Florida Music Feature: ELEKTROAKOUSTIC

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ELEKTROAKOUSTIC EP

"ELEKTROAKOUSTIC" begins with the screaming leads of 'ScrapeStep' anthem 'holLiwUd.' "Im up in Hollywood, se-se-se-selling my soul" is the catchy hook sung by vocalist blinn over an airy evolving analog electrobeat that morphs into a climax of sound. On "Dont Fall for Me", Cityy Towers is brutally honest when he referring to past relationship: "Oh you was f**kin him, no wonder you didnt pick up, I hope he keep his **** up...stupid as ever the words I used to get cha, you hold em close to your heart, I just threw them together."

Despite its dark tone, the album features lighter records such as the playful acoustic guitar driven pop ballad "U" & a sugar pop dance remix of Little Boot's "Earthquake" which is heavy influences from the island drums of Major Lazer as well as La Roux & Ellie Goulding inspired synths.

Meet the Producer

My name is Rieces Pieces & I am a Jamaican Music Producer now living in Clearwater, Florida. About 2 years, I produced a remix for Interscope Artist MIA’s ///Y/ The Remixes Album which featured Jay Z. The next 6 months were a whirlwind as I had the opportunity to work with a lot of great songwriters and submit what I considered to be unique tracks to a lot of commercial albums including Cee Lo’s ‘The Lady Killer’, Kimberly Caldwell’s ‘Without Regret’, VV Brown & others. I spent the months that followed in the studio working on copycat style songs that sounded like the top 40 records of that year and It grew old, fast.

At the end of 2011, I packed up & moved from LA to Clearwater, FL to record this EP with the intentions of producing a cohesive project as eclectic as my personal musical taste. In the 8 months I spent working on this EP, I produced in total 30 songs & remixes. I worked with independent artists from Europe & as well as the US who were artists I considered to be hidden gems of their genre.

Next, I spent a month listening to all of the songs & trimming the track-list down to the best 8 most unique songs and another 2 weeks on the order of the songs. Finally, I picked the title of “ELEKTROAKOUSTIC”, which was an ode to my biggest musical influences, Pierre Schaffer, John Cage & other forefathers of early recorded Electronic Music. It is my intentions to blend both worlds by using influences from the esoteric in a commercial way. StandOut tracks include: ‘blinn – holliwud’, ‘Prophit – Falls (Spoken Word by Motown Pride)’ & ‘Cityy Towers – Dont Fall for Me’

ElektroAkoustic starts off with an EDM subgenre Scrapestep song then an Indie Rock remix of Metric’s Artificial Nocture then a chilled out flip of James Blake’s The Wilhelm Scream that forays into a dancey almost island sounding 3/4 time remix of Little Boots and eventually ends with a Sample of Regina Spektors Hero Spoken Word monologue.

ELEKTROAKOUSTIC is intended to understated, unique & unexpected.

Milton Rubén Laufer, DMA, to lead NWSA music program

New World School of the Arts has selected a new dean to lead its award-winning music program. Milton Rubén Laufer, DMA, an internationally acclaimed teacher, performer and scholar, will begin in his new post this August when classes resume at the renowned arts conservatory. Dr. Laufer brings a wealth of artistic, academic and administrative experience to NWSA, having held similar positions across the nation. As the Dean of Music, Dr. Laufer will serve as the chief academic and artistic officer for the Music Division of New World School of the Arts, overseeing administration of both the high school and college programs in Music.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a brilliant, committed faculty and the ascending talents of the student body at NWSA,” said Dr. Laufer. “As Dean, my goal is to contribute significantly to the academic, artistic, and cultural life at the institution and the city of Miami.  This is such an honor!”

A pianist since the age of three, Milton Rubén Laufer made his musical debut at the age of twelve in Chicago, where he was born of Cuban and Puerto Rican parents. Dr. Laufer’s training includes studies at the Music Institute of Chicago, the Moscow Conservatory, the Gnessin Institute, the Eastman School of Music, the University of Michigan, and Rice University.

