About Me
I am Joshua Alexander Milan, affectionately known as Josh. I was born on June 9, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York. I am a four-time GRAMMY Award-nominated multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer, and CEO/founder of Honeycomb Music, LLC. My career spans over 35 years, beginning as a founding member of the iconic House music group Blaze, and now Honeycomb Music label partner and solo artist. I have dedicated my career to positioning myself as an influential virtuoso in the contemporary Dance music industry.
My musical roots began in Gospel, where I cut my teeth on the church organ at the tender age of 12. From that moment, my journey into the world of music was innately divine. It is from my spiritual base that I approach each project with authenticity and originality rarely found in contemporary music.
4 GRAMMY Nominations
Honeycomb Music CEO/Founder
Singer-Songwriter
Multi-Instrumentalist
Producer
Recording Engineer
Syndicated Radio Host
International DJ
Event Promoter
Author
Voting Member of the Recording Academy/GRAMMYS
Instruments:
Vocals, Keys, Guitar, Bass, Flute, Percussion…
“I do what I love, while at the same time, I love what I do.”
My repertoire spans the spectrum of musical genres, fusing styles together to create eclectic, soulful compositions. I have performed in London, South Africa, Tokyo, Montenegro, Greece, Italy, Ibiza, Cuba, Croatia, and Brussels. My international travels have filled me with amazing experiences that I have infused in my music. I have worked in the recording studio with such artists as GRAMMY Award-nominated South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, GRAMMY Award-winning R&B/Pop/Jazz vocalist Patti Austin, as well as Andy Narell and Lisa Fischer, among others. I have provided remixes on multiple chart-topping Dance classics for such artists as Diana Ross, Lisa Stansfield, Babyface, El DeBarge, and Jody Watley. My current discography includes songwriting, vocals, and production work on such labels as Motown, BBE, King Street, Vega Records, Nervous Records, Defected, and MAW.
My 30-year plus friendship with GRAMMY Award-winning DJ and super-producer, Louie Vega, led to our collaboration on Louie’s 2016 album Starring...XXVIII, which was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2017 GRAMMY Awards. I am also a member of Louie Vega’s boundary-breaking ensembles, Elements of Life and EOL Soulfrito, serving as songwriter, featured vocalist and keyboardist with releases on both Vega Records and the famed Fania Record label.
Today, Louie Vega and I collaborate on projects under the moniker Two Soul Fusion -- producing original releases as well as remixes for the legendary Brian Jackson, iconic Afro rock band Osibisa, Detroit’s own Dames Brown/Andrés/Amp Fiddler, leading Jazz pianist Robert Glasper, and more to come.
In 2021, I earned my fourth GRAMMY Award nomination as a featured vocalist on the song “Better Man,” from the album Judgement by Ten City, which was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album for the 2022 GRAMMY Awards.
“Music is love. And love is what we need.”
In 2010, I proudly established my independent record label, Honeycomb Music, LLC, and since its inception, we have consistently pumped out hits. I have pulled together a roster of powerhouse vocalists, musicians, and spoken-word artists with singles, EPs and albums from artists such as Dawn Tallman, Dannis Winston, Tracy Brathwaite, Sheree Hicks, Cinnamon Brown, Sandra St. Victor, ChinahBlac, Diviniti, Lamone, Kia Stewart, Temika Moore, Joseff McKenneth, Ritmo Y Tumbao, Raw Honey Poets, and others on the way. I have also collaborated with GRAMMY Award-winning producer DJ Kemit. Since 2012, Honeycomb Music’s official music webstore reports more than 16,000 downloads of our releases and over 400,000 plays. You can support our releases here: https://honeycombmusic.bandcamp.com/.
I released my first full-length album, 6.9.69, named for my birthdate in 2017. This release marked a pivotal point in my career, a rebirth so to speak, as I ventured out as a solo artist on my own Honeycomb Music label. This special double-album is a collection of self-penned originals and covers of such classics as “Blackbird” (Beatles), “I Wish You Well” (Bill Withers), “The Bottle” (Gil Scott Heron/Brian Jackson), and “Sweet Little Girl” (Stevie Wonder). This two-disc project only scratches the surface of my creativity. Yet, it is safe to say, this project has already left a mark on contemporary House music and dance culture. My 6.9.69 album release was accompanied by my debut as a published author with my first book entitled In My Own Words: A Collection of Song Lyrics, Poems, Photos and Musings [Prism Publishing JC, Inc.].
In 2018, I released Shapes, Color and Magic Volume 1, a genre-defying EP that showcases my instrumentation and fuses Jazz, Dance, Funk, Soul, and hints of Gospel punctuated with my vocal stylings and harmonies. The album represents a new musical trajectory for me, and I have followed it up with Shapes & Colors Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, a vinyl-release series that spotlights my recordings from the original EP and illustrates my desire to push the boundaries of my artistry and craft.
