Blue Love Beats, UK jazz new generation revealed × Beat makeup new possibilities

Blue Labbeats (BLBs, BLB) were well -known in the UK jazz scene, but were worried about how to put them in their context.Many jazz musicians participate in the 2018 1st album "XOVER", but at the center of the sound is a programming beat instead of live performances.The jazz essence was a little contained, with the impression of a loafi hip -hop or a chilled beat maker.

However, the image of the producer / beat maker "NK-OK", Namari Kwaten, and the multi-player "MR DM", David Murakpol, will gradually change.In 2019's next film Voyage, I got an organic sound and I was able to clearly feel the influence of the jazz community in the skills of producing live performances.

Produced by Blue Love Beats / Beat Makeup, "NK-OK" Namari Kwaten

David Murak Pol, "MR DM" in charge of Blue Love Beats.

As I followed the BLB background, I learned that MR DM was one of the key players in the UK jazz scene used in various works.He is literally hitting a vibraphone in the authentic jazz band led by trumpet players, while contributing to the highbrid sound as a bassist, who is indispensable for the work of the scene of the scene of the scene, Joe Almon Jones.He was a multi -talented man.NK-OK, on the other hand, has participated in various sessions as a "drum machine player".They were the producer team and at the same time, were a unit with two good players.

They have posted a number of studio performance videos, and many of them feature MR DM keyboards / basses and live NK-OK drum machines.The combination of these aspects of players with the qualities as a producer may be the factor that BLB has been highly evaluated in the scene.And they acquired the skills that were just worthy of the methodology while repeating the work, and gradually completed their sound.

With such strengths, BLB is both a player Afrobeat (Ferra Kiti context) and Afrobeats (today's dance music symbolized by with kid).You can work on and cross.In addition, from local jazz musicians to African rapper, it can also create a synergistic effect in various guests.These individuality also fascinated Africa's leading singer Angelic Kijo.Her 2021 work "Mother Nature" is also producing.

Last year, he signed a jazz prestigious Blue Note.After the EP "We Will Rise" in the same year, the latest album "Motherland Journey" has been fusion of live performances and programming than ever before, showing a dramatic growth.The guests are also diverse, and they are collaborating on the UK frameworks, such as Ghetto Boys, Kill Beats, which they met in Ghana, to the United States, including keyfers.

Surprisingly, there is little information about the background of such a BLB.So I decided to carefully hear their musical background.They also talk to them with the UK jazz scene.The size of the pocket to accept the two is probably the reason that this scene is booming.

BLM's school days, musical roots

-First, please tell us about the Wac Arts Colley that the two met.

MR DM: Celia Greenwood in London, a school founded in London, has produced many celebrities, including Courtney Pine, Steve Williamson, Julian Joseph, and Miss Dynamite.There are songs and songs and composition.It's a place where people who are interested in various art can learn like a family, with videos and dances.

NK-OK: Learning art often requires quite expensive tuition.However, Wac Arts College allows you to learn not only music but also video and drama at low tuition.Normally, there are only 2 pounds for lessons for 40 to 60 pounds in 2 hours.This is a historic school, but I haven't changed the tuition.We met when we were learning here.At that time, when I was making a beat at the lunch hall, David (MR DM) talked, "What are you doing?"

MR DM: I was doing live music, but what was impressive here was a class that I listened with my ears without using the score.After learning with your ears, everyone will play together.I think I was able to learn music in a very organic way.

NK-OK: I am a music production.There are various classes, you can learn various things like dramas, dance, stage production.The fact that many people are learning various things is gathering in one place because there is always some inspiration.

Introductory video of Wac Arts College

-MR DM has then entered the middle sex university and studied jazz.

MR DM: I think I focused on learning music at university.He studied a lot of jazz standards and learned deeply about composition.I wrote songs for the formation of the horn player, and I think it was good to write a variety of songs, Vivop, Hard Bap, Modal Jazz, and various styles.

MR DM playing the piano in an authentic jazz trio

-MR DM is a multi -player, but what is the main instrument in college in the first place?

MR DM: The first year is electric bass.The second year is Vibraphon.After the third year, I started various instruments.Outside of the university, I used these various instruments to gig.

-In the case of a vibraphone, the percussion instrument drummer plays in parallel, the bass and guitar are the same stringed instrument, so if you do multiple instruments, there is a combination that is easy to do, but in the case of MR DM.It was different.

MR DM: Before the instrument chosen at college, I started drums as the first instrument when I was three years old, and then played the keyboard.From there, I did an electric bass and chose a vibraphone.So it's a natural choice.

See this post on Instagram.In 2005, they attended the same London Milhill high school.

-What kind of activities did NK-OK do at that time?

