By: Jason Camelio, director of international programs
There was a new sound echoing in the halls of the Berklee Valencia campus this weekend. First you felt the kick. Then you heard the snare. The bass hit you in the your gut and made you want to move. Rhymes flew by at light speed with tasty turntable fills and horn and synth lines filling the air. As you peeked through the doorway of B-81, Needle-Juice, Raydar, The One and Kai are “holding forth” in an epic scene that brings world class producers, DJ, MCs, composers, electronic artists together from Los Angeles, New York and Boston to teach a group of students from 13 countries to learn the craft of utilizing music technology in production and live performance.
For me, this is a long time coming. I have had the amazing fortune of knowing, listening to, learning from and performing with these amazing teachers and musicians. Having traveled with them separately to many places around the world, I thought it would be incredibly hip to bring them all together for the first time at the new campus in Valencia, Spain. Let me introduce this amazing crew of the 2012 Re:Tool program.
• Professor of Music Production and Engineering Stephen Webber (aka Needle Juice)
• Berklee Alum, Faculty Member in the Ensemble and Songwriter Departments and Artist in New York City Brian Ellis (aka Raydar)
• Berklee Alum, Assistant Professor of Electronic Production and Design Kai Turnbull
• Grammy Award Winner Producer, Berklee Alum and Artist based in Los Angeles Dawaun Parker (aka The One)
The experience levels of the students in the program have run the gamut for those just beginning to approach the world of technology in music to those that are working a DJs and electronic musicians. The students have been treated to an amazing series of lectures, master classes and a faculty showcase. The topics ranged from Listen Like a Producer to the Art of the DJ to production master classes where the faculty members listen too and critiqued student works. Stephen Webber also show a pre-pre-premiere of his truly innovative Stylus Symphony. Additionally, the attendees had the chance to get their hands dirty with some amazing new gear — both analogue and digital. Huge thanks goes to Stephen for working closely with Berklee Alum Tony Lamond and everyone at Numark-Alesis-Akai for sponsoring the program.
Raydar Ellis, Stephen Webber, Dawaun Parker, Jason Camelio, Carlos Ballester, Greg Badolato and Kai Turnbull (not in picture Sam Skau) - 2012 Re:Tool Crew.
Re:Tool is the last in the series of 4 programs produced by the Office of International Programs with the help of our colleagues in the Office of Summer Programs at the new campus in Valencia this summer. Most gracious thanks to all of the faculty members, artists and staff members that supported this event. It has been an amazingly collaborative experience.
Keep your eyes open for more International Programs coming up later this summer, fall and next spring. A few things are on the books, including Hong Kong, Helsinki and Sao Paulo. As detailed come available, we will blast them out. Be sure to connect with is on Facebook.”
