Then there was that time I remixed a record, LIVE…

In 1994, I was Director of Marketing at a record company. The company has been dissolved and absorbed into what is now pretty much Universal Music Group. Back then, there was no “big four”. There were lots of labels and marketing was exciting. You could compete on ideas, make money, AND be creative! and I had an idea for a remix package for ED OG, a hip hop artist we were working.

The package was already coming together nicely. We had RZA (who was working  as Prince Rakeem for this project) on board with an all new, unheard, Wu-Tang-ish track, and we had a remix from DITC’s Diamond D.

I thought the package should showcase a 360 hip hop experience, and there was some interesting  work being done in hip-hop jazz fusion. I knew this because I was playing keys and drums on a regular basis out there. My bosses agreed with me, and we let the project take off. I worked with hip-hop pioneer DJ Teddy Tedd (of the Awesome 2), an old friend of mine, who was also Ed’s manager at the time. I pitched him the idea and he let me go with it. I called in some other friends of mine – a band called Groove Collective, who were making noise on the rare groove/acid jazz scene. We got together and in a recording studio and jammed. Then we called in Umar bin Hassan of The Last Poets – he wrote a piece on the spot, and the rest, as they say…

We called the session “Easy Comes Easy Goes”, it  is (largely) a one take live remix, and here are the official credits:

Bass – Jonathan Maron Flute – Richard Worth Keyboards, Producer – Daryle Lockhart Producer – Teddy Ted Saxophone – Jay Rodriegez* Trombone – Josh Roseman* Trumpet – Fabio Morgera Vibraphone – Bill Ware Voice [Poetry] – Umar Bin Hassan

We also had Axel Niehaus and, little known to many, Earl Blaize (of Anti-Pop Consortium) mix this record.

Yeah, that was a fun night. I’ve done a lot of cool  stuff, but working with these musicians on this record…I loved it!

I’ve worked for record companies independently and on staff between high school  and pretty much until 2001. I always say it was my first grad school experience. Well, enjoy one of my final papers!

Tracklisting:

Corrine Bailey Rae – Paris Nights/New York Mornings
Janelle Monae – Tightrope (w/ Big Boi of Outkast)
Omar – Goodness
Nneka – Suffri
Ty – Emotions (w. Shaun Escofferey and Sarinah Leah)
Blacktop ft. Amalia – Reversed (Opolopo Remix)
Kenna – Phantom Always
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