Naked Music
Related: dance music - naked - house music
Naked Music is a dance music record label, centered in San Francisco and New York City. It is known for smooth signature deep house and downtempo grooves. It began life as a production company in New York, in 1992, when founders Dave Boonshoft and Jay Denes scored underground success with releases on indies such as Francois Kevorkian’s Wave Music, and UK’s XL Recordings. A string of high profile remixes followed with artists as diverse as Sade, Kelis, Maxwell and Britney Spears. Blue Six is the alias of producer Jay Denes, whose debut album, Beautiful Tomorrow, delivered a mix of deep house, soulful pop, and smooth jazz. In 1998 the production company became a true record label.[1]
Beautiful Tomorrow (2002) - Blue 6
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Blurb
Sweet. Seductive. Soulful. Such are the words that can aptly be used to describe Naked Music NYC, a musical collective from -- where else? -- New York City that is considered to be the latest denizens of the new soul revolution. The brainchild of producer and songwriter Jay Denes, Naked Music create beautiful, stripped-down soul music that is intoxicatingly simple. What's On Your Mind? is the group's debut album, an intrepid offering that bursts with emotion, life, and, most importantly, grooves.Naked Music was assembled by Denes, along with vocalists Ada Dyer and Catherine Russell, over the course of a year. Denes formed the group to create beautiful and classic soul music. He has produced and written a number of successful underground dance and house records, including work with groups like Groove Collective and the Repercussions. Dyer and Russell are both world-class vocalists who recorded their songs in spare moments between their own hectic schedules.
emotions. Crisp, chunky beats and ethereal melodies that linger for days.
NakedMusic is a sophisticated vibe that's become a full-on phenomenon since the label's inception in 1999, seducing both DJs and listeners alike with its string of strong 12" singles, forward-thinking compilations, and vibrant cover images. Now Naked is stepping up to the big leagues, teaming up with fellow U.S. label Astralwerks for wider exposure, distribution and promotion.
NakedMusic Recordings was the logical extension for NakedMusic NYC, a
production company and studio founded by Jay Denes with bassist and industry vet Dave Boonshoft in 1995. NakedMusic NYC produced 1998's What's On Your Mind? LP for Om Records, bringing together some of New York's best musicians and vocalists to create a landmark album of stripped-down beats and moody songwriting.
The album was a critical success, garnering rave reviews in America and the UK and even cracking the FM airwaves. It established the NakedMusic sound and emboldened Boonshoft and Denes to push their music even more. With an opportunity in front of them to take control, the duo was joined by Bruno Ybarra, the Om A&R exec, and thus Naked Music Recordings was born.
Debuting with Petalpusher's (a.k.a San Francisco's Miguel "Migs") "Breaking It Down", Naked established a successful template. Combining strong songwriting and vocal performances, top-notch production, diverse remixes and sexy cover illustrations from art director Stuart Patterson, Naked's mature blend of deep house, R&B and downtempo beats has been a breath of fresh air. The label has introduced fresh talent as well, showcasing Miguel "Migs", Aquanote (SF's Gabe Rene), Summerland (NYC guitarist Mark Anthony Jones) and vocalists Lisa Shaw and Gaelle Addison.
Naked has also released seven acclaimed mix CDs and compilations, featuring Naked's own music as well as tracks from other like-minded indies. The CDs have only reinforced Naked Music's brand reputation for quality, innovative music.
Naked/Astralwerks will re-issue five of these compilations including:
Carte Blanche, Volumes 1 & 2 (midtempo and abstract rhythms), Nude Dimensions, Volumes 1 & 2 (sultry deep house, with a late-night feel), and Bare Essentials, Volume 1, which compiles the best of Naked's back
catalogue, conveniently compiled for the vinyl-disabled. From Petalpusher's "Breakin It Down" to Blue Six's "Pure" and everything in between, this collection features all of the early classics, with a few unreleased mixes thrown in for good measure. These are the crucial tracks that introduced the world to Naked's defining sound. Two more compliations- Midnight Snack, Volume s 1& 2 (ultra-sexy, laid-back vibes) will be re-issued early next year.