“Jazz has always been my first love, and House Music is what I’m known for.
However, I’m not responsible for what happens at work.”
Ten year ago in 2014, I launched my weekly Internet radio show, the Honeycomb Music Non-Radio Lunch Break utilizing the MixLR radio-streaming platform. Each Monday from 12 noon to 2 p.m. (ET), I provide music connoisseurs from around the world with a live playlist of musical offerings -- including Jazz, Funk, House, Afrobeat, Reggae, Rare Groove, Fusion, and Pop. This interactive experience allows me to connect with international fans and supporters in a real-time chatroom during the show’s airing. The Honeycomb Music Non-Radio Lunch Break has garnered over 95,000 total listens since its inception and continues to grow each month with over 400 archived shows and over 5400 followers on the MixLR platform. Join us on Mondays: https://honeycombmusic.mixlr.com/. My radio show was previously syndicated internationally on the U.K.’s HouseFM.net and most recently on the U.K.’s Mi-Soul Radio.
From 2011 through 2018, I celebrated my June 9th birthday with my annual NYC Josh Milan Birthday Boat Ride. This four-hour excursion into sound on the iconic Circle Line sightseeing cruise sold out each year and attendance included fans from around the world who have followed my career. Music at this event has been provided by celebrated selectors: DJ Spinna, Joaquin “Joe” Claussell, Jihad Muhammad, Mike Dunn, and Rich Medina.
We returned to the Circle Line Cruise in 2023 to celebrate my 54th birthday along with live performanes from Honeycomb Artists: Dawn Tallman, Diviniti, Lamone, Lezlie Harrison, and Vivian Sessoms. The amazing DJ Kemit was behind the decks selecting the perfect music for our trip around New York City.
And we celebrated again this year on the Circle Line Cruise on Sunday, June 9th— my actual birthday! — when I turned 55! For this special birthday, I took to the stage to perform LIVE with my Band. Once again, the Grammy-award winning DJ Kemit provided the amazing musical selections and legendary producer Big Moses provided a flawless welcoming set. Thank you to everyone who attended Josh Turns 55. I had a great time!
“The only thing one can do, is continue to do what he loves, which is why music has to be a love affair.”
In April of 2019, I began a new journey in my career headlining and performing with my very own live band, Josh Milan & Band. We performed in both London and Manchester to sold-out venues. In June 2019, we took to the stage in Greece at my 50th birthday celebration, and later in Montenegro at the Southern Soul Festival. In January 2020, I performed live on the sold-out 13th Annual Capital Jazz SuperCruise (St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Thomas).
2019 marked a very special year for me as I celebrated my 50th birthday in June with a four-day music festival, Josh Turns 50, at Cariocas Beach Bar in beautiful Schinos, Greece. I was joined again by GRAMMY Award-winning Louie Vega and legendary musical selector Joaquin “Joe” Claussell. Honeycomb Music artists performed and 18 additional DJs from around the globe provided the soundscapes throughout the four-day celebration. I was most excited about performing a full live show at this milestone birthday celebration with my Band.
In 2022, Josh Milan & Band performed at the Southport Weekender in the U.K., at the Summer of Love Juneteenth Unity Fest Block Party in Brooklyn, and at the Chicago House Music Festival in September.
In August of 2023, Josh Milan & Band performed live in the U.K. Our tour included the 51st Festival in London, the Margate Soul Festival in Kent, the Jazz Cafe in London, and Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here Festival in Dorset. I also released a limited vinyl-only EP, A Quiet Mind, at the BBE Store in London. At the end of October, Josh Milan & Band performed live in South Africa at two different venues.
I am always thrilled to perform live with my Band at festivals and events around the world. I love connecting with my amazing fans as I continue to explore my artistry as a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and band leader. This past July, I performed with my Band at London’s Jazz Cafe and at the Love Supreme Jazz Festival in East Sussex, UK. Both performances were awesome and I got so much love from the audiences. On September 13th, I performed with my Band at the 3rd Annual House Music on the Beach in Negril, Jamaica and on September 27th, we played a heartfelt hometown set at Soul in the Horn in Brooklyn.
I am now finishing new music for my Honeycomb label. These upcoming releases pick up where both 6.9.69 and Shapes, Color and Magic left off and will highlight my passion for songwriting, lyrics, vocal arrangements, production work, and my ongoing love affair with my instruments— keys, guitar, bass, flute, percussion, and more….
I am certain that my very best is yet to come. I am committed more than ever to evolving as a singer-songwriter, musician, producer, radio host, writer, and label owner in an ever-changing industry. I am honored, blessed and grateful to share my music with YOU.
Thank you for visiting JoshMilan.net and…
Thank you for being part of my journey.
— Josh
November 2024
