T H White
Born and raised in NYC, TH White studied percussion, guitar and bass with jazz legends such as Eddie Locke. Performing in most major NY clubs by 16, his absorbtion of city vibes and degree in audio engineering allow him to execute his original visions.
Most musicians do one or two things well. A very select few are skilled in every aspect of their music. T.H. White falls firmly in the latter category. Musician, producer, songwriter, arranger, guitarist, bassist and programmer – the New York City native does it all, and on his new album, The Private Spotlight, his abundant versatility is in full flight, taking the listener into an ethereal world of groove, mood and song craft that is as varied as the skills of its creator.
From the moment he heard Led Zeppelin, Kiss and Blondie when he was eight, White’s entire focus has been on being a musician who can do it all. By the age of 11, White was taking formal guitar, bass and drum lessons. Utilizing the then fantastic New York City after school music program, filled with professional musicians who would teach in the afternoon before their evening gigs, White studied percussion with the legendary Eddie Locke, who had played with Ornette Coleman and Screaming Jay Hawkins, among others. By 15 he was already a veteran of several bands, playing legendary venues such as CBGB’s, Club U.S.A., Wetlands (where his band opened for Blues Traveler when White was 16) and soaking up the New York music scene.
Early in college, at a friend’s studio, he saw one of the first versions of Pro Tools, the revolutionary recording application, and was entranced. “I always struggled with the democracy of bands,” White explains, “and I saw Pro Tools as my way of being able to do it all myself.” Two years later, he had his own Pro Tools system, began apprenticing in a Manhattan studio and got his degree in Audio Engineering. With the new tools at his disposal, he went in with a friend and began producing under the name Pleasure Addicts. Their success was immediate; they wrote original music for Tommy Hilfiger, a BMW commercial and development music for Quincy Jones’ label.
By 2004, White has his first record deal, and in January 2005, he released his first album, More Than Before, which was critically lauded in publications such as Entertainment Weekly, The Fader, Time Out New York and Paper. Some of the tracks were featured in the now legendary HBO series “The Sopranos,” and the Fox TV series “The Inside.” White was gratified by the feedback the album received and he learned about himself through it. He states, “One thing I really got from the last album was that people would tell me how my music worked in a variety of contexts. They told me it was fun to party to, for dinner, for contemplation, for dancing, for sex…everything. It really made me begin to think of myself as a lifestyle artist. So when I started making the new album, it took me longer to make. I had to really whittle everything down. I took much more care with the vocals and the lyrics; everything on the album had to resonate. ”
The Private Spotlight, White’s new album, is a lifestyle album and an resonant sounding one, eclectic in scope and feel. But as White says, it’s designed to sound good, not eccentric: “On this album, I’m fusing a lot of different things ultimately in a way that can appeal to anyone. I work very hard on making the music sound as great as possible – sound is a weapon that I use to seduce my listener.” To that end, White once again worked with mixer Ron Shaffer, a veteran who’s worked with artists such as Tricky, Levert, Sean Lennon and Timo Mas. He also joined up again with singer (and actress from Law & Order)) Megan Wolf, who sings on three of the tracks. And White has the privilege of having his album be the last one that flutist Cornelius Bumpus (Steely Dan & the Doobie Brothers) played on.
White is excited about ushering The Private Spotlight out into the world. “This album is on my own label, Sky Council Recordings, and I can’t wait to take it out on the road in the northeast.” But you can expect a steady flow of music to emanate from the supremely versatile music man. He concludes, “I want to do it all. I want to write and produce for other artists, I want to do film work, lifestyle compilation albums, and even move my career behind the scenes. I’m most happy in my life when I’m in a studio.” The Private Spotlight is a testament to the happiness of a musician creating, doing what he wants to do exactly how he wants to do it and using his incredible amount of skills to do it all extremely well.