chris simmonds

Bio:

..Chris Simmonds aka........

Kidsmart, House Proud People, Smooth & Simmonds, Retro Emotion, Private Funk, Bakers Dozen...

I am a London born DJ / Producer & Percussionist and I come from a musical family background going back as far as 1978. My half brother and uncle were major players in the British Funk Scene (Hi - Tension). At an early age I was taken by the band to studios and rehearsals live gigs etc, and was given a full insight into the Music Industry as it was happening, and this was where it all began for me. I would work after school and saved money to hire studios to record compositions with friends while learning to play the trumpet and drums I  formed a group called TLC with Antonio Raggafunk Soundman (producer for Don-e) and Rowan Wilson (producer for 90s pop band Eternal).  The band eventually split to pursue other ventures plus after all we were very young. I continued learning drums and percussion but dropped the trumpet but I was confident enough to write songs and pitch them to my brother's band, whilst frequenting studio sessions and live shows to learn the business from the inside.

In the late 80's I would be found at the decks of Time Radio in London spinning Soul, Jazz, Funk and Rare Grooves doing the graveyard shift 3-6am Mon - Thurs before a full days work as a  toolmaker in a factory that made masks for fighter pilots. That slowly faded away with hassle from the radio authorities, and stations like Medina and Girls FM came about which specialized in House & Hip Hop and this is where I met Jack Smooth a friend and a dj I respected and knew I would have  for life who shared a common interest making our own House tracks. Six months later we had both left work and were driving around the country selling our own productions (Wax Factory Productions), out of the boot of the car. This was one of the first UK independent dance labels back in 1990 which gave us the opportunity to meet & engineer for the likes of Carl Cox, Colin Dale, Rocky (xpress 2), Rugged Vinyl and a lot more of the dj/producers of the 90s.  As hard as we were working back then there still wasn't enough money between us to live so we started individual labels, and so my first label was called Baby Blue Records but it wasn't what I wanted it to be.

After 11 releases on Baby Blue I rested the label because I knew I was not being honest with myself as regards to what was being produced for the label, it was the time of rave tunes and I didn't want to do that anymore, my heart was into more meaningful music so I decided to have a look around the rest of the world at what was going on.  It wasn't real in my mind to think that djs around the world were playing my productions but it was happening and that's how I met Mike Huckaby in Detroit in 1993, and on the strength of Chris Simmonds Project on Richie Hawtin's Definitive Records I became head of music at Cross Section Records with my girlfriend & business partner Lorraine Kempster who later became my wife.

So with all the musical influences and new talents I have enjoyed listening to along the way I wanted to include them in this project, as a way of saying thank you & be proud that I have accomplished something is not all House but showcases all the other kinds of music that I also enjoy to record.  So here's the birth of Adventures In Mechanical Funk!

This project has taken a while to get to this point but looking at it now,  I have stuck to my guns and waited to work with one of my all time heroes on this project, jazz legend Jeff Lorber. Other collaborations include stable mates The Crazy Brazilian (13akers Dozen), Magoo (Private Funk), Paul Frazer Clarke (Retro Emotion), Ron Wells (Smooth & Simmonds), Luke Buttery, Shena McSween (Vocalist on Weekend), Rick Braun plus clearances pending with Patrice Rushen, Herbie Hancock & Wille "little beaver" Hale. (Joss Stone's guitarist)

Working with these talents has been a life changing honour and I hope to do more of the same in the future as there are so many other world class performers that could not commit due to their work schedules and their price on my wishlist so I hope this is the first of many.

Thank you for your continued support.

Chris Simmonds

 
for dj/pa bookings contact bookings@crossxsection.com

Member Since:

May 10, 2006

Members:

WAX FACTORY PRODUCTIONS. (partnership with Jack Smooth)

WF. 001: Platinoid/Silacybe by Smooth & Simmonds.

WF. 002: The Four Seasons by Smooth & Simmonds.

