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A New Grammy Category
Best Electronic/Dance Album GRAMMY excites electro-pop
composers and performers around the world!
The new GRAMMY category enables creators of sonic
masterworks, including such influential innovators as
BT, the Crystal Method, Paul Oakenfold and Deepsky, to
compete against similar artists instead of having to
fit into other musical categories.
By The G-Man
A Bitchin' Entertainment Contributor
Until very recently, the aural excitement of a BT
album like "Emotional Technology," a Crystal Method
album such as "Legion of Boom," or a Paul Oakenfold
album like "Creamfields" could get overlooked in the
GRAMMY balloting.
In fact, you can find spine-tingling electronic pop
and dance music being made in all parts of the world
that might easily miss out on a chance to have the
kind of high-intensity spotlight that results from a
GRAMMY nomination.
But this year, the National Academy of Recording Arts
& Sciences (NARAS), the organization that controls the
GRAMMY Awards, has changed everything for electronic
artists with the introduction of the "Best
Electronic/Dance Album" category..
"This is an exciting event for everyone in the world
of electronic and dance-oriented music," stated
producer/mixer Carmen Rizzo, who is a NARAS Los
Angeles Chapter Trustee. "It is fitting that such a
vital form of music receives some of the recognition
it deserves." Appearing at a pre-concert party to
officially announce the category, Rizzo added, "As
someone involved in the creation of this music as well
as a listener, I feel this is a giant leap forward."
NEW GENERATION OF MUSICIANS.
The attraction of music with a technological slant
crosses many boundaries. Brian Transeau, or BT, as he
is professionally known, is a classically-trained
musician who embraced the electronic music world at an
early age. "This is what my heroes Debussy, Stravinsky
and the like were looking for," BT stated. "Technology-
based music is the only idiom that packs such infinite
sonic possibilities," he added.
Jason Bentley, widely known for his hosting of radio
programs on KCRW and KROQ in Los Angeles, is involved
with electronically-generated rhythmic music in many
ways, as radio personality, club DJ, music supervisor
for films (including the "Matrix" series), and
producer. "It was high time for the industry to
acknowledge electronic and dance music with this album
category," Bentley stated. "For a long time, the
electronic and dance categories have been in stealth
mode in the USA, so it is exciting to be a part of
this new effort to shine a light on a vital aspect of
the music industry."
Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, better known as the
Crystal Method, were both pleased at the
announcement. "From my first year as a voting member
of the GRAMMY Awards, several of us from the
electronic music genre have been working towards this
goal. We never thought it would happen this fast and
were just thrilled with the result. We're just so
happy that this style of music can now be recognized
by our industry's premiere awards show," Jordan stated.
AN EMERGING FORCE. The acceptance of dance and electronic music around
the globe has been phenomenal, except in the United
States. "It's somewhat similar to the situation with
soccer," Bentley stated. "Soccer is a global force
with millions of followers, intense fans, and
tremendous marketing resources, but it is just not as
widespread in the U.S. The same thing may be said
about dance and electronic music, which makes this
GRAMMY category so much more important."
Bentley sees the emergence of underground dance music
into the mainstream as healthy and inevitable. "A lot
of people who started getting involved in this music
in the eighties and nineties are now taking their
place in the business. People like BT, Carmen Rizzo
and the others who worked on the committee at NARAS
represent something of a changing of the guard."
Bentley, drawing on his background as producer, music
supervisor and DJ, is totally committed to this form
of music. "This has been my rock and roll, my punk
rock, my movement. This was always something that
moved me, and it is gratifying to see so many people,
performers and companies coming together to back it."
BACKERS AND SUPPORTERS.
Among the sponsors of the event were BPM magazine,
DTS, Life's Good, and musical equipment manufacturer
Roland, which had several pieces of gear on display,
including their SP-606 Sampling Workstation, the MC-
909 Sampling Groovebox, and the new MV-8000 Production
Studio.
"Electronic music is finally garnering the respect and
recognition it deserves, and we're excited to be a
part of that," says Doug Hanson, Roland Director of
Product Management and Marketing. "It is an exciting
time for this genre and we look forward to working
with BPM in the future to co-develop events that will
generate additional public awareness of this music
style," Hanson added.
The official announcement of the new GRAMMY category
came during a reception at the Spider Room prior to a
show at the Avalon Hollywood featuring sets by
Oakenfold, Junkie XL, the Crystal Method and BT.
