KC Porter (born June 27, 1962 Karl Cameron Porter) is an American record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. For nearly three decades in the entertainment industry, Porter has earned numerous Grammy nominations and 3 Grammys and Latin Grammys. He is best known for his production work on Carlos Santana's Supernatural, (which sold over 27 million copies worldwide and won 9 Grammy Awards) and for producing and penning some of the most popular Spanish language singles for Ricky Martin to date.

He is also known for crossing over artists such as Bon Jovi, Janet Jackson, Brian McKnight, Toni Braxton, Scorpions, Mýa into the Spanish speaking market and crossing over world music artists such as Khaled, Laura Pausini, Kadim Al Sahir, and Cheng Lin into the international market.

Porter is one of the founding members of Oneness, a non-profit organization that promotes the oneness of humanity through music, the arts and education.

Early life[link]

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The path to his current success began at an early age for Porter, who was born in Southern California and resides there now, with his wife, Aimee, daughter Emma, and two adopted sons, Carlos and Wenjie.

He first experienced a passion for Latin music and polyrhythms when his family moved from Woodland Hills, California to Guatemala, when he was just seven years old. His father, musician/arranger Bob Porter, became a member of the Baha'i Faith in 1968 and in 1970 relocated the family of five to Central America, where music and Latin rhythms permeated their new world. In the ten years that he spent there, he came of age. Porter learned Spanish, musical arrangement, and piano. Became well-versed in both traditional and popular Latin music, as well as hits from the States, and developed a creative and multi-cultural sensibility that would change the course of his life. Porter returned to California to study music in college, and quickly landed a job as staff arranger at Hollywood's esteemed A&M Records. While there, he had the opportunity to record artists such as: Lani Hall, Luis Angel, and María Conchita Alonso. Porter started to produce as well, and soon demonstrated a unique style and uncanny ability to transform Latin pop music into an accessible sound that American audiences embraced wholeheartedly, a skill that helped break Luis Miguel, Daniela Romo, Emmanuel, Ana Gabriel, and Barrio Boyzz on three continents.

Recent career[link]

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Ricky Martin[link]

Porter began working with Puerto Rican pop artist Ricky Martin in what would become a long and fruitful association. They first collaborated on Martin's third album, A Medio Vivir, the artist's first major commercial triumph. Subsequently, he produced the groundbreaking follow-up, Vuelve, which topped the Latin charts, sold eight million copies, and garnered the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. Martin's successful eponymous English-language debut on Columbia Records, which has sold more than twenty million copies worldwide, and is more than seven times platinum in the U.S. alone. It features the Porter produced and co-written hit "Maria", and on Sound Loaded, Porter produced the track "Cambia La Piel". In early 2001, Sony Discos released La Historia, a 17-song collection celebrating the best of Martin's first six albums—with well over half the tracks produced by Porter.

Selena[link]

At the same time that his career with Martin took off, Porter was instrumental as well in introducing the rising Tejano singing sensation Selena to the Latin pop market and then to mainstream America. The first to record the young phenomenon in English, Porter handled production on Selena's 1995, Dreaming of You, 1996s Siempre Selena, and the soundtrack for the 1997 posthumous movie Selena.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs[link]

Not only influential in the pop world, the versatile Porter has also worked extensively with Rock en Español band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs since the days when they were an unknown act. He eventually produced four noteworthy albums for the now hugely popular band: El León (1992), which gave the group a breakout in Latin America; Vasos Vacíos (1994) (which gave the group some worldwide recognition through the track "Matador's" when it was included on the film Grosse Point Blank's soundtrack); Fabulosos Calavera, which won a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album; and 1999s Grammy-nominated La Marcha del Golazo Solitario.

Santana[link]

In 2000, Porter took home a Grammy for his extensive work on the legendary Carlos Santanas 1999 album Supernatural, which won a record-breaking nine Grammys including Album of the Year, is certified fourteen times platinum domestically, and has achieved international sales exceeding ten million. Porter produced four songs for the album, including: "Primavera", "El Farol" (both of which he co-wrote), "Migra" (remake of "Kelma" by Rai Artist Rachid Taha), and "Corazón Espinado" (featuring Maná), the album's third single internationally. "El Farol" was also honored with a 2000 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental, and Porter's production won "Corazón Espinado" Record of the Year at the first annual Latin Grammys that year.

