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Category Archives: Indie Artists
The Sunday Soundtrack – 14 Apr 13
Greetings Listeners….
Welcome to another edition of The Sunday Soundtrack. “It’s been a long time, I shouldn’t have left you…” (a little hip hop lyric reference there). It’s great to be back with another edition, albeit overdue, of the podcast. It’s about 12:37 am here in studio, but it’s done. I hope to stay on a regular (to be determined) schedule. Starting with pre-production on Monday for the following Sunday helps, doing a little everyday helps even more. The plan is to finish Saturday evening 🙂
For my new listeners, The Sunday Soundtrack podcast is geared towards giving you an alternative listening experience to the standard Sunday afternoon commercial smooth jazz formatted programs and expose you to independent artists with tunes that provide that same smoothness, but in such genres as electronica, nu jazz, downtempo, experimental, chillout, instrumental jazzy hip hop, and the like. Please feel free to take a listen and leave comments, if u like. You can also reach The Sunday Soundtrack at (301) 458-0499
Without further delay, let’s get to the playlist.
1. Moon Beat – LTJ X-Perience/Moon Beat
2. Consequences (Late Night Mix) – Blank & Jones/Relax 4
3. Gutenmirgenduft (Morning Scent) – dZihan & Kamien/Gran Riserva
4. Subsolitude – Hypoetical/Pendulum
5. Try Me – J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science f/Goapele & Capitol A/J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – OM Records 2003
6. Square Purity – The Jazzment/Beats – Old Stuff
7. Sunbeams – Uko/Cafe Del Mar – Vol. 7
Some special shout outs:
I hope you’re enjoying the tracks. Please feel free to follow the The Sunday Soundtrack on Twitter
Take care and have a great week.
::: oceans of rhythm :::
Fresh!
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Incognito Interview: Bluey Maunick/Surreal – 19 April 2012
Greeting ‘Cog fans. I’ve had the extreme pleasure of talking with Bluey about the current release Surreal, the tour so far, and especially about the band Incognito. It was truly a blast to interview the leader of my favorite band since they hit the scene. I caught up with Bluey at his home late one Thursday night and he was gracious enough to grant the interview at the time. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks for talking with me, brotha, as well as extending thanks to Donna Mercer of Elements Of Jazz for recommending that I do the interview, his beautiful wife Takami for setting it up, and Incognito’s publicist, Rob, for providing me with pre-interview material.
::: oceans of rhythm :::
Fresh!
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Chronicles of A Remix – Vol.2: Stop It Now/Karlina Veras – Pt.1
Greetings Crew…
Back with another edition in the series entitled “Chronicles of A Remix”. In this edition, I’ll bring you in on a song I’m producing for Santo Domingo born, London-based vocalist, Karlina Veras.
Karlina and I connected via Twitter as a result of her tweet requesting collaboration with a producer for some tracks she has. The track I’m engineering, mixing and producing is one she calls “Stop It Now”. This is strictly a barter situation where I get to hone my mix skills, get credit for and push the final tune, while she gets the tune.
So far, she’s sent me rough vocals, grand piano, vocal adlibs. and a disco-style backing drum track. This is a dance track at 126 BPM. She’s requesting “a sense of air and space and a bit of sensitivity and desperation with a search of something”. In a base collaboration like this, the more the artist can convey to the composer about the tune, the better. Already I have an idea of the arrangement and elements I plan to incorporate to achieve what she feels. The first thing I did was audition some 2-step drum loops for foundation, to give it the feel she’s looking for.
One of the first things I noticed is that the audio stems were a mix of 24-bit (which Logic Studio automatically imports) and 32-bit resolutions (which Logic doesn’t automatically import). Logic’s current max import bit rate is 24-bit. I used my “swiss army knife”, Audacity to the conversion, then import into Logic, all the time thinking “Logic Studio must have a way of doing this”. It does: Compressor. Good to go next time.
This is the kind of thing I dreamt of doing many years ago and I’m simply looking at it as creatively win-win situation: I get to hone my music production and recording engineering skills on a song within a genre I like, she gets the track…all good. I have the BPM and some other track notes on the song from her. Being that it will be a dance track, this should be fun project, since some of favorite sub-genres lie in the dance music genre.
