Jerome Sydenham | |
|---|---|
| File:JeromeSydenham.jpg | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Downtown Brooklyn Inc |
| Born | September 5, 1967 |
| Genres | House, Tech-house, Techno, Classic House |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, DJ, Music Producer, Label Owner |
| Years active | 1989-present |
| Website | www.jeromesydenham.com |
Jerome Sydenham (born July 26, 1967, Ibadan, Nigeria) is an accomplished electronic music producer, DJ and multi-record label owner known for establishing the Pan-African Electro direction (also the title of his debut album) within the House and Techno genres. His music expertise spans the business -- with award-winning A&R experience at Atlantic Records -- as well as in production and performance with multiple chart-topping releases and his DJ bookings in steady high demand.[1]
Born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria to an English father and Jamaican mother, he was schooled in his teens in England before migrating to New York City in the early 80's to further his music interests with his family there. He is now based in Berlin, Germany.
Jerome Sydenham will be releasing a second album in the European summer of 2012.
A&R Background edit
Jerome Sydenham was recruited into the prestigious A&R division of Atlantic Records in 1989. In five years, he was able to hone his business skills in a major label environment, lending A&R direction to artists such as En Vogue, Gerald Levert, Simply Red and Das EFX, attaining Gold and Platinum sales certifications.
In 1994, while at East West Records (owned by Warner Music Group), his underground dance music interests continued to run in tangent with his commercial A&R work as he largely succeeded in crossing dance over to the mainstream with albums by Ten City and Michael Watford. During this time, he also compiled one of the most significant representations of early 90's deep house with his "Underground Dance Classics Vol. 1" CD showcasing some of the earliest productions from a young Roger Sanchez, Murk and Pal Joey. It was there where he also met Kerri Chandler and released one of his records on Atlantic in 1990. The two would continue to be close friends and collaborators later in life along with Dennis Ferrer and Joe Claussell[2].
Music Career edit
Jerome Sydenham landed his first DJ residency at the legendary New York hot spot Nell's in 1987, which featured cutting-edge DJs such as Miss Kier from Deee-Lite. He passed a demo casette to the venue and got a call to play when another DJ cancelled. Jerome Sydenham continued to play there for four years. As a DJ, he is also known for his seemingly effortless ability to blend between genres of electronic music. His DJ sets veer from deep, intricate, chugging Techno, to jackin' Tech-house, into huge anthemic House moments in the classic vein. By 1995, his DJ career went international while touring with Joe Claussell and Kerri Chandler.
That landmark year, Jerome Sydenham also founded the Ibadan Records label and by 2000, his imprint was known for pioneering a fresh Tech-house sound with co-producer Dennis Ferrer. The series led to a string of current club hits including hot releases such as Timbuktu, Stockholm Go Bang! and the crossover hit, Sandcastles. In 2006, Sydenham followed up with two monumental remixes "He Is" and Julian Jabre's "Swimming Places", establishing a reputation for beautiful, emotive deep house tracks. He is also known for sharing Dennis Ferrer's love for hypnotic, soulful, sexy Techno – bringing an undeniable warmth to an often emotionally cold genre of music. Other notable releases include collaborations with Get Physical's Swedish talent Tiger Stripes and their hugely acclaimed "Elevation" as well as their joyous remix of Faze Action's classic "In The Trees".
Sydenham's desire to push the creative envelope took him into the world of Techno with the hit Asama, with which he launched the German based label Apotek Records. The year 2007 also saw the initiation of a new label collaboration, Avocado Records, established in Denmark with heavy weight producer Rune RK with the monster track "Elephant". In 2011, Jerome Sydenham took his music interests Eastwards with the establishment of Midnight Shift Records based in Asia.
