N : Everybody is not familiar with your name and productions. Could you please introduce yourself?
Skymark : my name is Skymark. I am a member of the a crew called Soul Sociedad....I make beats and collect records of soul, jazz, funk... My productions are hip hop, soul, jazz, funk, broken beat and deep house.
N: you are based in Barcelona, in Spain but you are Swiss. When did you move to Spain?
Skymark : I moved to Spain almost 2 years ago...to live near the see and to have more time to make music.
N: You are quite young, 25 years old. I was particularly impressed by your deep knowledge of spiritual jazz and soul references. How do you explain that?
Skymark : I have had the chance to grow up in a family with 5 brothers who collected this kind of records...our flat was full of Deep soul, 80's funk, modern soul, Jazz, old school rap and 80's house garage music records.
N: What kind of artists do you listen to ?
Skymark : my favourite artists are for example Donny Hathaway, Norman Connors, The Mizell Brothers, Weldon Irvine, Don Blackman...
My influences are Donny Hathaway, Ice, Mellow Madness, 7 miles per hour Band, The Kaldirons, Jewel, Aged of Harmony, Leroy Hutson, Vitamin E, Allmighty Rashaan Roland Kirk, Descendants Of Mike & Phoebe, Leon Thomas, King Tutt, The Unifics, Larry and Fonce Mizell, Allspice, The New Birth, The Moments, Tony and Reality, The Fantastics, Patterson Twins, Annette Poindexter, The Sylvers, The Escorts, The Dells...
N: What is your most memorable musical experience ?
Skymark : "a class of its own" in Cologne 2007
N: Can you give us more details?
Skymark : "A class of its own" is a musical project that will hopefully be released this year.
We were about 15 people contracted to do an album in 2 weeks....I had the chance to work with the Mizell Brothers, Theo Parrish, Om'mas Keith from Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Andreya Triana, Black spade, Roman Rosic, Steve Spacek
we had 2 weeks to make a soulful album . We worked everyday in the studio from 2 pm to 4 am in Cologne last summer.
N : How did you reach the Mizell brothers? they are a much respected reference in soul/ disco music wordwide...
Skymark : The Mizells and Theo Parrish are part of my biggest influences ...they are amazing musicians and humble persons...INCREDIBLE PERSONS...
I've tried to collect all the records from the Mizells since I am a child.
N: really!
Skymark : when I met them, I had tears falling from my eyes and I had to go to the toilets to hide.
N: I can imagine. a moment of emotion...what makes you tick to their music exactly, an instrument, arrangements... ?
Skymark : Their specifical sound...when you hear a Mizell production, for example Gary Bartz, Rance Allen, Donald Byrd...you can say straight away thats it's a Mizell Production.
N: yes! I totally agree. And I know you are working with the Fender Rhodes, an instrument which you are very familiar with.
Skymark : yes the Fender Rhodes gives me goose bumps every day.
N: to come back to the Project with the Mizell Brothers, how did it begin?
Skymark : The boss of the Red Bull Music Academy has selected 15 persons from all the Red bull Music Academy from 2001...participants and teachers to make this album.
There wasn't any specifical process...for example you started a beat...and then another person was coming to play the bass...and then another person came to sing on it ...
we were free to do whatever we wanted.
Here is a video of Theo Parrish and Skymark on the keys, Om'mas keith on the drums practising in a studio...
N: it was spontaneous!
Skymark : yes it was spontaneous. It was a jam session.
N: this must be a great experience. What have you learnt?
Skymark : new music and new chords when I saw Larry Mizell playing the Fender Rhodes
N: You are a dj and beat producer. How did you decide to perservere in the musical field?
Skymark : I haven't really decided...this is what I love most in life...music. I'll never find an interesting job ...I just want to make music. I think about the music the whole day, every day.
N: Could we say, you are gifted for music and it is your calling?
Skymark : No. The reason is simple. I've been involved in music since my childhood because of my family...and this is what really makes me happy in life.
N: Were your parents musicians?
Skymark : just music lovers.
N: To be honest, I've discovered your "myspace" in 2006 and I was amazed by the "spacey" and "soulful" sound of your productions and that of the Soul Sociedad crew. Sometimes it sounded like J Dilla "Donuts"
Skymark : We all have' been fan of the album " Donuts", an tribute to soul musicN: yes!
Skymark : The Sylvers, the Escorts, the Impressions ...
N: So you began as a producer in 2005. Can you tell us more about your past productions and after we will talk about the release of your solo project.