Next steps are to augment the loop with some drum programming to thicken it up. After sending her a snippet the other day, she likes it so far. We’re both excited.
Stay tuned for part 2.
::: oceans of rhythm :::
Fresh!
Future Music – In Studio With | Dennis Ferrer
Greetings crew…
Hope all is well with you. Over the weekendI picked up the April 2011 edition of Future Music , my favorite magazine on music production technology. In this edition, there’s an article on Dennis Ferrer, a long time top DJ and house music producer based out of NYC. What interested me in this article is that some of his quotes (and tech knowledge), again, speaks to my past and current musings on how music is produced today, in light of music production technology evolution. Many sample construction kit companies, professional and non-professional, along with folk who just have the knowledge, are making samples available of prominent producers many musical genres, specifically hip-hop: Scott Storch and Lex Luger drums, Dr. Dre samples, Pete Rock MPC drum kits, and the like. In the dance music genres, companies like Loopmasters are creating sample kits from top producers and remixers like AtJazz, Felix Da Housecat, etc. While these are, and will continue to be major sellers, I continue to get the feeling that they cater to composers (especially in hip-hop) that think if I can sound like (fill in the blank), I’m surely on my way to stardom. Of course, while being my humble opinion, I think this (direct) form of emulation, per se, equates to sort of a “get rich quick” formula. While I have my own set of influences (musicians, producers, artists), I’ve always tended to use them to effect my composing and producing differently than it appears how it’s done today…but…times are different (read: technology), etc.
In any event, I’ve said that because I took personal agreement with a good portion of what Dennis had to say in this interview. So much so, that I decided to put some of his quotes in this post. While the essence of them is nothing new, they pretty much jive with my feelings (which I’ve shared with you in previous posts to different extents). With that being said…here we go: FM – Future Music, DF – Dennis Ferrer
FM (on hardware synths owned): Do you still own those synths?
DF: “I got rid of them, Everybody says “hardware is hardware”, but if you can tell me what kind of synth I’m using on any one of my tracks, God bless you.
DF (on software plugin design and emulation of hardware synths): I prefer to spend my time making music that sitting there being a scientist. I know how to make sounds, so I do it quickly, get the sound I want, then move on.”
DF (on using software solely to make songs): “Big studios were having a hard time in New York because you had guys who were doing records in Ableton. Does the general public really care what it sounds like? (expletive) no, then don’t give a (expletive). Do I really care what it sounds like? Yes, Because I come from that background. Because I use classic hardware, does that mean I’m going to make a better record than a kid on Ableton in his bedroom? No dude. What counts is what’s inside your head.”
DF (on the consistency of making hit records): “Anybody can make one hit record, but can you make ten? There are some people that say ‘oh well, this is an art’. (expletive). It’s half art, half business. The reason you make a record is to have it heard. If you want it to be art, keep it to yourself.
FM: Would you ever do your own sample DVD?
DF: “Nope, and I’ve been asked many times. Why? Get your own! Go hunting! Stop being (expletive) lazy. Go to a record shop, or a flea market, buy old records, sample them, run them through an EQ, process them, that’s all part of sound creation and being creative. When you come across a sound you’ve made, you run it through a flanger, some outboard, back in through a Rat [effects peda], then through some SoundToys [effects plugins] and suddenly you hear that new sound and you think, ‘oh [expletive]’ and you’ve got a riff you never would have had otherwise. And that’s your sound. If your production is worth any salt, you go ahead and make your own sounds. I come from Techno not House and we had to be able to make our own sounds – if you didn’t know how to tweak an envelope, you were screwed. I’m not judging people who use them, but I just don’t believe in them. Sample your own (expletive).”
