Native New Yorker Wayne Hunter (aka DJ Smash) has traversed the commercial boundaries of the music business while blurring genres to create his own brew of "dance music"
As a remixer, producer. label founder, a&r consultant and club dj with over 20 remixes of various artists, 4 major label compilations and 75 original released productions to his credit, he's worked either in the studio or in concert with musical legends Roy Ayers, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Guru's Jazzmatazz featuring Donald Byrd among many others.
His first releases as an artist/producer was for the ground breaking, New York City underground dance label Nu Groove Records. “Cutting my first 3 records with no censorship or musical discrimination from a label was such a blessing to me” says Smash. “Karen and Frank (Mendez) were risk takers and way ahead of there time for a New York label. Being able to learn the business as I went along yet being given the respect and freedom to find my own way musically really planted the bug in my head to start my own label like I witnessed Kenny Dope and Bobby Konders do with them”.
However, before realizing that goal, he was offered an artist / production deal with Warner Bros. Records and formed a dance group called 'Love Drops'' comprised of singers Lisa Shaw (Naked Music) and Asia Love and himself.
"To be on the same label with Prince, Miles Davis and Van Halen was a freaky thrill for me. Here i am, this underground, DJ under the same banner as my musical idols. I was in heaven.for about 2 months". After being prematurely summoned back down to earth, Smash quickly realized that being on a major label wasn't actually conducive to producing the music he could be proud of, or that they new how to sell. "I think they signed me as a reaction to the whole dj / remixer thing becoming fashionable for the majors at that time, it was like 'look! we have one too!"
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While working on his Warner Bros project, Smash teamed up with an investor and finally realized the dream of starting a label, who's initial purpose was to release the material Warner passed on. So, in 1990, Eightball Records was born with Smash producing the first 5 single released under the monikers Jazz Not Jazz and Jazzy Grooves. He also served as a&r and co-producer for underground soul singer Napoleon Solo’s cult funk hit “Come On Girl” and as remixer for producer Fred Jorio’s 1st Lectroluv Project for the label.
Those first releases played a key role in sparking the fuse for the New York "Acid Jazz" movement, After just over a year, sighting creative differences with their Eightball partner, Smash and creative partner Asia Love co-founded a new imprint specifically focused on the growing global phenomenon of the ‘Acid’Jazz and Breakbeat movement.
They christened it New Breed Records in homage of what they hoped to achieve musically. Erasing (or at least blurring) the perceived differences between musical genres. The label embodied the name wholeheartedly and grew to feature a diverse roster of talent from around the globe. For most of the artists, Lisa Shaw (Canada), The Prunes (Denmark), Hustlers of Culture (UK), Peanutbutter Wolf (San Jose), Tommy Gurerro (San Francisco) and Khromozome Project (NY), it was their first record deal and a fertile testing ground for new and unusual ideas.
New Breed had a healthy six year run (1991-1997) as one of the premiere underground electronic imprints in New York with a finely tuned focus on signing and nurturing new talent.
Smash also has the distinction of being the first DJ / remixer to be invited into the vailts of the esteemed jazz label Blue Note Records. The results of his efforst culminated into a remix series he concieved as Phonography. Two volumes where released to critical acclaim in 2001 and 2003.
He subsequently toured internationally to support both of the eclectic releases
the were in essence a dj mix that included an amalgamation of hiphop, house, drum & bass and other stylistic mixtures.
With Blue Note's rich cadre of musicians as the focal point combined with an international variety of remixers like St. Germain, Guru, DJ Spinna, Koop, Mos Def, Blaze and others contributing, the project broke new ground in the ever widening definition of jazz and helped pave the way for similar projects like Verve Remixed and other catalog rich classic labels seeking to revive and revamp their deep archives.
In 2005 Smash was invited to participate in another remix project based on the rich
catalog of yet another legendary record label. Motown Remixed was released in spring of 2005 and featured a who's who of the label's vast line up of legendary artists including Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and of course the forever legendary Stevie Wonder. Coupled with a diverse lineup of today's most in demand remixers. Smash was specifically chosen by Motown to lend his production talents to the project resulting in an updated club treatment of Stevie Wonder's soul/pop hit "Signed Sealed & Delivered". The remix has been used in commercials, a film soundtrack and was chosen by the NBA for use during the halftime video highlights and backed up by a live performance by Mr. Wonder in person at game 4 of the NBA playoffs.
In May 2006 Smash contributed a remix treatment of the classic arabic influenced jazz standard 'Caravan' by the legendary Dizzy Gillespie.
The mixes were included in a remix compilation called "Rebop" by classic Jazz label Savoy. The comp attempts to show the continuing deep connection between jazz and hip hop and features remix contributions by King Britt, Jazzy Jeff, DJ Spooky, Large Professor and several other prominent DJ / remixers.
DJ history
Smash cut his teeth on the NYC club scene during the 90's with
past nightclub residencies including stints Save The Robots, Nell’s, Giant Step and APT .
He continues to to tour with numerous guest stints at various venues and music festivals around the globe.
