Berklee today is the official alumni publication of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. It is a forum for contemporary music and musicians.
Issue link: http://berkleetoday.epubxp.com/i/180042
Visit: alumni.berklee.edu Boston Beat Dow Brain '88 and Brad Young '89 didn't know each other at Berklee. But after meeting during the early 1990s, they discovered that their different skill sets and similar musical interests yielded an "aha" moment for their creative chemistry and a successful, collaborative relationship developed. Brain is a product of the music synthesis major and Young of the MP&E; program. Both were interested in sampling jazz and experimental riffs just as producers of the then-emerging rap scene were doing. They later launched two ventures: Underground Productions and BUMP (or Big Underground Music Publishing), both based in Needham, MA. The pair penned and coproduced four songs on the British band LFO's self-titled album, including numberone Billboard single "Summer Girls." The legendary Clive Davis oversaw the project. This success led to a three-year publishing deal with BMG Songs. At Underground Studios, Brain recently produced and recorded Lauren Bennett's vocal tracks for LMFAO's number-one hit "Party Rock Anthem." Their BUMP Music library, which contains 3,000 tracks of vocal and instrumental music they've created for flm and television, has yielded placements on such shows as The Offce, Weeds, Cupid, The Works, How'd You Get So Rich?, AFV, Sox Appeal, and The Sopranos. "Early on," says Brain, I found a huge, creative force in Boston and was able to combine that with what I learned at Berklee from teachers like Walter [Beasley] and Kurt Biederwolf. They always inspired me to try new things, and there was a lot of sampling of jazz music in rap; it was a great way to combine sounds. Music is a huge catalyst for bringing people from different backgrounds together." Similarly, while serving as an intern at Newbury Sound Studio after fnishing his Berklee studies, Young experimented in the studio after hours working with samples and experimental riffs. He met a raw, talented rapper, Brick Casey, and began working with him. He later introduced Casey to Brain and the three worked together on a project in a small Dorchester studio. They have since collaborated extensively. Casey was "one of those musicians that stood out," Brain recalls. "He was the perfect ingredient to add to the mix. For BUMP, our production company, Brad and I work with people all over the world, and Casey has been our most successful artist. Together, we've gotten placements in the Showtime series Ray Donovan. It's funny that this partnership started in a place where we were just trying to be creative and capture interesting sounds." The three are now creating material that resonates with the music and flm industries. The BUMP music catalog entries are diverse. "'Spec' stuff is largely what we do," Brain remarks. "Music supervisors contact us wanting a particular sound or feel. A recent case was a project we did for the Jimmy Kimmel Live show. Turnaround times for these projects are usually short. I may have to call Casey on Tuesday to write lyrics and then have to submit the fnished project on Wednesday or Thursday. Casey is creative, talented, and reliable. I will record his vocal in the studio and then complete the rest of the production using Logic at home." At a recent session, I watched Brain boot up a tune and Casey boldly step into the vocal both with just three words written on a notebook page. Casey used images from his words to evoke passion. Like a jazz soloist, he let his lyrics fow for more than eight minutes. He seamlessly changed cadence and carefully crafted each phrase as Brain captured his performance. The whole session lasted only 15 minutes. "Now Brad and Dow will fne-tune it," Dow Brain '88 Casey told me. "I trust them to perfect what we've started." Brain attributes the success of the studio and BUMP to what the duo learned at Berklee, their exposure to many different styles of music, and the chances they've had to experiment with various sounds. With a steadily growing client list, their continuing musical presence on TV seems assured. —Michael Gaskins '93 Director, Alumni Affairs new York spotlight Round Hill Music is a boutique-size music publisher based in New York City that's staffed with a team of people who are passionate about music. The members of the Round Hill team include four Berklee alumni: CEO and chairman Josh Gruss '97, chief operating offcer Michael Lau '90, creative director of sync and licensing Mallory Zumbach '05, and royalty administrator Britnie Stingelin '09. Among its services, Round Hill offers song placements, organization of co-written material, international development, creative sync and music licensing for all visual and interactive media, and music supervision. After 13 years in fnancial services, Gruss started the company. He'd always wanted to work in the music industry and found that the intersection between the fnance and music industries led naturally to music publishing. Given his clear understanding of music business, Gruss has been able to invest in music catalogs of the utmost quality. When asked to characterize the company, Gruss says that it's a "place full of [Berklee] alumni that is not intimidating and is here to listen to songwriters and make deals in a client-friendly way." Many publishing companies are much larger and do not offer the one-on-one attention that Round Hill provides to clients. This client experience makes it a diamond in the rough among music publishers. Having a Berklee education gives these professionals knowledge of the industry and enables them to speak the same language as the artists they work with. The Round Hill staffers frequently offer their clients advice that will lead to better chances for them to place their songs. "It's important to have positive lyrics when hoping to get song placements in advertising," Zumbach told me when asked about the advice she gives. "Artists and songwriters need to be open minded," adds Lau, "Don't pigeonhole yourself; be open to trying new things. Write with everyone—even if you're afraid. Go out there and learn everything." Round Hill views music as a long-term investment as great songs are useful placements for years. Consequently, the company is always looking to grow but also to maintain its existing catalog. Round Hill is also a great place for Berklee students to learn through internships. The company offers a solid learning environment where interns can hone their administrative and creative skills. When asked about the internship program, company president Neil Gillis revealed that From the left: Britnie Stingelin, Mallory Zumbach, Josh Gruss, Michael Lau, and Neil Gillis. they bring their interns into staff meetings so that they can gain a broad experience. While Round Hill Music is a small company, its staff is extremely dedicated to their business and the artists and writers with whom they work. For more information, visit www.roundhillmusic.com. —Arielle Schwalm '10 Assistant Director, Alumni Affairs Fall2013 41