By Gerald Calami
Photography by Eric Fairchild

North Valley recently had a chance to sit down with the dynamic, sexy, entertainment powerhouse known as Envy. As the current house band at the Barcelona Nightclub in Scottsdale, the band’s high-energy act covers modern and classic hits from artists like OutKast, The Black Eyed Peas, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, and Kool and the Gang.

Envy had to fill the big shoes left behind by the house group Zowie Bowie, who exited Barcelona to move to the Las Vegas Red Rock Resort and Casino over a year ago. The band jumped right in and hasn’t looked back. Instead of becoming the next Zowie Bowie, they have become the first Envy. Their excitement and daily hard work has paid off as the demanding North Scottsdale entertainment clientele have opened their arms to the great show Envy puts on. They have converted the Zowie Bowie regulars, and continue to receive fantastic fan and corporate client feedback.

We used our time with the band to find out more about Envy from their three front vocalists. Founding members Tim Doyle and Ben Harris—Ol’ Green Eyes—joined the band’s newest addition—the talented and beautiful songwriter and pianist Dawn Jameson—for our sit-down session.

North Valley Magazine : What brought Envy together?

Tim Doyle: Woody Jarrett, the band’s manager, formed the current band in the winter of 2006. Woody previously had a lineup that included himself at keyboards and different female vocals up front.

Ben Harris: Woody’s initial idea for the band was to select the best local talent he could find and put it together to form an entertainment bank that could get national—and even international—recognition.

NVM: What are the band’s current goals?

TD: To get better each day. To make each show more exciting and to make each performance more entertaining.

BH: We want to get bigger and bigger. We have created a true local buzz, we have done a number of corporate events, and now we hope to be noticed on a larger national scale.

NVM: Tell us about performing for corporate companies such as Universal Studios, FedEx, and the American Heart Association.

TD: It is fun for us to see people in suits and formal wear getting down to our music, watching CEOs dancing on stage with us. The value of bringing that kind of entertainment to the corporate field is what pushes us to perform our best.

BH: Our music can be performed to groups ranging from T-shirts and flip-flops to others in formalwear. That is what makes our performances so versatile.

NVM: Dawn, you recently appeared on Jay Leno . What was that like?

Dawn Jameson: It was incredible. Jay Leno was very sweet and personable. Even though we recorded for only about two to three minutes, the whole experience was phenomenal.

NVM: How has taking on the job of Barcelona’s house b
and over a year ago been for the band?

TD: We have had a great time. It has been very exciting to be the heart of a fantastic social spot with the ability to perform for such a large number of people day after day.

NVM: How did the change in vocals and keyboards affect the chemistry?

BH: We have improved the talent of the band and increased the range of work [so] that we can now cover more music in our performances. It’s like we are a playoff team who’s been able to add Lebron James to our team. It’s great.

NVM: What changes does the band make to its performance as you play at Barcelona month after month?

TD: We are changing the routine on a weekly basis. Our audience gets the newest, freshest songs that they are just hearing on the radio, and we deliver it to them in our own fusion of pumping hits.

DJ: Starting in the early fall, we will be bringing an ’80s throwback section to our routine, which we are very excited about. We are also currently developing our own original material.

NVM: What kind of performances has Envy done recently for local venues, and to foster local relationships?

BH: We have received a tremendous amount of local support from various retailers. Stash of Mesa and Barbwire [Western Couture] of North Scottsdale have provided us with clothing, jewelry, and accessories that are a huge part of the image of our performances. We are always looking to work with sponsors that can provide us with great products.

TD: We recently were part of the post-Taste party for the Taste 2007 at the Westin Kierland. We performed for over 2,000 people, while nearly 10,000 attended the event.

NVM: Your three lead singers are working on solo material. Will the success of that music help Envy’s publicity or hurt it?

TD: Envy’s continued success will be the catalyst of our solo careers. It has increased our face time and publicity. We are constantly asked at Barcelona for CDs of our individual work.

BH: We have been able to enlarge our network of people from all industries. A rap party that I put together led to Jaime Foxx’s attendance at the event. Having really enjoyed the show, he added me as an extra, a soldier part, in his new film The Kingdom , parts of which were shot locally east of the Valley out on Highway 60.

NVM: What lies ahead for Envy?

BH: Barcelona is our home. We love it here. However, the sky’s the limit. We would love to play in venues for larger audiences. We have even been approached by a concert promoter to be part of a Major City Promotional Tour.

NVM: Where do you see Envy five years from now?

BH: Doing it big!

TD: We hope to be one of the best entertainment acts on an international level!

The band describes North Scottsdale as a mini-Beverly Hills, and the members know that the Barcelona crowd expects their best during each performance. Whether Doyle and Jameson are performing their dinner lounge act or if Harris joins them to perform their electrifying nightclub set, these three know that their entertainment future is, ultimately, up to them.

Doyle, who spent ten years as a personal trainer, knows that the band’s bodies are its instruments. Along with Harris, the band mates have stepped up their workout in order to look their best. The way Harris sells the band to continuous crowds at Barcelona with his versatile vocal styling doesn’t hurt either; he captures everything from Sinatra to Nate Dogg. An ASU graduate, he puts his degree to work when not performing onstage—he is a regular reporter on AZE 360. He says that all the hard work that he put in at ASU to bring his Ol’ Green Eyes routine campuswide has been the impetus to letting loose on the world, and his body of work is proving his statement right. Jameson dreamed of coming to Barcelona as a performer when she was performing as a singer at Eli’s American Grille. This classically trained pianist and songwriter, who started playing at four years old and now memorizes her tunes by playing by ear, has made that dream come true. She told NVM that she recently recorded new solo material written for her by Christina Aguilera’s songwriter. You can stop by her frequently visited MySpace page to hear some of her recordings.

No band would be complete without the help of instrumentalists. Jeremy Vakeles (bass), Tom Daniel (guitar), Aaron Bland (drums), and Andy Margolis (keyboards) complete the band Envy. With various awards to their names and veteran stage experience, they are the finishing polish and sound of this collaboration of talent. Whether you are looking to be support the band as a sponsor or simply be a fully entertained fan, Envy is a shooting star that should not be missed. All of us at North Valley Magazine wish them all the best and hope that all their plans come to fruition.

Clothing, jewelry, and accessories provided by the following:

Andrew Z Fine Diamonds & Jewelry, andrewzdiamonds.com
Barbwire Western Couture, barbwire.com
Stash, stashclothing.com
Studio 15, studio15scottsdale.com
Ivan’s Bedrock Jewelers, (480) 423-1482
Bebe, bebe.com
Diamondback Automotive Group, phxcars.com