Behind the Hits: David Chatfield’s Unique Approach to Music Production

2023 has seen many releases of great mixes by producer David Chatfield on Southern California-based Harmony Records. David’s remixes have over 3 million streams worldwide this year. David is a 36-year voting member of the Recording Academy and a member of the Producer’s and Engineers’ Wing of the Recording Academy. Recently, Harvey Mason Jr., Recording Academy CEO, commented, “David is a prolific creator, and we are proud of his long-time membership in the academy.” 

Here are some excerpts from a recent interview about David’s current releases and future projects.

Q: During December, you’ll be releasing a single, “Rearview Mirror,” from the band Destiny Forever featuring John Stamos. John is an actor and musician, and his ‘If You Would Have Told Me: A Memoir’ was an instant New York Times bestseller, debuting at number 4. Three-time Emmy Nominee and People’s Choice Award winner Stamos is a skilled drummer who has been working with the Beach Boys since 1985.

Destiny was John’s first band, a trio with brothers Philip and David Bardowell. They have reunited as Destiny Forever, featuring John Stamos. The band’s first music, which I produced and arranged, is being released on Harmony Records. The first song, “Rearview Mirror,” has been in development since March, and I produced the tracks at Grammy Award-winning ES Audio studio in Glendale. John has a very unique commercial/progressive playing style on “Rearview Mirror.” Like many others of my releases, the song features my recognizable harmonic California Sound (TM.)

I’m sure drummers will be recording YouTube videos to teach others how he played the song. John said the recording session was “one of my favorite days yesterday.”

Q: There has been a lot of growth and momentum with your various musical and recording endeavors, as well as building your Harmony Records label and its Sound Image Records subsidiary. I’d like to discuss your winter 2023-24 plans and activities.

You are also very active in recordings by the legendary six-time Grammy winner Puerto Rican guitarist/singer Jose Feliciano, a 2021 National Medal of Arts recipient awarded by President Joe Biden. Jose also was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2023, guitarist Feliciano joined Bad Bunny at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for a version of “La Canción” and “Yonaguni.”

I am remixing, remastering, and releasing Jose Feliciano’s smooth jazz version of “God Bless the Child” (made popular by Billie Holiday and Blood, Sweat & Tears) to be released this November, and I am currently remixing, remastering and releasing the featured song on the new Jose Feliciano EP coming in early 2024.

Q: The Jose Feliciano recordings are done in conjunction with Bob Conti, a noted producer/arranger and percussionist, who was with Donna Summer for over a quarter of a century and toured extensively with Feliciano. Bob has become a valuable part of your Harmony Records’ vision. You’ve placed him as head of your International Music division. Tell me about the available and future Jose recordings you’re issuing.

Currently streaming worldwide on all streaming services is my remix of “Sixty Years On,” featuring Jose’s great performance and Bob Conti’s great production of Elton John’s beautiful and meaningful song. The video of “Sixty Years On” on YouTube is amazing. It was directed by Vladimir Gribul in Kyiv, Ukraine. Also streaming is Jose Feliciano’s performance of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” also originally produced by Bob Conti. The video of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” is the centerpiece of a peace and unity television special in planning for spring of 2024.

Q: Work continues on the musical group Steel Breeze. What a saga this band and yourself have been through together.

As chronicled by deejays Casey Kasem and Dick Clark, Kim Fowley and I discovered Steel Breeze’s demo of their hit “You Don’t Want Me Anymore” in a trash bag collected from Madame Wong’s nightclub in Los Angeles.

In 2023, I started remixing, re-recording, editing, and mastering dozens of Steel Breeze’s best (and many unreleased) songs. So far, the remixed recordings released have been streamed more than 3 million times by nearly 1 million listeners.

In November 2023, I am releasing a remix of “Who’s Gonna Love You Tonight,” recreating the feeling the song had when Steel Breeze played it on tour with The Who, Jefferson Starship, Joan Jett, Kansas, Hall and Oats, and several others. Also, in November 2023, I will be releasing a new unplugged version of “You Don’t Want Me Anymore.” At the beginning of 2024, both an EP and a full album will be released with new focus tracks.

Q: You are also working on overdubs, remixing, and remastering a group of songs for an EP for Tony Moore. One song has a planned released in 2023 and 4 more songs scheduled for an EP in 2024.

Tony Moore’s one-man show Awake is currently running in the UK to rave reviews and will be the opening act for the “British Lions” UK tour starting in January 2024. That tour sold out in 19 minutes! “British Lions” is a highly popular spin-off from “Iron Maiden”. Tony Moore was an early member of “Iron Maiden” before joining “Cutting Crew” (“(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight.”

Q: You’ve just inked a multi-album relationship with Julian Shah-Tayler, a terrific singer/songwriter. Tell me about the recordings he’s done and will be doing for the label. I would also like to know about your collaborations with Julian.

Julian Shah-Tayler is a wonderfully talented singer/songwriter/performer who has great success both on streaming services (Spotify Number 4 on the New Wave Chart in 2022) and live performance, both in the US and Internationally. I recently traveled to Northern California to see Julian perform three different shows: one set featuring his original songs, one as “The Electric Duke,” a tribute to David Bowie, and one as a member of “Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience.”

I have completed my work on a great song written and performed by Julian and produced by the well-respected engineer/producer Robert Margouleff (Stevie Wonder, Devo) called “Easy.”

I am remixing some of Julian’s previous recordings, and we are contemplating re-recording several more of fan favorites from Julian’s past releases and combining this all into a “Best Of” album. Robert Margouleff will be involved in what I believe will be a co-production with me of some of Julian’s best material. One or two singles should be released in 2023, with the balance of the album released in 2024.

Q: You have a long-term relationship with singer/performer David Aldo. Talk to me about his very interesting career.

David Aldo has had 7 #1 solo singles, was named Best Male Vocalist in South Africa, has toured the world opening for acts like Lionel Richie, and has fronted the Grammy-winning and multi-platinum-selling iconic group Blood Sweat & Tears. The South African-born, now Los Angeles resident has built a career on hit singles, and world tours performing with international superstars and being dubbed the “Artist To The Stars” by being the first call performer for celebrity clientele such as Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, James Caan, Clive Davis, Rod Stewart and Elton John as well as making his performances memorable around the world and from Beverly Hills to Newport Beach, California.

David Aldo’s single ‘When You Love Someone So Much’ debuted at No. 26 in South Africa in its first week of release and eventually reached the #2 spot on International Pop Charts in South Africa and other countries.

In the U.S., Canada, and Australia, the single “Grace” also garnered major radio airplay and debuted in the Top 30 in the United States. David’s single “Where’s The Good In Goodbye” became Aldo’s 6th international #1 single, and “Grace” reached No. 1 shortly thereafter. David Aldo opened for Crosby, Stills, and Nash and Natasha Beddingfield in New York. David has performed alongside Justin Bieber, John Mayer, Michael Bolton, and David Foster, to name a few.

David Aldo created the music for The Good News Girls TV talk show for Nigel Lythgoe (American Idol and Dancing with the Stars producer).

David Aldo supports multiple charities including “The Hisaoka Foundation” helping people living with Cancer, (having helped raise over 10 million dollars), and Project Child Save, bringing awareness and saving kidnapped children sold into the sex trafficking trade. David is endorsed by Taylor Guitars, Ultimate Ears, and Shure microphone systems.

I am releasing the tracks from David’s Sound Image recordings on Sound Image Records after remixing and remastering them. The first single, “I’ll Be There,” is currently streaming worldwide. The second single, “Someday”, will be released in November 2023.

I am scheduled to remix and remaster releases from Sound Image Recording artists The Storm and Brickyard before the end of the year and am remixing a release and co-writing two more songs with South Bay artist “krisTEN” on Harmony Records.

In addition to my work with Harmony Records, I have taken on a co-management role with Atlanta’s Billboard and TikTok charting artist Joie Grey, who currently has more than 10 million streams worldwide.

Thank you so much for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!

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