Sunnie originally hails from Philadelphia. One of three children, the household owned a piano but Sunnie was the only family member really interested in the instrument. From the time that she could first reach the keys, she started to play. Her interest in music and apparent gift for the piano was noticed by her Grandmother, who encouraged Sunnie to learn, found her a piano teacher and Sunnie's future career was born.
A child prodigy, Sunnie's ability was noted by her teachers and her burgeoning talent led to her becoming a student of Jimmy Amadie and of the late world-renowned French jazz pianist, Bernard Peiffer.
Sunnie's music schooling continued at the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts and thereafter the world famous Berklee College of Music where she studied with Ray Santisi. By this time Sunnie's influences ranged the whole gamut of soul, funk and jazz. The soul and funk came from her exposure to the music of the major soul/funk acts of the day, such as BT Express, Brass Construction, Enchantment and Phyllis Hyman – this due to her Uncle's (the legendary producer Fred Frank) close involvement with the production of those artists.
After college, Sunnie went to Atlantic City and whilst playing gigs in that city's casinos was noticed by the renowned singer Billy Daniels, who recruited Sunnie as his Musical Director.
In 1985, whilst sitting on the beach with a friend, she remarked that she felt she had taken her career in Atlantic City as far as it would go and that she needed new challenges in order to develop as a musician and creative artist. As if by magic she was approached within days by the legendary bassist, Stanley Clarke, who offered Sunnie the keyboard seat in his band. She accepted his offer and toured with him for three years, during which time she featured on his album "Find Out" in 1985. The album was a melting pot of commercial pop-soul, funk and electro/hip-hop with some fusion jazz tracks thrown in for good measure, further expanding Sunnie's wide tastes and skills in various genres of music.
Under the guidance and tutelage of Stanley Clarke, Sunnie started to work on writing music for feature film scores and TV theme music, which has continued to this day. Under Clarke's direction Sunnie is heard on films such as "Book of Love" (1991), "Love Kills" (1991) and "Eddie" starring Whoopie Goldberg (1996). Her work for TV is regularly heard on the major TV networks, ABC, NBC, CBS, Telemundo, Fox Sports Net and Movies of the Week.
During her 3-year gig with Stanley Clarke, Sunnie wanted to find new outlets for her abilities and creativity. Where else better than Los Angeles where some of her favorite musicians lived and performed? Sunnie went to Los Angeles hoping to find work as a composer but virtually upon her arrival she was immediately welcomed with a full schedule of session work, arranging, producing and performing. All of this whilst she continued to score for film, TV and library, whose producers relied upon her output. During these L.A. days she produced the title track for "Lambada the Forbidden Dance" and scored TV movies such as "Best Shots," "My Boyfriend's Back" and "Tango War".
In Los Angeles Sunnie had soon established herself as a sought after side woman called upon to play the keyboard for esteemed artists in the studios and live on the road. She has recorded or shared the stage with such greats as Harvey Mason, Everette Harp, John Patatucci, Larry Carlton, Michael Paulo and others.
By 1992, Los Angeles Magazine voted her one of "Los Angeles' Best Jazz performers" due to her live work.
Eventually, Sunnie having given her musical support to and written music for others, longed to be known and acknowledged by the public as a front-line recording and performing artist playing her own compositions and arrangements. In 2000, armed with a catalogue of songs and ideas, Sunnie moved East to Orlando, Florida, where she hooked up with her uncle, Fred Frank and her aunt, Jane, at their Roadshow Studio. She started work on what is a little known first album called "Wild Soul." The album, completed in 2001, was a melting pot of soul, jazz/funk, acid jazz, smooth jazz, and fusion and straight jazz. Eight of the 15 tracks were full vocal, featuring some 5 vocalists. All of the tracks were written either by Sunnie alone or in collaboration with others. In addition, Sunnie wrote most of the arrangements and produced or co-produced all of the tracks.
The album was never officially released because following a pre-release hearing by John Mullen of CD101.9 NYC, he told Sunnie that her keyboard playing and songs were soulful, funky and jazzy but that in his view, her first album should feature herself more as a keyboard player. Sunnie took this advice on board and discussed it with her uncle, Fred Frank. They both agreed not to officially release "Wild Soul" but for Sunnie to rework a number of the tracks on that recording as full instrumentals and to add new material for a new project.
Four of the tracks on "Wild Soul" were reworked and re-recorded and appeared on Sunnie's first official solo album "Groove Suite" which was released on Liquid 8/Roadshow Music in mid 2002. The 11 track album includes 9 tracks written or co-written by Sunnie, together with cover versions of two funk anthems from the 70's, BT Express's "Do It ('till you're Satisfied)" and Brass Construction's "Changin." All of the arrangements are by Sunnie. Sunnie says of the album that "it is a party – all about the groove of life." The album certainly captures the enthusiasm Sunnie has for her music and her world and she hopes that the listener will share her groove.
Among the guest artists on "Groove Suite" are Stanley Clarke (feature bass solo on "Do it (till you're Satisfied)", Larry Carlton ("The Stroll"), guitarist/vocalist Michael Sembello, saxaphone player David Boruff and bassist Jimmy Earl. This is an album of soul, funk and smooth jazz. The obvious funk tracks are the '70's covers. Sunnie's version of "Do it ('till you're satisfied)" particularly shows her funky side and her arranging skills. The 12 inch "Freddie's Club Mix" of the track is presently available and is highly recommended. "The Stroll" features Sunnie trading licks with "Mr 335," Larry Carlton, and is reminiscent of the Crusaders "Put it Where You Want It" (not surprising since Larry Carlton featured on that track too). One of the more mellow tracks "Sofie's Blues," a reflective Gospel influenced acoustic piano piece, has been included on the WSSM (106.5 St Louis) 2003 compilation.
It is clear from listening to "Wild Soul" and "Groove Suite" that Sunnie's influences include George Duke, Jeff Lorber, Joe Sample, Les McCann and Ramsey Lewis – but make no mistake Sunnie has her own style and it's funky. As Jeff Charney said in his review of "Groove Suite" in ContemporaryJazz.com – "If George Duke can be the funkmaster, Sunnie Paxson is the funkmasterette."
Sunnie is presently working on tracks for her next album, which is provisionally titled "Groove Train" – it's going to be a soulful, funky jazz journey.
