Have you ever asked the questions... What is happening to our music? What has happened to its true essence and colorful creativity? Why does all the music now-a-days seem to be so much alike? Answer... Fact of the matter is that no one makes the music for the betterment of the people...it's all about the dollar... Well, the time has come for real music to return.. And Jaafar is much obliged to offer "Travel Light", a new collection of s...

Have you ever asked the questions... What is happening to our music? What has happened to its true essence and colorful creativity? Why does all the music now-a-days seem to be so much alike? Answer... Fact of the matter is that no one makes the music for the betterment of the people...it's all about the dollar... Well, the time has come for real music to return.. And Jaafar is much obliged to offer "Travel Light", a new collection of songs that speak to the joys, pains and challenges of everyday living.

"I just wanted to arrange some good music that peaople can relate to," Jaafar says. What perhaps separates Jaafar from many of his Comrads in Music is the passion and drive for NON CONSTRICTIVE Music...in other words music that moves you yet can not be placed in a specific genre... Music that constantly transforms.

Coming from a royal line of musicians, Jaafar was introduced to music at the tender age of two when his parents (Deborah Hollis-Harrell and Rick Harrell) would play the old 45s to sooth the the warring child and keep him calm during their daily chores and his nap time. At the age of four Jaafar was introduced to gospel while attending the Greater Emannuel Temple Holiness Church in Birmingham. Jaafar learned quite a lot from the styles that emerged from the pulpit and the sounds that filled his church home. What he didn't learn from the church, he gathered during his matriculation of middle school and high school where he joined the multitude of bands and choirs. This indeed is when his musical awakning began.

He was vocally trained by the renowned Dr. Bernard Williams and Melvin Cunningham and was trained in the art form of trumpeting by Dr. Johnny Jacoabs, Jothan Callins, Daniel Carr and Donald Crawford. "That's where I learned my musical theory," Jaafar recalls, though he also found musical inspiration "just listening and watching."

Jaafar first emerged out of the Birmingham Neo-Soul/Jazz music scene in 2004 when he played with a local band, The Reginald Jones Band. Although the band was doing well and had promise, Jaafar just wasn't happy and content. He was then introduced to one of the premier Neo-Soul/Hip-Hop producers of the the south, called only Supreme, who took Jaafar under his wing and really turned him on to Neo-Soul through what was known as the D.X.X. (diamond soul experience).

A local Neo-Soul open mike show, the D.X.X. had been around for five years when Jaafar took the position of Vocals/Trumpet. "Man those were good times," he says. "The vibe that you get from the people when they're enjoying themselves and you're enjoying yourself. LAWD HAVE MERCY! Good music good times."

After the last air of the D.X.X., Jaafar went into a severely depressed state dealing with awful family problems and living arrangements. He veered away from music and vowed to never return.

But through the movement of the Holy Spirit and Christian vessels, Jaafar was re-inspired to create ~~He's Back~ Back To Life~~~ Back To Reality~~