Almost everyone can remember the guy who came to the party with the best music. No matter what was playing, after his tapes started, it was always a better party.
Geoffrey C is that guy.
Since graduating from High School in MD, Geoffrey has been either a DJ or a producer of edit mixes/remixes for commerical radio stations, major record labels and parties. Interestingly, he got his start, he says, because he didn't like what he heard on the radio.
"People liked them and after a while, they would ask me if I would do some tapes for them," says Geoffrey. "Finally, somebody asked me if I'd considered submitting these tapes to radio stations. I hadn't."
An AM Baltimore station, WEBB 1360, was known to play tapes submitted from the public. Though amateur, the quality had to be good. Geoffrey called the Program Director and asked what he needed to do.
"He said, 'Put together three mixes, one mix per song.' So I did 'Huevo Dancing' by Fresh Face, 'Buffalo Gals' by Malcolm McLaren and the Supreme Team and 'It's in the Mix' by Iceberg Slim. I put it on a 60 minute, TDK tape and I still have it and it still plays."
The station liked his work and began playing Geoffrey's songs on the radio. He remembers when he heard his work on air for the first time. "It was April 1, 1983. I remember the date because it was April Fool's Day and when I told people my stuff was on the air, no one believed me."
Geoffrey continued working for WEBB while he went to a local Community College for a data processing degree. Calling education his "cushion," he paid for it through his work as a DJ for parties. He moved on to UMBC to get a bachelor's in information systems management, and didn't need financial aid until near the end.
His double life continued after he left the Baltmore station in 1988 to work at urban station WPGC-FM 95.5. A friend, Doug Lazy, pulled him on board to do production work, even though there really wasn't a position available. "But my crazy edits gave the station an advantage," says Geoffrey. He also started working as a DJ on Fridays, from 7 p.m. to midnight. Geoffrey stayed at the Washington, D.C. station until 1994. After which, he landed a gig at Baltimore's Number one radio station, WERQ-FM 92 ("92Q") from 5 to 6 p.m., and then again from 11 p.m.-1 a.m. on Friday.
Though he sort of "fell into" his music career initially, it is now something Geoffrey pursues with purpose. At the same time he began working for WPGC, he picked up production work for Warner Brothers Records, Columbia Records, Atlantic Records and East-West Records. Some of his most recognizable mixes, both for Atlantic Records, are "One in a Million" by late R&B singer Aaliyah and "Bass Power" by Raze featuring Doug Lazy. Geoffrey says, because record companies send new music to him for possible airplay at on his mixshows, he takes the opportunity to pitch mixes to company representatives. "I counter sell," says Geoffrey with a grin.
Most of his work is done in his townhouse basement studio through his company, Edgemix Productions, LLC. He would love to work with legendary R&B group Earth, Wind and Fire, and he is about to start a publishing company.
You can now catch Geoffrey live on www.handzonradio.fm every Tuesday night from 8:00PM -- 10:00PM (Est) and on www.globalsoulradio.com every Friday from 8:00PM -- 10:00PM (Est)
Written by Monette Bailey
