We just lately caught up with Keith Pelzer for an interview on Instagram Dwell. Throughout our dialog, we touched on how he initially joined Jazzy Jeff’s A Contact of Jazz collective, engaged on the debut albums of Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott and Floetry, the success of the producers/songwriters who got here out of A Contact of Jazz, his time after leaving the studios, and what he’s at the moment engaged on.
YouKnowIGotSoul: The place did you initially develop your abilities as a songwriter and producer?
Keith Pelzer: In brief, I’m a church child. Like most Philly guys, we’re some kind of church child. I grew up in a conventional outdated black Baptist church. Fatin from Kindred the Household Soul, his grandfather was an outdated deacon at our church. He was a guitar participant and will sing off the hook. So I assume that’s the place he acquired it from. However I realized methods to play off of him and my grandfather.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Inform us the way you landed at A Contact of Jazz studios with DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Keith Pelzer: If you happen to take all six of us. Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, Darren Henson, Ivan Barias, Carvin Haggins and myself. Then you definately add six extra guys that didn’t make it via. Then add James Poyser and Vikter Duplaix and also you’ll get the entire angle of it. Then you definately’ve acquired so as to add DJ Jazzy Jeff. My model is, I ended up assembly Jazzy Jeff in eighth Road Music retailer in Philadelphia. I didn’t know precisely who he was, he invited me all the way down to the studio. I met James Poyser and he knew him. Then I began hanging out on the studio earlier than it grow to be A Contact of Jazz that most individuals in Philly realize it for. Jazzy Jeff had the studio up at Gladwyne, Pennsylvania earlier than he determined to maneuver it to Philly. When he determined to maneuver, Vidal Davis, Carvin Haggins and myself, the three of us had been hanging. Then we acquired Andre Harris, and Darren Henson and Ivan Barias got here from Atlantic Metropolis. They already knew Jeff and had a relationship. Then all of us simply ended up being these six guys that stayed within the race and we acquired it finished.
YouKnowIGotSoul: So there have been initially one other six guys along with the six guys we all know?
Keith Pelzer: Yea, it wasn’t like a tryout. There have been solely two rooms on the time. By some means, they didn’t match. Vidal and Dre had a brother relationship and all of us knew one another from church. Darren and Ivan had been from Atlantic Metropolis collectively. Carvin was already down with a crew and holding his personal. The six of us type of simply ended up being the final six out of 12 dudes and extra. It was a variety of guys hanging round.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What was the surroundings like at A Contact of Jazz.
Keith Pelzer: After I say it was the perfect. Even now, I do a present on Fb, and each from time to time, when I’ve musicians or artists on there, individuals at all times search for us to have the ability to give that story of what it was like. To me, it was the perfect expertise. You may’t remake that and you may’t commerce it. You’re taking the great, the dangerous, the ugly, the remorse and the blessing, and say it was what it was. It was actually a kind of issues I name a cool competitors. We weren’t like thieves to one another. Any individual had one thing the opposite man didn’t have and we dismissed one another and did what we felt. Shout out to Jill Scott, her album is “Phrases and Sounds”, we had been nice with our sounds, she was nice together with her phrases. Carvin and Darren had been the exception, they did lyrics. Ivan did lyrics a bit. The opposite three we didn’t do them. We had sounds. Whether or not it was knocking on the door, recording anyone screaming, brushing one thing making a beat, we made music out of it. Folks began to take discover.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What was your first placement at A Contact of Jazz?
Keith Pelzer: My first placement was for Tatyana Ali. That’s a music that Darren Henson, Tia Mintze and myself did. It began as a observe I used to be simply doing on my own. I used to be engaged on it with Tia and I had her sing this R&B music on there. I wasn’t actually into beats, I’m a keyboard participant. Darren jumped in on the observe and threw this dope loopy beat on there, and we ended up doing manufacturing collectively. Will Smith was really engaged on his album. I hadn’t landed on his album, however he wished that music for Tatyana Ali. We didn’t wish to give the music up, however we gave it up and acquired that placement. That was actually the primary one.
YouKnowIGotSoul: From studying liner notes, it seems to be such as you partnered with Darren Henson rather a lot. How did that partnership kind?
