All of the below is taken from:
... All of the below is taken from:
http://www.universalhallpass.com/biopage.html
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Universal Hall Pass is the music of New England native Melissa R. Kaplan, former singer/songwriter/front-woman of Boston’s popular electronic-pop outfit Splashdown. Her new project throws the same curve balls, mingling genre-hopping songs with clever song-craft. These elements helped launch her first group, Splashdown, into television and motion pictures, earning critical accolades and a devoted following.
Melissa’s songwriting incorporates various musical influences, ranging from rock, electronic, and jazz to Bulgarian and the music of the Middle East. The music exemplifies traditional and non-traditional songwriting styles that are both daring and adventurous. Her lyrics contain potent images that evoke curiosity, entice the intellect and spark the imagination.
Signed early on to Capitol Records with her previous project Splashdown, Melissa has worked with producers Glen Ballard, Bryan Carrigan and Anthony J. Resta. Her original music has been featured in major motion picture soundtracks (Titan A.E.) and she has worked extensively with film composers Graeme Revell, Ed Shearmur and Lyle Workman among others as a co-writer (The Red Planet) and vocalist (K-PAX, The Chronicles of Riddick, 88 Minutes, Mr. Woodcock). In addition, Melissa has had her music placed in the hit WB Network shows Charmed and Angel and she can be seen and heard of progression dance tracks for the Sony Playstation 2 popular music video games Amplitude and Frequency. Most recently Melissa sang for the Emmy Award Winning television theme to Showtime’s “Matters of Horror” and its ABC follow up “Masters of Science Fiction.”
Melissa has toured all over the United States and Canada as front woman for Splashdown including performances on the East Coast 1999 Lilith Fair Tour. She has had the pleasure of opening for acts such as Crystal Method, Moby, Lamb, Lords of Acid and Church.
Presently, Melissa has released UHP’s “Mercury” and “Subtle Things”, and can be heard singing on a number of 2006 film soundtracks and television themes (some of which can be downloaded from http://www.universalhallpass.com ).
[Or… The informal:]
Who is Melissa? Melissa is a singer/songwriter who’s heavily influenced by Bulgarian and Middle Eastern Music. She loves electronic, jazz, you name it… (except for most country and smooth jazz).
The Originator of Universal Hall Pass
Left Handed
Sings and writes songs on her keyboard about Inner life and Outer life and somewhere in between where they meet.
Loves her cat
Some of her favorites:
Singer/Songwriters: David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel
Bands: Queen, Japan, Radiohead
Singers: Tatiana Sarbinska, Les Mystere Des Voix Bulgares,
Bombay S. Jayashri, Maria Joao, Nursrat Fatch Ali Kahn, Ella Fitzgerald… and this list could go on forever.*
Electronic Artists: Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Boards of Canada, Kid Koala…*
Jazz Artists: Bill Frisell, Oscar Peterson, Sun Ra, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman…*
Composers: Beethoven, Charles Ives, Bartok, Debussy, Ravel, Samuel Barber…*
[- Bio translated from gif format to text format by Erilis, a loyal fan!] Read more