Skymark : I bought the mpc in 2005...before that, I was involved in turntablism and djaying, crate digging. I started to make beats with Ketepica and Ill dubio...because they were already making beats for a few years.
N: Who are Ketepica and Ill Dubio?
Skymark : My best friends from Soul Sociedad. We are friends foremost and soul/ jazz collectors...The collective was founded by Ill Dubio, Ketepica, Lu- Fuki and I....we've known each other for ages and we've been listening to soul music together...that's how Soul Sociedad has been naturally created.
Here is the link: www.soulsociedad.com
N: not to forget your radio show "Astro black" !
Skymark: the radio show " Astro black" is every month and the "Get Down" radio show too.
N: You must be proud of the release of your album "The Disturbed Sky" on bagpak music records.
Skymark : yes..but I wish It can be released in vinyl one day...
N: it will become a rarity!
Skymark : I love the vinyl format. I will never buy an mp3...although I am sure that everything will be sold with digital format in the future.
N: yes this is the general trend in music business. But don't you think there will always be crate diggers like you who will try to continue to save the vynil...
Skymark : yes I think so!!!
N : To come back to your new album, what kind of music is it?
Skymark: " the Disturbed Sky" lp is more an instrumental hip-hop project...with a lot of vintage analogic sounds that I made between 2006 and 2007.
N: why this title? Is it a play on words, with Skymark?!
Skymark : laugh ! a bit.
N: so there are 8 tracks...
Skymark : yes. The atmospheres are a bit similar. There are only 2 beats which are a bit in a different mood, "Soultroduction" and "Flyin like Leon".
N: "flying like leon" I like this title!
Skymark : Actually at the begining, the title was "Flying like leon thomas"
N: Leon Thomas ! of course! if you could compare your sound to other beat producers? Who would that be?
Skymark : I dont know, I am influenced buy a lot of artists that can be old or new... As I said before, the Mizell, Theo Parrish, Leroy Burgess, Flying lotus, Jneiro Jarel, Norman Connors...
N: what about Madlib, Sa Ra Creative Parners, 9th Wonder?
Skymark : yes yes yes!!!!!!
N: By the way, do you think of inviting some singers on your productions in the future?
Skymark : sure ! I am already working with singers. I have songs with Deva Mahal, Andreya Triana, Black spade...
N: I am wondering, what do you think of the new album by Erykah Badu? the sound?
Skymark : it is nice. but I prefer her first albums.
N : yes, but the sound is raw and sometimes wickedlike "the cell", "soldiers" or "twinkle"
Skymark : I love when its raw like the sound of Strata East jazz label , Perception, Mf Doom, RZA.
N: ok.
To finish, what are your favourite picture, your favourite video?
What image, or video would you like to share with the readers that will enable us to know more about your personnality?
1. Favourite Picture
Carlos Garnett album cover " Cosmos Nucleus"
2. Favourite video
Hermeto PASCOAL : spiritual brazilian jazz!
3. 10 favourite songs
N: If you were stranded on a desert island, what are the 10 vinyls would you bring with you?
1. Archie shepp "Attica Blues"
2. Donny Hathaway "In Performance"
3. Weldon Irvine
4. Vitamine E "sharing"
5. Bob and Gene "if this world were mine"
6. Bridge "crying for love"
7. Gil Scott Heron "piece of a man"
8. The Ohio players "Pain"
9. the New birth "1st album"
10. Aquarian Dream "fantasy"
4. Playlist
1. Bobby Reed "the time is right for love" 2. The Intruders "cowboys to girls" 3. Andreya Triana "Angel lady" (live version) 4. The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe "attica" 5. Jewel "paradise" 6. The Controllers "people want music" 7. Walter Bishop jr. "waltz for zweetie" 8. Theo Parrish feat Monica Blaire "second chances" 9. Odyssey 5 "piece of mind" 10. Logg feat leroy Burgess " i know you will"
Links:
www.myspace.com/skymark
www.myspace.com/soulsociedad
www.soulsociedad.com
www.myspace.com/deepsoulrevisited
www.myspace.com/blackspade
Music:
- Skymark debut album "Disturbed Sky" is digitally released on Bagpack records.
http://www.bagpak.net/product_info.php?products_id=8987
- "Space and Time" featuring Black Spade is released in "Broadcasting by Karen P" on Sonar Kollectiv Records.
www.sonarkollektiv.com/releases/SK186CD/
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