Alan Steward – ”Electronic World Fusion”, an exotic mix of funk, jazz, world music and electronica”: Video

30.04. – Happy Birthday !!! Alan Steward is a producer, songwriter and recording artist who produced hits for Grammy-winning and Platinum-selling artists like the multi-platinum selling Baha Men and five-time Grammy winners Dennis Edwards and Eddie Kendricks, both original members of the The Temptations. Their single, “Get It While It’s Hot,” co-written by Jermaine Jackson, became a club hit and went on to spawn four remixes.

Steward is credited by many as one of the early pioneers for electronic dance music, touring with an elaborate setup of 13 or more keyboards, synthesizers and rhythm boxes (at a time when the drum machine wasn’t even invented yet). Unlike the other pioneers of electronica like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, Alan’s music was always very danceable, full of R&B and soul influences and indeed the forerunner of what is now termed House Music. Alan’s musical style today is best described as electronic world fusion, as it combines exotic instruments and voices with jazz and funk grooves and electronica.

As a producer, Steward recorded hits for David Black (Capitol/EMI Records), who went on a world tour opening for Mc Hammer and also appeared on his album Too Legit to Qui; Isaac Adams (former vocalist for both the Bar Kays and Cameo). He was also asked to do a remix of the Dazz Band’s #1 Billboard chart hit “Disco Jazz.” His engineering credits include multi-platinum artists including Jermaine Jackson, Melba Moore, Inner Circle, The Temptations, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King and Melissa Manchester.

In the past years, Steward concentrated his career on producing music for films and television. His music and sound design has been heard on just about every TV channel on the planet as well as quite a few motion pictures and video games like the award winning Bad Mutha Truckers 2 from Empire Interactive. Over 200 of his musical compositions have been featured in films, TV shows and video games. But Alan quickly came to realize that people enjoyed his soundtracks so much that his songs started to get bootlegged, copied and shared on the internet. He started getting a fan base, even though he had not released an actual album or single in ten years.

That prompted Alan to once again step into the limelight. In 2007, he formed his own record label, Slim Chance Recordings and he released his third album Slim Chance and the Groove Enigma. With the advent of iTunes and digital online distribution, Alan found that the timing was right for this venture. The single “Give it Up,” from the“Slim Chance and the Groove Enigma album was well-received in the dance clubs and received world-wide airplay.

In 2008, Alan’s fourth album The Jazz Masters was released. A slight departure from Alan’s trademark world-fusion electronica sound, The Jazz Masters showcases the more jazzy side of Alan Steward, the kind of music he usually writes for movie and TV soundtracks.

Alan’s major release for 2008, however, was the album Pop Icon. Pop Icon showed off Alan’s talent as the master of the funky grooves. The single off the album was “Underdog,” which Alan calls an anthem for the anti-heroes. “Underdog” is dedicated to all the independent musicians pursuing their dreams. Pop Icon also featured the vocal talents of Caribbean soul vocalist Tricia Hamilton on “Bad Boy Style,” and UK house diva Diane Gordon on a track called “Pfunked Up,” a tribute to George Clinton and P-Funk.

Alan Steward’s latest album is entitled Licensed to Chill, and will be in stores world-wide in March of 2009. This world-fusion electronica album features vocals in five different languages and dialects and a great mix of exotic sounds and grooves ranging from jazzy and esoteric to very danceable.