WF. 003: Jus. Move / Wax Works by Danse City.

WF. 004: Bubbles by Rhythm X.

WF. 005: Pucker Tunes Vol.1.ep by Smooth & Simmonds.

WF. 006: Dilated Rhythms by Panic.

WF. 007: Sub-Hurts/Sweet Thoughts by Authentic One.

WF. 008: The Master/Overdrive Max by Tech-Aluco.

WF. 009. Futuristic Shocker ep. Tech-Aluco.

WF. 010. Nocturnal Grooves ep. Insomnia.

WF. 011. Hooked/Tek 2 by Smooth & Simmonds.

WF. 012. C.S.R./ Ruff & Ready by Smooth & Simmonds.

WF. 013. Loves Gonna Get You /Perpetual/Groove Solutions pt1/2. by Smooth & Simmonds

WF. 014. Panic 95 / Blue Tac / Factory Shift* / Solid Groove. by Jack Smooth & Aubrey. (*remixed & produced by Smooth & Simmonds.)

WF. 015. The Four Seasons 95 Smooth & Simmonds. (licensed to BOMBA Records.)

WF. 016. Vertigo / Climax. by Smooth & Simmonds. (licensed to BOMBA Records.)

BABY BLUE RECORDS

BLU. 001: Midnight Music ep. by Chris Simmonds.

BLU. 002: Diamond Dimension ep. by D.J. Caroline.

BLU. 003: Desire by Partners in Time.

BLU. 004: Active X-trax Vol.1.ep. by Chris Simmonds.

BLU. 005: Extasy / Kaotic People by Tiyo & Co.

BLU. 006: Sonic Effect ep. by The Sonic Syndicate.

BLU. 007: Work it ! by Chris Simmonds. ( licensed to Definative Records)

BLU. 008: Tonight / Arabian Dreams by Partners in Time .

BLU. 009: 3rd Planet Exodus / Reaction by Insideoutlaws.

BLU. 010: Give you Love / I need you by Chris Simmonds.

BLU. 011: Candyman by Jamma

CROSS SECTION RECORDS.

C.S. 101: Active X-trax. Vol. 2.

C.S. 102: House Proud People Dibi-Dub ep

C.S. 105: Active X-trax Vol.3.

C.S. 107: Looking for an Answer by Partners in Time - Alex Marsh & Julie Payne

C.S. 108: House Proud People - Dubble Top ep.

C.S. 109: The Third Hustle - Alex Faith & Chris Simmonds.

C.S. 112: Active X-traX. Vol 4.

C.S. 113: Private Funk Sessions Vol.1. limited edition - The Diggers & Chris Simmonds

C.S. 114: House Proud People - Lonely Disco Dancer ep

C.S. 117: B-Rich experiments in.......by B-Rich & Chris Simmonds

C.S. 118: Urban Influence pt1

C.S. 120: Retro Emotion Madisons Playground with Paul F Clarke

C.S. 121: Private Funk 2 by Gary Borg, Dave Ruhi & Chris Simmonds

C.S. 122: Smooth & Simmonds Pure / Gameplan

C.S. 123: Active X-traX Vol. 5.

C.S. 125: House Proud People - Conflicts of Interest ep

C.S. 128: Urban Influence pt2

C.S. 131: Active X-traX Vol.6.

C.S. 135: CODE of SILENCE

C.S. 138: Rush n Soul / Runaway.

C.S. 139: Magoo & Simmonds Head 2 Head ep.

C.S. 142: Chris Simmonds - Communicate ep.

