Guy Eckstine

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Guy Eckstine is an A&R, artist manager, record producer, and new media executive 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.

Biography

The son of singer and bandleader Billy Eckstine, Guy Eckstine is currently President of Iconique Music Group. Iconique Music Group represents recording artists, Twin Danger (Decca/Universal), Tiempo Libre (Sony), Eilidh McKellar, Tess Henley, Grant Davis (Universal/Manhattan), Shane Gamble, Nailah Porter (Universal/Emarcy), and Ellis Ashbrook, among others. Throughout his 25 year executive career, Eckstine has worked 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; and Creative Manager, Virgin Music Publishing;

In 2012/2013 Eckstine produced the debut recording by Universal/Capitol Music Group/Manhattan Records recording artist, 16 year old singer, Grant Davis, and "Delta Devil Dreams," by 19 year-old Scottish singer/guitarist, Eilidh McKellar. In 2012 Eckstine produced the full length debut "Wait 'Til We're Young" by Southern California modern rock band, The Bolts including their debut ep, "Fall," for the Bolts Broadcasting Co.

Early Music Career

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.

Executive A&R Career

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, working 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 joined Verve Records as VP/Head of A&R, at which he signed and produced/executive produced Grammy winning recordings by Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter, as well as signing, and producing records by Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, Art Porter, Gino Vannelli, Pete Belasco, Peter Delano, Evan Marks, and Roy Hargrove, among others. Eckstine also executive produced the Frank Zappa tribute album, "Zappa's Universe," which received a Grammy Award for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance."

New Media and Independent Producer

In the late 1990s, Eckstine became SVP/Creative Development, for the first 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. Eckstine was originally hired as Genre Manager for Classical, Jazz and World Music, as well as Editor-in- Chief and moderator for online content. 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. 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." 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.

In the summer of 2009, Eckstine co-produced the debut of Nashville 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.

Entertainment Industry Speaker

Over the course of his executive and professional career, Eckstine has been a speaker, panelist and moderator at entertainment industry conventions and events including, Digital Hollywood- Urban Summit 2012, AMCON 2010, IBS 2009, CMJ 2008, Digital Hollywood 2007, 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 2011, Eckstine was elected to The Board of Governors for The Recording Academy, NY Chapter.

Discography

Selected discography (produced, executive produced, and A&R):

  • Herbie Hancock - The New Standard, (Verve) Dis Is Da Drum, (Mercury) The Essential Herbie Hancock, (Verve)
  • Wayne Shorter - High Life, (Verve Forecast)
  • Chris Botti - First Wish, (Verve Forecast) Midnight Without You, (Verve Forecast) Caught, (Verve Forecast) Best of Chris Botti, (GRP)
  • Gino Vannelli - Yonder Tree, (Verve Forecast) Slow Love, (Verve Forecast)
  • Brian Culbertson - Nice and Slow, (WB)
  • Jeff Lorber - Worth Waiting For, (Verve Forecast) West Side Stories, (Verve Forecast) State of Grace, (Verve Forecast) The Very Best of Jeff Lorber, (GRP)
  • Art Porter - Pocket City, (Verve Forecast) Straight to the Point, (Verve Forecast) Undercover, (Verve Forecast) Lay Your Hands on Me, (Verve Forecast) For Art's Sake, (Verve Forecast)
  • Cyrus Chestnut and Friends - A Charlie Brown Christmas, (Atlantic)
  • Peter Delano - Peter Delano, (Verve) Bite of the Apple, (Verve)
  • Pete Belasco - Get It Together, (Verve Forecast)
  • Tom Grant - In My Wildest Dreams, (Verve Forecast) The View From Here, (Verve Forecast) Hands, (Verve Forecast)
  • Evan Marks - Long Way Home, (Verve Forecast) Three Day Weekend, (Verve Forecast)
  • Hubert Laws - Moondance, (Savoy Jazz)
  • Alexandra Scott- Styrofoam, (Indie)
  • Feels Like Friday - We Like Supermodels, (Drugs)
  • Ricardo Silviera - Small World, (Verve Forecast)
  • Incognito - Inside Life, (Verve Forecast) Tribes, Vibes and Scribes, (Verve Forecast) Positivity, (Verve Forecast) Tales From The Beach, (Heads Up/Concord)
  • Julia Fordham Concrete Love, (Atlantic/Vanguard)
  • Sandra Small 5 - Small World, (Smallworld)
  • Spaceman Spiff - The Love EP (Indie)
  • Soma - Soma (Occidental)
  • Various artists - Zappa's Universe, (Verve)
  • Various Artists- Playboys - Playboys 40 Years Of Jazz (Verve)
  • Movement Ex - Movement Ex,(Columbia)
  • Justyna Kelley- Over The Moon (Indie)
  • Nailah Porter- ConJazzNess, (Universal/EmArcy)
  • The Bolts- Fall, and The Bolts, (Bolts Broadcasting Co.)
  • Grant Davis- Perfect Symphony, (Universal/Capitol Music Group/Manhattan)
  • Eilidh McKellar- Delta Devil Dreams, (Iconique Music Group)

Awards

Award-winning recordings and productions by Eckstine:

Grammy award

References

    Billboard Magazine, Hits Magazine, Radio and Records Magazine, Jazziz, Downbeat, Gavin Report, Urban Network,

    External links

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