Naked/Astralwerks will also be releasing Nude Dimensions, Volume 3, the brand new, long awaited third installment in this series on October 2. With Nude 3, NakedMusic takes a snapshot of the wide spectrum of dance styles being produced around the world. Blending bits of electro, broken beats, and nu-jazz with the signature deep house feel, this volume features some of today's most intriguing underground talents. Unreleased goodies rub up against choice tunes making the rounds on discerning turntables everywhere.
Highlights include Weekender's spacey, tribal remix of Jersey Street's "Step Into the Light", and the retro electro-disco synths of Metro Area and Morgan Geist.
Naked Music NYC
Reconstructed Soul
OM Records
Back in 1998, before Naked Music had established itself as a major purveyor of deep, sexy house and urban soul, a young producer named Jay Denes, in collaboration with a stable of other relatively unknown young artists, was churning out soulful 4/4 and downtempo tracks under the name Naked NYC. Om celebrates Denes' contributions to modern-day house and the success of his now 2-year-old label, Naked Music Recordings, with fine reworkings of several tracks from Denes' 1998 release on Om Records, "What's On Your Mind?" House music's evolution is clearly mapped out for us track by track with simple soul-driven melodies, giving way to richly layered percussion and airy jazz-influenced accompaniment. This is big-city house music for educated ears! Features brand new mixes by Gabriel Rene of Soulstice, Miguel "Migs" and Joshua "Iz." --
CDs
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Beautiful Tomorrow (2002) - Blue 6
[CD, Amazon US]
[FR] [DE] [UK]
Blue Six is the brainchild of Naked Music founder Jay Denis, a former New York City rock musician who saw dance music as his ticket out of obscurity. His Blue Six debut, Beautiful Tomorrow, is a virtual world of pristine house groove and ambient soul mood, with live instruments and sensual singers creating a glowing sonic tableau. Whether dancing or chilling, you'll find that Beautiful Tomorrow is a luxurious soundtrack for greeting the dawn. Beyond an occasional minimalist vibe, the only differences between tracks are the singers, who offer individual takes on the soul-diva template. Lisa Shaw opens the album with "Let's Do It Together," followed by Monique Bingham singing "Close to Home." Catherine Russell adds a personal touch to the title track and "Very Good Friends." Beautiful Tomorrow's tracks morph together, but with its sublime blue-mood message, grooving in place works like a charm. --Ken Micallef for Amazon.com - What's on Your Mind? - Naked Music NYC [1 CD, Amazon US]
True, the songs do sound a bit like one another, but maybe that's why I press 'repeat' and listen to it for hours. One guy pretty much wrote all the songs and did the programming. The songs are simple in their structure but not in their feeling or in their incomparable delivery. The two ladies who alternate on the tracks sing with that certain je-ne-sais-quois that only the soulfulest people have. This is one of those musical creations that make you realize to what extent the sensibility of the modern world as a whole has been shaped by afro-americans. These ladies sing not with their throats but with their wombs. A plangent - not to say bluesy - atmosphere pervades the whole Cd throughout...about love lost, hope remembered, ego surrendered, and peace attained. This music will speak to you if you've ever loved to the point of trembling with sadness. Music for real grown-ups, in other words. --Luxtiller for amazon.com - Nude Tempo 1 - Miguel Migs [1 CD, Amazon US]
Following a series of highly sought after singles and remixes under his Petalpusher alias, Naked Music artist Miguel Migs kicks off the new year with a DJ mix set that further illustrates why the Naked Music name has become synonymous with good taste, good times and consistent sales. This collection of rare mixes and A-list favorites features emerging talents, Blue Six, Andy Caldwell, scene veterans, Kerri Chandler and the seductive voice of fellow label mate Lisa Shaw. 2002.
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