C.S. 143: Chris Simmonds & Brian Royer (13akers dozen) message from a friend /rita...."s kitchen (licensed to shaboom records)

C.S. 144: Bakers dozen - Mindgames ep - Chris Simmonds & Brian Royer

C.S. 146: Chris Simmonds feat Diamond - the way u want 2 b / no more talkin

C.S. 147: Chris Simmonds feat. Jeff lorber - sirens (from the forthcoming album) (PROMO)

CROSS SECTION CDS

CSCD101: Chris Simmonds presents The Cross Section Collective mix cd

CSCD102: Cross Section Collective pt2 double cd mixed & unmixed (PROMO)

Black No Sugar

CWL.001: RINGOLEVIO - We re Livin with Mr Magoo & Dave Ruhi

CWL.002: 151 - I Like It with Mr Magoo & dave Ruhi

CWL.005: KID SMART - 4 PLEASURE ONLY ep

CWL.008: KID SMART - BACK 4 MORE EP

CWL.009: Bitter Sweet and Twisted Vol. 1

Production & remix credits

Chris Simmonds presents Newoldsh*t (Robsoul)

Chris Simmonds feat Brian Royer - JAZZ 2 BU - (Court Square)

Chris Simmonds feat. Brian Royer - In my Soul. (Big Chief Recordings)

Chris Simmonds - Still Workin ep (Bosh Records)

The Chris Simmonds Project feat. Mike Huckaby (Definitive Records)

Controlled Emotions ep (Viva Recordings)

The Sunchaser ep (Midnight Groove Records)

The Breakfast Club ep - The Cross Section Collective. (Midnight Groove Records)

Deluxe & Simmonds feat. Rose Windross - Peace of Mind (Sound of the Ministry)

Mix Compilations by www.millenniumrecords.com

The Funk Room

Latin House Volumes 3 to 8

REMIXES

Toma - Magoo - Cross Section

J.Viewz Smooth Criminal (Mijac Music)

Richard Gow (Rhythm Slaves) - Take Control ( Real Estate)

Freaks - Can we Freak it (Music For Freaks)

Jeff Lorber Keep On / What it is from the album Kickin it

Antony Hateley Think Positive / Do Nothing Kid Smart remixes (Black no Sugar)

Double 99 Freekazoid (BMG)

The Affair The Way We are ( Fourth & Broadway )

Get Down Common Factor - (Planet E )

Ghetto Style (Defiant Records)

Naked Music NYC If I Fall (OM Records)

Santone Be Right There (Defiant records)

Phillip Ramerez Keep the Faith (Crash Records)

Floor Movers C-Lime Woman (Stickman Records)

J.D. Discography Give you love ( Far Out Records )

HI-Fi Power Chill out (Soundman Records) drum & bass mix

House of Funk The Funk Track (Soundman Records)

Pyjama Party Kinky People (Avanti Disk)

+ Project 3 feat. Vaughn. Show me Love (Avanti Disk)

San Jose Wild Country (Real Good Records)

S.M.F How many ways (Rugged Vinyl ) drum & bass mix

Intense Genesis project (Rugged Vinyl) drum & bass mix

* Richard Anthony Davis Back to Love (Top Tempo)

The Diggers Last Nights.." Party (Cross Section)

Dean Edwards .."I Want You Back.." (Top Tempo )

* Innercolours Grateful (Unreleased removed vocals to become Private Funk vol.1)

* Vincent Alvis Soulmate (Soundman Records)

DJ Assassin Old School Flavour (Attitude Records) -remix with DJ Assassin

DJ Assassin Face in the crowd (Cross Section)

Tim Deluxe I Know (Cross Section)

Taxi Somebody Loves You (Metrix UK)

+ with Alex Marsh

* with Gary Borg aka Magoo & Dave Ruhi as Cross Section Collective.

Influences:

Jeff Lorber, Patrice Rushen, Roy Ayres, Earth Wind & Fire, Donald Byrd, The Blackbyrds, Johnny Hammond, Marcus Miller, Harvey Mason, Herbie Hancock, Steve Gadd, Pleasure, Ralph MacDonald, Dale Jacobs, Pattie Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Brenda Russell, Dr Dre, Mood II Swing, DJ Sneak, Magoo, The Crazy Brazilian & good music in general it could be any genre.

Sounds Like: