many shows at Boston's well known jazz clubs. Custom designing and building a recording studio at his home in Watertown MA, Paul opened " Main Stream Productions ", offering a live recording room, music lessons & song writing services. Paul has been playing keyboards with The Manhattan Touch since the Spring of 2001 where he has also contributed in arranging many of the requested charts for the rhythm section.

Scott A. Grant/ Trombone
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Coming Soon