DR ECHO (USA)

ROOTS OF DUB FUNK 6: Track 3 - "FLYING ELEPHANTS"
ROOTS OF DUB FUNK 6: Track 8 - "FOUND ARTE"

doctor echo's underground sounds attract fans that range from ska/reggae lovers to punk and electronic heads. With mixes that are dark, sonic, sensual, and spiritual, his music puts the listener on a sedated matrix inner exploration. Inspired initially from the old school instrumental dub versions from Jamaica, doctor echo's music frequently combines other styles such as downtempo, jazz, and electronica.

From Sacramento, California, Justin DeHart, a.k.a. doctor echo has long been involved in mixing various sounds with electronic effects. Originally a drummer, doctor echo began mixing dub music in 1992, while playing drums in Sacramento's live dub band, The Defendants. The Defendants included guitar guru Tyler Pope, Justin Vandervolgen on live mixing/guitar/misc., Jason Dudley on bass, and many other random guests at various times. Initially recording on a Tascam 4-track that he received as a gift, he eventually began acquiring more gear to build an 8-track studio to open to the public.

Soundlab Studio was born in 1996 when frequent noise complaints from neighbors forced him to relocate from his flat at 1406 F Street downtown to a commercial building across town at 1821 17th Street. Sacramento's reggae/rocksteady group Steady Ups, as well as roommate and artist Craig "Lab Assistant" Oliveira, collaborated in building the new studio. The space was outfitted with rehearsal rooms as well as full recording facilities. Living and working at this studio, the doctor laid the foundation for many mixes to eventually be released.
After the 17th Street Studio, doctor echo moved further downtown into an 3000 sq. ft. old abandon clothing store called "Joe's Style Shop". Here he left the sign up and set up the recording studio once again along with rehearsal rooms. The place was spacious enough and conveniently located to warrant building a stage and hosting art as well as music shows regularly. With the help of Harley White Jr. and other community members, they set up a non-profit organization to give free music lessons to children.

The next few years found the doctor busy recording with and producing many reggae and electronic projects, such as The Storytellers, Blackalicious, Filibuster, Frank Jordan, and The Original Heads. With the advent of an ADAT multi-track recorder, doctor echo began playing live shows mixing previously recorded dub rhythms, sometimes adding live instruments to the mix. Always hungry for new influences, and passionate for drums and percussion, doctor echo traveled to South India in the year 2000 to spend nine months studying the traditional drumming there as well as collaborate with various artists.

In 2002, the doctor moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music degree at CalArts while continuing to mix dub music live and in the studio. The doctor launched his own Anicca Records label in 2004 to release original dub music. Presently, the doctor resides in San Diego, CA, pursuing a Doctoral degree in new music performance at UCSD, as well as collaborating with various artists' recording projects, and mixing live dub shows.

THE STUDIO

Tacam 38: 1/2" 8 Track reel to reel.
Tascam 24x8 mixer
K-ROK monitors
Custom 2-way near field monitors with 8" woofers (made by Sean Grimmes)
Roland Space echo RE-201
Roland Space echo RE-101
Echoplex Tape delay
-Phaser
Digitech RDS 400 time machine
Roland SRV-2000 digital reverb
Digitech TSR-24 Multi-effects unit
Bellari RP583 stereo analog compressor
DBX 1066 compressor
JUNO -60 analog synth
JUNO-106 analog synth
Yamaha upright student piano
Hammond C-3 organ with leslie speaker
Hammond M1 organ
Conn organ
Wurlitzer electric piano
Shure 57s
AKG C100s
Rode Nt2
AKG D112
Sherman Filterbank
Event ASP8 studio precision monitors
Furman RV-1 reverberation system
Mac 15" Powerbook 1.25Ghz
IMac Intel core duo 2.33Ghz
Digital Performer, Reaktor, Reason, Abelton Live.
Millennia Media HV-3C stereo microphone preamp
MOTU 828mkII
Neumann TL-103s
Mogami quad cables.

CONTACT: Dr Echo