www.djmarkgrant.com
Biography:
What makes a legend: longevity, fame, respect or a combination
of the three? Label owner, songwriter, producer and DJ,
Mark Grant has been making legendary moves for 23 years
now. He is a world traveled DJ with a non-stop tour schedule
secured by a fan base that stretches from his hometown Chicago,
to as far as Istanbul. Hes produced a number of songs and
remixes that have garnered him the respect of his peers
and music media. Put it all together and you have an internationally
known, well-respected talent who has shown incredible resilience
in an industry of one-hit wonders. Its true, Mark Grant
has the stuff of legend, but with no signs of stopping,
dont call him one, just yet.
In 2005 alone, Mark Grant produced three
chart-topping songs featuring Chicago Idol winner, vocalist
Russoul for his label imprint, Blackstone Recordings. Louie
Vega and Marques Wyatt licensed the first single; Girl With
U for mixed CDs on Defected and OM, respectively. There
4 Me appeared on Roy Davis Jr.s mixed compilation, Get Large
for Large Records. Those two songs, along with You R The
1, were all best sellers in a sluggish vinyl market for
Syntax Distribution, as well as their impressive performance
in mp3 formats on Tracksource.com and Clickgroove.com. All
of which has helped Grant newly cement a spot on iTunes,
where Blackstone music will soon be available. Within one
short year, Grant has established Blackstone as a formidable
vocal house label and a-cant-miss hit source for DJs.
Label owner Cajmere sees the writing on
the wall. Most every release on his Cajual and Relief imprints
of the last two years has contained a Mark Grant remix.
Thats over 15 remixes that Grant has created for artists
such as Dajae, Green Velvet and Cajmere himself. Grants
remixes for Cajual are bought, played and charted with great
regularity by globetrotting DJs, giving further proof to
Grants ability to make extraordinary music. In truth, Cajmere
always knew this. In Cajuals hey day of the mid-to-late
90s, Grant was considered the go-to guy for remixes and
was the only producer in their stable to mix a compilation
for the label. When A Taste of Cajual dropped in 1997, it
received numerous critical accolades including honors from
Rolling Stone critic Greg Kot as one of the years 15 best.
Grants success with mix compilations continued
with a three-turntable masterpiece for OM records, Sound
Design Volume 2. The 2001 release was capped off with a
20-city tour that made Mark Grant a house-hold name. A tour
de force with tracks from Masters at Work, Truby Trio, Inland
Knights and more, SD Vol. 2, established that its never
Memorex with Grant. On tour, he re-created his live recording,
playing every venue on three turntables where available.
For a man who needs no introduction, Grant
still feels he has much to accomplish. In the near future,
Grants Blackstone label will release two new singles, Shame
featuring female vocalist Swaylo, and another project with
Russoul, Guessin Again. These records will be the first
pressed by the new distribution arm of Cajual Records, a
newly inked deal for Grant. There are also plans for a Mark
Grant artist album to debut later this year comprised of
new takes on some of Grants best sellers, as well as future
releases. Furthermore, Grant has also been tapped to mix
a new compilation for Chicago label Large in the next year
that will undoubtedly lead to a supporting tour for Grant.
Not to mention the inevitable remix requests that Grant
will field this year. When 2006 is over, then lets discuss
the words legend and Mark Grant in the same sentence.
