Sunny Levine aka Boss Selection’s demeanor is instantly disarming. Walking into his Pacific Palisades studio, the prolific producer and singer displayed a charming mix of modesty and generosity.
He’s set to release Volume One, the first in a multi-volume series of collaborative albums featuring a different singer on every track. The grandson of icon Quincy Jones and son of longtime hit producer Stewart Levine, Sunny’s record is brimming with jazz-inspired, simple and nimble r&b/soul production.
The project features contributions from legendary artists like Hugh Masekela and Brenda Russel, alongside surprisingly-sublime performances from newishcomers like actress Rashida Jones and L.A.-based r&b singer-songwriter Phlo Finister.
Levine is in the process of moving his studio into his digs and fixing/replacing his gear. He joked about the makeshift look of the room before inviting me out to a patio area with a stunning Pacific Ocean view. We chatted about hip-hop, the thrillingly-quick “Boss Selection” recording process and his early musical influences.
The record’s coming out soon. How are you feeling?
I’m excited. It’s been done for longer than I’m used to, so it’s been an act of patience to just get the release ready and do it really right. And I think we’re doing that.
How long has it been done?
It’s been done about a year probably. And then the Rashida (Jones) single that just came out, we just did a remix and cut a video to that, and that’s made me feel like it’s got some new life to it for me to get excited about. It’s gonna drop the week of the album coming out. We remixed the song to feel way more 90s, made it a little slower. It feels kinda early P.Diddy and Mary J. Blige. And the video is an homage to all those great videos. So like nine different videos from the 90s shot-for-shot with all the clothes.
I don’t think most people know Rashida Jones can sing. She’s incredible.
I think she’s only ever done it kind of jokingly. She’s sung on some talk shows, some funny stuff. But she’s never had a real record like this.
Hers and the Pete Yorn track are my favorites.
Yeah. That ones pretty cool.
What was the recording process like?
I’d do most of the tracks where I’d have something ready before each person would come, but all the songs are done pretty quick. So I’d have a little bit of the bones of a track or if the person was like Brenda Russell, I knew she’d come in with chords; Pete I knew he’d come up with something. So I just had rhythms for those two people and sort of tempos and an idea. And then we’d just get started and walk out with the song and a little bit of music from them and I’d just keep building it up. Usually each person would come and spend a day and maybe one more. No one spent more than two days recording. The whole thing I did in about a month and a half—from scratch.
Are you a trained musician?
Nope. Not trained. I just sort of did it. I tried to play drums; I was a terrible drummer. Tried to play saxophone; I was terrible at it. Tried to take piano and didn’t have enough discipline to stick with it. Coming from such a musical family, I came at it very backwards. I started as a DJ, making little beats and crafting them into songs; playing in bands.
Do you think you’d get back into more hip-hop stuff?
Yeah. I think it’s a really cool time for rappers. I’m excited about a lot of rappers. I like (Long Beach-based) Vince Staples. I think he’s so good. I like Aesop Rocky. I think I could go way into it.
BOSS SELECTION – the new moniker of LA producer/recording artist Sunny Levine – will release his debut album, Volume One, on December 8th, 2015.
Volume One track listing:
- Wouldn’t It Be Wild Ft. ORELIA
- Flip And Rewind Ft. Rashida Jones
- Midnight Fools Ft. Young Dad
- Heart Strings Ft. John Gold
- Everbody Needs Ft. Brenda Russell
- Hey Mama Ft. Nicholas Nauman
- One Of These Days Ft. Hugh Masekela
- Kellen Winslow Ft. Pete Yorn
- Riding On A Love Train Ft. James Gadson
- Luck Of The Draw Ft. Phlo Finister
- Cold Cold Water Ft. Grace Kelly
- Rivers In The Sea Ft. Aska Matsumiya
- Honor Ft. Sunny Levine
