--Bob Davis
We all know his history as a member of BY Express to his solo albums in the 1980's to his producing/song writing with some of the top artis of the 90's (Whitney Houston, Mariah Carry, etc). Today Kashif is a multi dimensional artist, businessman, lecturer software developer/manufacturer and more. Read on to find out more...and take a few moments to visit his website where you can check out his new CD, his books, video's, software and more...
1. Biography: Kashif
One might ask how does a songwriter/musician/producer whose career has spanned over four decades end up with a song on Janet Jackson's newest CD (R&B Junkie). On closer examination you find that it is not that surprising when you are talking about Kashif. From his teenage years as a member of the '70's seminal funk band B.T. Express, through his award-winning albums as a solo artist Kashif has always been an innovator. With seemingly ease he has amassed accomplishments as a musician, author, software developer, lecturer, film producer, and educator. Some would even describe him as a modern day renaissance man, whose cutting edge approach has placed him in the upper echelons of contemporary music. But music is and always will be his first love.
As a producer/songwriter he has produced and or written smash hits for Whitney Houston, Kenny G., George Benson, Barry White, Lil Kim, Evelyn Champagne King, Will Downing, Dionne Warwick, Howard Johnson, Johnny Kemp, Glenn Jones, Al Jarreau, Da Brat, and Me'lisa Morgan just to name a few.
Never knowing his real parents, Kashif (whose name means "inventor, discoverer and magic maker") grew up in eight foster homes. Learning to play a $3.00 song flute at the age of seven provided him with what turned out to be an important common denominator in his unstable environments. By age 15 when he joined B.T. Express whose credits included early funk/dance hits like "Here Comes The Express" and "Do It 'Til You're Satisfied", Kashif was already an accomplished musician.
It was while he was signed as a solo artist with Arista Records, that Kashif teamed with New England Digital to help further develop the Synclavier, the world's first sampler. His use of the computerized instrument literally changed the face of the music industry. With hit records like "I Just Got To Have You (Lover Turn Me On)", "Stone Love", "Help Yourself To My Love" and the Grammy-nominated instrumental "The Mood", Kashif began creating a solid reputation among record buyers for his own distinctive musical sound.
His second album, "Send Me Your Love" resulted in two Grammy nominations ("Edgartown Groove", featuring Al Jarreau, and "Call Me Tonight"), while his 1985 release "Condition of the Heart" also yielded another Grammy nomination with "The Movie Song." He wrote and produced "Inside Love for George Benson and literally launched the career Kenny G. with the electrifying "Hi How Ya Doin', and "Nightime In Tribeca". He then teamed up with then-newcomer Whitney Houston. The result was Whitney's first across-the-board smash "You Give Good Love", which he also co-wrote, and "Thinking About You", a single track from Whitney's astounding 17-million selling debut-album.
Kashif also worked with Whitney Houston on her second, 15-million selling album. He produced and was the legendary Dionne Warwick's duet partner on the hit "Reservations For Two". He also enjoyed a major hit of his own with "Love Changes", a duet with Mel'isa Morgan taken from his best-selling album of the same name, following it with "Kashif", another well-received LP. Kashif has amassed numerous gold and platinum albums for his works.
In the 1996, with an invitation from the famed UCLA Extension program, Kashif created a course called "Contemporary Record Production With Kashif". He also wrote and self-published the now highly acclaimed book "Everything You'd Better Know About The Record Industry."
Always on the cutting edge, in year 2001 Kashif started Brooklyn Boy Software and developed three revolutionary software products, the Music studio Organizer, Music Business 411, and the Complete Music contracts Pack.
Most recent music projects include producing "Brooklyn Breezes for R&B great Will Downing, producing the Duke Ellington Tribute CD for the Duke Ellington Foundation featuring Nancy Wilson, Kenny Lattimore, Snookie Young, and other original members from Dukes band. The theme song for the 2001 Para-Olympics can be credited to Kashif.
