Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Adventures with Sheila E.

It was cool in more than one way, as in five degrees outside.

Rebecca Jade (center) - Image by Gee Gee Images
Rebecca Jade (center)

San Diego vocalist Rebecca Jade has been performing internationally as a member of “smooth-jazz” saxophonist Dave Koz’s Cruise. That’s where she met pop icon Sheila E. who approached her about filling in for one of her back-up singers. “One of them was unable to make a few dates, so of course I said ‘yes’ even though I had to bail on a few things here in town. One thing led to another, and I just celebrated one year as a member of her band. We’ve done about 40 shows all over the country.”

Jade has been enjoying the chance to travel and perform in front of much larger audiences. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity. I mean, 99 percent of the places we’ve played, I’ve never been to, so it’s all an adventure.... I’ve been able to see how the big machine works and how everyone on tour has a role to play. It’s been inspiring to watch [Sheila] as a leader, and how she takes care of business.”

How big are some of these gigs?

Sponsored
Sponsored

“We played the opening night of Super Bowl week in February, which was great because it was in Minneapolis and Sheila E. had a history of collaborating with Prince, who was from there. That was televised, and it was cool in more than one way, as in five degrees outside. We also did a show in Connecticut for 10,000 people.”

Her boss just turned 60 this year, but according to Jade, she’s showing no signs of slowing down or acting like a diva. “She’s had a career for decades. She’s still killing it, looking good, and sounding great. She treats the band like family, and I get a lot of inspiration from that.”

On the road, Sheila E. plays a lot of hoops to stay in shape. Jade attended UC Berkeley on a basketball scholarship and still plays in a women’s league in town. She discovered the boss is no pushover, though. “The first time we played ‘horse,’ she beat me twice. I got her back the next time, and now we have a little rivalry going.”

Past Event

Earl Thomas and Rebecca Jade

Sheila E's local connections also include her uncle Javier Escovedo, who co-founded the influential Chula Vista punk band the Zeros in 1976, and her uncle Mario Escovedo, who spent around 14 years with locals the Dragons. Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact play the North Promenade at Arts District Liberty Station on July 22, along with bluesman Earl Thomas.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

NORTH COUNTY’S BEST PERSONAL TRAINER: NICOLE HANSULT HELPING YOU FEEL STRONG, CONFIDENT, AND VIBRANT AT ANY AGE

Next Article

Escondido planners nix office building switch to apartments

Not enough open space, not enough closets for Hickory Street plans
Rebecca Jade (center) - Image by Gee Gee Images
Rebecca Jade (center)

San Diego vocalist Rebecca Jade has been performing internationally as a member of “smooth-jazz” saxophonist Dave Koz’s Cruise. That’s where she met pop icon Sheila E. who approached her about filling in for one of her back-up singers. “One of them was unable to make a few dates, so of course I said ‘yes’ even though I had to bail on a few things here in town. One thing led to another, and I just celebrated one year as a member of her band. We’ve done about 40 shows all over the country.”

Jade has been enjoying the chance to travel and perform in front of much larger audiences. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity. I mean, 99 percent of the places we’ve played, I’ve never been to, so it’s all an adventure.... I’ve been able to see how the big machine works and how everyone on tour has a role to play. It’s been inspiring to watch [Sheila] as a leader, and how she takes care of business.”

How big are some of these gigs?

Sponsored
Sponsored

“We played the opening night of Super Bowl week in February, which was great because it was in Minneapolis and Sheila E. had a history of collaborating with Prince, who was from there. That was televised, and it was cool in more than one way, as in five degrees outside. We also did a show in Connecticut for 10,000 people.”

Her boss just turned 60 this year, but according to Jade, she’s showing no signs of slowing down or acting like a diva. “She’s had a career for decades. She’s still killing it, looking good, and sounding great. She treats the band like family, and I get a lot of inspiration from that.”

On the road, Sheila E. plays a lot of hoops to stay in shape. Jade attended UC Berkeley on a basketball scholarship and still plays in a women’s league in town. She discovered the boss is no pushover, though. “The first time we played ‘horse,’ she beat me twice. I got her back the next time, and now we have a little rivalry going.”

Past Event

Earl Thomas and Rebecca Jade

Sheila E's local connections also include her uncle Javier Escovedo, who co-founded the influential Chula Vista punk band the Zeros in 1976, and her uncle Mario Escovedo, who spent around 14 years with locals the Dragons. Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact play the North Promenade at Arts District Liberty Station on July 22, along with bluesman Earl Thomas.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

In-n-Out alters iconic symbol to reflect “modern-day California”

Keep Palm and Carry On?
Next Article

Gonzo Report: Eating dinner while little kids mock-mosh at Golden Island

“The tot absorbs the punk rock shot with the skill of experience”
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader