I was introduced to music very early in life.I come from a musical family. I just so happened to be the one to do it for a living.

My mother put me in an elementary school called The Brooklyn Boys Chorus. It was there that I was introduced to the works of Johann Sebastion Bach. It was the first time I would ever experiance musical colors and modes.
It wasn't until I got to the seventh grade that jazz became a part of my life. I was delivering newspapers,and one of my customers (Mr.Earl Mcpherson) was playing jazz piano in his home.

That was when I first heard the same colors and musical expressions that I met in elementary school, only something was different.

My parents are deeply into the church. So I didnt get a lot of jazz,R&B,Soul,or anything else that wasnt Gospel music in our home.
I've heard of Rufus feat.Chaka Khan,and other great acts but that was because of my fathers sister.
She wasnt deeply into church,therefore she had some classics laying around...

Kevin(Hedge)was a D.J. when we met..
I didn't know anything about club music at the time..
He was the one who actually introduced me to club music.Earth,Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder,Brainstorm, Oliver Cheatam, Lenny Williams and Chaka Khan were just some of the first club records he played.

That is the real CLUB music..The title may have changed to House or Garage or Dance music, but in my heart it's Club Music forever!!!

2.Who was your first musical hero?
Was it Artists from the
Soul area
Hiphop scene
Rock/Heavy Metal scene
Motown, The Sound of Philadelphia or Stax Records artists
Jazz artists
Or just a particular artist

My first musical heroes were a gospel quartet group that called themselves The DixieHummingbirds
They had they harmony of Take 6,and a style that was before their time.

People are still trying to sing like that today.
Right now I have a hero that I have to mention..
His name is Jaco Pastorius

Jaco was an electric bass player/songwriter/producer who changed the worlds view of the instrument.

He was the FIRST to use the instrument as a lead voice or solo instrument.
The first to use harmonics as a chord in a song on the electric bass.
His technique has never been mastered by anyone.

Jaco is to jazz bass what Jimi Hendrix is to rock guitar
When I'm playing bass my style is very much patterned behind what Jaco was doing..

3.Had did you get involved into the music scene.
Was through doing the DJ at school parties.
Playing in a band ( Rock, Jazz, Soul, Punk !!)
Working in a music Store, getting interested that way?

Kevin worked in a record shop.
He would play our demo's there. I forget how the record got to Curtis Urbina(Quark Records) ,but it did which led us to our first commercial success.
That wasnt our first record. Ace Mungin(Ace Beat Records) was the man who put us on.

He was the first to put out a Blaze record ..The song was called "Yearning" .It came out in the late 80's.

4.If you are a DJ/Producer what was the first club that you played that allow you to gain vital experience to that is invaluable now!
Is it still there and have you gone back to play there from time to time?

Kevin is the D.J. of the team, but there was a house party we did, before all of these records ever happened.
Here in Newark we did a party for a friend at their home.
Kevin was the D.J.,and I played some keys over his music. We didnt even know that we were practicing making records of our own..

5.Being a DJ, what would you considered to being the music that you like playing the best. Garage ( Vocal House ), Deep House ( Jazz/Fusion - Funky instrumental House), Disco House ( Samples of 1970'S disco music added with House Music), Jazz House (Nu Yorkican Soul type of music), The Sunday Scene type of House Music ( typified by the London Underground, Freek Fm and Magic FM pirate radio scene in London. Rough basslines with girlie vocals on top!!)

This is a question for Kevin really,but I think I can answer for him.
We listen to Good music.No particular type.Just REALLY GOOD MUSIC!
And he would tell you thats the kind of music he would play..

6.Where do you play now?
Are you a resident DJ, or do you work Freelance?

We havent played anywhere in a while.
We have plans to expand our music into other avenues.
Right now our main priority is our Music&Book store
We dont have a name for it just yet,but its coming soon.

7.Have you traveled abroad to work?
?(Only write down if its applies)
Where did you play..what country?
Was it a success??
What is your favourite country to DJ in, and the favourite club?

We have never played anywhere outside the country as D.J's.

