First of all I would like to ask how did you meet and decided to start working together?
Jack: We met through a Facebook page that Mary Caldwell set up for their family dog.They reached out to me on Facebook and at first I thought it was a joke because I got a message from a dog! After we met in person in Miami though, I knew it was real. So we basically have the Caldwell family dog to thank for introducing us.The reason they reached out to me in the first place though was because when I was doing interviews for my funk band Plant Life, I would always mention in interviews that I loved Bobby Caldwell’s music (as well as Todd Rundgren, James Brown, Prince, Sly Stone & several others). I’m not really that into social media, but this is one instance where me being on social media was really great. As soon as we met each other in person (in Miami), I think we both knew we would have to make some musical history together!
Bobby: Thanks to the social media thing, and our family’s bulldog, Jack and I did come together. We arranged to meet for dinner in Miami, and after knocking back a few Jack Daniels, we decided our next meeting would be at Jack’s studio in Miami. The first day we worked together, we wrote and basically recorded, Breaking Up which ended up featuring the ever so great, Deniece Williams, and a cool young rap artist from Miami, Eric Biddines. So right out of the gate I thought, “This is going to work!” To say our time together is productive is an understatement.
One for Bobby: Were you aware of the big influence that you music has on a lot of contemporary and younger acts and, what do you think of all the hip-hop acts that sampled you?
Bobby: Back in 1997, when Notorious B.I.G. sampled My Flame in Sky’s the Limit and then a year later Tupac sampled What You Won’t Do in Do for Love, needless to say, it got my attention. I never would have predicted it, and I am truly flattered. To me it’s an honor to have another artist think enough of your work to want to sample it, or cover it. Common’s The Light gave new life to Open Your Eyes a song off my second album back in 1980. In fact, John Legend covered the song a couple years ago on his “Love in the Future” album. To be a part of the hip-hop generation in some way is very validating for me, and it’s great to see some of my songs having a long life.
One for Jack: Which are your favourite hip-hop tracks that sampled Bobby´s songs? And more in general the original ones that for you used to mean the most?
Jack: That’s a tough question but if I had to pick one, I think the most important song of Bobby’s that was sampled is Open Your Eyes. The reason I say that is because I knew Dilla and the Slum Village guys personally and I know how much love and respect they have for soul music.The way that Dilla & Common used Open Your Eyes for Common’s song The Light was really genius to me, because it was really more than a sample, it was more like a modern-age duet -where Common was rapping the verses and Bobby was singing the hook. That is a really special song to me and to american hip hop fans, that song really defines a special moment in hip hop where artists like Common, Erykah Badu, Cee-Lo, Outkast and others were being very positive and uplifting towards women, which to me is a very important part of soul music.
Another one for Bobby: your vocal style is very peculiar. For example I always found funny that fact that many are convinced you are a black singer, by the sound of some of your classics. Can you tell us something about your musical background and upbringing and how your unique voice developed?
Bobby: Both my mother and father were in show business. They met doing the musical “Summer Stock”, and eventually, they had their own TV show out of Pittsburgh on the old Dumont Network. I grew up in a household filled with music, musicians and all sorts of entertainers. As for the records spun in my house, Sinatra was number one. At an early age I cultivated a love for his vocals, along with others like Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bobby Darin. But when I got a little older, I cherished my AM radio. I was a huge fan of The Beatles. I spent hours in my room with my guitar and taught myself to play every song they ever recorded. To this day, I can listen to The Beatles for endless hours. Of course the sounds of Motown and the Philly scene captivated me… Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Marvin Gaye and the list goes on and on. Basically, my love of music is all over the map. When I got my first record deal with TK Records in Miami, I didn’t set out to become a blue-eyed soul singer. It just kind of happened, and I’m honored to be considered as such.
One for Jack: after your releases with the Plant Life you became more of “the man behind the desk”, working with other top artists but with this new partnership you come again to the fore. Is it something that you were missing in a way or another?
