Reviewed By Luigi Santosuosso

Q: When did you come up with the idea of creating a personal label?
DB: I established Mythology Records in 1997. The idea or, rather, the opportunity of creating my own recording company came to me when a label for which I had recorded a CD decided not to release it. This episode gave me the chance to start my own label without having to record anything. Also the costs of the CD recorded by the Lan Xang [a quartet co-founded by Dave Binney that has recorded the first CD released on the Mythology label] were minimal, as it was recorded collectively. In the case of the CD by Edward Simon ["La Bikina"] I covered the cost of the entire project because I feel so strongly about his music.

Q: How did you choose the name for your label?
DB: I named the label Mythology because I like the word. It conjures up visions of magical things but more importantly it is the name of one of the most popular tunes of mine. A tune we recorded on the self-titled debut CD by the Lost Tribe [the band co-founded by Dave Binney].

Q: Before starting your own label you had recorded for several well established independent labels (OWL, Windham Hill, Arabesque Records, Audioquest as leader or co-leader - Winter & Winter, Gramavision, Muse, Soul Note as sideman). What did you find so unsatisfactory in these experiences that made you want to establish a label of your own?
DB: Well, nobody does what they say they're going to do. And I am speaking about the labels I have recorded for as a leader or co-leader, not as a sideman. Windham Hill [the label that has released Lost Tribe's first two CDs] is a big label but seemed to never have the CDs in the stores of the cities we were touring in. It was ridiculous. OWL [the label that released "Point Game", Dave Binney's debut CD as a leader] was cool but very small and we had some bad timing with the start of the Gulf war in 1990, which really affected sales of everything for a few months. My CD came out right when this started. Audioquest [the label that has released Dave Binney's second CD, "The Luxury of Guessing"] was great for a while until I recorded a great CD for them and then, right when they were about to release it, they decided to only put out Blues CDs and not Jazz. So they held mine for a year or so until I convinced them to let me release it on my own.

Q: What artistic ideal did you set for your label?
DB: The intent is to bring music that I love and would want to listen to, to a wider audience. Music that I feel deserves to be heard. It doesn't matter what style or genre etc.. At this time, however, I am sticking to music that can be marketed with the rest of the stuff on the label. In other words. I can't make a "drum and bass" CD and market it together with Ed Simon's album. I don't have the resources to do that, yet. So for now the music is and will be "acoustic". I hate categories though. Music is music. I have to think this way on the business end because everyone I deal with does. I wish it wasn't like this but it is the reality.

Q: Mythology releases are immediately identifiable for a very captivating new style of packaging. Did you have part also in this original choice? Who is the designer?
DB: Well, it was my decision. I hate jewel boxes. Gabriel Gewirtz helped with the design and she put them together on her computer. Nury Ferrer did the paintings on my CD and Edward Simon's. I did the paintings on the Lan Xang CD believe it or not!

Q: Another common feature of the Mythology releases is that - as most of today's cutting edge music - they have been recorded by Joe Marciano at the Systems Two Studio, in Brooklyn. Are you trying to develop with him an association which will render the sound on the Mythology Records immediately recognizable in the same way as the Van Gelder sound was a peculiar characteristic of the Blue Note classic albums? What is Marciano's trade mark sound like? Why did you choose his studio?
DB: I record at Systems Two because I love the way they work and I have been recording there for 10 years. I consider them friends at this point. I do like the idea of creating a "sound" for Mythology, but, even though Systems Two is great, I think this can be created regardless of where you record. The sound should come from your head, not the studio.

Q: You have been the producer on all three Mythology Records releases (and on several other CDs on other labels). What do you think is the "Dave Binney Sound" that musicians look for when they have you as their producer? What do you look for in the musicians you produce?
DB: Production is very important to me. I am not sure that anyone is "seeking me out" as a producer yet, but I think and hope that they will because I feel that it is one of the things that I do best. I always seem to be thinking conceptually. I love it. It's aural painting. I look for people that I have a great respect for and who have very open minds. I want to help someone get their sound without interfering too much.

Q: Does the daily routine of running a label (taking care of the relations with the media, dealing with the artists of your roster, promoting your CDs etc.) somehow detract from your concentration on music (practicing, rehearsing, touring)?
DB: It was so, but I just hired someone to deal with a lot of the work I don't want to do. I really just want to keep playing and writing. That is my only real interest.

Q: What are the best selling CDs on your label?
DB: All three have sold about the same amount actually.

Q:And what are your favorite CDs on the catalogue?
DB: With only three CDs, all three!

Q: What are the 5 CDs that you wished you had produced for your label (this question is just another way to ask you what are the 5 CDs you would take with you on a secret island, the 5 CDs that have changed your life...)?
DB: Oh the dreaded "desert island disc" question! I don't know... just get me to the island and I'll take some books! It is impossible to answer this but I'll mention some favorite people: Trane, Miles, Wayne Shorter, Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Stevie Wonder, Hendrix,...I could go on and on.

Q: Which are the two contemporary artists you would like to have signed for your label (or: what are two special projects that you would like to produce for your label)?
DB: Another question that is just too difficult for me to answer. There are so many people I'd love to record and I'd love to produce any of them. I am going to concentrate on producing my own CDs right now.

Q: What are the future releases your label is working on?
DB: Another CD of mine. Maybe another of Edward Simon if he isn't snapped up by the majors soon. Kenny Wollesen [percussionist and drummer featured on Dave Binney's latest CD] has some great ideas for his recording. Possibly David Gilmore [guitar player of Lost Tribe]. I have some more ideas but I need money and I want to do mine next.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Address Sales 6180 Via Real # 2 Carpinteria, CA 93013 USA Bookings 311 West 72nd Street New York, NY 10023 USA Phone Number / Sales 001 - 888 - 684 2968 Bookings 001 - 212 - 362 3510 Fax # 001 - 805 - 684 2968

Management Dolores Binney (Administration/Sales) 1-805 684 2968 mythcd@aol.com Suzanne Barros (Promotion/Artists management) suzydrano@hotmail.com Artists' Roster Dave Binney, Lan Xang, Ed Simon Catalogue Edward Simon, "La Bikina" (1998 - MR 10982) Dave Binney, "Free to Dream" (1998 - MR 10983) Lan Xang, "Lan Xang" (1997 - MR 10971) Email / Website

This article is published courtesy of the Italian music webzine Musicboom.