Top prizes in the Stravinsky Awards International Piano Competition, Young Keyboard Artists International Piano Competition, Union League Civic Arts Foundation competition, the Nena Wideman Piano Competition, and the National Federation of Music Clubs’ Stillman-Kelley Award highlight some of Dr. Laufer’s competitive accomplishments.

He has performed chamber music with members of the North Carolina Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, Borromeo Quartet, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and the New World Symphony.

Laufer served for 10 years on the music faculty at Peace College in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he held the Phoenix Professorship in Fine Arts and was Artistic Director of the Manning Chamber Music Series.

While in North Carolina, he founded and was Executive Director of the Sir Walter Raleigh Festival of Music, the only festival in the United States that is part of the British and International Federation of Festivals.

Most recently, Dr. Laufer worked as a senior consultant for the music technology firm, Zenph Sound Innovations and served on juries for music festivals in Germany, China, and throughout the United States.

A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Laufer has conducted extensive research in Spanish piano music.  He is recognized internationally as a leading performer and scholar in this area, and his recent editions of Isaac Albéniz’s 3 Improvisations for Piano and La Vega by are published by G. Henle Verlag of Munich and available worldwide.

Currently he is writing the book, "The Pianist's Guide to the Repertoire of Spain".  Dr. Laufer has recently released recordings on the Beauport Classical and Zenph Studios record labels.

About NWSA: The distinguished history of the New World School of the Arts began in 1984 when the Florida State Legislature established the institution to provide artistically talented high school and college students the means to achieve both an academic education and artistic training. In September 1986, NWSA opened its doors to students in grades ten through twelve. NWSA’s audition-based programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art, Dance, Music and Theater. New World School of the Arts offers the high school diploma as well as a four-year BFA or BM college degree.

The academic music curriculum at New World School of the Arts fosters creativity and develops knowledge of musical heritage. Course work strives to develop the student's growth and maturity in comprehensive musicianship. The study of music history and theory is pursued by taking a variety of classes including foundations of music; surveys of music history in the western world, jazz and pop music in America, and music of the world's people; and seminars in composition aesthetics, jazz improvisation, chamber music, and general musicianship. Areas of concentration include piano, instrumental, composition and vocals.

New World School of the Arts was created by the Florida Legislature as a center of excellence in the performing and visual arts. It is an educational partnership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami Dade College and the University of Florida.

Information about the NWSA Music program is available by calling 305-237-7855 or visiting nwsa.mdc.edu.

Photo: Milton Ruben Laufer, DMA – Dean of Music, New World School of the Arts

Help From the North!

I can remember when I first began to publish the Florida Music Letter, it was the early 1990’s and much was different in the world of music. In fact, many of the restraints that existed in reaching readers all but disappeared with technological advancements. The World Wide Web now means that readers all over the world can read the Florida Music Letter. Believe me, I found out right away how powerful the electronic format could be. Steve Holt, President of Inner Music and Media Group in Toronto Canada contacted me and told me about the services his company offered. He also let me know that his company was able to offer those services to Florida musicians and music companies. That’s why this month we are featuring a company outside the state of Florida. Because I found out the world is getting smaller and support for Florida music can come from anywhere in the world. I could say a lot more but it might be better to let Steve tell you himself in the video below.

Edward Reid

Inner Music and Media Group Services

Corporate and Promotional Videos

Flashy...?  Or simple? Our team creates extraordinary videos that inspire and get the points across. Make a powerful presentation with our custom video.

Recorded Music

We produce demo or finished recordings for performing artists and songwriters. For vocalists, we access our songwriters for new or custom material, as well as a host of session musicians or MIDI instruments.

Voice overs

We produce professional voice overs using our own in-house voices, as well as by accessing our network of professionals. The result is a custom product designed to match the exact requirements of the job.

Ad Videos / TV Spots

We create original and creative videos to advertise your products or services. Our videos range vastly in style due to the eclectic expertise we offer... from cartoon, animated videos, to live-action ads with realistic effects.

Educational / Instructional Videos

We can create educational and instructional videos of any kind on any subject. Using animation to clearly illustrate the topics of the video, the material becomes concise and easy to understand.