September, 2003 marks the release of "Music From My Mind", a double CD. The 15 new songs plus the entire first Kashif LP on Arista records is being release on CD for the first time ever. With songs like "Nothin In The World Like A Black Woman", "Superfly", and 'Tossin Turnin" from the new set and "Lover Turn Me", Help Yourself To My Love, and Stonelove from the old school set "Music From My Mind" is sure to become a mainstay in CD players and on radio stations around the world for years to come.
With a career that spans over four decades, with over 70 million records sold and the most recommended book on the music business Kashif continues to be one of music industry's most sought after songwriters, producers, authors, artists and innovators.
2. CD Reviews: Kashif/Music From My Mind
This CD was selected as one of the best releases for the year 2004 on Soul-Patrol, but I haven't really reviewed it yet (till now). Kashif is of course a legendary figure from the past. This is a 2 CD set that falls into the category of what I call a "nice album". It isn't going to overwhelm you with artistic brilliance, however what it is going to do is become the type of CD that stays near the top of your stack. Yall know what I'm talking about....
It is the type of CD that you will find yourself reaching for at key moments. For example...Having a few people over to play cards??? (You will instinctively reach for this CD) Going for a long drive and you need some nice "crusin music"??.... You will throw this CD in the car. Having a backyard BBQ??? You will throw this in the CD changer. In short it's one of those types of albums that we need to have in our collection because they become part of the fabric of our lives. The music is timeless and personal; therefore it threads itself into what I call "life situations" and that's why you will come back to it time and time again. Try it and find out for yourself...
-- Bob Davis
Wow...what can I say... Love the music...Kashif!! Waiting for more...
--Mary Sue
It's really good to here your still going strong. My x was a big big fan. I must phone him to see if he heard your new cd. KASHIF I Fell in love with your name, so i knew you were good. MY RATING iS Beautiful. my daughter is on cdbaby/Miss DeANNA CERTIFIED SEXY IF YOU GET THE TIME TAKE A LISTEN AND LET
ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.SHE WRITES TOO…
--Renee Dickerson
WOW!….I got your CD! I got your book! I had a chance to do a few shows with you back in the day when I was with a group called: Radiance. Between you and Leon Sylvers, that's were I got my foundation from. You are a timeless hit maker.
-- Tyrone Triggs
Everybody knows "KASHIF". From his producing, songwriting and the book "Everything You'd Better Know About the Music Business, "KASHIF" is in full Effect. peace
-- AMIR
Sound at its best, that's what i call real music!! Makes me reminisce of good old times. Keep up the superb work.
-- mija
You are still the man!!!!!!!
Your musical style is still so refreshing, you still bring the true colors of music, i'm looking forward to see you hoping in concert, god bless you!!!!!
-- erik de'von cole
This brotha is still a legend; this CD is a perfect example of what good music is. I've always been a big fan of Kashif's...and this CD shows me why. keep the strongarm on 'em, Kashif!
-- moonrakerblack
I have grown up listing to your music and influence and you are truly still as you where then wonderful.
-- enin perryman
Great CD Kashif just like old times still kickin out good music
-- Kenneth
Great work. Good to hear such good music still alive. I enjoyed listening to the production on this CD and am very pleased at what I heard. Such good work must be promoted highly. Great Job.
-- Anthony S. Lewis
Old Skool at it's best. Love the cd, it is well worth the money. I've been a Kashif fan since the 80's and it feels good to listen to real music.
-- Johnny
Great to hear those sounds again! It's been worth the wait. Glad to hear that voice once again.
--SHADIYA
Cool CD, I really liked a lot of your songs. I enjoy the old school classic R&B flavor!
-- Claudine Curry
Words can not describe.....My husband remembers Kashif, I didnt. This cd just blew me away. The music and lyrics are great.... I am guilty of pushing repeat to hear this cd over and over... Love it!!!!
