A Chat with Dub Sonata (22.06.23)
After an introduction to beat-making when he was 18, Dub Sonata fell in love with music sampling and production. After purchasing an MPC2000XL and working on his own beats, the US-based hip-hop producer has never looked back. We speak with Dub Sonata about his album Nights In Cuba Revisited, his greatest accomplishment, future plans and more.
OSR: What inspires you to produce music?
Dub Sonata: It’s something I’ve always felt a calling to. In a collaborative setting, it’s where I fit in.
OSR: What can you tell us about your EP Nights In Cuba Revisited?
Dub Sonata: It’s a 6-track EP I initially made as bonus material for the vinyl reissue of my 2010 album Nights In Cuba. The project was inspired by samples sourced from a crate of records I dug up during my first trip to Cuba earlier that year; it’s best described as turntablism/instrumental hip-hop meets Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban music. The original 19-track album fit on 3 sides of vinyl so I figured I’d add some fresh material to the D-side; that’s Nights In Cuba Revisited.
In anticipation of the rerelease, I decided to revisit Cuba. I brought a camera with me to properly document the experience, as seen in the Nights In Cuba Revisited album trailer. In Havana, I reconnected with some of the friends and musicians I met there previously. I learned that one of the vinyl sellers I met in 2010 had passed away, and managed to connect with his family who invited me into their home to dig his massive collection once again. It was a real full-circle experience and I returned home with another crate of Cuban vinyl. The Nights In Cuba 2xLP is available on Bandcamp along with a series of photographic prints of images I made in Cuba, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Madreauga Compañía de Espectáculos, a music and dance organisation that’s doing some great work with the art community in Havana.
OSR: What do you believe makes you unique as an artist?
Dub Sonata: There’s a million sample-based producers and beatmakers out there. In an art form that’s inherently derivative, I’m always looking for unique angles. Nights In Cuba is a good example of that: I travelled to Cuba to dig up records that few if any producers in my field have sampled, let alone heard, and made a thematic project derived from them. A lot of outsiders to the culture don’t understand or respect the art of sampling, but it’s a beautiful art form that breathes new life into oftentimes forgotten music while fusing genres and fan bases.
OSR: What is the most exciting and least exciting thing about making music?
Dub Sonata: As a sample-based producer who digs through vinyl all day, that’s the fun part – discovering music I’d otherwise never get to hear. The least exciting part is promoting it.
OSR: What do you hope people take from Nights In Cuba Revisited?
Dub Sonata: I hope to inspire listeners to visit Cuba and experience the music, art, culture and country for themselves. Nowadays, all it takes is an hour-long Jetblue flight from Fort Lauderdale and a $40 visa. Cuban people are incredibly friendly and welcoming. There’s plenty of lodging options. A lot of great restaurants have opened since my first trip back in 2010, my favourites are El del Frente and Restaurante Antojos. No music lover will regret visiting Cuba.
OSR: If you were gifted with a superpower, what would it be?
Dub Sonata: To live forever, and to not need sleep.
OSR: What is your greatest achievement?
Dub Sonata: I’m just happy to still be here doing what I do.
OSR: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you take with you?
Dub Sonata: My girl, my dog and a fishing rod.
OSR: Do you have future plans for Dub Sonata?
Dub Sonata: I’m finishing up a Nights In Cuba II album now which follows the blueprint of the original. I’ve got some other projects in the works with Chino XL, Muja Messiah, Double A.B. and Nejma Nefertiti that should all start rolling out soon. I’m also an executive producer on a project called The Latin Dead that’s been keeping me pretty busy – it’s a Latin jazz ensemble that performs the music of The Grateful Dead, founded by percussionist Brenden Tacon who incidentally played on Nights In Cuba as well. The collective includes Oscar Hernandez (of Spanish Harlem Orchestra), John Kadlecik, Pete Nater and a bunch of other heavy hitters. Everyone in the band is simply the best at what they do. We just announced our first East Coast tour dates this summer, starting at Brooklyn Bowl on July 26th.
Many thanks to Dub Sonata for speaking with us. For more from Dub Sonata, check out his official website, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