Jack: I think all of the twists and turns that my career has taken so far happened accidentally in a natural way. I am almost never behind the desk anyways, even when I’m in the studio I’m usually running around, dancing, being deep inside the music. To me though, it doesn’t really matter whether I´am behind the scenes or in front. What’s most important to me is that the music feels good and makes people happy. I’ve always tried to spread love through my music. That’s one of the most important parts of making music to me.
Can you tell us something about the singers that collaborate to this records, how you choose and approached them?
Jack: Bobby and I both reached out to some of our good friends in music and then we brought in the people who were most excited to be a part of the project. It was a really natural, easy process. Mostly everyone I reached out to was very excited to hear what Bobby and I were working on. We have some exciting ideas about collaborations for the next Cool Uncle album as well!
Bobby: I’ve known Deniece Williams for quite some time, and she is a class act. Her vocals never cease to amaze me. My stepdaughter is a big fan of Mayer Hawthorne, so a couple years prior to Cool Uncle she took us to his show in NYC. This guy can stand and deliver. He’s an awesome talent, and as it turned out he and Jack Splash have worked together in the past. Jack also worked with Jessie Ware, and it was my honor to do a duet with her. Eric Biddines wrote and rapped the vamp on Breaking Up and he really knocked it out of the park. There are a lot of diverse artists and genres out there, and we tried to bring it all together with Cool Uncle.
Jessie Ware isn´t new to Bobby´s songbook since she covered What You Won´t Do for Love years ago. Were you aware of that version?
Jack: I was aware of Jessie’s version. That’s not really the main reason I reached out to her though. I reached out to her because I love what her and Disclosure, Dornik and the entire PMR crew are doing in London. Jessie’s voice is so beautiful and I knew she would sound amazing with Bobby.
Bobby: I became familiar with Jessie Ware three years ago, when she recorded What You Won’t Do for Love. I never expected to have the opportunity to do a duet with her but hey, life is full of pleasant surprises.
Another stand-out collaboration is the one with Cee- Lo Green in the song Mercy. That song is really moving, in my opinion a rare thing in pop music nowadays. Can you tell us something about it?
Jack: I’ll let Bobby tell you a little more about the lyrics on that one. I remember the night that Bobby and I first wrote and record that song and I think that we must have listened to it about twentyfive times that night, after it was finished, because it felt so special to us. As soon as we were finished with it, both Bobby and I knew that Cee-Lo would sound so beautiful and amazing on it as well. To me, it’s one of those timeless songs that goes straight to the heart.
Bobby: Oh yes, I remember that night in Miami, when we finished Mercy. It was late and my wife came into the studio. When we pushed play, I saw the tears in her eyes. The song is an admission of imperfection and a plea for acceptance and forgiveness. I think it’s a universal theme, and it’s really what love is all about. To sing this song with Cee-Lo is truly an honor and I must admit, I have a real affection for this track.
More in general the album sounds like a cool mix of old school production values and a more modern approach. Can you tell us a bit about the “making of”?
Jack: We definitely wanted to have no rules. We just wanted to mix everything up in the pot and see what we came up with. The making of the record was extremely fun for both of us though because I have a ton of instruments at my studio, so Bobby and I were basically just running around playing with our toys, except in this scenario our toys make music. It was really a fun experience though because both Bobby and I went into each day of recording with an open heart and an open mind. I think you can feel that in a lot of the songs.
Bobby: I suppose it’s no surprise that I come from the “old school of production” and so working with Jack was a great new experience for me. I learned to get out of my own way and let Jack usher in the modern approach. And it’s true, Jack and I had no rules during this project. We brought our different backgrounds into that studio and just let it happen. I’m very pleased with the outcome.
Last question: any plans for a follow-up to this album?
Jack: Absolutely. We’re going to start working on the new album in January!
Bobby: Hello Miami! I’m eager to get started on Cool Uncle 2.
