First Take | Biographies

Carl Alleyne-Vocalist & Dancer

A native Bostonian, Carl has spent over 16 years performing around the New England area.  Before he joined Eye 2 Eye, he was a vocalist in the a cappella group Casual Male. He is also an accomplished dancer and choreographer and has worked with choreographers from The Boston Ballet and Jeanette Neil Dance Studio. His talents have enabled him to open up for many great artists such as Gladys Knight, the late Ray Charles, the O’Jays, and the Wu-Tang Clan.  He has performed as a back up dancer for Neil Young and can be seen in Heather Schmidt’s video “No More Passion”.  He also was the founder and director of the Urban Dance Agency, TTE:Triiiplethreat Entertainment, which was so successful that it was recently bought out by a national agency.

Penni Layne Vocalist

A Berklee College of Music graduate, Penni has had countless opportunities singing at every major venue in the New England area such as the Charles River Hatch shell, the Wang Center and the TD Banknorth Center. She has also performed all over the west coast, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, giving her the experience of a seasoned vocalist. Penni has participated in multiple recording projects, served as a producer for local artists, taught privately for over 6 years and lead her own jazz ensemble. Seeking to continue to grow as a musician, she has also begun song writing. Currently, she is not only working with Eye 2 Eye but is also the lead vocalist of First Take, a Boston area jazz group that released its first CD in 2005.

Larry Jackson-Bassist, Vocals & Band Leader

Since his arrival to New England from Las Vegas in 1983, Larry has been nonstop on the Boston music scene. He graduated Berklee College in 1986 with a degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging; and was awarded the John Dankworth Scholarship. He brings a wealth of experience to Eye2Eye having performed with national as well as local artists.  His recording credits span a variety of musical genres and artists, as well as being a producer, arranger and editor. HIs other musical endeavors include owning a DJ company, Upside Entertainment, and an independent record label, Upside Records.

Damon Carter-Keyboards, Vocals & Musical Director

Originally a classically trained pianist, Damon earned his Bachelors degree from Berklee College of Music.  He has become one of the most versatile musicians in the Boston area and has also had opportunity to tour parts of North America and Europe.  His many talents also include song writing and music production. His latest achievement was being signed to Sony Publishing as a songwriter.  Since then, Damon has written for various artists such as The Backstreet Boys, Queen Latifah, Lisa Lisa, and Cher. In addition to performing and song writing, Damon has been a music educator in the Boston area for 14 years, teaching piano and voice. In 2006 Damon released his first solo CD entitled This Party.

Ricardo Nhuch -drums

Adding to the international flavor of the band, Ricardo hails from the beaches of Brazil ! Before coming to Boston, he played and toured with a variety of artists in Brazil. He arrived in Boston back in 1995 and began playing around town until he joined Eye2Eye in January of 2005. He has since made himself an integral part of the sound and feel of the music that keeps people dancing all night long.