The Sounds of VTech

The Timeless DVD Box Set

Timeless describes moments outside of time— moments that exist so deep inside history that they break through that finite grid. Timeless: The Composer/Arranger Series is an homage to the composer-arrangers that have influenced hip-hop in the most literal and profound ways.

The creative center of popular music today is the beatmaker-producer. Whether it is Timbaland, Dilla, Dre, or Madlib, these musicians have an uncanny sense for voicings, a penchant for unusual sounds and catchy rhythms and a magical ability to manufacture a good performance. Today’s beatmakers are the direct descendants of yesterday’s composer-arrangers. Their processes—whether it be writing a memorable line for background singers or finding the appropriate moment for a baritone harmonica — mirror those of today’s musicians. The composer-arranger creates music through the frame of the bigger picture, often more concerned with how things sound together than individually. Similarly today’s beatmakers produce music on a grand scale, but through automation and sampling.

Timeless brings these two seemingly unlike worlds together. The series honors the musical legacies of some of the greatest composer-arrangers ever.  Timeless celebrates the work of the composer-arranger in the context it should be seen—with full orchestras.

From Mulatu Astatke to J. Dilla to Arthur Verocai, the Timeless Concert Series touched upon the works of three musical giants. Mochilla is proud to announce the March 30th, 2010 release date of the Timeless Concert Series, a 3 DVD box set with a special downloadable audio portion. The box set will be an extremely limited and numbered edition of 4,000, which will include full liner notes, a free poster exclusive only to the box set, extra features, songs, and slideshows of images used in the presentation. To mark the launch of the DVD, there will be a series of events scheduled around its release, including a SXSW screening. Stay tuned here to The Sounds of VTech for more.

Mulatu Astatke:

Headlining the first concert in the Timeless series was the beginning of a big year for Mulatu Astatke. His recent collaboration with the Heliocentrics has made it on many people’s “Best of List,” for 2009. The anthology of his work, New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975, the first comprehensive collection of his work was a big success for Strut Records. On February 1^st, he blessed the Luckman Auditorium with an amazing show. He shared the stage with Los Angeles jazz scene veterans Bennie Maupin, Azar Lawrence, and Phil Ranelin. The performance is beautiful, showcasing many classics as well as some new material. The music was mixed by Los Angeles engineer Benjamin Tierney and UK producer/musician, Will “Quantic” Holland.

Mulatu is currently touring Europe with the Heliocentrics and is still talking about the Timeless concert. 

 Suite For Ma Dukes:

Timeless II celebrated the music of hip-hop producer, James “J. Dilla” Yancey. Composed and arranged for a 60-piece orchestra by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, the concert featured special guests Bilal, Dwele, Posdnuos (De La Soul), Talib Kweli, and more. This premiere performance is still buzzing in the minds of many, unable to shake the magic of that evening.

The music was mixed and mastered by legendary Grammy award-winning producer/mixer Bob Power. Power is the man behind hundreds of pop and jazz recordings. He’s worked with such artists as Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, India.Arie, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and even more significantly, with Dilla.  Bob rarely works on smaller independent projects like this, but was so impressed with Miguel’s music that he blessed this collaboration with an epic mix.

We are premiering “Take Notice” today with Bob’s mix.

In related news, on February 6^th, 2010, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony will be perform four of Miguel’s arrangements of Dilla in a tribute to great American composers. Dilla will be honored right along side George Gershwin, William Grant Still, and Duke Ellington. Only Timeless could have made this happen. Deepest congratulations to Miguel and Dilla.

 Arthur Verocai:

Timeless III saw Arthur Verocai make his very first trip to Los Angeles to perform his seminal 1972 record for a capacity audience at the Luckman. The performance brought the crowd to a stand still. According to Verocai, “I never played the record, alive or dead!” and hid the record from his family because “of his disappointment at its failure during the 70s.” His utter delight at the opportunity to play this music in its complete form can be seen in the DVD. He has subsequently been offered an opportunity to do the concert again in London. Stay tuned. 

The music was mixed by Verocai himself in Rio de Janeiro. He was so excited with the final result that he held a private screening of the concert at the beginning of December and invited the Carioca music community.

Three different shows with three different producers/arrangers and three different styles of extraordinary music presented. For those who attended, the Timeless Series was that of magic, love, and music that penetrated the soul. With the box set, those who weren’t able to attend will now understand what everyone has been talking about. And for those who have, a chance to relive music history all over again. 

FULL SCREEN
The Sounds of VTech / Suite For Ma Dukes: Take Notice

Right Click To Download: Take Notice (Bob Power mix)

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Often confused with xylophones, marimbas are a traditional folk instrument of the people of Southern and Central America. And though the instrument’s roots lie in West Africa, it ties together the music of the African diaspora and the inhabitants of the Southern and Central American shores on which they landed on in the 16th century.

The Pacific coast of Colombia is home to many genres of music. From its local music of the Afro-Colombian chirimia, the marimba, and outside influence of salsa, the music scene in Colombia continues to blend the old with the new.

When we look to rural towns such as Timbiqui, home of singer Nidia Gongora Bonilla, where musicians play in dedicated marimba houses and listen in awe. The music never stops, and the houses vibrate with the rhythm of the marimba all day long.

Memoria de Justinho By Quantic y Su Combo Barbaro Featuring Nidia Gongora Bonilla on Vocals is a tribute to legendary Marimba player, Justinho Garcia from Timbiqui. It was written by legendary female songwriter Ines Garanja on the occasion of his passing and holds enormous cultural significance. It is a classic song in the tradition of the Pacific Coast and was first recorded by Grupo Socovan, Nidia’s family’s band.

As Nidia introduces the song in the beginning of the video, she explains it is a Rumba from Timbiqui in the style of Quantic; a collision of sounds and influences in the best possible way.

Though the QCB has never recorded this song, it was worked out specifically for their first LA show and in many ways, this was the song that reached the audience’s musical souls. Los Angeles was open to Quantic and the new album and the band he had brought with him, but this song managed to put a smile on everyone’s face and a extra shuffle in everyone’s step.

It is with extreme pleasure that MOCHILLA was there to capture it and for VTech to premiere it.  This is history here. With beating hearts and hands in the air, connect your computer up to those speakers, kick back and feel the Afro-Colombian magic.

FULL SCREEN
The Sounds of VTech / Memoria de Justinho by Quantic and his Combo Barbaro

Quantic y Su Combo Barbaro:

Will Quantic Holland: Guitar/ Alfredo Linares: Piano/ Fernando Silva: Bass

Malcolm Catto: Drums/ Jack Iglesias: Percussion/ Freddy Colorado: Percussion

Reggie Ambrose: Sax/ Todd Simon: Trumpet

Shot by: Eric Coleman, Todd Mazer, and B+ for MOCHILLA

Edited by: Luke Lynch

Sound Recorded and Mixed by: Benjamin Tierney