Hidden Beach is an American
independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
known for R&B, soul, inspirational and contemporary jazz genres. Hidden Beach was formed in 1998 by Steven McKeever and holds a distribution deal with
Universal Music Group.
History
Steven McKeever, a former entertainment lawyer and Motown producer, founded Hidden Beach Recordings (HBR) in 1998. With a staff of two, McKeever solicited Charles Whitfield to join him to handle production and artist relations. A graduate of
North Carolina Central University, Whitfield had been hired as a paid
intern with no record label experience. Whitfield introduced McKeever to professional basketball star
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
, who became one of the lead investors in Hidden Beach.
Previously, Hidden Beach had four label imprints, focusing on different genres of music. Still Waters, a Hidden Beach Experience is the label imprint dedicated to
inspirational music releases which includes
gospel music
Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...
, motivational music and inspirational speeches. The debut release on Still Waters was nominated for a
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
,
Dove and
Stellar Awards. Hidden Beach Celebration Series focuses on specialty themed albums such as Christmas and Mother's Day releases. HBR's first Celebration Series released was
Bebe Winans
Benjamin "BeBe" Winans (born September 17, 1962) is an American gospel and R&B singer. He is a member of the noted Winans family, most members of which are also gospel artists. Winans has released nine albums, seven with his sister CeCe Winans, C ...
' ''My Christmas Prayer'' which topped five different
''Billboard'' charts, was named as one of
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...
's
Favorite Things and became
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
' biggest selling holiday album of 2004.
Hidden Beach was tapped as the label to release the ''Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement'' compilation CD, with proceeds to benefit the
Barack Obama campaign. Artists on the project included
Kanye West,
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
and
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three li ...
. It was released on September 18, 2008.
Following the election of President Obama, Hidden Beach produced the official inauguration collection commemorative CD-DVD set. ''Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise'' includes 17 tracks by various artists and eight of President Obama's speeches. Artists include Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, James Taylor,
will.i.am
William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas.
...
,
Robin Thicke,
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, drummer Matt ...
,
India.arie and more.
In 2014, Hidden Beach Recordings changed its umbrella imprint to Hidden Beach Experiences, still keeping Hidden Beach Recordings for the signed artists.
Hidden Beach's first artist to sign to the label was
Jill Scott, who, to date, is their bestselling artist. The inaugural release, ''
Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1'', has sold 2.4 million units according to Nielsen, and was nominated for four
Grammy Awards. Other artists include a capella group Naturally 7,
Kindred, saxophonist
Mike Phillips, and
Angie Fisher
Angie Fisher (born March 6, ?) is an American rhythm and blues singer from California. She began her career with a touring children's choir, then spent several years as a background singer for numerous headline acts.
Fisher released a solo album ...
.
One of its newest divisions is Guardians of Soul, created to house estate deals. The company works with estates of noted celebrities, starting in 2015 with ''The Power of Love:
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...
Experience'', a tribute to the musician in conjunction with his estate.
Compilations
*
Cornel West & BMWMB
*''Hidden Hits''
*''Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement'' (for the 2008 Obama Presidential Campaign)
*''Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise'' (for the 2012 President Obama campaign)
''Unwrapped'' music series
An ongoing series of albums, ''Unwrapped'', has at least eight volumes. The series features instrumental versions of rap/hip-hop hits by contemporary jazz artists.
*''Unwrapped, Vol. 1''
*''Unwrapped, Vol. 2''
*''Unwrapped, Vol. 3''; features
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
's "
In Da Club" and
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
's "
Lose Yourself" as interpreted by keyboardists
Jeff Lorber and former
Earth, Wind & Fire member
Larry Dunn, Hidden Beach saxophonist Mike Phillips and others. It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart and No. 4 on the jazz chart.
*''Unwrapped: Vol 4'' (released June 24, 2006) peaked at number 3 on the Top Contemporary Jazz charts
*''Unwrapped Vol. 5: the Collipark Cafe Sessions'' (released June 24, 2008); includes Southern hip-hop hits
Box set
A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit.
Music
Artists and bands ...
s of volumes 1 through 4 and volumes 5 through 7 have been produced.
List of artists
''listed alphabetically''
*
Bent Fabric (licensed only)
*
Peter Black
*
Jeff Bradshaw
Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey.
Music
* DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes
* ...
*
John Densmore - Tribaljazz
*
Sunny Hawkins
Sunny is a daytime weather condition. It may refer to:
People
* Sunny (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Sunny (singer), member of Girls' Generation
* Sunny, of Sue and Sunny, who also recorded as a solo artist
...
*
Kindred the Family Soul
Kindred the Family Soul, also referred to as simply Kindred, is an American neo soul duo consisting of married couple Fatin Dantzler (born in 1973 in Camden, New Jersey) and Aja Graydon (born September 25, 1978 in Los Angeles, California). Signed ...
*
Ramsey Lewis (licensed only)
*
Lina
Lina (pronounced "Leena") is a feminine given name. Languages of origin include: English, Italian, Lithuanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Persian, Kurdish, Arabic. It is also the short form of a variety of names ending in -lina including Catalin ...
*
Onitsha
Onitsha ( or just ''Ọ̀nị̀chà'') is a city located on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. A metropolitan city, Onitsha is known for its river port and as an economic hub for commerce, industry, and education. ...
*
Mike Phillips
*
Darius Rucker
*
Brenda Russell
Brenda Russell (née Gordon; born April 8, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, producer, and keyboardist. Russell has a diverse musical range which encompasses R&B, pop, soul, dance, and jazz. She has received five Grammy nominations.
Li ...
*
Jill Scott
*
Al B. Sure!
*
The Tony Rich Project
Antonio Jeffries (born November 19, 1971), better known as Tony Rich and The Tony Rich Project, is an American Grammy-award-winning Contemporary singer-songwriter best known for his hit single " Nobody Knows".
Early career
Rich was born in D ...
*
Dr. Cornel West & BMWMB
*
BeBe Winans
Benjamin "BeBe" Winans (born September 17, 1962) is an American gospel and R&B singer. He is a member of the noted Winans family, most members of which are also gospel artists. Winans has released nine albums, seven with his sister CeCe Winans, C ...
*
Keite Young
*
Gene Noble
Gene Noble (Born James Eugene Roston III) is an American singer and songwriter, based in New York and Los Angeles. He is best known for the 2016 song " Only Love" which received airplay on radio stations around the world. He has written songs f ...
Discography
*Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott: Words and Sounds - Vol. 1 (2000)
*Brenda Russell: Paris Rain (2000)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped Vol. 1 (2001)
*Jill Scott: Experience Jill Scott 826+ (2001)
*Darius Rucker: Back to Then (2002)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped Vol. 2 (2002)
*Kindred the Family Soul: Surrender to Love (2003)
*BeBe Winans: My Christmas Prayer (2003)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped Vol. 3 (December 2004)
*Jill Scott: Beautifully Human, Words and Sounds - Vol. 2 (2004)
*BeBe Winans: Dream (2005)
*Lina: The Inner Beauty Movement (2005)
*Mike Phillips: Uncommon Denominator (2005)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped Vol. 4 (2005)
*Bent Fabric: Jukebox (2006)
*Tribaljazz (feat. John Densmore) (2006)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: You Have Reached Mike Phillips (2006)
*Kindred the Family Soul: In This Life Together (2006)
*Jill Scott: Collaborations (2007)
*Onitsha: Church Girl (2007)
*Sunny Hawkins: More Of You (2007)
*Cornel West & BMWMB (2007)
*Keite Young: The Rise and Fall of Keite Young (2007)
*Jill Scott: The Real Thing, Words and Sounds Vol. 3 (2007)
*Jill Scott: Live in Paris+ (2008)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped Vol. 5.0 (2008)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped - The Ultimate Box Set - Vols. 1-4 (2009)
*Hidden Beach Presents: Hidden Hits Vol. 1 (2009)
*Jeff Bradshaw: Bone Appetit Vol. 1 (2012)
*The Tony Rich Project: Exist (2008)
*Kindred the Family Soul: the Arrival (2008)
*Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise (Obama 2012 campaign) (2009)
*Al B Sure: Honey I'm Home (2009)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped Vol. 6 "Give the Drummer Some" featuring Tony Royster (2009)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped Vol. 7 "Back to Basics" (2010)
*Mike Phillips: M.P.3 (2010)
*Hidden Beach Valentines Vol. 1: Love, Passion & Other Emotions (2011)
*Naturally 7: Christmas, A Love Story (2011)
*Naturally 7: VocalPlay (2010)
*Jill Scott: The Original Jill Scott from the Vault, Vol. 1 (2011)
*Ramsey Lewis and His Electric Band: Taking Another Look (2011)
*Jeff Bradshaw: Bone Appetit (2012)
*Jill Scott: Crates Remix Fundamentals Vol. 1 (2012)
*Peter Black: Neverwhere, Peter Black's Book Vol. 1 (2012)
*Naturally 7: Hidden In Plain Sight (2014)
*Angie Fisher (single): "I.R.S." (2014)
*Jill Scott: Golden Moments (greatest hits) (2015)
*Kindred the Family Soul: Family Treasures (2015)
*Angie Fisher (single): "Hide & Seek" (2015)
*Angie Fisher (single): "Summertime" (2015)
*Jill Scott (Collection): "By Popular Demand" (2018)
*Hidden Beach Recordings Presents: Unwrapped Vol. 8 "The Chicago Sessions" (2019)
References
External links
Hidden Beach official website
{{Authority control
American record labels
Soul music record labels
Contemporary R&B record labels
Hip hop record labels
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