KINGSTON FACTORY - THE EAST COAST SESSIONS

Kingston Factory presents 'The East Coast Sessions' is a good example of this latter type of work. Although it's not a concept or thematic album. This is a very different case. What makes it distinctive here is the production process itself.

In the grand tradition of Jamaica's great labels and studios, this LP boasts a producer and a sound that have become his trademark. The producer is Esteban Descalzo, born and raised in Argentina, and the studio is Kingston Factory. In these facilities, located in the heart of the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, an impressive roster of international stars has worked over the past few years, from Jamaicans Derrick Harriott, Pat Kelly, and Freddy Notes to Joe Mansano, The Silvertones, Val Douglas, and even British artist Hollie Cook. And, of course, a long list of local artists.

Prestigious labels from around the world often seek Descalzo's mixing, post-production, and mastering services. However, in this new project, he aimed to further expand his already vast scope. That's the story told in 'The East Coast Sessions': the story of a journey.

In mid-2017, Esteban Descalzo packed his equipment along with a folder full of tracks, sketches, and ideas. He headed to the East Coast of the United States with a simple plan: to record, on location, some of the local artists who had recently caught his attention. Like an original traveling producer on his own road movie, he visited these musicians and worked with them in their studios and homes during an unforgettable three-week tour.

This veritable production tour through Washington DC, Maryland, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey resulted in ten tracks, begun in Buenos Aires and completed in the United States, featuring the voices and instruments of stellar guests. "I wanted to travel, record, and produce the artists in their own homes, not long-distance. To meet them, exchange ideas, chat..." says Descalzo.

Like many of his colleagues, Esteban has collaborated online with people from the most remote corners of the world. This time, however, he was looking for the exact opposite: intimacy, capturing the warmth of working together directly. In fact, 'Kingston Factory presents The East Coast Sessions' brings together a selection of East Coast artists that no other East Coast album has ever featured (how will a North American listener perceive such an unexpected achievement?). Add to that Esteban's Midas touch, and the result is a profoundly original album. A story that no one has told before. Which, incidentally, is the essential element for an LP to become a classic.