8.What is the scene like in your country?
Is Garage and House music becoming more acceptable,
that within recent years saw music's like (Techno, ACID or Hard-core being the main musical staple diet) (if this does not apply to you do not answer!!) Or if you are an American (- Hip and Rock music being the musical staple diet of the masses)

We live in the NY/NJ area.
I dont get out much to see what the scene is like, but I do visit a dance club called THE SHELTER

Its there where you can experiance the spirituality in the music.
The people there feel as though their on a spiritual journey.
Timmy Regisford(the D.J.) plays all kinds of musical lessons,and teachings.
Nothing he plays should be put into a mere category.
That music is very much accepted and appreciated by the masses.

9.Who's' had the greatest influence on you
within the World of Garage and House music?
Artists such as,Frankie Knuckles,TonyHumpheries,Shep Pettibone
Or an Label or Sound..
Strictly Rhythm, Nervous, Nu-Groove,
Eightball, Irma Records,Salsoul, Solar, etc.

All of the above.
Timmy Regisford and Boyd Jarvis were really an exceptional influence because Kevin wanted us to be like them.
He really admired their work.Timmy is a D.J. and Boyd is a musician.
Thats how me and Kevin got started..

9a.What do you think of other country involvement
within the music of Garage and House music?
Such as France (Shazz and ST. Germain), Germany
( Mousse T, Boris Dglulosch, Tonka) and England.
(Grant Nelson, Ricky Morrison, Norman Jay, Paul "trouble" Anderson, Karl "tuff enuff" Brown, etc )That was the domain of the Americans during the early 1990's.

I think that it shows the greatness of the music.
People from all over the world enjoy and relate to a music that started right here where I live.

10.Who, if given the chance would you like to work with in the World of House and Garage music?
Masters at Work, Don Carlos, Derrick Carter, Kerri Chandler, Grant Nelson, Shazzz..who??

I would like to work with anybody who can add to the music and not take away from..

11.Who do you rate as one to look out for in the future?
Who should we keep an eye out for!
From your own country? DJ/ music artist/s producer
From what you have heard or seen from abroad? DJ/ music artist/s producer

I think that Masters At Work may have a lot of gas left.
There are a lot of good D.Js/Producers/artist out there,it's hard for me to name 1.

12. Are you at peace with the press. Do you constanly worry about being misquoted.
Or do you have a good relationship with the press as a whole?

I'm the one who doesnt like press.
I was misquoted once,and I stopped doing interviews totally!
I'm only doing this one because youre really a great person Carly!
A reporter wrote that I said something negative about M.A.W.
Anybody that knows me,knows I never have anything negative to say about anybody's music.. (at least not publically..ha ha)

13. Are you planning to Tour Europe soon.
Or do you have a too hectic a sechudule at the moment?

We have no plans for touring...

14. If you have heard it what do you think of the sound coming from England called the Sunday Scene?
Better known across the world now as the Speed Garage? (Only apply if you have heard some of it!!)

I havent heard it..

14A.For instance 2 OF YOU PENNED TRACKS HAVE BEEN REMIXED AND MADE INTO Speed Garage releases themselves.
"Desire" by Dem2 (Or the Ramsey and Fen Remix!!), and "Moving on"by Debbie Pender.....
Have you heard this mixes? Did you like them?

Im afraid I havent heard these mixes.

15. How do you feel about people cutting songs that you were the originators of?
Do you take this as a compliment, or is there some bewilderment that you haven't been credited for it in the first place.

I take it as a tremendous compliment.
My song has touched this person in some way.

15A. Do you keep in contact with this people that have just mentioned?

We never meet these people..

16. It seems as if you are producing other talent, as well as releasing your own stuff as well.
Is this going to take over your producing tracks in your own rights in the future.
For instance how did you get in touch with all these new vocalists tht you seem to get throwing themselves at you?

Thats what we do best,produce new talent.They seem to come to us..

I dont how we meet these people,it just happens that way, through friends or where ever,they just come.

17.New Jersey in regards to Garage music is held in high regards
to the more traditional Garage lover in the Uk/Europe.
During the heady days of the early 1990's, it seemed as if you had an unexhastable supply of talent comming from that area of the States?
It doesn't seem to have stopped... or has it?

All of the producers of that time have gotten older.
Some of us have branched off into other things.Others have gotten married,and things like that.
Back then we were much younger,and our responsibilities were few.
We could make on a little bit.
Now some of us have families that must be taken care of.
The music is great,but it has never reached the success of RAP or R&B music..

