Dan Prothero is an American, New Orleans-based independent
record producer
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
,
recording engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...
, and record collector. He has been called "the true king of raw" by
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
for his emphasis on live performance, vintage analog recording techniques, and gritty drum tones.
He founded
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
in 1996, and began recording a string of widely acclaimed debut records which served as a springboard for the careers of
Galactic
Galactic is an American jam band from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Origins and background
Formed in 1994 as an octet (under the name Galactic Prophylactic) and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to a ...
,
Stanton Moore
Stanton Moore (born July 9, 1972) is an American funk, jazz, and rock drummer from New Orleans. Most widely known as a founding member of Galactic, Moore has also pursued a solo recording career (beginning with his 1998 debut ''All Kooked Out! ...
,
Garage A Trois
Garage A Trois is an American jazz quartet including drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist Skerik, vibraphone and percussionist Mike Dillon and keyboardist Marco Benevento. They play a variety of music including rock, funk and jazz.
History
Gar ...
,
Papa Mali
Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne (born May 6, 1957) is an American record producer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter who grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, and lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
His debut recording '' ...
,
Robert Walter's 20th Congress
Robert Walter is an American keyboard player specializing in soul jazz on the Hammond B3 organ and Fender Rhodes. He is best known as a founding member of The Greyboy Allstars.
Biography
A founding member of The Greyboy Allstars, Walter, spli ...
,
MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Daryl Hance signed ...
,
Etienne de Rocher
Etienne de Rocher is a Berkeley, California-based singer songwriter who plays a unique style of indie rock. His eponymous album was released in 2006.
As of 2021, de Rocher is part of Athens, Georgia
Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County ...
, and
Tim Bluhm
Tim Bluhm (born July 22, 1970) is an American songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the primary singer and guitarist for rock band The Mother Hips. He is part of the duos the Skinny Singers with Jackie Greene and Ball-Point Bird ...
.
As an independent producer, Prothero has also recorded follow-up records with artists including Galactic and
Robert Walter, and remains the ongoing producer of choice for Florida soul band MOFRO. He has also produced drum records with legends
Bernard Purdie
Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie (born June 11, 1939) is an American drummer, and an influential R&B, soul and funk musician. He is known for his precise musical time keeping and his signature use of triplets against a half-time backbeat: the "Purdie ...
and
Headhunters drummer
Mike Clark, and created "Bulldog Breaks", the highly acclaimed (and widely sampled) series of
breakbeat
Breakbeat is a broad type of electronic music that tends to use drum breaks sampled from early recordings of funk, jazz, and R&B. Breakbeats have been used in styles such as hip hop, jungle, drum and bass, big beat, breakbeat hardcore, and UK ...
records.
Prior to starting his own label, Prothero helped develop the look and sound of Bay Area label Ubiquity Recordings from its inception in 1989, forming and/or producing many of the groups that appeared on its wildly successful initial releases (Rhythm Section, Slide Five, New Legends, Sweet Potato, etc.), writing liner notes and creating most of the graphic design for Ubiquity and its vintage re-release label Luv N Haight. He continues to create all of the graphic design for releases on his own
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
imprint, as well as programming the
Enhanced CD
Enhanced CD is a certification mark of the Recording Industry Association of America for various technologies that combine audio and computer data for use in both Compact Disc and CD-ROM players.
Formats that fall under the "enhanced CD" ca ...
content that accompanies them.
In addition, Prothero teamed up with Turntable Media, working on numerous
Enhanced CD
Enhanced CD is a certification mark of the Recording Industry Association of America for various technologies that combine audio and computer data for use in both Compact Disc and CD-ROM players.
Formats that fall under the "enhanced CD" ca ...
and
Interactive TV
Interactive television is a form of media convergence, adding data services to traditional television technology. It has included on-demand delivery of content, online shopping, and viewer polls. Interactive TV is an example of how new information ...
projects.
Selected discography (producer)
*
Galactic
Galactic is an American jam band from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Origins and background
Formed in 1994 as an octet (under the name Galactic Prophylactic) and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to a ...
