“One of a kind” is not even enough to what John Beltran represent into the world of music, a producer’s credentials for recording Detroit-styled techno don’t come much better than John Beltran’s. Based in nearby Lansing, Beltran worked with Derrick May (as Indio) and released several records on Carl Craig’s Retro-Active label (as Open House, with Mark Wilson). And his ear for melody — gained from a healthy enjoyment of world and new age music — has given his productions enough of a bite to feature for such home-listening-slanted labels as Peacefrog and Dot (as Placid Angles).
1- Where did you born ? and who teach you how to make music !
I was born in Lansing Michigan 1969. I taught myself to play the piano but I come from a rather musical family. I have always had an ear for music so applying it to an instrument was logical.
2- If someone ask you, your sound comes from Chicago or from Detroit what would you say?
I would say my earliest influences are European and Detroit but I feel my sound is eclectic and global now.
3- What music means for you? electronically and spiritualy
Music is what I am…..I couldn’t really do anything else. Sometimes I write for money and that can be a drag but I get my greatest joy writing music without a genre. Just making a song for me not for a label or scene.
4- Whats the strongest inspiration that LIFE have gived to you.
My son Jordi being born. On my birthday….he’s my heart.
5- Why do you think about war? what can you say about it? do you believe in ying and yang, or whats your vision about “bad things” ?
War…saddens me. Mainly for the children involved.
I suppose I believe in Ying and Yang not specifically but I Like the concept.
6- How did u get influenced by Latinamerica?
Both of my parents are Latin/Spanish. My father of Puerto Rican decent and mother of Mexican/Greek. Safe to say I grew up with great food as well.
7- What and hows your vision of house music, can you tell us a little about history, how the roll started, how styles like disco and funk, started to mix eachother into the mother of electronic music.
Yes. As I see it, Disco being the obvious beginning and new wave, punk, funk and soul all blended to create the energy of early house. From there it was a free for all influences to get involved. And they did!
8- We can see how clear are all your musical pieces, each on its own form and space, do you think this is why you make just records from time to time, not falling on the sin of saturation, recycling or making use of the “formula” ?
Yes. I make music when I feel like it.
9- You have the gift of integrity, your musical pieces vary between electronica, neo jazz, bossanova, latin house, ambient, deep house, but if you need to describe your music in a real world landscape which one would be !!!
Heart felt music. No genres. I have influences within genres but my finished work is an amalgamation of too many to mention.
10- Hows your studio ? what software – hardware do you use?
I use Digital Performer. Kurzweil, Korg and Alesis hardware products. I use a the Native Inst Package and MOTU Symphonic Orchestra Virtual synths.
11- We see your music, but we never see you many live appearances around, why? sorry for the ignorance, are u a dj too? or only a musician? or is just a way of making things, and you like when people found them.
I dj in my town. I used to play abroad more when i was recording for Ubiquity to promote specific projects. Now I do so many left field projects that I don’t really have full on LPs to promote. Especially in the club culture.
12- What you do, to have a sucesfull life balance between music and money. Are u suffering from the democratization of technology, or that affects artists that act more as djs at the end?
I dj and do remixes/tv music and an occasional single to keep it real.
13- In what proyects are you in? we see something about a new album coming…
Well I just had a release on Delsin Records The Best of John Beltran’ Ambient Selections. I want to follow up with a film music album very soon.
14- And to finish, add a word in front of each concept:
PAST: Embrace
PRESENT: Enjoy
FUTURE:Pray
GROOVE:Flow
SPIRIT:Melody
AMERICA:Home
EUROPE:Roots
LATINAMERICA:Future
WORLD:Love
UNIVERSE:Small
LIFE:My son
DEATH:Ok
GOD:One
HUMANITY:Hope
MUSIC:…..
