Archive for the 'Producers' Category

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Rise Ashen: A Shift Towards Long Term Thinking

Rise AshenMusician, DJ, Remixer, Martial Artist and BBoy Eric Vani (a.k.a. Rise Ashen) has devoted his life to the study of sound and movement. From his early years as a bboy in Montreal in the late 80’s to his studies at Fanshawe College (North America’s Oldest Recording School) and the Banff Centre for the Arts, Eric’s focus has been on applying hi-fi knowhow to underground music. His record collection spans Rai, Ancient Music, Traditional and Popular African, South American and Asian music, with NuJazz as is his primary focus. As a DJ, he blends it all in a worldy mash and is always the sweaty and dynamic life of the party. He has remixed Bebel Gilberto and Duke Ellington, has collaborated with Juno award winner Miguel Graca, Fred Everything, Trevor Walker, Blissom and Teknostep among others and his music has appeared on the compilations of renowned DJs like Rainer Truby and Roger Sanchez, and has been played by the likes of Masters at Work, Gilles Peterson, Maurice Fulton, Bonobo, ODB, Jimpster and Ted Patterson. You can check out his releases on Afroart, Gotsoul, Dub Fu and Defected among many others (he has about 35 12-inches out now and 7 artist CDs, not to mention countless mixed CDs and a few CBC radio shows called A Nu Jazz Order).

He believes music and dance are essential to human culture and that united, artists can lead humanity towards a more enlightened way of living.

Bambi Blue

Pat Boogie: Real. House. Music.

BoogiePat Boogie has been involved with event planning and promotions in Toronto independently for over 10 years. His company, Boogie Inc., specializes in events with the world’s top DJ’s, musicians and producers in the dance music industry. Over the years Pat has organized events at some of Toronto’s finest venues. Boogie’s events have featured live performances and DJ sets from artists such as Kevin Hedge and Josh Milan of BLAZE, Tony Humphries, Roy Davis Jr., jojoflores, Teelo’s Kitchen, Trevor Walker, Stephane Vera, Richard Brooks, Boo Williams, Glenn Underground, Ray Prasad, Plusgroove, Amalia , Patrick Dream, DJ Cartel, G Money, DJ Romain and many others!

Most recently Pat secured a long weekend residency at The Mod Club for his “Legends Series” of events alongside his business partner Andy Roberts, one of Toronto’s top DJ’s and producers, and owner of acclaimed house music label Mixed Signals Music. Pat and Andy also run an ongoing monthly party known as the “Deep End” Series. The Deep End One Year Anniversary is rapidly approaching and the talent line up (to be announced soon) is nothing short of spectacular! Boogie’s most recent Legends Series event at The Mod Club featured Timmy Regisford, owner of the world famous Club Shelter in New York City. The next Legends Series event at The Mod Club on May 18th will feature Grammy Award winning producer, Frankie Knuckles, The Godfather of House Music. Pat Boogie strives to continue producing unique musical experiences and top notch events with the best talent in the industry. The vibe at Boogie Inc. events is second to none and he is sure to keep the dance floors bumping for many years to come…

Bambi Blue

Jojoflores: His sound is now

Jojoflores is famous for his Garage, Deep House and Afro-Latin rhythms. His signature sound resonates sweet, soulful melodies and a profound jazzy vibe. An original B-Boy and a fan of street & dance culture, he is blessed with the versatility to play old school Hip Hop, Funk, and Soul from the early 80’s. jojofloresAfter 24 years of devotion to the underground music industry, he was awarded New York City’s Best International DJ 3 years in a row (2002, 2003 & 2004) by Undaground Archives. Jojoflores’ hometown recognized the boundlessness of his skills with Montreal’s 1998 Best Club DJ Sounds of Blackness Award and has been rated one of Montreal’s Top 3 DJ’s for three years in a row.

CEO/A&R of Gotsoul Recordings, and the man behind the underground promo label Jamsteady, Jojoflores is one of Canada’s leading ambassadors for soulful music. Gotsoul was recently awarded Montreal’s number one independent record label in Summer 2004 as well as Best International Independent Label 2003 by NYC’s Underground Archives. He has toured North America with Osunlade of Yoruba Records and has established honorary residencies in the cities of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Singapore, Manila, Athens and Toronto & Miami. Jojoflores’ sound is deeply blissful, reminding us that life should be true, loving and joyful, embarking us on a journey that oozes all that is wonderful.

Catch Jojoflores on tour:

Sat. March 8th Karu-Y 1st Year Anniversary [Miami]
Sun. March 9th Deep with Marques Wyatt [Los Angeles]
Mon. March 10th BBR [Vision, Chicago]
Thu. March 13th Gotsoul Sessions [Segafredo, Montreal]
Sat. March 15th Therapy Montreal [Cherry, Old Montreal]
Mon. March 17th Lacoste 75th Year Anniversary [Ultra , Toronto]
Thu. March 20th Therapy Classic House [Cherry, Old Montreal]
Wed. March 26th Gotsoul Therapy WMC08 [Karu-Y, Downtown Miami]

Bambi Blue

John Kong: Required Listening

Toronto. Ontario. Canada. The streets are alive with the sound of music. Ditto the clubs, lounges, restaurants, community radio stations, waBeat guru John Kongrehouses, and studio spaces. This city is bursting at the seams, mad with talented producers, musicians and DJ’s creating fresh sounds. There’s a reason for the increasing international buzz surrounding this bustling city: a music scene is truly coming into its own. Toronto based beats guru John Kong has been pushing at these bursting seams with his bare hands for years. He’s grown with the scene, DJing since the early 90’s and turning his love of jazz, soul, house and all things deep into a career that now earns him global gigs and respect. John Kong cares about music, not categories.
Witness Required Listening. Born from Kong’s desire to showcase some of the quality tunes he was hearing friends make, the collection is a snapshot of T.O.’s club-centric music scene as it stands now. John has ears to be trusted. Required Listening features all Toronto artists (with the notable exception of Ottawa’s B.A.W. Collective), and covers some seriously diverse musical terrain.
“Listen to the beats of Moonstarr or the hip-hop of Brassmunk“, exclaims John Kong, Do Right Music label boss. “They’re totally doing their own thing!

It’s the same with house and someone like Nick Holder … he has a totally unique sound. We here in Toronto may take all of that for granted, but when people from overseas hear this music, they’re like ‘This is different; it’s not what I’m used to.’ It’s totally Toronto.”

Bambi Blue

BKS Productions: Alberta Canada’s Best Kept Secret

Best Kept Secret (BKS) is a production company run out of Alberta by a trio of passionate Hip Hop artists: promo/hypeman Degs, AJK, and DMC & ITF champion DJ Pump. Like true Hip Hop purists, they continually strive for the balance between the soulful and the street. I’m a big fan of old school mixers and it really helps that they draw a lot of their style from from old school R&B and funk cuts.

They feature drops and shout-outs from all kinds of artists from Hi-Tek and Alchemist to Kardinal Offishall and Stretch Armstrong. Their website seems very simple at first glance but if you poke around a little like I did, you’ll find that they actually feature a full copy of ‘Fresh Produce’, their debut effort from 2007, for free download! I like BKS Productions’ sound because of its diverse mix of artists — everyone from Jay-Z, Biggie & M.O.P., Clipse & Slim Thug, and even some notable street poets such as Common & Nas. With fresh product like that, they’re all set to make a name for themselves in the underground Hip Hop community.

Bambi Blue