So of course we have to survive in some way.
House music,the way it was done in the early 90's,is not what's happening now.
There was a time when Kevin and myself stopped doing records,because we were discouraged by the fact that our music didnt seem to get appreciated by anyone..

18. Earlier this year within the Web Site I was e-mailed from one area of the states known as Baltimore/Washington, Usa.
Where the Garage head e-mailers mentioned that their areas were
becomming hot bed of talent when mentioned Garage, and Deep HOUSE MUSIC.
Is this something that you have noticed?
Is Garage as a musical movement becomming more and more excepted by the American record Buying public?

I dont know..But i hope so.

19.You released your second album last year called "Basic Blaze".
Why did it take so long? and secondly ...who did the album design? Simple but effective!!!

Kevins daughter Takia, was the artist who did the cover design.
That album was just an expression of what we were feeling for a few years.
Expressions that had to be vented..We are not performing artist.So there was need for a Blaze album.(thats what we thought).

20. How well did the album do for you?
Did you get more acknowledgment from the music industry for it?
Is there any more plans for another album soon, or will we have to wait another 7 years for the next one?

The album did really well for us thanks to the guys over at Slip n Slide records, England.
We gotta surprise for you..I cant talk about it..sorry Carly

21.Sampling what do you think of its use?
Is this something that you like to use when compiling a new tune.
Or is it something you prefer to do as minimal as possible.
Do you prefer to use real instrumments over computers and other sampling equipment?
Or is this the other way around?

Years ago I hated samplers..Now I find them quite handy..
I think it shows talent to sample,and not recognize the sample once the song is finished.
What I don't like is when a sample is taken,and all that is applied to the sample is a drum beat
I prefer real instruments any day.

22.In fact how does Blaze attain that famous "Blaze Sound".
Was it by accident that you have gotten this sound.
Many people stated that from the opening bars of a track, they can tell at an instant that is a Blaze track.
How did you ariive at yours. Trial and error?

Thats just our voice.
No 2 people have the same voice.Not even twins..
It comes from years of practice.

22a.You have teamed this year with the promotions team called "Joint Ventures Group".
How did that come about?
Is this something that you have always wanted to get up and running.

Joint Ventures is Blaze all grown up

Instead of producing records,we now have a distibution company.
We also manage a few labels as well as our own.
For that project we teamed up with Tee Alford(who also is a D.J./Producer)

23. For those who might not know this, there used to be a 3 member of Blaze.
What's happened to him..... Chris Herbert. Do you still keep in touch with him?

Chris is Kevins assistant at THE SHELTER.
Kevin is the Manager/head of promotions there.
Chris is managing a group,and still is singing like an angel..

24. Many people have their Favourite Blaze track...
"Lovelee Dae" is often quoted.... "Moonwalk" is another, "One Kiss" by Pacha that you wrote in your early days for Joey Nergo.
What is your favourite Blaze track?

I like GOOD LIFE,Saturdays,Going thru the motions(Keischa Jenkins)

25. Your first album called "25 years later", was a major land mark for you.
You got released on Motown. Was this a dream come true for you.
How well did the album do for you?

I'm afraid the album didnt do well for us.
We got caught in the middle of a bad time at Motown, and we had to suffer for it.
It was a classic album if I say so myself..

25a.I have read that the Motown record label have rated it as one their best ever albums that they have ever released.
However, what do you think of the album?
Do you think that Motown went over the top in their description of your first album.

I thought it was a great album.
We weren't producers yet.We were still ripening.
Motown might have said that but,Ive never heard it.
I disagree with that totally,because our music can't be compared to the works of any of the genius works of any of Motowns legends..

26a. Any tour dates planned for the USA/Europe or the Uk at all?

No tour dates

27. Lastly, have you any advice for any would be Garage Dj/Producer.
What should he, or She watch out for. Any advice?

Practice makes better(not perfect)
Practice: Listen to your favorites,Listen to whats going on out there
Always make sure that you have quality production.
Get a good lawyer/Manager.
Remember that all good things come from GOD,So dont forget to thank him!
Eat right..Do these things and you should make it.

28.what do you think of the Internet. Are you amazed by it all.
Or do you think its nothing really to get hung up on?

Lets just say Im the KING of da net!!!!!

Please get back to me if want to discuss more about this Interview