- "
Coolin' Off
''Coolin' Off'' is the first studio album by the jazz funk band Galactic. It was released in 1996 on Fog City Records.
Track listing
All tracks by Galactic
#"Go Go" – 3:02
#"Welcome to New Orleans" – 0:14
#"Something's Wrong With This Pictu ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 1996
*
Stanton Moore
Stanton Moore (born July 9, 1972) is an American funk, jazz, and rock drummer from New Orleans. Most widely known as a founding member of Galactic, Moore has also pursued a solo recording career (beginning with his 1998 debut ''All Kooked Out! ...
- "
All Kooked Out!
''All Kooked Out!'' is the debut studio album by New Orleans-based drummer Stanton Moore.
It was recorded entirely live in the studio with no overdubs and no headphones, in a week-long session that also yielded ''Mysteryfunk'', the debut album ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 1998
*
Galactic
Galactic is an American jam band from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Origins and background
Formed in 1994 as an octet (under the name Galactic Prophylactic) and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to a ...
- "
Crazyhorse Mongoose
''Crazyhorse Mongoose'' is the second studio album by the New Orleans, LA-based band Galactic.
The album reached No. 24 on the '' Billboard'' Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Critical reception
The '' Deseret News'' wrote that the album "so ...
" -
Volcano Records
Volcano Entertainment (sometimes referred to as Volcano Records) was an American all-round music record label founded in 1996 which released albums by Tool, 311, Size 14, Survivor and "Weird Al" Yankovic. (The latter two were former Scotti Bros. ...
, 1998
*
Garage A Trois
Garage A Trois is an American jazz quartet including drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist Skerik, vibraphone and percussionist Mike Dillon and keyboardist Marco Benevento. They play a variety of music including rock, funk and jazz.
History
Gar ...
- "
Mysteryfunk
Garage A Trois is an American jazz quartet including drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist Skerik, vibraphone and percussionist Mike Dillon and keyboardist Marco Benevento. They play a variety of music including rock, funk and jazz.
History
Gar ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 1999
*
Papa Mali
Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne (born May 6, 1957) is an American record producer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter who grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, and lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
His debut recording '' ...
- "
Thunder Chicken
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 1999
*
Robert Walter's 20th Congress
Robert Walter is an American keyboard player specializing in soul jazz on the Hammond B3 organ and Fender Rhodes. He is best known as a founding member of The Greyboy Allstars.
Biography
A founding member of The Greyboy Allstars, Walter, spli ...
- "
Money Shot
A money shot is a moving or stationary visual element of a film, video, television broadcast, or print publication that is disproportionately expensive to produce or is perceived as essential to the overall importance or revenue-generating potenti ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 2000
*
MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Daryl Hance signed ...
- "
Blackwater" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 2001
*
MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Daryl Hance signed ...
- "
Lochloosa
''Lochloosa'' is the second studio album by the Jacksonville, Florida-based band MOFRO. The album was inspired by Lochloosa Lake, which embodies the natural part of the Florida heartland that the band often sings about in their songs.
Track list ...
" - 2004
* Robert Walter - "
In A Holiday Groove
IN, In or in may refer to:
Places
* India (country code IN)
* Indiana, United States (postal code IN)
* Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN)
* In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast
Businesses and organizations
* Independ ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 2004
*
Tim Bluhm
Tim Bluhm (born July 22, 1970) is an American songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the primary singer and guitarist for rock band The Mother Hips. He is part of the duos the Skinny Singers with Jackie Greene and Ball-Point Bird ...
- "
California Way
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 2005
*
Etienne de Rocher
Etienne de Rocher is a Berkeley, California-based singer songwriter who plays a unique style of indie rock. His eponymous album was released in 2006.
As of 2021, de Rocher is part of Athens, Georgia
Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County ...
- "
Etienne de Rocher
Etienne de Rocher is a Berkeley, California-based singer songwriter who plays a unique style of indie rock. His eponymous album was released in 2006.
As of 2021, de Rocher is part of Athens, Georgia
Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 2006
*
Papa Mali
Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne (born May 6, 1957) is an American record producer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter who grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, and lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
His debut recording '' ...