He produced and co-wrote for Ceremony, Shaman and Multi-Dimensional Warrior, Carlos Santana's multi-platinum follow-ups to Supernatural, and on the most recent Ultimate Santana.

Other work[link]

Since the early 1980s Porter has worked with Bon Jovi, Janet Jackson, Chaka Khan, 98 Degrees, Brian McKnight, Toni Braxton, and Boyz II Men, crossing their hits over to Spanish-speaking and international audiences. Producing Spanish versions of songs such as Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart", Brian McKnight's "Back At One", Bon Jovi's "Bed of Roses" and "This Ain't A Love Song", Boyz II Men's "End Of The Road", "Bended Knee", "I'll Make Love To You".

Porter has written many songs, and produced albums and singles that have received Grammy awards and Grammy nominations. This includes the title track from the Salsa diva La Indias acclaimed 1999 album Sola. And Patti LaBelle's "When You Smile", a tribute song for Celia Cruz, featuring Spanish language artists Carlos Santana, Andy Vargas, and La India. This is the first collaborative effort for Carlos Santana and LaBelle from her album Timeless Journey.

In 2001, KC was approached by Michael Jackson to produce the Spanish version of his song, "What More Can I Give" in response to the 911 tragedy. The song features contributions from Carlos Santana, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin, Julio Iglesias, Shakira, Jon Secada, Alejandro Sanz, Luther Vandross, Gloria Estefan, Olga Tañon, Luis Miguel, Rubén Blades, Michael Jackson and more, but has yet to be officially released. In the same year, Porter was awarded the Producer of the Year at the 2nd Latin Grammy Awards for his work on "Brujeria" and "El Santo" by King Changó, "Cambia la Piel" by Ricky Martin, "Olympic Festival" by Santana, "Un Error de los Grandes" by Laura Pausini and "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)" by 98 Degrees.

In 2004, Porter produced Embrace The World Vol. 1, a collection of spiritually inspired instrumental and vocals works that blends the musical cultures of Chinese, Persian, Central and South American artists.^[1]

Porter has recently produced and co-wrote Ozomatli's latest Concord Records' release Don't Mess with the Dragon and penned songs for their 2005 Grammy winning Street Signs. Also on Chilean rock act La Ley's Grammy winning, "Libertad", also collaborations with Carlos Santana and North Algerian superstar, Khaled, entitled "Love to the People", as well as Iraqi superstar Kazem Al Sahir and Paula Cole on "Love and Compassion". The #1 Billboard Latin single "Sedúceme", for Sony Records Latin's Salsa singing diva, La India, and the debut English-language platinum album From the Inside for Italy's singing sensation Laura Pausini.

Other interests[link]

Porter, a member of the Bahá'í Faith,^[2] is also the Creative Director for Oneness, the non-profit organization he co-founded in 1999 with a mission of eliminating racism and promoting racial unity through the healing power of music and the arts. Since its launch, Carlos Santana, B. B. King, Macy Gray, Sarah McLachlan, Luther Vandross, Brian McKnight, Angélique Kidjo, Quincy Jones, Ricky Martin, DJ Khalil, Immortal Technique, JB Eckl, and Jimmy Jam are among the many who have already contributed their time and talents.

Oneness holds annual Power of Oneness awards, recognizing individuals who have fostered meaningful change in the area of race relations. 2002 winners included Edward James Olmos, Nancy Miller, Nile Rodgers, Jonathan Butler, Leila Steinberg, and Joy Enriquez.^[3] In 2003 winners included Michael Jackson, Ed Begley, Jr., The Jim Henson Company, Dr. Joy DeGruy and Brad Gluckstein for their contributions to Racial Harmony.^[4] The annual Songwriters' Summit for Oneness, typically held in Los Angeles, features the teaming of over 50 producer/songwriters at a one day event to create songs of social justice, racial unity and change.^[5]

References[link]

External links[link]

• K. C. Porter Official Website
• Official Website of Oneness.org
• K. C. Porter producer - arranger - composer Studio Expresso Producer Profile

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K-Ci & JoJo are an American R&B duo, consisting of brothers Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey (born September 2, 1969^[1]) and Joel "JoJo" Hailey (born June 10, 1971^[1]), Natives of Monroe, North Carolina, they were also members of the chart-topping R&B group Jodeci with the DeGrate brothers—Donald (better known as DeVante Swing) and Dalvin.