Keith Pelzer: The factor that made A Contact of Jazz so distinctive was, I believe we coined partnership with producers. You had Tone & Poke, LA Reid & Babyface, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. However then, we ended up taking up that id as effectively. We did it as a result of Jazzy Jeff had the studio. Darren had his personal drum machine, I had my very own gear. Darren and I collaborated as a result of we had been impartial. We every had our stuff. We didn’t want the studio, however the studio was a blessing. It was solely two rooms. You had six guys, with two rooms. So if you go to make a observe, it’s first come first served. If I’m sitting within the studio and another person needs to work however I’ve acquired the room first, you’re SOL. What we did was get to know one another so we knew what one another was missing. We did it collectively and it was working. After that, we might get extra work finished like that. I used to be heavier on the engineering facet. I’d be the keyboard man, after which it was simpler to work with somebody who knew beats or drums. Then I might write lyrics, however they had been corny to me! They had been sappy. I stated let me simply do the music and work with somebody who might write. Manufacturing smart, two heads had been higher than one. That’s the way you ended up getting Darren & Keith, Carvin & Ivan, Dre & Vidal. The loopy factor about all six of us is, should you take a look at Darren and I, it’s extra so keys and drums. Then you will have the opposite dynamic. He’s lyrics, I’m melody. Have a look at Dre and Vidal, the place each of them can play keys, Andre on the time wasn’t taking part in guitar however he can play the whole lot now I believe. Then you will have these two who’re each drummers. You had Andre who was referred to as lazy Dre, and Vidal was extra of a technical man like me. Myself, Vidal and Ivan had been three technical individuals. It’s not that Carvin, Dre and Darren weren’t, it’s simply that we had been simpler to do it. Everyone collaborated that means and it’s kinda like no matter your energy is, you try this within the session.
YouKnowIGotSoul: We’ve heard that A Contact of Jazz was simply youngsters creating good music. No person was telling them what to do, they had been simply creating. Was that what it was for you?
Keith Pelzer: Yea principally. We had been younger. The one factor that’s by no means actually advised when individuals interview us, it’s not that we miss it, it’s actually that we had been all anyone earlier than we got here to the desk. If we don’t say that, then individuals will say Jeff made us. Everyone had one thing they delivered to the desk. We might all be one thing nice collectively, however we had been all anyone earlier than.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What do you keep in mind about first assembly Musiq Soulchild at A Contact of Jazz.
Keith Pelzer: Let me say this on document. We’ve all been via rather a lot, the entire guys. Nonetheless, let the reality be advised, I really like to inform the story this manner. Carvin ended up being the man that claims “I actually don’t do something, I’m a rapper”. However he hadn’t actually established himself as a author but. As a producer we had been attempting to get the large title writers on our music. No person was actually checking Carvin out proper now. So after we had our large assembly at Jeff’s home and we went again to the studio, I’ll say this. I’ll let Carvin inform his facet. Carvin used to return to my home and when the studio was crowded, we’d nonetheless write songs within the basement. However Carvin’s pen was getting higher. His pen was nice as a rapper however not but as a singer. Additionally as a result of he can’t sing, it wasn’t getting there. Musiq was a blessing when he discovered him. He didn’t actually write, however he had a swag to him. We had been uncertain about him, his tone was a bit of off. We stated nah. My model and I stand to be corrected. We’d have the DAT tapes and we’d have our personal field the place we made our tracks on. Carvin would come into the room and wish to write to our tracks. I used to be kinda shady about it. I wished to place these beats on greater names. We kinda had been shutting Carvin down. What he’d do is take the DAT and jack our tracks, and reduce to it with Musiq. We began to get a bit of pissed as a collective. Then after awhile we thought he was onto one thing. Musiq had a stream. If it wasn’t cash coming throughout, it wasn’t an enormous deal although. So Jerome Hipps and Michael MacArthur, Mama’s Boys. They had been managing Musiq. I believe what occurred was they ended up getting with Def Jam and getting a buzz. Then we knew he was about to get a deal. The entire sudden we had been going to Carvin with tracks! Now the whole lot modified. The nice factor is, Carvin had a fantastic coronary heart and wasn’t spiteful. We had been nonetheless household. I used to be kinda working with Carvin even when all people else wasn’t. We weren’t frontin, nevertheless it wasn’t precedence, however then it grew to become a precedence. I’ve a CD in my automotive with unreleased Musiq Soulchild stuff that no one has ever heard! I’ve acquired about 5 songs we wrote, it’s unbelievable.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak about creating the music “143” on Musiq Soulchild’s debut album “Aijuswanaseing”.
Keith Pelzer: I used to be a very good man on the lacking hyperlink stuff. You had the opposite guys who had been nice at simply creating nice stuff. I used to be extra focused due to my ability set with music. Musiq was already rolling, Carvin was already rolling with the fellows. I believe he acquired what he wanted from Ivan and Andre. They had been on the lookout for a Stevie Surprise kind of vibe. So the inspiration for that was, I took out of the entire church music I knew, I put progressions collectively that will do it. Carvin and Musiq had been speaking a couple of music that was very artistic. Keep in mind if you used to say “143” for I Love You on the pager? We did that. We wished to do a music like that. After they had been speaking it, I might hear it whereas I used to be taking part in it. That’s the way it principally got here collectively. It was simply sitting round taking part in on the Rhodes. If anyone had been to do a movie on all of us, it could be humorous to see Carvin. At any time when he was singing, he’d at all times have Skittles or M&M’s or one thing and shake it! *Laughs* He can’t sing, however dope singers can take heed to him and get an understanding! It’s one thing about his coronary heart and the best way he would go at it. It didn’t matter if his tone was off, you would really feel it and maintain creating from it.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You additionally labored with Musiq Soulchild on the music “Preserve it Actual” which was on the Rush Hour II soundtrack. How did that come collectively?
