Joey "G-Clef" Cavaseno

Joey “G-Clef” Cavaseno (alto saxophone, clarinet, arranger, composer, producer)

Joey "G-Clef" Cavaseno, aka G-Clef da Mad Komposa, was trained under the strict tutelage of some of the last living masters of Jazz Music, such as Doc Cheatham, Illinois Jacquet, Panama Francis, and Arvell Shaw. He stayed in these bands for over a twelve year period, studying, performing, observing, and paying dues, so that one day, he too might lead a great band. While many of his peers scrambled to acquire record contracts before even having played professionally as a sideman for any length of time, he followed the great example of so many reedmen in the orchestra of his idol, Duke Ellington, and stayed as long as he could, soaking up the experience and learning the craft first-hand, in a time where such experiences were all but gone away. In all three of these bands, his talent blossomed and he was given heavy responsibilities oftentimes as a featured soloist, lead alto, straw boss, and musical co-director; often called upon to write musical arrangements. Jazz Music brought him to over thirty countries before reaching the age of thirty.

During the same time period, a revolution in music was happening all around G-Clef's New York, circa 1986-88: Hip-Hop. It was the dawning of a new age in this brazen Black art form, known as the new skool. The huge beats coming out of car systems were becoming more musical and at the same time revolutionary in tonality and timbre. G-Clef heard something in it that attracted his heart, and he followed it, humbling himself 100% to a new type of training: the unlearning of music as he had come to know it! G-Clef did the unthinkable for any accomplished jazz musician of his day, he achieved total submersion into the culture and art form that was Hip-Hop. He joined up with several rap crews in the Bronx area known as Gun Hill, where he trained and mastered all the musical elements of this ground-breaking revolution, experimenting with various drum machines, samplers, 4-track recorders, eventually rhyming as well. He sought to unite this new technology and sonority with his jazz training and eventually scored a deal on Tuff City Records in 1992 with what was beyond a doubt the first Jazz-Rap fusion group, Ghetto Philharmonic. A single was released in 1993, called "Don't Bite the Concept", in conjunction with a video, and was easily the first example of real jazz being played over Hip-Hop beats. This song, depsite its stark newness, did create a buzz within the music industry. Ghetto Philharmonic was invited to perform in the New Music Seminar, where many people in the industry got to hear G.P.'s fresh new approach to hip-hop. Jazz-Rap acts began being signed by all the majors that year and unfortunately,  Tuff City released the album very late, in 1994, severely damaging the timeliness of the innovative aspect of this music. Without proper promotion to compete with the majors, the Ghetto Philharmonic album, "Hip-Hop Bebop" while received well by critics, sold poorly. A  crew of talent had by now amassed around him and became known as the Soul Kids, some of whom were featured on the G.P. album.

G-Clef, now tied down to his Tuff city contract as an artist, began to produce music for other artists he knew as a possible alternative route to success.  But after disappointments reminiscent of many other Rap artists of the day, such as very limited budgets, little to no promotion, lack of artistic control, and missing royalty statements, he felt compelled to construct a plan to forever liberate himself and his peers from the trials of being a slave to the music industry. After shopping demo after demo of his artists, he had scored some near-misses, and even some development deals, but when the dust cleared, still no secure home for his artists.

After his experiences with Ghetto Philharmonic, he had no money, but had made some contacts in the form of other artists and producers he met on shows and various promotional events. He met the Genius/Gza while they were doing radio shows together to promote their respective releases. After seeing the G.P. video on Video Music Box in New York City, one of Gza Entertainment's management team called G-Clef, and asked if he needed representation. G-Clef directed their attention to his new project, the Soul Kid Klik, a group of all his artists together-as-one, as well as solo.  G-Clef became active as a part of the Gza Entertainment team of producers, and through him the Soul Kid Klik became associated with the Gza, and the Wu-Tang Movement of hip-hop. However Gza's efforts were mainly focused on video productions, and without being promoted by the Rza, (Wu-Tang's central figure and creator), the Klik soon felt very much on its own. In 1995, G-Clef formed Soul Kid Records and released a banging cipher cut Mortal Combat, an exploration of the "Deadly Video Game" chamber of lyricism. He produced this single, featuring himself, four other emcees, as well as DJ Spinbad from Ghetto Philharmonic. The single did well, and the the Klik had some success in the underground hip-hop scene, and despite finishing an album's worth of material, never really realized its fuller potential, due to various logistical, managerial, and internal issues. Soul Kid Records continued on, to put out about seven records, ranging from SKK singles to break beat LPs, but distributors eventually owed G-Clef so much uncollected funds, in 1998, the label went under.

Notably. all the while, and for a period of about twelve years, this musical Gemini led a true double life, nicknamed G-Clef da Mad Komposa in Hip-Hop, while still referred to as Joey "G-Clef" Cavaseno Cavaseno in Jazz. In 1998, several members of the Illinois Jacquet band, past and present, began jamming on their own to create a smaller group. Tapes were sent out, and the Yalloppin' Hounds were born. In 1998, the new band he formed was performing at the same series at Lincoln Center as was the Jacquet band, with himself at the Lead Alto chair, and it was then that he realized the time had come to break free. Doors swung open like mad for the Hounds, as it was the height of the modern swing craze and young people were rediscovering Swing culture. Gigs were abundant, and in no time, G-Clef found himself working six shows per week, with little or no time for his straight jazz or hip-hop careers. He was now a musical pioneer in a strange new idiom: Modern Swing. G-Clef knew what his contribution had to be, and he began, for the first time, combining his talents as a rap lyricist/producer and jazz composer/arranger, writing complete songs in a style he called "ghetto swing". He said, "The term Ghetto Swing in our mind refers to the rich history of African American folk music. Whether one calls the style swing, jazz, new jack swing, funk, hip-hop or rhythm and blues, if there is a 'swinging' feel to it, it can be Ghetto Swing."  The Yalloppin' Hounds achieved fame and success, riding the wave of a new movement, and a strong New York City following, and a series of limited "hit" songs like "Oops, My Bad", " Hot Dog", and "Thugbrat". People all over were now singing G-Clef's songs without the benefit of a major label or radio play. G-Clef brought forth a new independent label called Yalloppin Entertainment, and recorded and released five albums on CD with the Hounds, with participation on three movie soundtracks.

After the tragedy on September, 2001, the live music scene all but died in New York City, but G-Clef turned more and more towards developing his record company, Yalloppin Entertainment, finally re-releasing all his back catalog (Soul Kid Records) in CD format, as well as constantly producing and releasing new material/groups such as Rayzd (alt hip-hop/pop), Lost Secret (hip-hop), and various breakbeat and jazz albums. Through the next few years, G-Clef continued to develop his talent as well as the talent of new artists, many of whom benefitted through his tutelage. He had attracted his own loyal online fanbase for anything he does. Slowly and surely people have realized the high quality and integrity of his artistry in a day where true artistic honesty seems all but dead. 

In 2004, he initiated a new business model for bridging the gap that existed between the Hip-Hop streets and the internet, with Chambermusik.Com. Not only did he make available his own products from the 1990's on CD and digital formats, but he did the same for countless artists of his generation, specifically many from the "Killabeez" movement of the 1990's. He successfully brought forth a resurgence of this music on the internet, centralizing a fanbase, and even procuring an International Distribution deal for his new label, Chambermusik Records, with E-One (formerly Koch) Entertainment Distribution in 2008. G-Clef still managed to contribute his music to his company, but was primarily running things on the business side as the C.E.O. Chambermusik Records continues to release new music to date. Under the Chambermusik banner, he additionally created and ran subsidiary companies Thrice Great Records, Soul Kid Jazz, and other imprints as well, growing his company into a musical empire, later scoring distribution deals with Universal Music Group, Traffic Entertainment Distribution, Empire Distribution, City Hall Records, and Sony Orchard. 

In 2018, he created Thrice Great Films, which, in collaboration with Victorious DeCosta of Teal Octopus Films, executive produced a music bio about his mentor in the business of music, Weldon Irvine, entitled “Digging For Weldon Irvine”. The film garnered much critical acclaim, winning several festivals and is now being prepared for public distribution. 

At present, G-Clef has been gradually crafting new sounds and has produced a new Hip-Hop album in collaboration with Thrice Great artist Jus-P, entitled “Xavier and Logan”, which is now completed and will be released in early 2025. He has also been working on a third and final Rayzd album, collaborating with vocalists Jakineko Barclay and Peter Hartmann. This album, as yet untitled, will also be released in 2025. To date, continues to run his labels, releasing great Hip-Hop and Jazz music for his loyal niche audiences, but vows to focus now on creating the kind of classically innovative sounds he has become known for. 

Gear

Mark VI Selmer Alto Saxophone
Buffet Clarinet