A&R Achievements edit
Jerome Sydenham received the follow Gold and Platinum records during his A&R involvement at Atlantic Records and East West Records:
Gold Records
- Yoyo - "You Can't Play with my Yo-Yo" feat Ice Cuve (single) (1991)
- LeVert - "Private Line" (single) (1991)
- En Vogue - "My Lovin" (first single from Funky Divas) (1992)
- En Vogue - "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (second single from Funky Divas) (1992)
- En Vogue - "Free Your Mind" (third single from Funky Divas) (1992)
- En Vogue - "Give It Up, Turn It Loose" (fourth single from Funky Divas) (1993)
- Da Lench Mob - "Guerillas in Tha Mist" (album) (1992)
- Family Stand - "Ghetto Heaven" (album) (1990)
- Das EFX - "They Want EFX" (single) (1992)
- Das EFX - "Straight Up Sewaside" (album) (1993)
Platinum Records
- En Vogue - "Born to Sing" (album) (1990)
- En Vogue - "Funky Divas" (album) (US 5x Platinum) (1990)
- En Vogue - "Hold On" (single from Born to Sing) (1992)
- Stars - "Simply Red" (album) (US 12xPlatinum) (1991)
- Snow - "12 Inches of Snow" (album) (1992)
- Snow - "Informer" (single) (1992)
- Das EFX - "Dead Serious" (album) (1992)
Owned Labels edit
Jerome Sydenham and his label, Ibadan Records managed together with Christine Pedersen, is principal to several labels including:
- Apotek
- Avocado
- Midnight Shift
- Public Service Records
- UK Promotions
Selected Discography edit
Albums
- 2007: "Pan-African Electro (Vol. 1)"
Ibadan Records EPs
- 2012: White Light (Remixes) (vs Function)
- 2012: "I Adventure" (with No Mad Ronin)
- 2011: "Natural Spray" (with Aschka)
- 2010: "White Light" (vs Function)
- 2010: "Thick & Thin" (with Argy and DJ Said)
- 2009: "Jango 01"
- 2009: "Jango 02" (with Nikola Gala and DJ Oji)
- 2008: "Ebian" (with Texu and Romantic Couch)
- 2008: "Elevation & F12 Remixes" (with Tiger Stripes)
- 2007: "Timbuktu" (with Dennis Ferrer)
- 2005: "Stockholm - Go Bang!" (with Mikael Nordgren)
- 2006: "№ 8 - Elevation" (with Tiger Stripes)
- 2000: "Àró"
Apotek EPs
- 2011: "The Canine EP"
- 2010: "Vanishing Point / Weather System"
- 2010: "Incidental" (with Xhin)
- 2010: "Black Ice"
- 2009: "My Pet Gorilla"
- 2009: "Judgement EP"
- 2008: "The Puzzle (Jerome Sydenham's Mighty Dub) / Congo" (with Hideo Kobayashi)
Avocado EPs
- 2010: Inside (with Rune RK)
- 2009: "The Flight" (with Rune RK)
- 2008: "Peter Pan / Snow Bored" (with Rune RK)
- 2007: "Elephant" (with Rune RK)
UK Promotion EPs
- 2010: "Sting"
- 2009: "Feel It / I'm In / Benevolent Red" (with Iroko and Club Lonely)
- 2009: "Powerless / Deep Fried" (with Ricky L)
- 2009: "Ecoute! / Jor-El"
- 2008: "Darkroom"
- 2007: "Blacktro (Demo 1) / Spiritual Insurrection" (with Joe Claussell)
Selected Remixes edit
- 1998 Kerri Chandler - Atmosphere
- 1999 Beth Orton - Central Reservation (with Joe Claussell), Arista Records
- 1993 Nature Soul - Latinize, Ibadan Records
- 2006 Julien Jabre - Swimming Places, Defected
- 2006 Copyright - He Is (with Dennis Ferrer), Defected
- 2007 Faze Action - In The Trees, Juno Records
- 2007 Ten City - That's The Way Love Is, Ibadan Records
- 2007 Solaris Heights - Vice, Renaissance Records
- 2007 Len Faki - Rainbow Delta, Ostgut Tonträger
DJ Mixes
- 2006: Space Lab Yellow - Jerome Sydenham Live Vol. 1, Ibadan P-Vine Records
- 2005: Ibadan People, Ibadan
- 2003: Explosive Hi-Fidelity Sounds, Ibadan, BBE
- 2002: Electric Pussycat, BBE
References edit
- ^ "Biography of Jerome Sydenham". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
- ^ "Jerome Sydenham: Whatever makes you happy Interview". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2012-04-28.
External links edit
Category:1967 births
Category:Living people
Category:Club DJs
Category:Electronic musicians