- ''
Do Your Thing'' - 2007
*
JJ Grey & MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-Southern rock, rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Dary ...
- "
Country Ghetto
''Country Ghetto'' is the third album from the band JJ Grey & Mofro. It was their first to be manufactured under Alligator Records, after JJ Grey & Mofro had left Fog City Records for them. The Gadsden flag
The Gadsden flag is a historical ...
" - 2007
*
JJ Grey & MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-Southern rock, rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Dary ...
- "
Orange Blossoms" - 2008
*
JJ Grey & MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-Southern rock, rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Dary ...
- "
Georgia Warhorse" - 2010
*
Tim Bluhm
Tim Bluhm (born July 22, 1970) is an American songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the primary singer and guitarist for rock band The Mother Hips. He is part of the duos the Skinny Singers with Jackie Greene and Ball-Point Bird ...
&
Nicki Bluhm
Nicki Bluhm (born September 22, 1979) is a singer-songwriter from Lafayette, California who formed The Gramblers in 2008. Since leaving the band she has released one studio album ''To Rise You Gotta Fall''. Her other solo albums ''Toby's Song'', ...
- "Duets" - 2011
*
JJ Grey & MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-Southern rock, rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Dary ...
- "This River" - 2013
*
JJ Grey & MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-Southern rock, rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Dary ...
- "Ol Glory" - 2015
Selected discography (Enhanced CD Programming)
*
Galactic
Galactic is an American jam band from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Origins and background
Formed in 1994 as an octet (under the name Galactic Prophylactic) and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to a ...
- "
Coolin' Off
''Coolin' Off'' is the first studio album by the jazz funk band Galactic. It was released in 1996 on Fog City Records.
Track listing
All tracks by Galactic
#"Go Go" – 3:02
#"Welcome to New Orleans" – 0:14
#"Something's Wrong With This Pictu ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 1996
*
Stanton Moore
Stanton Moore (born July 9, 1972) is an American funk, jazz, and rock drummer from New Orleans. Most widely known as a founding member of Galactic, Moore has also pursued a solo recording career (beginning with his 1998 debut ''All Kooked Out! ...
- "
All Kooked Out!
''All Kooked Out!'' is the debut studio album by New Orleans-based drummer Stanton Moore.
It was recorded entirely live in the studio with no overdubs and no headphones, in a week-long session that also yielded ''Mysteryfunk'', the debut album ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 1998
*
Papa Mali
Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne (born May 6, 1957) is an American record producer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter who grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, and lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
His debut recording '' ...
- "
Thunder Chicken
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 1999
*
Robert Walter's 20th Congress
Robert Walter is an American keyboard player specializing in soul jazz on the Hammond B3 organ and Fender Rhodes. He is best known as a founding member of The Greyboy Allstars.
Biography
A founding member of The Greyboy Allstars, Walter, spli ...
- "
Money Shot
A money shot is a moving or stationary visual element of a film, video, television broadcast, or print publication that is disproportionately expensive to produce or is perceived as essential to the overall importance or revenue-generating potenti ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 2000
*
MOFRO
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly Mofro) is an American Southern soul-rock band from Jacksonville, Florida.
History Early career
The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-nineties when John Higginbotham aka "JJ Grey" and Daryl Hance signed ...
- "
Blackwater" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 2001
*
Tim Bluhm
Tim Bluhm (born July 22, 1970) is an American songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the primary singer and guitarist for rock band The Mother Hips. He is part of the duos the Skinny Singers with Jackie Greene and Ball-Point Bird ...
- "
California Way
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
" -
Fog City Records
Fog City Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded in 1996 by producer/engineer Dan Prothero, the label's first release was ''Coolin' Off'' which helped the career of New Orleans-based band Galactic. This was followed ...
, 2005
References
External links
Biography*
Discography
Discography is the study and cataloging of published sound recordings, often by specified artists or within identified music genres. The exact information included varies depending on the type and scope of the discography, but a discography entry ...
Feature article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prothero, Dan
American record producers
American audio engineers
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)