Sean Jones is a singer and songwriter of sophisticated R&B inspired most by early-'60s recordings from the likes of Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and Marvin Gaye. The Toronto native previously went by the name Smooth, as a member of In Essence -- a Juno Award-winning group that, in 2005, released an album through BMG. Drawn to classic soul more than prevalent commercial sounds, Jones opted to go solo, developed a set of covers, and toured extensively. During 2013 he began work on his debut album with fellow writers Ben Mink, Miku Graham, and Michael Shand. Waiting for Midnight, released in 2015, contained seven refined originals and a batch of four interpretations. ~ Andy Kellman