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Formerly known as Café Soul, Jamad are Montreal's best-kept secret, a super group of sorts, consisting of vocalist Alan Prater, keyboardists Joel Campbell and Dan Thouin, bassist Alan Baculis, and drummer Max Sansalone.

The result is an r&b, soul and funk outfit decidedly more than the sum of its parts, with the kind of intuitive performances that result from the sheer joy each player derives from his colleagues. Sparks fly. There is an intangible magic the group strive for in every performance; they often attain it. When they do, everyone knows it; the stage is aglow, and the audience exchange knowing smiles. If the rock-solid virtuosity of Jamad's instrumentalists isn't magic enough, the proverbial cake's icing is vocalist Alan Prater, whose wide experience includes time with Cameo, The Jacksons and later Michael Jackson.

Drawing from the songbooks of soul, R&B and funk, much as a jazz group would mine the Great American Songbook, Jamad brings its own vibe to such material as Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues," and to such lesser-known treasures as "We Are One" (originally recorded by Maze feat Frankie Beverly); and "Not 2 Gether," originally recorded by Chico DeBarge. The group's repertoire is constantly evolving and growing.

Vocalist Alan Prater is a hypnotically effective frontman, able to unite, thrill and seduce any audience with his unflagging professionalism and down-to-earth charm. After hearing Prater, people walk into the midnight air elated. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, as a young man he learned to play violin and the drums. Growing up listening to his idols Sam Cooke and Al Green, he later added trumpet and trombone to his skill set. From there, he soon established a group, called Transit, who would eventually (and ironically) become Al Green's band. It was soon after this that he was summoned by The Jacksons.

Keyboardist Joel Campbell, a native of London, boasts an impressive resumé that includes stints with Janet Jackson, Eurythmics and Tina Turner - and many songwriting credits along the way. Joel is also a sought-after producer and has his own gospel ensemble.

Bassist Al Baculis is one of the top electric bassists in Canada. The son of two musicians, he's worked with Joan Jett, Lemmy (Motorhead), Québec rock icon Michel Pagliaro and The Band's Levon Helm. Al was also an integral member of the platinum-selling Canadian rock group Bootsauce.

Keyboardist Dan Thouin is unusual in that he's as comfortable with electronic music and new technologies as he is with jazz and popular music. He's enjoyed stints with Québec musical icons Daniel Bélanger, Ariane Moffatt and Gilles Vigneault, as well as collaborations with such international stars as Youssou N'Dour, Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Joe Lovano.

Drummer extraordinaire Max Sansalone is known for his tight grooves, his unfailing inner clock and his sensitive musicality. A graduate of The Berklee College of Music, he's studied with such percussion masters as Ed Uribe and Giovanni Hidalgo. His work can be found on hundreds of recordings, and his international exposure includes tours with Kid Koala, the legendary DJ, with whom he's also recorded.