ARI B SIGNS PRODUCTION AGREEMENT WITH MUTLI-LATIN GRAMMY WINNING PRODUCER & ENGINEER ECHO AND THE ECHO TEAM IN MIAMI!
Ari B. ready to track under the experienced direction of acclaimed music producer “Echo”.
One of Back Stage Indie Reports favorite new artists, Ari B. (see BackStage Indie Report “Here Is The Future of Pop – Meet Ari B.”) and Back Stage Indie report good friend Echo (see Back Stage Indie Report Daddy Yankee Releases Breast Cancer Song With Symphony Orchestra And Award-Winning Producer, Echo!) together to make hit music!Relationships…
Ari B. is a popular and innovative young singer, dancer, and songwriter. She has several music videos that are ubiquitous on the internet featuring her vocals plus Ari and an other young professional dancers lighting up the storyline. Back Stage Indie Report, having covered Ari’s career in the magazine, has a relationship with Ari’s manager Ms. Miriam Bavly. When Ari’s team was preparing to release her last music video, Miriam contacted us at Back Stage Indie Report to give us an advanced copy so we could release it at the same time as other media companies, as well as social media platforms. In speaking with Miriam about Ari’s career, she mentioned that they were looking for a top music producer/mentor to take Ari into the next phase of her work. That’s when the lightbulbs here at Back Stage Indie Report started flashing!
Making Connections…
Back Stage Indie Report has a very close relationship with multi Grammy Award winning producer/engineer Echo. Echo has been on the ground floor with new trends in music and was one of the pioneers of the reggaeton movement. Echo produces artists all over the world and was mainly working with Spanish language artists but also several crossover artists like Ricky Martin and Pitbull.
Now back to the flashing lights… I mentioned the magazines relationship with Echo and asked Miriam if she wanted me to reach out to him. Like any good manager, she said it sounds great but let me speak with my client and get back to you. The next day we received an email from Miriam saying “Ari researched Echos work and would definitely be interested in working together”. The next step was to give a call to Echo and float the idea. Echo went through a laundry list of engagements and commitments he was beholden too. But, I pulled out the friend card and he agreed to hear the songs and watch the videos I sent over.
Now back to the flashing lights… I mentioned the magazines relationship with Echo and asked Miriam if she wanted me to reach out to him. Like any good manager, she said it sounds great but let me speak with my client and get back to you. The next day we received an email from Miriam saying “Ari researched Echos work and would definitely be interested in working together”. The next step was to give a call to Echo and float the idea. Echo went through a laundry list of engagements and commitments he was beholden too. But, I pulled out the friend card and he agreed to hear the songs and watch the videos I sent over.It Is or It Aint…
Later that evening my phone rang and Echo’s contact photo flashed on the screen. Without any pleasantries Echo’s gravely voice came over my cell “she’s got the talent, I know I can help her showcase it. I don’t usually work with up-and-comers but tell them I’ll do it. I believe she could go high in the music industry if properly produced”.Nuts and Bolts…
Miriam representing Ari and by default, me representing Echo, began a dialog of planning and organizing that went on for several weeks. In the mean time Ari was playing shows and doing interviews and Echo was bouncing from NYC to LA to Puerto Rico recording music. Echo was most currently recording the newest Daddy Yankee track “Yo Contra Ti” with the Puerto Rico Symphony composed of 80 musicians that were part of the backing tracks to the song. Through it all, we were able to put together a plan. Miriam would bring Ari down to Miami on October 3rd to spend a complete day with Echo and I in the studio. This was to go over her new songs and creatively brainstorm the project. We scheduled studio time at the world-famous Circle House Studios (think Beyoncé, Usher, Ferrel…) for the creative session on Oct 3rd. Then, Echo would know exactly what was need for tracking when Ari returned later that month.
October 3rd…
We all met at a restaurant in the trendy Miami “Art’s District” Wynwood. It was the local hotspot, Wynwood Kitchen & Bar. I got there first followed by Miriam and Ari, and 30 minutes later Echo and his associate Beatboy (right on time, if your from Puerto Rico). Beatboy is a successful producer and recording engineer from Mexico who was in Miami to attend some meetings with Echo and Warner Music Spain. Introduction was made all around and the tapis style plates started coming. Echo and I ate most everything on the table. Had I known he would be picking up the check, I would have ordered a few more plates. Check paid, we all piled in Echo’s SUV and headed to Circle House Studios.
Circle House Studios…
“Bad Boys Bad Boys Watcha Gunna Do” Inner Circle, formerly The Inner Circle Band, best know for their 1987 hit “Bad Boys” AKA the theme music from “Cops” TV show, own and operate Circle House Studios. Circle House Studios is … well …. a house with studios. It’s actually two houses across from each other in North Miami and they have five state-of-the-art studios. We are talking SSL boards, monster Genelec speakers, racks of Manley, Universal Audio, Tube-Tech, and Avalon gear and the list goes on and on! It’s truly the Disneyland for musicians and gear lovers alike. CHS has a huge pool deck with a tropical swimming pool, outdoor kitchen and bar. The biggest names in the music industry slide in to Circle House to work with top Producers and Engineers. But that is not what makes Circle House a special place. What make Circle House special is its people. Kind and gracious, only too happy to make your experience there comfortable and welcoming. They are at your service and you know it. Maybe its the Jamaican and Cuban culture? Maybe when you reach that level you no longer have anything to prove to anyone and your better-self comes forward and you become open to others? What ever the reason, you can’t help but feel that you are on hallowed ground once you come through the main gate. Echo, being Echo was greeted with hugs and kisses from the staff. We were led to one of the studios adjacent to the pool. Echo told us about the countless hours he had spent behind the massive SSL board in the room. He complained about how hard he had worked. I was having trouble feeling sorry for him. To me, I want to be buried right here when I die. Right under that board.Behind The Studio Door…
Once inside, Ari an
d Echo took some chairs in front of the SSL, right in the sweet spot of the massive Genelecs built into the front wall. They dug-in on Ari’s vision for the song, listened to music, talked about the emotion and meaning behind the lyrics. There was a meeting of the minds and an obvious musical connection. It was fascinating to witness. There was a reason for Echo’s international reputation as a hit maker and I was seeing it first hand. Now I understood. Now it made sence. Miriam sat quietly on the leather couch at the rear of the control room taking notes and sneaking the occasional iPhone photo. An hour went by. Then another. Finally, Echo stood and said “Now I understand what you want with your song”. Ari stood and said “ok”. We were done.
What Now?
After the creative session, Echo headed off to meetings with Warner Music and Ari and Miriam Ubered to MIA to catch their flight. Which unfortunately, was delayed, delayed again, and they were finally on their way home the next morning. The plan now is to have Ari and Miriam back in a few weeks to begin tracking in studio day and night. Coincidently, “Day and Night” is the tittle of the song she will be recording. Back Stage Indie Report will bring you future articles on this project and will unveil “Day & Night” by Ari B on BSIR Radio. Stay tuned…
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