About Me
DJ Andy Smith (The Document/Dynamo Productions)
Andy Smith was the first DJ to release a multi-genre mix album on a major label. When his mix-CD The Document hit the streets back in 1998, it became the soundtrack for a generation who had heard Coldcut’s Journeys By DJs but needed to hear more - The Document filled the void.
It segued tracks from artists such as Tom Jones (way before he came back in vogue with Reload and newer tracks such as recent top ten hit Stoned in Love); Peggy Lee (sample source for the Beastie Boys single Ch-Check It Out); The Jungle Brothers and even The Spencer Davis Group. This was new to record buyers but for Smith a mixed bag of treasures has always formed the typical contents of his DJ set.
This appreciation of different genres made Smith the ideal person to provide sample material for Portishead on their first two albums. He went on to make his name as the band’s international tour DJ – reflecting their respect for both the art of digging for breaks and hip-hop scratch DJ-ing. Hip-hop elements formed the basis of the unique Portishead sound.
Production
Since the Portishead tours he has established himself as an underground producer of some of the most irresistible hip-hop breaks-based music around, working with Scott Hendy (Boca 45) under the name Dynamo Productions. Their album Analogue, which notched up a top-ranking five out of five in Mojo magazine, featured San Diego-based MC Profile from the much respected Sound Providers Crew. New production work has included Sounds Start Rockin (taken from Andy’s ‘Freestyle Records mix CD’) and a remix of the ‘Fania All Stars’ for the legendary Fania label with fellow producer Keith Lawrence
The Document mix-CD series
Following on the success of The Document, which sold in excess of 100,000 copies, Andy released Document 2 and Document 3 to critical and popular acclaim. Vinyl copies of all three are sought after and regularly go for a king’s ransom on Ebay!
The Trojan Document
In 2006, the Document was given a reggae flavour with the release of The Trojan Document (Sanctuary Records). The release was another mix album first – with Smith giving the listener a live sound system experience complete with rewinds, shout outs and reverb sounds. The Trojan Document takes you on a journey from early Ska, Rocksteady, Roots, Dub, DJ tracks and Dancehall – it is yet another classic.
More DJ Andy Smith CD’s
Andy has also released other CD’s in the form of Andy Smith’s Northern Soul (a CD mix of 60’s Soul 45’s), Let’s Boogaloo Volume 4 for Italian label ‘Record Kicks’, Andy Smith Diggin in the BGP Vaults and the aforementioned DJ Andy Smith’s Freestyle Mix.
For The Future
Andy is working on more music productions including a forthcoming album project for K7! records. More mix cd’s are due this year with Document 4 and a Greensleeves Document reggae CD due out in 2009.
London and international Residencies
Andy regularly appears in clubs across the world and his strong cult following has secured him constant DJ bookings including residencies at:
Jazz Café (London) – Andy Smith’s Northern Soul/Freestyle Mix Sessions
Madame Jo Jos (London) – Lost and Found (with Keb Darge) |