B-ROOM PRODUCERS

Steve Mostyn

From playing in ska bands in his native Sydney, Australia to living in New York, writing hit songs with Alicia Keys and performing with her as her bass player around the world, Steve Mostyn can proudly attest to being a jack of all trades and master of most them too.

Steve's earliest musical influences came from his father, himself a part time musician, who brought his son a keyboard at the age of two. By nine Steve had graduated to guitar, while his brother , Andrew played the drums. At twelve he was recording his own tracks and playing in his own band at thirteen. Steve's teenage years were filled with a passion for retro music from the '60's and '70's as he enmeshed himself into classic Motown, Stax and Northern Soul. The Beatles and The Who also helped to shape his musical sensibilities.

"In my teens I was a card carrying, scooter riding, soul, ska and power pop loving Mod!" he laughs.

As he matured his tastes grew more eclectic. "I was into everyone from Otis Redding, Graham Central Station and James Brown to the early '80's groups like The Smiths. Cocteau Twins, The Cure, Joy Division, The Jam to ska influenced British groups like The Specials, Madness to '80's and '90's hip-hop that the Bomb Squad produced for Public Enemy, Ice Cube to Tribe Called Quest. I think just having such a broad taste musically definitely helped me when I decided to move to the States. I don't think it was really appreciated in Australia, which back then was more rock orientated."

Soon after he moved, he received a call in 2004 famed musical director, Ray Chew asking if he was interested in being a bass player in Alicia Keys' band. "It was the easiest decision that I ever had to make!" Steve says.

And so began a whirlwind lifestyle that not only saw Steve criss crossing the globe with one of the world's biggest musical superstars but also forming a writing relationship with Alicia that helped spawn some of her most recognized hits.

"There have been so many memorable moments with her, especially live" he recalls. "In fact, my first gig with her was the 2005 Grammies. There was a massive orchestra behind us and Quincy Jones was conducting. In the studio, the creative vibe with her is awesome. We wrote "Superwoman" together which won a grammy. Then when we wrote "Distance And Time" and "This Bed" together from her last album, which was fun to go in a very '80's/Prince direction."

Indeed, it may seem like a far stretch for a ska loving mod to wind up as a mainstay with one of the world's top R&B/pop artists. Steve, who is signed to Sony ATV through Alicia's publishing company explains the connection: "When I first came here to the States I'd been playing in a Pentecostal church in NY and I met a lot of musicians who work for most of the pop and R&B artists through that church. I guess I kind of slid in that way!"

In addition to Alicia, Steve has played and recorded with a who's who of musical icons including Stevie Wonder, Bono, David Bowie, Annie Lennox, Gwen Stefani, Destiny's Child, Jay-Z, Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake, John Mayer and Chris Martin.
With a stable recording base on the east coast, both at his management team, B-Room's studio in Weehawken, NJ and another project studio upstate New York, Steve also plans to open up a writing room in LA and possibly one in his hometown of Sydney, Australia.

"I like to keep on the go. As an artist it's inspiring to see and experience different things and I suppose I've been a little bit spoiled from touring so much. But right now my priority is to keep writing great songs and collaborating with great songwriters. I think, for example, I could really bring out something new musically with Lady Gaga. There are also a lot of very new, young talented writers I've been working with at B-Room that I'm sure will go on to be really successful in this business. It's always inspiring and refreshing to be around the next wave of talent. It keeps me on my toes!"

Daniel Plante

Multi instrumentalist Daniel Plante has recently worked with songwriters Autumn Rowe, Jared Cotter (Jay Sean, "Down") as well as long time collaborator Trey Lorenz. As a producer, he excels in tailor making songs for specific artists. Danny, who has has just finished writing and producing B-Room Records' Natascha Bessez debut single, "Heal", prides himself with being able to keep step groove wise with the likes of Deadmau5, David Guetta, Stargate and Sandy V while being able to deliver timeless musical melodies that songwriters crave.

Tony Varnado aka (DJ Tony Vee)

Although you may never have heard of Tony V, chances are you have heard the work of this nimble fingered keyboardist/DJ/producer. Working alongside legendary DJ Tony Humphries, Tony made a name for himself by working on a string of club and pop classics in the '90's on all the major labels by artists including Living Color, The Beloved and Jellybean. Influenced recently by the UK Dub Step scene and the progressive hard edged grooves of Wolfgang Gartner amongst others, Tony V could well be B-Room's secret weapon, combining a DJ's understanding of killer dance floor grooves with a musician/programmer's flair for sound and melody.