NK-OK: I had already signed (label) when I was 15 years old.The first school I attended was not a very good school, but I couldn't go on the way, but my father Kwame Kwaten was a musician (Acid Jazz's famous unit, D. Influence member), so from 11 years old.I was able to learn music at home schooling.

At first, I downloaded the app "EJAY HIP HOP 5", but because it was a trial version, there were only about 20 samples, so I cut it and stuck it to make a truck.The base of my edit was something I learned there.After that, I started using GarageBand and started Logic.When I was doing that for two years, going to high school, and getting a GCSE (secondary education completion certificate), my father said, "If you want to eat music in the future,Prove what you can do. "So I made a truck, won the contract, and became a musician.

By the way, I am using the orange edition of Maschine Mk3 of Native Instruments.I use Ableton at the time of live, but this still feels developed.I use Logic when making beats.

See this post on Instagram NK-OK (@nkok).PRODUCTIONS) Shaled (left) In 2011, when Beat Makeup started NK-OK (right) 2015, BLB supported Public Enemy NK-OK

-Please tell us about the producer affected by NK-OK.

NK-OK: In the case of hip-hop, the first thing to list is Pete Rock.It is as influenced by DJ Premier.The rest is Missy Elliott.She had a great talent as an artist and as a producer.I think the latter is underestimated.The combination with Timbaland is famous, but I think Missy is the one who brought out the goodness of Timbaland.

And Patries Laschen.She is well known about her vocalist and keyboard player, but her aspects of her composer can be known more.The impact from her composition is great.And of course, Quincy Jones.In fact, I had a chance to meet and talk on the backstage before.That was an incredible experience.

-The Americans mentioned now, but how about British music?

NK-OK: Of course it is affected.Before I got into the hip -hop, I was crazy about Grime.It can be said that Glime was the one who made the opportunity to enter the music industry.I was listening to a lot of UK rap music, including Kano and GHETTS.So there is no doubt that the influence of UK sounds, such as grime, is great.

―What kind of musician and composer have MR DM influenced by composers?

MR DM: The biggest impact on me was "Straight from the Heart", which was released by Patries Laschen in 1982.This is the immovable number one.In particular, the song "Forget me not" is the best for me.I've been listening for a long time in Will Smith's movie "Men in Black", but when I heard the original story as Patris Laschen, I was so wonderful and fascinated in an instant.And Oscar Peterson.I liked it in "Piano Moods" (best edition), and when I listened to it from there, I thought "Night Train" was the best.The two are the top two.

After that, Don Blackman, who came from the radio when he was 16 years old, was blown away in an instant.And "NARD" released by Bernard Light in 1981.I don't think anyone can make that on an album he produced when he was 16 years old.It's an incredible work.

Learning from Ferra Cutti and Wizkid, a shock received in Ghana

-What did you get to know with MR DM and Joe Almon Jones and Mark Cabum?

MR DM: Mark met in 2013 via TOMORROWS Warriors.The jam session planned by TOMORROWS Warriors every Sunday is a venue called NOLIAS, and I met for the first time.Mark also interacted with great senior musicians such as Trancopter Shane Forbes and Sachtan Ruben Fox.We came together and started gigs together.The title of his second work, Bang Factory, bears the name of his collective, but I play Vibraphon as a member.

Speaking of the relationship with Mark, Kinetika BLOCO (Kinetika Bloco: marching band working in London, which has recently released an album called LEGACY.) You have to touch it.Kinetika Broco and TOMORROWS Warriors are quite close.Kinetika Broco is an organization founded by MAT FOX around 2000, and is now inherited by his son.Through the mark, I started playing here, and at the edge, I decided to participate in Legacy.

BANG FACTORY live video led by Mark Cabum

Teaser video of Kinetika Broco "LEGACY".In addition to the above -mentioned Mark Cavum and Ruben Fox, important UK jazz, such as Nubia Garcia and Teon Cross, also participated.

MR DM: Regarding Joe Armon Jones, he met in a jazz hip -hop collective session he participated in around 2013.They were sessions in Brixton every Thursday, where not only musicians, but also rapper came and did a cyphone.I often participated in the jam there.From there, he plays four songs in his album "Starting Today" and "Turn to Clear View".He also participates in BLB's work.

NK-OK: I often went to the Brixton session.I brought a drum machine, but at first it was a place for live performances, and I couldn't understand that I would participate in the drum machine because it was a raw feeling.So, I didn't get much opportunity to play, but it gradually changed, and from the middle I came to call out with the feeling of "Bring a drum machine again."It's an important experience for me.

Joe Almon Jones "Turn to Clear View", which was based on MR DM, "TRY WALK WITH ME"

-What is an important concept for BLB?

NK-OK: Collaboration is a big factor for ourselves, so I don't want to send truck data as much as possible.It's important to enter the studio together and play together in the same room.This will tell you the process of music production, and if you connect well there, you will be able to breathe and pace no matter what you do.