On their own[link]

K-Ci and JoJo's first sign of independence came in 1994 when K-Ci covered Bobby Womack's hit "If You Think You're Lonely Now" for the movie Jason's Lyric.

In late 2006, K-Ci released his debut solo album entitled My Book.

JoJo is planning to release a self-titled solo debut in 2011 or 2012 with Interscope or Def Jam and it will feature a comeback by Playa (without Static).^{[citation needed]}

Together[link]

Early years[link]

Early in 1996, K-Ci and JoJo teamed up for the song "How Could You" for the movie Bulletproof starring Damon Wayans and Adam Sandler. By July 1996, K-Ci and JoJo finally had a hit on their hands as guest artists in 2Pac's number-one R&B hit "How Do U Want It". It also topped the Billboard Hot 100.

[edit] Love Always and Life

The brothers made their side projects into a full album, Love Always. Released on June 17, 1997, the album spawned two top-ten R&B hits: "You Bring Me Up" (Pop #26) and "Last Night's Letter" (Pop #46). The minor success of those singles, however, paled in comparison to the success of the album's third single, "All My Life" (which was dedicated to JoJo's daughter). A supple, lush ballad far removed from the Jodeci material of the early 1990s, "All My Life" was the number-one song on the Hot 100 for three weeks, a feat that K-Ci and JoJo had never achieved with Jodeci. It features a piano melody very similar to that of the electric piano found backing "Dancing In The Moonlight" by King Harvest. Future singles and albums would be crafted in the vein of "All My Life", which was the duo's only number-one hit, though many consider it one of the greatest jazz pop melodies of all time. Love Always went on to sell four million copies, and the success of the album put Jodeci's reunion on hold indefinitely. During the recording of Love Always they also appeared in the song "I Care 'Bout You" as a member of the R&B Supergroup Milestone along with After 7 which appeared on the soundtrack for the movie, Soul Food that was written and produced by Babyface.

In 1999, K-Ci & JoJo recorded "Life", which was written and produced by R. Kelly, for the soundtrack to the Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence movie Life.

[edit] It's Real (1999)

K-Ci & JoJo's second studio album, It's Real was released on June 22, 1999. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200,^[2] peaked at number two on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums,^[2] and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Outside of the US, the album reached top 20 on the Dutch Mega Album Top 100, the Canadian Albums Chart, and appeared on the New Zealand Top 40 Albums and the ARIA Charts. The album spawned four singles, including the number-two Billboard song, "Tell Me It's Real".

It's Real received a three star rating from Allmusic.^[3]

[edit] X

K-Ci and JoJo returned with X on December 5, 2000. X, the Roman numeral for ten, was picked as the album title to celebrate the Haileys' tenth anniversary in the music business. They made a strong return to the Billboard Hot 100 early in 2001 with the song "Crazy", also included on the Save the Last Dance soundtrack. "Crazy" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also features a hidden Jodeci track entitled "Slip And Fall".

[edit] Emotional and Greatest Hits

The fourth K-Ci and JoJo album, Emotional, was released on November 26, 2002, but did not find commercial success. The CD consisted of one single, "This Very Moment." and also their personal favourite "How Long" written by Steve Vaughn and Jojo Hailey.

K-Ci and JoJo released a greatest hits album on February 8, 2005.

[edit] Love

On February 6, 2008, they released their fifth album called Love, which was released only in Japan.

New signing deal[link]

In 2010, they signed an exclusive deal with R&B crooner Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds' upstart Soda Pop Records, distributed through Capitol Records.

Media[link]

In 2010, they appeared in a 'T.V. ONE' reality show called K-Ci and JoJo Come Clean about the brothers' struggles with alcohol.

Family ties[link]

• Music runs in K-Ci and JoJo's family, with vocalist Dave Hollister^[4] and Fantasia Barrino as cousins of the duo.

