Northfire Recording Studio

The Alchemystics - Spread Hope, 2011

The Alchemystics blend reggae, politically infused hip-hop, gritty soul, hard-driving rock, and pulsing Jamaican, Cuban and Trinidadian rhythms into a distinctive, original sound. The result is modern-day roots music with global appeal – an alchemy of ancient musical traditions; intricate, intelligent wordplay; deep, driving rhythms; irresistible hooks; and old-school vocal harmonies.
 

The Barefoot Truth - Carry Us On, 2011

In the small New England town of Mystic, Connecticut, lives Barefoot Truth, an independent band that is quietly creating history. You have never seen them on MTV, nor heard them on a Top 40 FM radio station, but with over 8 million spins on Pandora, Barefoot Truth has quickly become a symbol of independent music success, and just may be ‘the biggest band you’ve never heard of’. Mixing the sounds of folk, rock, jazz, and reggae, with lyrics full of unbridled optimism, the band has crafted a sound that is distinctly Barefoot Truth.

Mixing a strong environmental message with the lofty theme of humankind’s interconnectedness on their 2011 studio album ‘Carry Us On’, Barefoot Truth reached #10 on the iTunes Rock Charts.
 

Breje - Facebook Lover (single), 2012

BREJÉ is a multi-talented, Wpe Music, LLC/Bungalo/Universal Music Group Distribution (UMGD), 17 year old entertainer (singer, dancer, songwriter, recording and performing artist, actor) who has been dedicated to following his dreams since the age of 10. What makes Brejé special is that he knows how to deliver all he has to offer and has the uncanny knack for captivating anyone of any age, male or female, no matter their musical preference.

Brejé first tasted the spotlight when he tagged along and appeared onstage with his sisters’ band, IQ, opening for the likes of the Jonas Brothers and others. This paved the way for Brejé to solo and open up for artists Fabulous and Soulja Boy. Brejé’s first record, Twist Wit It, was released in 2008 and this hip-hop song sparked renewed interest in Chubby Checker's dance, "The Twist”. Brejé teamed up with the legendary super producer, Scott Storch, who produced and wrote Glad We Met (Brejé contributed to the lyrics) which, after a 12-week national radio campaign, landed the No. 3 spot on Billboard Hip Hop R&B single sales charts. And lots of personal appearances with some great artists like Neyo, Bow Wow, Soulja Boy, Omarion, Mario, The New Boyz, Ashanti, and J. Holiday, as well as a tribute to Michael Jackson along with the Jackson family. Six Flags and Kellogg’s predicted Breje to be one of the new pop stars in the coming years.

May of 2012 Breje released his new video and single “Facebook Lover” that garnered the attention of Top-40-Charts.com, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg Magazine to name a few. “Facebook Lover” created a national buzz as a sure fire hit as a solid track. In addition, the single has a poignant value in that it addresses the subject of Bullying in America in a unique way.” In a follow up story, Breje was paired with Justin Bebeir as “teen stars committed to anti-bullying”. On the heels of Facebook officially opening its stock to the public, Breje’s new single storyline brings Facebook to the center stage as a positive example of how this major social media outlet can be used by kids to communicate. In the Fall of 2012, Breje joined forces with Karen Klein, the 68 Year old bullied bus monitor, and other celebrities, for a national “Anti-Bullying” tour. He is also an International Youth Ambassador for Ivy Child.Org, an organization that teaches kids mindfulness, self-regulation, leadership and resilience, thereby building healthy habits for life.”

Brejé’s not just about the music. He loves school, especially reading and math. He has been featured in Scholastic and other magazines and whenever possible, strives to use the spotlight to get the message across to kids that “hard work, determination and education are essential if you want to achieve your dreams.” He also loves competitive sports and video games. Most important and despite his frantic schedule, he remains grounded thanks to the support of his close-knit family and friends. For these and many other reasons, he is a great role model. The kids totally relate to him; the adults adore him.

