User:Bigpinkray

Ray "Pinky" Velazquez is a latin-american award winning studio mixer, re-mixer, editor, additional production specialist, dance music consultant, and A&R man in the field of dance music with numerous awards for his contributions within the industry. His immediate association with famed rap producer Russell Simmons, of Run-Dmc fame, while attending the City College of New York in the early seventies and performing as a club DJ at Mr.Simmons' City College New York events, inspired Ray to become a top performer. Ray is most remembered for his career as a club Dj at the popular Brazilian nightclub in Manhattan, The Ipanema, along with his career at Vanguard Records, also in Manhattan in the 70's and 80"s. The label was owned by Maynard and Seymour Solomon, the Solomon brothers, who started the label in 1950. While at City College New york, Ray worked at the college radio station, WCCR, as an award wining music director for Mr Dahved Levi, the head of the station and the program director. Ray was presented with an award at the station for it's diverse and progressive format which included Rythym and Blues,jazz fusion, disco, reggae, Motown and progressive rock formats. In the 80's Ray worked with famed keyboardist Michael Rudetsky, who passed away in Boy George's mansion in the UK on the popular club track "Cloud Nine" by group Mystery Assignment, on the Metropolis label remixed by Freddie Bastone, the label owner, in 1985. The vocalist was Cubby St. Charles and the track was recorded in Vanguard Studios in New York City, chosen by Ray because of the strong vocal resemblance to the Temptations lead singer. While at Vanguard, Ray met with Timothy J Olphie, current CEO of Vibe records, who introduced Ray to a rap group named Spectrum City, while the label was experiencing explosive success with Twilight 22, another rap group conceived by Mr Velazquez and executed with producer Gordon Bahary, a student and protege of Stevie Wonder. Twilight 22's first 2 releases," Electric Kingdom "and "Siberian Nights" produced major sales in the R&B and hip-hop markets internationally. It was Spectrum City's debut release "Lies", produced by Ray, though not a major success with Vanguard, that later became another benchmark for Ray. The flip side of the single was a Velazquez produced track called "Check out The Radio". The track was selected for Oliver Stone's film "South Central" which revived the release. Spectrum City was released from Vanguard only after one single and before the Stone film, despite Mr Velazquez' recommendation to the Solomon Brothers to have the group record another single for the Vanguard label. The Label rejected the idea because of the success of Twilight 22 which the independent label considered the priority and the foucus at the time by the Vanguard staff. Spectrum City landed a new recording contract with CBS/DEF JAM records and changed their name to Public Enemy. Their first album endured platinum sales. "Pinky" was provided awards for his Vanguard remixes and production on Fonda Rae "Over Like a Fat Rat", Frisky's "You got Me Dancing in My Sleep" and "Tootie Frutie Bootie", both Leroy Burgess productions and famed producer of Musique on the Prelude Records label owned by Marvin Schlacter. Additional awards for Vanguard releases Junior Byron"Dance to the Music", the Players association, Ronnie Griffith and Poussez! and the Ring with the classic disco track "Savage Lover". Ray has worked on projects with Leroy Burgess, Patrick Adams,Bob Blank, Steve Levine,Tony Visconti, Mark Berry and many others.In the late 70s Ray was given an award for his edit of what CBS records labeled "the most talked about record in the streets", Walking on Sunshine" by the CBS/EPIC recording artist Eddy Grant. There were two 12 inch singles released in the same year by Epic records of the same Eddy Grant track. The initial release was 5:20 in length. The Velazquez edit was 6:12, which gave new life and success to the single on the Billboard charts. Ray has been involved in studio work with other artists including,Karen Lynn Gorney(of the Saturday Night Fever movie fame) Junior Byron, Denroy Morgan, Base, P'zzaz, Aaron Allen of the rap group Public Enemy, the Comateens, The Players Association, The "King" On Long Play,Double Feature (the first African artist to ever have a Velazquez studio remix done on), Endgames and Lex the only 2 Flip recording artists for the progressive rock audiences. Flip records was a progressive rock label, a subsidiary of the Vanguard label. Endgmaes was liocensed from the United Kingdom while Lex was a local performer at Ray's nightclub on the upper west side of Manhattan, Cartune Alley where another popular performer was beginning her carreer-Madonna. Madonna was a regular performer,once a month, at the after hours club performing to audiences that included patron movie actor Robert Dinero. Ray is currently the ceo of the Legends of Vinyl(legendsofvinyl.com) and the founder of the Perfect Business (perfectbusiness.com).