Keith Pelzer: That was after the primary album. They wished to do one thing with Redman. I used to be pondering Darren or Ivan had been the hip hop guys, they had been DJ’s in order that they knew information and beats. I had a loop to begin rolling with. I took the loop, however they wished it to sound like a Musiq Soulchild music. However I believed, that is Redman! I began doing the music and acquired the observe collectively and so they appreciated it. They wished to verify it was soulful. I believed they wished it like New York hip-hop! I really performed the music all the best way down on that. The instrumentation was performed straight via.
YouKnowIGotSoul: On Musiq Soulchild’s second album “Juslisen” you produced “Non secular”. Speak about that one.
Keith Pelzer: Now that one, you’ve acquired to unpack by interviewing Darren Henson. He’s the mastermind at selecting out samples. He knew methods to manipulate them actual good. As a result of I had the keys abilities, Darren would play a variety of hip hop stuff. Loops and stuff individuals would loop. He is aware of methods to affect my ear to get me to type of play a rendition of it. When it got here time for Musiq’s second album…consider it like this. You had Jill’s first album, Musiq’s first album, Floetry’s first album, I’ll endlessly love these in my coronary heart. The battle got here in on the whole lot after that. We had acquired into the actual world. You kinda misplaced that again within the day really feel. It was extra such as you needed to deliver it. Thank goodness Darren had that loop. Once we had the chance, we had been reached out to with a spot on the album, we had been household. I actually had nothing for it. Carvin & Ivan had been within the zone, Vidal and Dre had been doing their factor. Different individuals had been coming at Musiq. However Darren type of saved us on that. He had that knock that they didn’t have on the remainder of the album. It was straightforward for me to construct over prime of the loop. In fact the writing between Carvin and Musiq.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What do you keep in mind about engaged on Jill Scott’s first album “Who Is Jill Scott? Phrases and Sounds Vol. 1”? You had placements on there as effectively.
Keith Pelzer: Once more, my model, as a result of Jill will in all probability kill me! What I keep in mind is, Jill was hanging out down within the studio together with her good friend. She is anyone that’s already particular earlier than we met her. She was already doing her factor, she was large time in my eyes. However she was hanging round, however we had been overlooking her as an artist. It was a kind of issues I want I knew then what I do know now. I believe if I acquired my story proper, I believe Vidal Davis was the primary one to chop a document. I believe he did “A Lengthy Stroll” together with her. The way in which we had been with the 6 guys, should you got here all the way down to the studio and also you sang, considered one of us would take an opportunity and reduce a music. If we acquired it proper, then all people is attempting to chop with you. Then we begin going. As soon as the ice was damaged on Jill, I believe Jeff advised us we higher work together with her. Earlier than that we stored telling him we’d get to it, the whole lot else was precedence. As soon as we heard that very first thing pop off, we had been prepared. Then we simply began making songs. The one factor I really like about her is, it was at all times a dialog. Each dope music got here from some type of dialog. One factor I keep in mind about Jill, you couldn’t simply play her tracks. If you happen to weren’t having a dialog together with her, it was not gonna work. She wasn’t simply selecting tracks. It was like we had been speaking and laughing, and then you definately hit one thing on the keys, and she or he’d prefer it. Then you definately construct on it and it grows. Then you definately go into the sales space. Then you will have the music. That complete album, that’s why it’s referred to as “Phrases & Sounds”. She would simply pull out her poetry pocket book and go in and do one thing she wrote way back. Subsequent factor you already know she’s singing one thing dope.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Let’s discuss Floetry subsequent. You had the one “Floetic” on the group’s debut album.
Keith Pelzer: The humorous factor about these women. Shout out to James Poyser and Vikter Duplaix at their studio on the time. The very best I keep in mind is, they’d these two women. They didn’t know what to do with these two women from London. Jeff stated to ship them over to the studio. Jazzy Jeff had his room across the corridor. He launched us to those two women. The 4 of us had been sitting there. It was these two good wanting London chicks however they’d that tom boy factor happening. It wasn’t just like the Philly woman look. They had been basketball gamers, they had been carrying shell prime Adidas! So we requested them what they did! Natalie stated she is the Floacist, and Marsha stated she’s the Songstress. So we discovered one rapped and one sang. So we tried to determine what kind of music to chop with them. We wished to make a music to inform individuals who the hell they’re! That’s one thing Darren and I had been going to do. Earlier than we go wherever, we needed to discover out what they do and the way can we clarify it to all people. We took the time and that’s what we did. The observe really was, Darren had his automotive and we’d journey as much as New York going to Masta Ace’s occasion. Darren is the hip hop man. He’s taking part in the pattern within the automotive, and I believed we must always flip it. Not understanding we’d meet these women. So after we met them, we pulled that up and began messing with it, and so they wished to go together with it. What I did was, I took that outdated Keith churchy boy bass line. That was the entire music.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Any songs you probably did you’re notably happy with that we didn’t point out?
