Friday, January 9, 2009

SERGIO GEORGE BIOGRAPHY

Sergio George
The man. The music. The legend

The man
-- Born May 23, 1961 to Sergio Sr. and Maria, Sergio George grew up in Manhattan's famous Barrio Latino, which would prove to be the backdrop of his musical development. "My neighborhood was a melting pot of cultures and sounds," explains Sergio. "Where else could you hear both the Ohio Players and Hector Lavoe … James Brown and the Areito All-Stars?"

At the tender age of 9, Sergio began taking piano lessons and went on to study at City College of New York and the prestigious New York Conservatory of Music under John Lewis and Ron Carter. At the age of 18, he began his career as a professional musician, touring with the likes of Tito Puente, Ray Barretto and Willie Colon. He also spent one year in Medellin, Colombia, as a key member of Grupo Star. It was at this time that he began to unify the elements that would become part of his signature sound.

The music
-- "My career as a producer began because I was at the right place at the right time," Sergio humbly jokes. "At the time, I was working on Tito Nieves' project as an arranger/keyboard player. The original producer decided that the project wasn't the right fit for him and decided to move on. On a whim, Tito suggested that the project be turned over to me and the rest, as they say, is history." Sergio went on to produce Tito's #1 smash single, "Sonambulo," giving the young producer the first of many to come successful commercial and radio hits.

Sergio then became the musical visionary behind the tropical powerhouse, RMM Records. Inspired by his Fania predecessors, Sergio took this budding genre and made it his own. He created the incomparable sound for two of Latin music's then rising stars, Marc Anthony and India, who to this day are mainstays in Latin music.
Undoubtedly, Sergio has worked with the crème de la crème of Latin music -- everyone ranging from Victor Manuelle, Paulina Rubio, Christina Aguilera, Jenni Rivera, to Frankie Negron, Ricardo Arjona, and Jennifer Lopez. It is safe to say that anyone who has ever aspired to make a mark in tropical music has felt the need to seek out the undeniable musical prowess of Sergio George.

Nevertheless, Sergio admits that one of the joys of working in the music business is identifying and developing new artist talent. "It's an amazing process, working with a new artist. As a producer, I see the potential and I work to bring it out of the artist -- to shape and mold a sound, a feeling, a style that is one of a kind and unmistakably their own."
It was this passion for experimentation and artist development that led George to create the groundbreaking group, Dark Latin Groove (DLG), in the late 90s. "DLG filled a void in Latin music because it enabled the youth to celebrate their cultural heritage while simultaneously enjoying contemporary music." Drawing on his love of R&B, funk, and his appreciation of hip-hop, Sergio fearlessly fused the sounds of traditional salsa with elements of the Anglo world. "Did we know it would work? No. Did that stop us? No. We focused on making good music and people saw the outcome and adopted this new sound as their own."

Furthermore, Sergio breathed new life into the career of salsa's reigning queen, Celia Cruz. "Working with Celia has been one of my proudest moments as a producer and as a human being," shares Sergio. "She was daring, adventurous, full of life and love. She allowed me to create and was open to my suggestions." It was the undeniable chemistry between these two musical geniuses that gave rise to one of Celia's greatest hits of all time, La Negra Tiene Tumbao. Sergio flawlessly captured Celia's timeless voice and fused it effortlessly with the modern sounds of reggaeton.

To date, Sergio has solidified his place amongst Latin music's heavy hitters and has worked with such artists as Olga Tanon, Chayanne, Gloria Trevi, and Xtreme. He continues to push boundaries and stay at the forefront of Latin music. In 2008, he won a Latin GRAMMY for Producer of the Year and Best Salsa Album (El Cantante).

The legend
-- "You never know the impact that your individual contribution is going to have on the world," affirms Sergio. "I have been blessed to work with many great people along the way. I am thankful for every moment, every memory and ultimately for being able to do what I love. To be able to find and develop your niche in a world of many opportunities is a rare blessing and I am fortunate that I have been able to use my talent to somehow make the world a better place."

When asked what is the secret to his musical success, Sergio replies "In music, you keep your focus on the streets, on everyday people, because you literally are creating the soundtrack to which they live their lives. It's an awesome responsibility, but one that ultimately begins and ends with the streets." He also mentions that one should never be afraid to venture into uncharted territory.

Indeed, Sergio George has single-handedly revolutionized Latin music and taken tropical music to the next level. His passion, courage, charisma and strength have defined him as a person as his musical genius has shaped a generation of music lovers everywhere … and to think, this is only the beginning.

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