Discography[link]

Studio

• Love Always (1997)
• It's Real (1999)
• X(2000)
• Emotional (2002)
• Love (2008)

Compilation

• All My Life: Their Greatest Hits (2005)
• 20th Century Masters - Millennium Collection: The Best of K-Ci & Jojo (2006)
• Ballad Collection for Lovers (2007)
• Playlist Your Way (2008)

Awards and nominations[link]

American Music Awards[link]

Blockbuster Awards[link]

Grammy Awards[link]

MTV Video Music Awards[link]

NAACP Awards[link]

Soul Train Awards[link]

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b} Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 339. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "It's Real – K-Ci & JoJo > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://allmusic.com/album/its-real-r421420/charts-awards. Retrieved July 26, 2011. 
3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "It's Real – K-Ci & JoJo > Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://allmusic.com/album/its-real-r421420/review. Retrieved July 26, 2011. 
4. ^ "Dave Hollister: One Woman Man". Findarticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_8_56/ai_75247874. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
5. ^ "27th American Music Awards (presented in 2000)". Rock On The Net. 2000-01-17. http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2000/amas.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 

External links[link]

• Official Site
• RockOnTheNet - Jodeci
• K-Ci & Jojo on Soulrnb.com French group

J. B. Eckl /ˈɛkəl/ is a Canadian songwriter, producer,^[1] and recording artist. Eckl lives in Topanga Canyon, near Los Angeles, California.

After doing some guitar session work with Latin pop producer K. C. Porter, Eckl signed as a staff songwriter for Porter's Insignia Music,^[2] a joint venture with Paramount subsidiary Famous Music Publishing. Soon after, he was asked to go on tour playing guitar with the '70s funk band War. He spent two years traveling and playing with other musicians, most notably Carlos Santana. He later worked with K. C. Porter again to write and produce two tracks, including Primavera,^[3] for Santana's Supernatural, and another track of Santana's Shaman. The Shaman track, 'One of These Days' features Eckl's lead vocal. Eckl performed this song on stage at the Hollywood Bowl at the time of Shaman's release. Eckl also worked with Santana on the song Olympic Festival which appeared on the soundtrack for the film Girlfight.^[4]

References[link]

External links[link]

• J.B. Eckl Official Website
• J. B. Eckl at the Internet Movie Database
• J. B. Eckl at Allmusic

Karina Pasian
Karina Pasian in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Karina Pasian
Born	(1991-07-18) July 18, 1991 (age 20)
Origin	New York City, New York
Genres	R&B, Pop
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Piano
Years active	2003–present
Labels	VY Records, Def Jam
Associated acts	Lil Mama, Trey Songz, Sammie
Website	meetkarina.net

Karina Pasian (born July 18, 1991) is a Grammy Award nominated recording artist and pianist.^[1][2][3]

Life and career[link]

Karina Pasian was born in New York City, of Dominican and Armenian^[4][5] descent. Her first language was Russian, and she can sing in six other languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Turkish, and French.^[4] She first began taking piano lessons at the age of three from her babysitter, and began classical piano training while in kindergarten. She began working with a vocal coach at the age of eight, and attended the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City alongside Taylor Momsen and Mark Indelicato.^[1]

In 2003, Pasian met Quincy Jones, who invited her and her family to his home in Bel Air, California. Soon after this, Pasian performed and won on Star Search. She also performed at Quincy Jones' We Are The Future concert in Rome.^[1] On June 22, 2007, Pasian performed at the White House for President George W. Bush, in celebration of Black Music Month, making her the first person of Dominican descent to perform there.^[1][6]

Pasian became the subject of a bidding war, when she was thirteen, between three major record labels: Def Jam, Interscope, and Bad Boy Records. She chose Def Jam in 2006.^[2]

2008: First Love[link]

Pasian's first album First Love was released August 19, 2008.^[7][8] The first single was "16 @ War", released in June 2008. The album was nominated for an American Grammy Award in the category of Best Contemporary R&B album.

2011-2012[link]

A new 6 track EP, Trips To Venus, was released digitally worldwide on December 12, 2011. Her piano version of "The Christmas Song" is also currently available Digitally Worldwide.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Karina Paisan on Youtube