Guy Eckstine is an A&R, new media executive, artist manager, and record producer, who has produced and executive produced over 40 records. Four albums that Eckstine has produced or executive produced have won Grammy Awards, including The New Standard by Herbie Hancock. Eckstine also serves on the Board of Governors for The Recording Academy, New York Chapter.
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The son of singer and bandleader Billy Eckstine, Guy Eckstine is currently President of Iconique Music Group. Iconique Music Group is a creative and technology based entertainment company that manages recording artists, Nailah Porter, The Bolts, Frankie Moreno, Loston Harris III, Pete Belasco, Justyna Kelley, and Anna Thomas. In the new media realm, Iconique Music Group represents premiere software developers, Art & Logic, and custom application developers, iEveryware.
Throughout his 25 year executive career, Eckstine has distinguished himself in a variety of positions in the music industry as SVP Creative Development, MP3.com; VP A&R, Verve Records; Director A&R, Columbia Records; Creative Manager, Virgin Music Publishing; and Co-founder/CEO, MIAATV.com.
After attending UCLA as an Ethnomusicology Major and John Bergamo's percussion program at California Institute of the Arts, Eckstine began his music career as a session musician playing drums for Quincy Jones, Michael McDonald, Eddy Grant, Michael Henderson, James Ingram, and Herbie Hancock, among others. Eckstine is also a founding member of the progressive rock band Soma, featuring guitarist Allan Holdsworth, bassist, Tony Levin, guitarist, David Shawn Waldroop, and keyboardist/composer, Mark Gleed.
Eckstine's executive music business career began in 1988 at Virgin Music Publishing. As Creative Manager at Virgin Music, Eckstine pitched and secured songwriter covers for Virgin's stable of songwriters, including songs for Whitney Houston, Vanessa Williams, and Kool and the Gang. Shortly thereafter in 1989, Eckstine was hired as Director of A&R at Columbia Records, where he worked with, Terence Trent d'Arby, Shawn Smith, (lead singer of Brad/Satchel), Regina Belle, Movement Ex, Lenny Hamilton Jr. and Philip Bailey.
In July 1991, Eckstine then joined Verve Records as VP/A&R, at which he signed and produced/executive produced recordings by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, Art Porter, Gino Vannelli, Pete Belasco, Peter Delano, Evan Marks, and Roy Hargrove, among others. He also executive produced the Frank Zappa tribute album, "Zappa's Universe," which received a Grammy Award for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance." As VP A&R at Verve Records, which included his discovery of trumpet superstar Chris Botti, Eckstine's creative vision helped guide Verve to 6 consecutive years (1991–1997) as Billboard Magazine's premiere jazz label in the World. Seminal and Grammy winning jazz recordings of the 1990s included, Herbie Hancock's, "Dis Is Da Drum," and "The New Standard"; Chris Botti's debut recording, "First Wish;" Wayne Shorter's "Highlife;" and the debut of saxophonist, Art Porter, "Pocket City."
In the late 1990s, Eckstine became SVP/Creative Development, for the pioneering online music service provider, MP3.com, providing artist development expertise on the MP3.com "Music and Technology Tour" featuring, Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos, Christina Aguilera, and TLC. Becoming a part of the .com revolution, Eckstine was initially hired as Genre Manager for Jazz, World and Classical Music.
Post MP3.com, Eckstine independently produced records including the chart-topping Billboard Jazz release, "Nice and Slow," by Brian Culbertson, (WB) (2002), "A Charlie Brown Christmas," by Cyrus Chestnut,(Atlantic) (2003), which featured Brian McKnight, Vanessa L. Williams, The Manhattan Transfer, Pat Martino,among others. In 2004 for Savoy Jazz, Eckstine produced "Moondance," by flautist, Hubert Laws, which featured, Herbie Hancock, Chris Botti, and Brian Culbertson. The album also showcased two of Eckstine's compositions, "Nighttime Daydream," and "Summer of '75." Eckstine also produced many independent artists, and successfully solicited the recording contracts for Julia Fordham, (Atlantic Records) and Carol Welsman, (Savoy Records). In 1999, Eckstine produced and performed on the debut album "Styrofoam," by Alexandra Scott, in 2002, he produced San Diego funk jazz combo, "Spaceman Spiff," in 2006-2007, Eckstine produced, performed and co-wrote the Southern California based rock group, "Feels Like Friday," and NYC based singer/songwriter, Sandra Small. Eckstine scored music for TV and Film, including the Fox Television series T.R.A.X., (2001), directed by Renny Harlin, and the television commercials for CBS, "Courting Alex," starring Jenna Elfman, (2006), and TV/commercial music for the drug Avodart, (2006).
In October 2005, Eckstine became the Co-founder/CEO of MIAATV.com- Music Industry Television. In addition to acquiring talent and interviewing over 250 artist and music industry legends for MIAATV.com, including artists Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Phil Ramone, Chris Botti, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, and Joss Stone, Eckstine negotiated and implemented strategic partnerships and affiliations with major brands such as Atlantic Records, Gibson Musical Instruments, Hal Leonard Music Publishing, A.E.S- Audio Engineering Society, M.I.T. - Musicians Institute, NAMM, IAJE, Mobile Music Now, Emergenza, and ASCAP.
Over the course of his executive and professional career, Eckstine has been a speaker, panelist, and moderator at entertainment industry conventions and events including, AMCON 2010, IBS 2009, CMJ 2008, and Digital Hollywood 2007. In the past decade Eckstine provided his expertise at IAJE, (International Association Of Jazz Educators), the Radio and Records Convention, the Urban Network Convention, the Gavin Convention, and the L.A.S.S,- Los Angeles Songwriter Showcase. Eckstine has also been a guest lecturer at the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, Tisch School Of The Arts, at New York University, and lectured on the creative process, A&R, Record Production and Music Publishing at the UCLA Music Business Program, and the CalArts Alumni Entertainment Group.
In the summer of 2009, Eckstine co-produced the debut of Nashville born and L.A. based singer/songwriter Justyna Kelley, "Over The Moon," with producers, David Kershenbaum and Kevin Killen. In 2010 Eckstine executive produced,"ConJazzNess," by Universal Music Group/EmArcy recording artist, Nailah Porter. In 2011, Eckstine was elected to The Board of Governors for The Recording Academy, NY Chapter, and produced "Meet the Bolts," the full length debut of Southern California modern rock band, The Bolts
Selected discography (produced, executive produced, and A&R):
Award-winning recordings and productions by Eckstine:
Billboard Magazine, Radio and Records, The Gavin Report, NARAS, Jazziz, Down Beat, Jazztimes, Urban Network, Verve Records, Atlantic Records, EmArcy Records, Savoy Jazz, Columbia Records, Mercury Records, ASCAP