MUSIC

“People usually associate your background with the kind of music you do, but I’m adopted so I don’t know my background. Unknown ethnicity: unknown musical genre. We’ll do a little of everything.” -Jason Raize, InTheater

Solo Work

In 1998, Jason signed with Universal Records‘ new Deston Entertainment label to record his debut solo album. Jason would collaborate with songwriter/producer Desmond Child, who had recently started the Deston Entertainment label with partner Winston Simone. Child boasted two decades in the music business that included collaborations with Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Bonnie Tyler. As he began working with Jason, Child again rose to the top of the charts by writing and producing Ricky Martin’s 1999 hit “Livin’ la Vida Loca.”

Jason worked on the album while still performing in The Lion King. He spoke often about how being adopted and not knowing his ethnicity fueled his desire to make music that wasn’t tied to any specific background. “I don’t come from a background where I only do Latin music or rap or any specific style,” he said on his official website. “What I wanted to do is pop, which to me is the universal music, and add flavors of other music into that, and thereby create a style.”

Photos above are © Deston Entertainment/Universal Records, 1999, and appeared on Jason’s official website.

Recording affords an artistic integrity from yourself that no other medium can provide an artist. [W]hen you are on stage performing your own music, that’s you.” – Jason

Jason released two singles on the Deston Entertainment/Universal label: “Taste the Tears,” written by Diane Warren, in December 1999, and “You Win Again,” written and previously recorded by the Bee Gees, in June 2000. Just after the release of “You Win Again,” Jason headlined the Disney Channel concert special Jessica Simpson and Jason Raize in Concert.

Unfortunately, Deston Entertainment never released the full album (announced with the title NYC). Child suspended operations for his music label in 2001 so that he could focus on other projects; Jason, meanwhile, began work on his television show Keeping it Wild with Jason Raize.

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Jessica Simpson and Jason Raize in Concert

In April 2000, Jason headed to Los Angeles to film a concert special with Jessica Simpson for the Disney Channel’s In Concert series. Jessica Simpson and Jason Raize in Concert premiered on Disney on June 24, 2000, as part of Disney’s Sizzling Summer Weekend. The special enabled Jason to introduce his solo music to both his fans and a new audience in anticipation of his debut album NYC.

Onstage, you’re playing a character. You need to be connected and give an honest performance. I love performing as myself, because you’re using your experience and your thoughts. It’s much more personal.” – Jason

Jessica Simpson and Jason Raize in Concert was a one-hour special: Jessica performed in the first half, while Jason performed in the second. While the two stars did not perform together, the special included footage of Jessica and Jason playing volleyball with their friends and dancers at Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica.

More videos of the concert are available on JasonRaize.Net’s YouTube channel. Jason performed:

• “I Can Make it Without You”
• “You Win Again”
• “Lovin’ You Lovin’ Me”
• “Run Away Girl”
• “NYC”

The special also included clips of Jason having fun in Los Angeles: mountain biking, jet skiing, visiting Disneyland with his dancers, and talking to fans on the beach. Disney re-aired the concert several times throughout the summer.

Photo 1 is a publicity photo; source is unknown. Photos 2-4 are © Disney and appeared on the ZoogDisney website. Photo 5 is a clipping from TV Guide.

To promote the concert, Jason participated in a ZoogDisney chat on July 10, 2000. He said that the concert made him “incredibly happy, and very proud of my entire group.”

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Discography