"Thanks to all of you out there who've shown me love and support. Without you, I would never have an audience."
~T. Austin Reed
Though T. Austin Reed's roots stem from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the essence of her music often features diversities of a worldwide flavor. From Techno to Jazz to R&B and Rock, this artist refuses to limit her creative ability to the confines of any one particular genre. She'll be quick to say, "I don't live in a box. Neither does my music."
With the exception of brief training in classical piano by Monette Sudler and the late John Gilmore (of Sun Ra and His Arkestra), T. Austin is a self-taught composer who loves to defy stereotypical images that have overshadowed females within the Music Industry.
"I used to watch guys come into studios and walk past me like I didn't exist," she'll admit. "Some even thought I was just another studio whore. But after I'd get pointed out as being a producer, I could see their attitudes change...And so would mine. I'd start smiling and thinking to myself, 'That's right, bitch! Now sit the fuck down!' I never enjoyed moments like those, but they happened all the time. Not anymore."
T. Austin's studio life began in 1996, when she was discovered by F.L.A. Records’ Holly Rob & Dr. Ray. After being signed as an artist and producer, she fell under the tutelage of Lead Engineer / Producer, Andre "Dre" Mott, who she credits as being "one of the best people that ever happened to me." Months later, she went on to collaborate with other F.L.A. artists, such as Danga Zone and Squirrel, who landed on the “Booty Call” soundtrack with his single, “Lemme See You Squirrel.”
For two years, she remained with F.L.A. Records, but then left when she felt her career becoming stagnant. Her departure was further motivated after she paired up with singer/songwriter, Christie Dawn. Together, they formed the short-lived duo, Dawnadawn, and were featured on a two-hour segment of WTMP-Tampa Bay’s “Quiet Storm.” Their only release, “The Least I Can Do,” quickly drew them into the spotlight while gaining heavy rotation over the airways. However, it would not prove to be enough to keep the duo together. They separated shortly after T. Austin was hired to produce a project for a talented singer/songwriter by the name of Aja Lorraine (Ruff Ryder/Def Jam) on the island of St. Croix. Unfortunately, the project never came to fruition, and T. Austin found herself back where she started – solo. Instead of returning the United States, however, she decided to make St. Croix her home for the next five years.
Word spread quickly that a female producer had come to the island, but it was of no surprise that T. Austin would be met with opposition when searching for musical connections. It was at this point in her life that she had nearly decided to give up on her musical endeavors, but her saving grace would come in the form of a fervent, 16 year-old aspiring rapper named Calvin “Big Boss CD” Durand. When recalling how they met, she replied, “That was the most relentless fucker I’ve ever come across in my life! No matter how rude I was, no matter how cold I acted…he still came and sat next to me. He’d watch me move back and forth between computers and keyboards, then ask, ‘How’d you do that?’ After a while, I got tired of dissin’ him and taught him everything I knew.”
Once T. Austin set up a home studio, within a matter of weeks, she and Calvin were well on their way to realizing the vision they had seen together – their own independent label. T. Austin used the few island resources she had for help; one being fellow musician, Ronnie Benjamin of Midnite Band. He, in turn, pointed her into the direction of long-time friend, writer/producer/engineer Desmond Williams(dreadStar Music), based out of Washington, D.C.
The two met at ESL Music studios, where Williams worked as a producer and engineer. There, he quickly took T. Austin under his wing and gave her the most intense crash course in engineering she had ever experienced. Though their music styles were polar – in comparison – they merged together to collaborate on projects, including "High Speed Drift" (Desmond Williams – Delights in the Garden), which began as T. Austin’s introduction to 5/4 time. To her surprise, she also caught the attention of artist LouLou O. Ghelichkhani and guitarist Chris Vrenios, who both made musical contributions on two of T. Austin’s tracks, "Bahar" and "La Odela" (The 3 a.m. Sessions). Yet, things didn't stop there. T. Austin teamed up with Desmond Williams and D.J. Farid for a remix of "Far Away" (ESL Records) which, this time, showcased her vocal abilities rather than production skills.
In 2006, T. Austin and Calvin “Big Boss CD” Durand formed the Indie label, Dark Alley™Entertainment. A compilation of their works is set to be released in January, 2009, including other Dark™Alley artists. Stay tuned. This is only the beginning...
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T. Austin Reed
Other Artists
Nina Simone, Sade, Nine Inch Nails, Floetry, BlancMange, The Pogues, Desmond Williams, Goldfrapp, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Sisters of Mercy, Weather Report, Loulou O. Ghelichkhani...and so many others.
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