New albums set to drop from heavyweights Roy Davis Jr. and As One (Kirk Degiorgio) as well an official mix CD (the first, ever!) from Greyboy and a library record from multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee, plus singles from SA-RA Creative Partners, Platinum Pied Pipers, and more.
GREYBOY
Shades of Grey
Ubiquity Records (URCD154) CD Only
RELEASE DATE: August 24, 2004
FILE UNDER: Gritty Funk, Hip Hop, Soul, Rare Groove mix CD
Hot on the heels of the highly acclaimed “Soul Mosaic" album comes the first ever commercially available mix cd from producer/DJ Greyboy.
This 60 minute custom mix album showcases Grey's skills as a DJ, his ear for picking party tunes, and his production prowess as he edits, loops, and cuts-up tracks to enhance the listening pleasure. Mixing rarities with Greyboy classics this CD represents the kind of set you might hear at a Greyboy DJ gig - eclectic, energetic, original and presented with plenty of turntable flair.
Greyboy is one of the original West Coast rare groove DJs and his jazz, funk and soul collection runs deep. He produced a custom mix for DC Shoes in 2003 and the demand for this limited edition collection prompted the release of a new more readily available CD.
SHAWN LEE'S PING PONG ORCHESTRA
Music and Rhythm
Ubiquity Records (URCD/LP153) CD/DLP
RELEASE DATE: August 24, 2004
1st in the Ubiquity Studio Session series - 25 super dynamic mood setting tracks perfect for the dancefloor, bachelor pad, or movie soundtrack.
FILE UNDER: Electronic, breaks n'beats, downtempo
Taking inspiration from classic library records produced by companies like Music de Wolfe and KPM, Ubiquity presents the first in it's series of Studio Sessions albums. Volume one features 25 mood setting tracks that work great as an album to listen too, as a DJ tool, a production tool for sampling, or music for beds in advertising or film.
Library records were often recorded by top session musicians and featured tracks capturing a variety of moods - from the frantic bongo-driven chase scene to the string-laden back-drop for a tender love scene - the music featured was aimed largely at TV, film and radio producers. Many of these obscure records are highly collectible for the single one or two tracks that the best LPs featured - often times selling for hundreds of dollars for an amazing breakbeat or a great funk track. The Ubiquity Studio Sessions will include all killer, no-filler tunes for the DJ, funk connoisseur, film, TV, ad or radio music supervisor. There are plenty of breaks and beats, loops galore, and mood setting tunes from the bass line driven suspense of “Friday The 13th" to the hard hitting adrenaline rush of “Bongo Fury". Each tune a perfectly formed short-but-sweet vibe catching moment in it's own right.
Music And Rhythm is produced by Shawn Lee who will be known to breaks n'beats collectors as the man behind The Ape Breaks and Planet of the Breaks series which were sampled by everyone from Guru to The Gorillaz. As a multi-instrumentalist and singer he has played and recorded with a diverse range of artists including Coldcut, Leeann Rhimes, Martina Mcbride, UNKLE, Tony Joe White, Chateau flight, The Dust Brothers, St. Etienne, Jeff Buckley, Bomb the Bass, The Spice Girls, and Natasha Atlas not to mention solo records for Talkin Loud and Wall of Sound imprint We Love You. His new album Soul Visa is out in Japan. And you can learn more about the amazing Mr. Lee at: www.shawnlee.net.
ROY DAVIS JR.
Chicago Forever
Ubiquity Records (URCD/LP155) CD/DLP
RELEASE DATE: September 14, 2004
With recent DJ gigs racking-up airmiles between Russia, France, Canada and all over the USA, a steady stream of production work for Warners, and a potential radio show in the works, a newly invigorated Roy Davis Jr. is finally ready to drop his musical “thank you" to the city he grew up in.
Chicago Forever was originally slated for release in the fall of 2003. But Roy Davis Jr. lost his mother, went through a divorce, and moved away from family to Los Angeles. The events from the past two or three years have made this the most difficult album he has ever produced. “I almost lost inspiration, and felt like I was wasting time making music," explains Davis Jr. “But the last thing my Mom had said was “don't you ever stop making your music!" Thinking about her, all the things I have in my life, and my faith has kept me going," he adds.
Prior to the album release two singles have dropped on Ubiquity. Featuring vocals by Ubiquity label mate Jeremy “Ayro" Ellis and another Detroit native Terry Dexter, the latter single spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Dance Chart. It's a hugely uplifting dance floor production complete with strings and keys by Tomi (of Babyface fame). Terry Dexter (not to be confused with Julie Dexter or Terry Walker!) has worked with Eric Benet, Jaheim, The Black Eyed Peas and Raphael Saadiq and recently had her acting debut in Focus Features “Deliver Us From Eva" playing the part of Natalie and performing a stirring rendition of “Amazing Grace". The two met years ago when Roy remixed a single for Dexter that ended up going Top 5 at Billboard. The album also features plenty of exclusive unreleased tracks - cameo interlude appearances from Common and Roy's son Caleb, co-production with Platinum Pied Pipers Waajeed, an uplifting gospel tinged “Heavenly Father" a dance floor bound “My Soul is Electric", two unreleased tracks featuring Terry Dexter and a tribute to the Chicago Steppers genre.
You can't mention Roy Davis Jr. without mentioning “Gabriel." Released in 1998 on Large, “Gabriel" was hailed “Dance Tune Of The Year" by countless publications worldwide and sold by the truckload. Produced with vocalist and multi-talented musician Peven Everett, “Gabriel" is a certified soulful house music anthem that sounds as fresh as the day it was made. Credited by some with kick-starting the UK garage scene it was a tune that would change Roy's musical direction and take him back to his spiritual roots. It
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