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AS IS, the musical duo of Alan and Stacey Schulman, share holiday favorites on The Pulse

Alan and Stacey Schulman didn't meet each other in a musical capacity. They met while working at an advertising company. Eventually, they discovered that they both had a background in music — Stacey as a background vocalist, and Alan as a guitarist and graduate of Howard University's Division of Fine Arts (just like yours truly). When their musical worlds finally united, they knew it was sacred.

Fast forward to 2021, and they're the formidable duo called AS IS, all while passing the tradition down to their sons (both currently students at Jazz House Kids).

AS IS stopped by to talk about their musical union and the release of their latest single, "O Holy Night," a reimagining of the classic holiday tune with a touch of spice and everything nice. AS IS also gave an exclusive, intimate mini concert of holiday favorites for this cheer-filled edition of The Pulse.

The Pulse featuring AS IS-- Alan and Stacey Schulman!

Their single is produced by GRAMMY nominee James McKinney and mixed by GRAMMY award-winning sound engineer Scott Jacoby. The arrangement is undeniably infectious and joyful, with the rhythm section consisting of Brazilian brothers Leonardo Lucini on bass and Alejandro Lucini on Drums. Together they provide an authentic samba bounce to the mix.

According to Alan, he's certainly aware of the existence of iconic guitar and vocal duos throughout history. What makes AS IS unique is the energy they fuse into their arrangements and the undeniable love and vitality that flows from within.

Keanna Faircloth is a Washington, DC native and comes to WBGO getting her start on-air at WPFW 89.3 FM in 2003, most recently as the host of Late Night Jazz: The Continuum Experience. She is a graduate of Howard University having majored in Music History with a minor in Classical Piano. Keanna has written for NPR Music, and worked for Radio One as an on-air personality, producer and voice-over talent. She is also the creator and host of Artimacy Podcast, where she has interviewed artists like Wynton Marsalis, Matthew Whitaker, Jonathan Butler, and Dionne Warwick. As a result, she was recognized by Radio Ink Magazine as a 2019 African American leader in radio.