More than 250 attended the reception, including
DJ/producer DJ Irene; DJ/producer the Angel; Second
Sun's Antoine Toupin and Adam Cavarelli; the Postal
Service' Jimmy Tamborello and Jenny Lewis; James Lamb
of Skychurch; DJ/producer David Alvarado; producer
David Aude; Jason Blum and Scott Giaquinta of Deepsky;
Jes Brieden of Motorcycle; DJ Eve Falcon; producer
Charles Feelgood; DJ Mea Fisher; Jan Johnston; DJ
Christopher Lawrence; Tommy Lee; DJ "Colette" Marino;
and DJ producer Richard "Humpty" Vission.
Who's Who:
Brian "BT" Transeau
In on the creation of trance music, BT is involved
with artists in many genres, having worked with
*NSYNC, Sting, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, Madonna and
Seal. As composer for motion picture scores ("Fast and
the Furious," "Monster") and as recording artist and
performer, he is often cited as representing music of
the highest quality. "BT mounts mesmerizing journeys
with his compositions," Peter Gabriel has stated. "He
is not only a virtuoso programmer, but an extremely
gifted musician," Gabriel added. BT has as his goal
the marriage of "melody, harmony and memorable
songwriting with the most bleeding-edge technology
possible. These are the things that excite me," he
added. BT Music
Jason Bentley
Host of the nightly "Metropolis" program on KCRW-FM in
Los Angeles, Jason Bentley is always on the frontier
of pulse music. Coupled with his work as a music
supervisor for the "Matrix" films, he has been
instrumental in promoting the success of such
inventive artists as The Chemical Brothers, Groove
Armada, Jamiroquai, Jazzanova, Massive Attack,
Portishead, and Roni Size. Even while on the NPR
station, KCRW, he also hosted "After Hours with Jason
Bentley" on commercial powerhouse KROQ-FM.
Additionally, he held an A&R (artist and repertoire)
position at for Maverick Records (often referred to as
Madonna's label). As if this wasn't enough, he
regularly appears as a club DJ.
Jason Bentley
The Crystal Methodz
Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland are the Crystal Method,
an electronic band that filters its rock through hip-
hop, soul and pop. Firmly entrenched in Los Angeles by
way of Las Vegas, the CM duo has collaborated with
Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver lead singer
Scott Weiland as well as former Rage Against the
Machine guitarist Tom Morello. You'll find DJ Swamp on
one of their songs, but that's reportedly a pseudonym
for Beck. Less well known publicly, but held in high
regard in the music industry is another collaborator,
multi-instrumentalist and producer Jon Brion (Fiona
Apple, Aimee Mann). With impressive sales figures and
extensive worldwide appearances, they have had their
songs on soundtracks to such films as "Spawn," "South
Park," and "Lost In Space."
Crystal Method
Paul Oakenfold
He began in hip-hop, then worked as an A&R man and had
phenomenal success, signing the then-unknown Jazzy
Jeff & the Fresh Prince as well as Salt N?epa.
Summering in Ibiza, he virtually began the world
renown of that location in terms of dance club
action. Some say he's the most respected and most
popular DJ in the history of the world. Others just
say he's great. Paul Oakenfold
Carmen Rizzo
A two-time GRAMMY nominated producer, remixer and
writer, Rizzo has created an exciting blend of
electronic and Middle Eastern music in working with an
amazingly diverse group of artists, including Paul
Oakenfold, BT, Delirium, Sinead O'Conner, Grant Lee
Phillips, Seal, Alanis Morrisette, Ryuichi Sakamoto
and Cirque du Soleil. As a producer and mixer, he has
collaborated with producers Marius De Vries, Trevor
Horn, David Foster and Don Was. He is currently
recording his own album. Carmen Rizzo
Deepsky
Jason Blum and Scott Giaquinta are the
producer/performer team known as Deepsky. Giaquinta is
sometimes credited as J. Scott G., and while this
writer has had many articles published as J Scott G,
this is pure coincidence. Deepsky is alternately known
for powerful live shows and many high-profile remixes
for Seal, Paul Oakenfold, America, and the Crystal
Method. They also remixed the David Bowie single, "I
Took a Trip On a Gemini Spaceship" from his "Heathen"
album, as well as Madonna's "Die Another Day" single
from the James Bond movie of the same name.
Deepsky
The G-Man is on iTunes and at G-Man Music
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