K Ford (Kevin Ford) started out in the world of electronic music in 1984 as DJ in 8th grade. . People were starting to beat match records and ìscratchî. Samplers were a brand new technology, as were the many drum machines that have since become legendary–and now largely out-dated–staples in the electronic world. The tag-along kid looking over the shoulder of such DJs as Julian Perez, Mark Imperial, and the then Junior in high school Bad Boy Bill, Kevin was exposed to the very early rise of Chicago house music and the prelude to the explosion of electronic music worldwide. His high school ìsleep-oversî revolved around producing house tracks in his friend’s basement, the fruits of which made it on several early house records.
Later, an accident in 1989 resulted in the 150 gallons of water dumping on Kevin’s DJ rig and a large insurance check. An interest in producing music, and 10 years of piano lessons, inspired him to spend his money on a synthesizer. The rest of his equipment went to his good friend from high school and DJ partner Terry Mullan, still a complete unknown at the time.
Friends made during years of college led him to perform in several bands, eventually touring the western U.S. as a keyboardist focusing on vintage electric piano, organ, and synthesizer sounds. Eventually returning to Chicago as part of a large funk and dance band, he took root in the Lake Street loft area and made numerous new connections in a Chicago electronic music scene that had evolved worlds in size since the 80’s. Gradually building his studio up on musician’s wages, Kevin managed to slowly build an impressive computer based production studio in downtown Chicago. It is there that the reality of releasing independently produced electronic music reached it’s 15 year fulfillment. One of the 1st tracks produced in the formative Lake Street studio was the ìForeverî track which made it to the Billboard dance charts, done in collaboration with his brother Bryan, Jeremiah Seraphine, and Monna Samuka. In 2002, a reunion with former high school friend and DJ partner Terry Mullan led to the formation of the Acid O.G.s in a reaction to the resurgence of Acid House –a niche that had just emerged during their friendship in the late 80’s. That collaboration has since produced a growing list of releases on various labels around the world. Currently, Kevin tours the U.S. as a keyboard player in Chicago Afrobeat Project, a throwback to the pre-electronic live dance music of 60’s and 70’s Nigeria—a sound that inspired numerous early electronic musicians.
The independent production work from Kevin ranges from jazzy, funk-inspired downtempo grooves to driving electro, breakbeat, and psychedelic acid tracks. The wide range of his experiences in music manifests itself in a diverse collection of tracks. The pre-electronic funk and dance music of the 70’s and 80’s, the early house music era, the broadening of electronic genres, and jazz/funk keyboard performance weave their way into the spectrum of Kevin’s music.