―Is cherish the live feeling.

NK-OK: Yes.I want to avoid making songs just by exchanging data.When I locked down, I did remote production because I couldn't help it, but I try to do it together in the studio as much as possible.

―It's conscious.Since I was XOVER, I had been welcoming instruments and vocalists, and I felt like an organic session.

NK-OK: Before we claimed BLB, there was a time when we were producing various vocalists, and we were just making trucks for that.At that time, I came to the idea of putting in the solo of our instrument, so when I tried it, it was really nice.Since then, it has changed to actively put live performances.If you think about it now, I think it was the moment BLB started.

From there, we started doing our own music and interacted with other artists on various venues, and realized that London had a lot of musicians with a feeling similar to themselves.Then, it would be nice if we called for our work and played together.The idea was connected to "XOVER".This is an album completed by pushing the collaboration, and looking back again, I think that our music gradually solidified while collaborating with various artists at that time.The result of continuing to collaborate in that way is the current BLB.

-At the time of "XOVER", there were various elements such as jazz, hip -hop, neo -soul, boogie, affluet, and caribbean music.Was it also concept to put together a variety of sounds in one piece?

NK-OK: I think that's my signature.The foundation of the BLB concept is Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life".That album contains music of various genres.And it's an incredible quality.In that era, I think musicians of all genres were challenged to incorporate various genres in their work.That's why we want to do experiments like walking around various genres.Also, BLB is still developing, so I want to expand our musical vocabulary by entering and leaving various genres.

-This album "Motherland Journey" is impressive with the roots of Africa and Caribbean.I imagine that there was a concept like African Dia Spora.

NK-OK: That's right, the title is reflected.Previously, when I went to Ghana to shoot the MV, she was doing a clavigation off in time.What was very shocking at that time was that there was a DJ that combines various genres to Ghana clubs.Exactly what we have done so far, the concept of our aim itself is being done in the setting of the club.I was really surprised at that.The sound system was wonderful, and the bass sound was extraordinary.Above all, the feeling that various genres mixed more and more reminded the journey of African people.We deeply realized that we had returned to West Africa (which is also our roots), and our waist was naturally lower (according to music).And compared to the music I experienced at the club at that time, I came to think that my music was still a bit more mixed.

-Are original BLB music also had an element of Afrobeat, NK-OK also announced an album called "The Sounds of Afrotronica" in a collaboration with saxophonist KAIDI, and the impression of working hard with African music. am.

NK-OK: The first song I tried to incorporate West Africa's elements was a song called "PineaPple" ("XOVER"), which also participated in Moses Boyd and Nubia Garcia.At that time, this was the only song with an African sound, and I thought it was a good song with a good response from fans, but when I noticed it was BLB's biggest song.

Later, he began to work on Afrobeats consciously, so he decided to call out to a wonderful local artist, and ghetto boys and Killbeats participated.Moreover, this time, it was possible to use Ferra Cutti's a cappella (as a sound material).I was surprised when this license got down.For three months after the reply to the e -mail saying "Please use it," I was worried about what to do and I couldn't get my sound source.When I stepped into the scene, I became able to do more experimental things, and I enjoyed that challenge.Afrobeats have a simplicity, and I think the difficulty of that simplicity was the biggest challenge.

The title song "Motherland Journey" using Ferra Cutti's a cappella

-What is the influential artist when creating "MOTHER LAND JOURNEY"?

NK-OK: In recent years, I have been listening to Wizkid's Made in Lagos.This album is like a model for Afrobeat's drum programming.When I first heard it, I was blown away.

-The drum machine was surprised at the beats that drummers were sessions on this album.To be honest, I can't listen to it as a drummer or programming.And MR DM plays more solo than ever before.I thought that the live feeling was outstanding compared to the previous works.

NK-OK: Many people say, "Isn't it really hitting the drum set?"I make it for two hours to make the sound of the snare drum alone.While changing each sound that hits the drums, they are driven with the nuances suitable for each sound.I want to make it a real drum beat as much as possible.In the first place, when I talked about my musical instrument, I started with Jambe at first.After that, I went to the drum set and then shifted to production.But once I've been producing production, I missed drums this time.So I came up with the idea of using a drum machine as an instrument, not a sampler.I think that is the characteristic of my beat.

See this post on Instagram NK-OK (@nkok).Posted by PRODUCTIONS)

MR DM: This time, the live -like sound is also due to rockdown.In London at that time, people who couldn't stand the obstruction were breathing in the park.There were a lot of people playing instruments, and the musicians who heard the performance gradually gathered, and a natural jam session was born.Of course, while keeping the social data.We also played in the park, and sometimes looked at the sight of someone playing.The wonderful experience there was the direction of this album.

See this post on Instagram NK-OK (@nkok).Posted by PRODUCTIONS)

Blue Love Beats

"Motherland Journey"

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