Label Profile: Limestone Recordings (US)

Deeply rooted in jazz, soul, down tempo and dub, Limestone Recordings has forged an identity for themselves as one of the most respected and innovative of the new generations of house labels coming out of America. Initially founded to create a platform for the music Joel J and label manager Matthew Brady, it as grown to encompass the increasingly recognised talents of Deep House Souldiers, Community Recordings, Ill Subliminal and Club Dub.

The importance of the role of cover art in the success of Naked Music and Hed Kandi has not been lost on Matthew Bandy, who collaborates with Donald Shofner, and Josh Nespodzany in producing a distinctive artistic look to all Limestone releases, matching the quality found inside the sleeve. “It’s very important to me to have similar minds behind the promotion, packaging, art, and all other steps involved with releasing quality music,” says Brady. “I feel something very special can happen when that much thought and passion is put behind a release”.

The focus at their base in Denver, Colarado always remains creating timeless music and art with concept and soul. Working with live bands, musicians, vocalists, live electronic acts, artists, and producers that have put their hearts and soul into their work, Limestone continues to dedicate itself to the quality of its sound and art.

For more info and latest news, check out www.limestonerecordings.com

Limestone Recordings Artists profiles

Club Dub

Club Dub has been together for the past two years but most of the band has been playing together for much longer. Their last album, under a previous project, Catawampus, was co-produced, and partly co-written by the legendary Bernie Worrell from Parliament and The Talking Heads. Club Dub Sessions, their Tuesday night residency in Lexington KY, has been existence for a year and is one of the most successful nights the city. As a five-piece band the group draws influences from every direction possible fusing sounds that one would normally thing as being impossible, making their sound nigh on impossible to categorise.

Community Recordings

Presently residing in Boulder Colorado, Community Recordings, aka Jon Nedza spends his days tinkering in his newly refurbished studio, and you would too if you had over $10,000 worth of equipment and drums laying around. It’s no secret that Jon loves to play the drums, just listen to anyone of his records and you ll hear his work in full effect. A drummer for over 10 years, just imagine how many neighbors he has probably pissed off! Jon has also been DJing for over 11 years, displaying a style much like his production... original and over-the-top! With about a dozen EP s under his belt, Jon is set to release a full length LP any time now.

Ill Subliminal

Expounding an innovative, fresh sound, Ill Subliminal has broken the seal on a fusion between electronic and acoustic elements. While combining turntables drums, keyboards, and a trumpet, Ben Hovey, Matt Barbour, and Eric White can stimulate your eyes, ears, and soul while showing you the infinite possibilities they have discovered. Their combination of jazz, funk, and dance music has created many a ripple in the world music pond. Equally impressive in both studio work and on-stage performance, the Ill Subliminal Show is an improvisational wonder that refuses to leave you in your seat. For more info, check www.illsub.com.

Matthew Bandy

Limestone manager and co-founder Matthew Bandy has been experimenting with electronic music for the past 9 years as a DJ, producer and live performer. Originally born in Flint MI, he credits most of his influences through Jazz, Hip-Hop, Rock, Soul, Punk, the Fender Rhodes, percussion, mix-tapes, and sounds from Detroit, Chicago, New York, and the West Coast. As a producer and live act Matthew created the moniker of "Deep House Souldiers" with partner and close friend Joel Jackson. Now working on a few solo projects, Matthew doesn¹t always write music to be understood on the dance floor but always has a concept in mind. As Matthew continues to DJ, work on new projects, and travel, he keeps a simple goal in mind, "to touch people through music the way music has touched me."

Rick Preston

Starting off his career playing disco and funk in the early 80 s, Rick used his experience in the booming 80 s alternative scene to hone his DJing skills. When the 90 s came along, Rick became involved with promotion alongside his frequent DJ gigs. Amongst some of the Bay Area greats, such as Mark Farina, Spun, and Julius Papp, Rick was helping put on club nights and raves in their beginning stages, when the underground was at its strongest. While his DJ sets are generally considered deep house, they are not limited to just the deep sound. Rick has a special flair for bringing together a multitude of genres, which can include tribal rhythms, some tech-house, some Latin textures, a classic track or two, or even a mind awakening spoken word. As a producer, Preston s motto of quality not quantity has stood him in good stead with some superb labels, notably Glasgow Underground. He also has releases on AfterHours, Viva! Recordings, Freeze Records, Big Big Trax, and BCE. "Spring Fling" from Viva s Altruism EP even made it onto Mark Farina s San Francisco Sessions CD, and "Body Move". More recently, top UK DJ Yousef included Rick s Latin gem "Borracho Cha!", another Viva! track, on his "The Mix" CD for DMC.

Limestone Recordings artists profiles

LR001: “This Is Why We Dance” - Deep House Souldiers
Tracks: Original, Rick Preston Mix, Community Recordings Dub-Appella

LR002: “Summer Love” - Deep House Souldiers
Tracks: Original, Pastor Bobby’s Guitar Mix, Broken Moods Mix

LR003: “Bring It Up” - Club Dub vs. Deep House Souldiers
Tracks: Original, Joel’s Disco Edit, Matthew’s Salvaged Sounds Mix

LR004: “You Will Find It” - Community Recordings
Tracks: (Unconfirmed)

By Ken Rooney with Aine G.