Keith Pelzer: I don’t have the discography like the opposite guys. Darren has probably the greatest occasion songs on Lil’ Kim, “No Matter What”. The humorous factor about that’s, I did a Latin music referred to as “La Fiesta” on Will Smith’s album. We went to New York and I made a remix for that music. Again within the day, you wished to money in on as a lot as you would. You wished to get the one and in addition make a remix to get a paycheck. We went up loaded. Darren had this observe within the chamber. He places it on in New York and Lil’ Kim and them went bananas. Will appreciated my remix too however he by no means used it. However after they heard the beat for “No Matter What” all people was going nuts. He gained New York. He’s acquired that one. Andre has acquired “Is It the Approach” for Jill Scott. Vidal has acquired the Kenny Lattimore joint “Days Like This”. Ivan’s acquired the Musiq Soulchild. However right here is my factor, “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)” by Jill Scott, that’s my music. You recognize what actually blessed my coronary heart. That they had it on the Verzuz battle. In fact, I didn’t get my shout out. No downside. However, the loopy factor is, each time I am going to a present, it’s like the group is ready on that music. I believe it’s some of the stunning songs as a result of as soon as that first chord goes in, then it’s all pure. That music, Larry Gold with the strings on there. The entire expertise of that music is like this. My dad handed in 2008. He was the pastor on the time, I used to be sitting on the organ at church. At an outdated black Baptist church, you’re sitting whereas the pastor is speaking. My dad is speaking and I began taking part in that music, after which I used to be pondering as quickly as church was over, I’d go to the studio and document it. That music from my dad speaking, to going to the studio in my swimsuit, to lighting the incense to smoke up the room. Then Jill walks in and stated she appreciated it, wished to write down to it. I went into the opposite room with Darren and Carvin, and we’re taking part in Sega Genesis. She calls me again to take heed to what she recorded. She hit the play button, and I advised her to go proper into the sales space. We reduce that music. I didn’t assume it was going to make the album, nevertheless it grew to become one of many favorites. It’s considered one of her most well-known songs. Second one is “Cross My Thoughts” which I did with Darren Henson.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak about the place issues took you after you left A Contact of Jazz.
Keith Pelzer: Once we acquired out of there. The six of us all of us principally, this was the final huddle. In that huddle, all of us ended up with an lawyer. We acquired out of our scenario with Jazzy Jeff. As soon as we acquired out of there, all people type of went in two’s. My associate was Darren Henson. We had been managed by Herb Quarterman. We had Troy Carter. You bought him and J. Irving, managing us. We ended up getting a publishing deal in 2005. We labored on Floetry’s sophomore album, on Jill Scott’s dwell album, some Musiq stuff. Religion Evans, Patti LaBelle, Earth Wind & Fireplace, Kem “Love Calls My Identify”. We labored on a variety of stuff. We stored busy after which I accepted my calling to evangelise in 2005. It put a monkey wrench in the whole lot. Then we ended up in one other authorized battle scenario. Royalties, you’ve acquired to maintain up with them. That took me out of the vibe of stuff. I’m just about indebted to Darren. I don’t assume I held up my facet of it, coping with my non secular facet. I did take pleasure in that surroundings of 6 guys. It’s nothing on Darren. Then we needed to miss of our studio scenario, and we ended up at Sigma Sound. Then that constructing acquired taken over and foreclosed. It was simply a lot happening.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Inform us what you’re at the moment engaged on?
Keith Pelzer: I’m again on the music now. Really earlier than Covid hit, I’ve been quietly getting issues going and getting my ft moist once more. The entire panorama has modified. As soon as music began getting easy once more, and I don’t wish to sound just like the older man saying music sucks, I perceive it. After they had been having these Instagram battles, it was dope to listen to the Babyface/Teddy, the Erica/Jill. Now you bought Alicia and John Legend. It’s kinda like there may be this complete period of music that got here out that you simply don’t have happening proper now. It’s like this lifeless house in there. Now music by no means stops. If you happen to’re good at it, you’re good at it. Out of nowhere, you’ll be able to simply pop again in and simply get in there. I’m very optimistic about ahead motion with it.