--Paulette W
Having both written and produced smash hit songs for artists such as Whitney Houston, Kenny G., George Benson, Barry White, Will Downing, Dionne Warwick, Al Jarreau, and Da Brat for starters, Kashif bursts through his stacks of credentials with an album that features his own artistry from beginning to end, exemplifying why music is his first love. After millions of CDs sold and an impressive trail of accomplishments from education to film production, his focus and talent comes to a fine point in this double CD of textured, intricately layered and subtlety-crafted R&B pop hits. From nuance to outright passion, "Music From My Mind" delivers R&B excellence in every shade of integrity.
-- Tamara Turner
AS ONLY KASHIF CAN DO IT! Thanks for bringing all the beautiful music in our lives. I really enjoyed listening to all 16 tracks that were available for the listening pleasure. Out of the new ones I'm really feeling "Sexy Girls" of course..lol...also Superfly, So Emotional is a nice smooth contemporary jazz sounding tract love that one, Tossin' Turnin' very smooth. I loved all 8 new ones. But I wanted to give you a special shout out for "Black Woman" this should be an anthem songs for us African American women, you deserve all the good things in life. All of my old skool classics like Stone Love, Help yourself to my love, and a host of others by such artists as Whitney Houston, etc. they will all be my favorites. Your CD will get it's share of spins on my CD player. Musical success to you.
-- RnBMistress
Absolute knock-out performances. The Man's first product Stateside in 10 years was certainly worth the wait. Kashif draws together his classic style and arrangements and blends them together with today's more spartan sounds to create some songs that are definitively Kashif. Vocally, the man is on top form and songs such as So Emotional, Tossin' Turnin' and Bout To Fall In Love are excellent showpieces for his skill. A few songs here such as I Don't Give A Damn and the excellent Mingo Wheya were released in the UK in 1998 and still sound fresh today. What makes this CD doubly essential is the inclusion, on disc 2, of his entire 1983 Arista set, Kashif. THAT alone is a treat, let alone his new material. Simply superb, and worth every penny.
-- Barry Towler
earthjuice@prodigy.net
3. Producer/Songwriter, Kashif Connects The Music Industry with Revolutionary New Software
(Pacific Palisades, Calif.) Musicians, songwriters, producers, artists and music industry hopefuls have a lot to sing about with the release of the Music Business 411 (also known as Connect). Developed by six-time Grammy nominated artist/producer/author, Kashif the Music Business 411 is an elegantly simple yet powerful communication software that allows the user to search, locate, and connect with thousands (over 35,000) of music industry contacts.
Here's how it works. You have just finished recording a demo and wanted to send it out to record companies for review. Let's say the music is R&B - you can search by genre for any type of music. The application allows you to search for all the record companies that release R&B music. Once you have done the search a list instantly appears. Click on any name on the list and gain access to telephone number, address, email, fax, and a whole lot more. The program asks you what you would like to do with the information. Let's say you want to write a letter, the program will ask you what type of letter - Demo submission you say? The program writes the letter for you and reminds you to follow it up with a phone call.
Historically this amount of information has been hard to come by and has only been available in expensive publications for hundreds even thousands of dollars. What is so surprising about Connect is how easy it is to use and the extensive categories of information it contains - record companies, publishers, radio stations, press contacts, producers, recording studios, managers, agents, attorneys, distributors, retailers, manufacturer are just a sampling of the wide range of contacts.
How much does it cost? The Entrepreneurs version retails for a mere $199.95 - and the Pro version lists at only $499.95. Each version is updated four times a year for only $39.95." In a market where musicians typically can spend thousand of dollars acquiring equipment for home and personal studios it was important to me to set the Music Business 411 at an affordable price "says Kashif. "Everyone should be connected" Being connected in the music industry is the single most important element of becoming successful.
Kashif has produced mega hits for Whitney Houston, Kenny G., Barry White, George Benson, just to name a few. He is also the author of the enormously successful book - Everything You'd Better Know About The Record Industry. To download demos of the Music Business 411or learn more about Kashif visit www.brooklynboy.com.
Contact: Damien Harvey
Marketing & Business Development
Brooklyn Boy Software
Phone: 310.454.4555.
Fax: 310.564.0444
Email: damien@brooklynboy.com