There you have it. I think he makes very valid points. Do I agree 100% with all of them? No, not to that great extent, however, they are more in line with my beliefs then not. As for sampling, I collect samples on the regular, especially since so many vendors and artists are making them available free. I tend to use drum loops as a foundational start for a song, and have even used them flat out in the final mix of a song. In doing that, I’ve come back to seeing the importance of programming drums instead (after all, it’s how I use to do it long before I had a computer or loops were available) because I don’t want to lose the knowledge and knack of being forced to think like drummer would for a song. I program my drums on my MPC 1000 and either use the samples and sequences in Logic, or easier, use the MPC to trigger the EXS 24 or Ultrabeat in Logic. I believe there are places for drum loops, especially in the various genres of dance music (which is, for all intents and purposes, electronic, anyway). As for other samples, sound effects, synth pads, foley, and vocal samples are some of my favorites types to use. I edit samples farrrrrr more than sample actual sounds (as Dennis does), and admit that it is easier and less time consuming to do. In the end, creativity is relative, but to make something that is your own, I believe, is far more creative than any editing (meaning sample chopping). Then again, that can be interpreted as creating as well…You see where this can go (and I’m not gonna take it there).
Dennis Ferrer links:
Feel free to post any thoughts and comments, I’d be interested to read what you have to say. Thanks for the read.
::: oceans of rhythm :::
Fresh!
Chronicles of a Remix: I’m Walkin’/Mary Mary – Day 8 (The Sendoff)
Sup crew…
I just finished the final base arrangement of the mix. Added a little track automation to the acappella track, as well as a jazzy guitar riff towards the end. I tend to like using a nice combination of a clean tone with just the right delay on it. Here’s a screenshot of the arrange window:
Leveraging technology today, for creative purposes. is really quite easy. As Bill commented on the last update post here, it allows worldwide collaboration no matter where the participants are, or what time of day (or night it is). Some of you know of the collaboration by me (DC), Todd Kelley (Cali), and Fave (Houston), namely Cross Country Collective.
Another thing that helps is to know the tools you’re working with. In this case, I use Logic Studio (Logic Pro 8), and Bill is using Logic Express 9. Same software but as usual, an “express: version of software usually has less functionality than a full version, but in this case, I put together the session such that he could import it into his version and nothing would be lost…pretty much the same process used for the C3 EP (with Todd and Fave using Logic Studio 9).
It’s off to Bill C in NYC…handle it, bruh! Stay tuned for the birth sometime this week.
peace,
::: oceans of rhythms :::
Fresh!
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Workin’ (well semi-workin’) in studio tonite
The CD project is moving forward, though Dan and I have two more songs to record, and a few to mix. I’ve laid out a schedule of things to be done, but right now, I’m playing around with these
In the meantime, I pulled out of the vault, a house music track that was originally written for a female vocalist. Think I’m gonna spruce it up some (I actually forgot I had it until tonite). Stay tuned for a post to my Soundcloud page.
Anyway hit us up on Twitter and Facebook .
Have a good night.
peace,
F!
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“Give It To Ya” goes international!
Some of you received an email from me about two weeks ago about a single put out by a group I’m in called C3. Here’s the scoop in case you haven’t seen it:
I am pleased to share with you the debut single, “Give it 2 Ya” from our upcoming EP, Contempojazzsoulhop.
Produced by The Big La and Fave
Lyrics written by Fave
Drums and Sampling: The Big La
Electric guitar: Fresh
Keys and Vocals: Fave
It’s a challenge scheduling our families, careers and other “life stuff” in order to coordinate this project, but it is (and continues to be) a blessing to work with such open-minded, talented and tech savvy brothers. You may download the single using the title link above or from our website. Feel free to share it among your social networks (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, etc.).
In the interim, we appreciate your time and support. Have a fantastic week!