 

Carolyn Walker - Resolution, 2013

Violin teacher by day, singer-songwriter by night, Carolyn merges her classical music training with her love of popular music to create songs that are thoughtful and heartfelt. Born and raised in Western MA, Carolyn draws upon the imagery of the New England landscape to inspire her lyrics, using the turning of the seasons as metaphor for personal change and discovery
 

Carrie Ferguson - The List of Whales, 2014

Currently based in Northampton, Ferguson’s original songs range from playfully jubilant and quirky, to soaring pop, country-tinged folk and straight up rock. Ferguson’s band, a rotating all-star squad of players from the Pioneer Valley,  uses a shifting palette of instruments and voices to create live shows that are joyful affairs, full of humor and warmth, beautifully showcasing her haunting melodies, and smart, gorgeous lyrics.
 

Cheatcode - Select Start, 2013

For Massachusetts bred lyricist/producer Tone, a.k.a. CHEATCODE, progression in music was gradual. What started as a quest to find dope beats to rap on transformed into a love for production. Digging for samples became an appreciation for the great records of the past. An aspiration for originality evolved into sound design and synthesis manipulations. CHEATCODE releases are the result of an ever expanding love for the process of creating and recording music. Whether appearing as an emcee or producer, the aim is to keep the party moving with a conscience.
 

Choc'late Allen - So Happy (E-o) (single), 2011

Choc'late Allen (born June 19, 1993) is a child activist who arose to national awareness in early 2007 by engaging in a 5-day fast in an effort to promote the concept of Taking Personal Responsibility for our individual thoughts and actions; in order to treat with social issues plaguing Trinidad and Tobago. In 2008, Allen launched her singing career and 2008-initiative at the 15th annual Rebel Salute concert in Jamaica. Rebel Salute is a positive reggae concert held and formed by the legendary Tony Rebel and Flames Productions. Following this major event, Allen was then invited by Mrs. Rita Marley to be the co-chair of the Africa Unite Youth Symposium and also to perform at the Africa Unite-Smile Jamaica concert. in addition to the continuation of her Taking Personal Responsibility movement, as an activist, she has been visiting several schools in Jamaica; with the support of many UN agencies and other organizations. As an artiste, Choc'late collaborated with Reggae artiste, Queen Ifrica, in a song titled "Friends" which covers both the child and adult vision of friendship. In the summer of 2011, she performed and collaborated with her father, Kurt Allen, and the Alchemystics playing all along the Eastern US.
 

Cold Duck Complex - Freshwater: Bad Love (mix), 2009

Cold Duck Complex is a method, a means of capturing a moment of intensity, fun, pure excitement—music that makes you feel good, but not simple party music; music that makes you think, but without interrupting the dance party. The marriage of hip-hop lyrics to jazz and funk music, though not unheard of, is a new beast here—placing the instruments on an equal plane with the voice pushes this fusion in a direction that few, if any, have taken before. Equally likely to be exploring the sonic palette of a tin-pan alley standard or an early ‘90s west coast hip-hop groove, this music is created for the sheer joy of experiencing every second of it…no two seconds ever the same, no song played the same way twice. The lyrics and smooth delivery of Platypus Complex is at once thoughtful, witty, deep, and goofy. He possesses a talent that few can emulate, and it belies a wisdom beyond his years. The Cold Duck Trio is a group committed to variety, to exploring all the sounds they can, whether supporting Platypus Complex or stretching out an instrumental tune. Together, the group bridges gaps between seriousness and humor, politics and play, sometimes showcasing more traditional hip-hop, other times trying to blend hip-hop lyrics with more progressive and complex instrumentals.
 

David Linhart - Gunmen (single), 2009

CREDITS: Jon Siegel played bass as part of our acoustic duo Twiin. I wrote the song, sang and played guitar. Northfire Recording engineered the sound. Yaminette Diaz Linhart filmed and I edited. The public domain stock footage is from Internet Archive.