'VOICEPRINTS' GETTING AIRPLAY

Friday, July 27, 2007 5:15 PM CDT


BY TIM SHELLBERG
Times Correspondent

The impact that website MySpace is having on popular culture is being felt by Robby Celestin for his newest solo effort, "Voiceprints," which is just a little more than a week old.

"Somebody recently contacted me from a radio station in Denver," Celestin said. "He said 'we bought your CD and we're putting it in rotation. It really blew me away. And there's a local station starting to play it as well. It's really surprising. I've never had this kind of success with a local CD before."

Joined by an area all-star rock, pop and country lineup for the "Voiceprints" official release party today at the Halls of St. George in Schererville, Celestin has wowed audiences both in and well past the region for nearly two decades now.

Reared in East Chicago and the son of Robert Celestin, who was a member of the national recording and touring '60s/'70s soul outfit Enchanters, Celestin formed his first group when he was still in high school. He went on to co-found the vocal ensemble 5 O'Clock Shadow, with whom he released an album in 2001, and TimePeace, which has been performing throughout the area for more than 15 years.

Over the years, Celestin's musical travels have taken him to the White House and to Bosnia, where he performed for U.S. troops. He also has done corporate shows, one of which laid down the groundwork for what would become "Voiceprints."

"I got this great gig performing for the McDonald's Corporation, this big biannual gig they throw, and flying back I was next to a guy who (performs) nothing but original stuff," he recalled. "And he said 'if you got all these songs, why don't you do them?' It was just one of those things. If you're a songwriter, you have stories to tell and songs to sing."

A year in the making, Celestin was joined in the studio by area all-stars including his TimePeace guitarist, Tom Vienna and guitarist and producer. He also received an assist from Ben Odom, a member of the pioneering gospel/vocal outfit the Soul Stirrers.

"You can really see what can come of hard work put in the studio (from Odom)," Celestin said. "He's an absolute professional and he really keeps you on your game the entire time. It was the first time that I was ever in a studio and was completely able to put my voice in someone's hands."

In addition to drawing up buzz for "Voiceprints," Celestin, who lives in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, is still performing with his long-ticking TimePeace. TimePeace is scheduled to perform Saturday at The Boardwalk at East Chicago Marina, and also will perform Sunday afternoon as TimePeace Unplugged at Taste of Lincoln Avenue on Chicago's North Side.

Despite the steady flow of bookings, he expects to call it a day with his band come year's end.

"It just seems like the right time now (to pursue music on my own)," he said. "I live in Chicago now and it just seems time for me to make that move so that I'm able to do what I love for a living all the time. I got a little lucky there."

Opening for Celestin at today's all-ages Halls of St. George release party are past "Nashville Star" runner-up Nicole Jamrose, "Rockstar Supernova" finalist Nicole Garza, region rock favorites Planetary Blues Band and songwriter Steve Vansak augmented by the Joe Roberts Band.

ifyougo

Record release party and concert for Robby Celestin's "Voiceprints"

When: 7:30 tonight

Where: Halls of St. George, 905 E. Joliet St., Schererville

Cost: $10

FYI: (219) 865-9411 or www.hallsofstgeorge.com

TimePeace

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Boardwalk, East Chicago Marina, 3301 Aldis St., East Chicago

Cost: Free

FYI: (219) 391-7102

TimePeace Unplugged

When: 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Taste of Lincoln Avenue, Lincoln Avenue between Fullerton and Wrightwood avenues

Cost: $10

FYI: (773) 868-3010