Kind regards,
Fave
_______________________________________
Fave Media | PO Box 301046 • Houston TX 77230
+1 713 568 9089 mobile • AIM: fridayfavecast
www.fridayfavecast.com • www.allthingsfave.com
Well, Fave just contacted us last night with this email:
From: soulunsigned@aol.com
Date: June 21, 2010 1:24:44 AM CDT
To: tomglide1@mac.com, smoothswingrecords@gmail.com, chris.young@nurturemusic.co.uk, funkeepers@mundo-r.com, lars@candycream.de, soulfoodmusicuk@gmail.com, diesler.promo@googlemail.com, dsingleton@gedsoulrecords.com, favecast@gmail.com, breakingartists@btinternet.com, igo1077@gmail.com, soulman1902@gmail.com
Subject: Soul Unsigned Show (Edition 2010-024)
You (or someone you represent) has been featured on this week’s Soul Unsigned show, which was aired on all of the following radio stations –
Jun 16th – Network 1 (UK)
Jun 17th – International Showcase Radio (UK)
Jun 17th – Raunchy Rhythms Radio (UK)
Jun 17th – QFM 94.3 Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)
Jun 17th – Exite FM 93.1 Costa Blanca (Spain)
Jun 17th – Positiva FM 96.0 Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)
Jun 17th – Radio Bombo FM 100.1 Treni (Italy)
Jun 18th – MRS 90.5 Stockholm (Sweden)
Jun 19th – HearDat (UK)
Jun 20th – Netjazz (UK)
Jun 20th – Kiss FM 91.6 Kristianstad (Sweden)
Jun 20th – APCS Radio (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Jun 20th – Key 56 (San Diego, USA)
Jun 21st – Soul And Jazz (UK)
Jun 22nd – MotionFM (Toronto, Canada)
You can hear a full copy of the show on Podomatic –
http://soulunsigned.podomatic.com
Playlist (2010-024)
Tom Glide & The Luv Allstars – Kool party
Oui & Fresh – Steppin out
Max Sedgley – All around me
Funkeepers – Im gonna stay
Candycream – Love what you do
Edei – In my bed (Sed Soul remix)
Diesler – Zebra boogie
DeRobert & The Half Truths – The joy
Crosscountrycollective – Give it 2 Ya
Boozoo Bajou – Take it slow
Jumbo Aniebiet – Love change the world
Groove Stu – Be free
KS – Worthless
YCB – Jazzified
Our Website
If you haven’t previously been featured on a show, a link to you has been added to the “artists” section on the Soul Unsigned website –
http://www.soulunsigned.com/artists.htm
Your Website
We would greatly appreciate a reciprocal link to the Soul Unsigned website on your website and/or myspace page so that your fans and other artists and musicians visiting your website will be aware of Soul Unsigned and what we have to offer.
Thanks
Phil Driver
Soul Unsigned
www.soulunsigned.com
Pretty cool…. Keep ya eyes, we’re comin’ in 2010!
peace,
F!
Music – The Global Outreach and Eternal Gift (A contest too!)
A very cool thing occurred this afternoon while at work. A few months ago, I was passing through the usual virtual spots and, as customary, always keeping an eye out for interesting websites that would fit the overall theme of what vibesnscribes.com is about. This one particular site I came across happened to be an indie netlabel called Dusted Wax Kingdom. On that label I found some artists specializing in underground soulful instrumental hip hop, often composed on the all too famous Akai MPC. I took a liking to the tunes by an artist named Skipless, so much so that I decided to feature his tracks on a recent Sunday Soundtrack podcast. He also has myspace page as well.
I took the liberty to reach out to let him know how much I enjoyed his EP and that I featured it on the podcast. He, in turn, mentioned that he would send me a CD and was grateful that I enjoyed his tracks enough to feature them on the podcast. Noticing his locale, I thanked him, but passed it off as a gesture that probably would remain as that, although we decided to follow each other on myspace.
Lo and behold, today, our receptionist came to my desk with this:
Ha…I’m even diggin’ the CD emulating vinyl…it looks cool! That delivery was a GREAT surprise and showed me, once again, how the gift of music can communicate greatly. In addition, the whole vibe, from the first listen, to the online communication, to the gift was very cool. I often sit in my studio workin on personal tracks, messin’ around with beats, our own CD project, the whole nine, and sometimes wonder how many others are doing the same thing I am doing…in a bright bedroom, dark area, minimal gear, maximum set up, professional studio, etc.
In any event, he not only sent me one CD, but several, and asked me to give them away to friends and continue to spread the word. To that end, here’s a little contest. If u like what you’ve heard on my previous podcast, be the first to send me the country in which he lives, and I will send u one – Hint: Read this post carefully. I’ll determine the winner by the first time stamp of the answer that I receive as a comment to this post.
Ok…about to get some breakfast and get into the day….a busy one is predicted. Thanks for the read.
Flow positivity…
peace,
F!