Animation

We provide professional 3D animated video in a diverse number of styles. From cartoon animation, to lifelike computer graphics. For whatever needs you have, we have the skills to create it.

Music Videos

We create videos to perfectly compliment your song. We will work with the artist to assure that the the music and video become one. From energetic rock music, to emotional acoustic songs, and everything in between. 

GENERAL inquiries info@innermusicstudio.com

MUSIC and AUDIO steve@innermusicstudio.com

VOICE OVERS studio@innermusicstudio.com

VIDEO /ANIMATION ryan@innermusicstudio.com

Telephone (905) 492-2000

Jazz Alive and Well in South Florida!

Jazz is America's original music, enjoyed around the world. It developed from African and European influences and grew with our country, capturing the spirit of the nation through its melding of cultures,
independence and improvisation, and energy; all of which are hallmarks of American ideals.

Today, Jazz is one of our country's most sought-after international exports, with its language being "spoken" by people around the world. Jazz, emanating from America, has become world music. It is the music of the twenty-first century. South Florida JAZZ is committed to perpetuating jazz in these particular ways:

Offering performance venues for musicians, local, regional, national, and international, whom we regard as treasured talents.

Nurturing the next generation of jazz musicians and enthusiasts by active educational and live performance programs.

Networking with other cultural arts organizations to expose larger numbers of people to serious jazz music of various styles.

Encouraging performance opportunities for non-professional musicians for pleasure and skill-enhancement.

Pat Metheny

Overview


South Florida JAZZ is South Florida's premier jazz organization serving the Keys, Miami, Miami Beach, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, and the Palm Beaches and is celebrating its Platinum anniversary (20 years).

South Florida JAZZ was founded as a non-profit organization in 1991 to
produce the Hollywood Jazz Festival for the City of Hollywood. In 1996 it created a seasonal concert series, which progressively has grown in stature because of the high-caliber talent that it features from around the globe.

The Hollywood Jazz Festival was suspended in 2005 and replaced by an annual Anniversary Concert that showcases exceptional artists. In 2010 that artist was 13-time Grammy Award-winning pianist Chick Corea.

Paquito D'Rivera

Jazz Education



The principal educational objective of this organization is to inculcate an understanding of the importance of America's classical music, jazz, in students in the Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade county public school systems. It is an established fact that children exposed to formal music show superior academic achievement.

South Florida JAZZ, Inc (SFJ) produces a seasonal  monthly concert series preceded by either a lecture/demonstration by a jazz artist or educator or a "Meet the Artist" question and answer period that allows the audience to ask historical and other jazz-related questions relative to the featured artists. In addition, it has been a contributing sponsor of the Broward Library Foundation's "Books 'n' Bears" program providing live musical performances, stuffed animals, and books to Title I children during the Holiday.

Further, SFJ is a sponsor of free student workshops, clinics, master classes, and concerts produced in conjunction with the Frost School of Music at University of Miami, Florida International University Jazz Studies Department, the New World School of the Arts, a magnet school in Miami-Dade County, and most recently, the Broward College Jazz Studies program. There is active collaboration with BC for the future with scheduled workshops and concerts on the BC campus facilities.

SFJ encourages visiting artists to give master classes and clinics to collegiate and high school music students. Previous participants in this program include Gerry Mulligan, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Lovano, Bob Mintzer, Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker, Joe Henderson, Paquito D'Rivera, Don Menza and Paul Wertico. This is an ongoing program to introduce music students to elite professionals.

We recognize that jazz developed from African and European influences and grew with our country. It captured the spirit of the nation through its melding of cultures; its independence, improvisation, and energy; all of which are hallmarks of American ideals.

Chick Corea

Today, jazz is one of our country's most sought after international exports, with its language "spoken" by people around the world. Jazz, emanating from America, has become world music. Without proper education about its history and live performance exposure to the children, Jazz is in danger of becoming marginalized or even trivialized in this country.

SFJ uses these lecture/demonstrations as a springboard for further opportunities to listen to Jazz music as entertainment. SFJ brings educators and first-rate professional musicians to the schools to accomplish its goals.


Help support Jazz Education : Become a Member