Picture this: Brooklyn, New York... September 25, 1995... Veteran Producer/Songwriter/Re-mixer Chris Barbosa, along with partners Lenny Hoffman and Gaspare Valenti, announce the formation of their new independent recording company, Critical Records... The results? Well, out of the then newly formed label, came their first release entitled "We Are The Ones," which featured a who's who all-star roster of some of the very best Freestyle artists that has helped shape the Freestyle music genre. The roster consisted of super divas Judy Torres, Cynthia and Brenda K. Starr, and Freestyle kings George LaMond, Coro, Joey Kid, and Tony Moran. And what better to name the group than "The Legends of Style!" for these artists are surely legends of the style! The Critical trio's experience in the dance music world is vast and diverse: Barbosa's credits over the past decade and half includes writing and producing the Grammy nominated "Let the Music Play" and "Give Me Tonight" by the talented diva, Shannon, "Yo Little Brother" by Nolan Thomas, and "Bad of the Heart" by no other then Freestyle's great George LaMond. Chris also has extensive experience in Artist Manage for such acts as LaMond, as well as EMI recording artists, Blessed Union of Souls - whose first single "I Believe" was a Top 10 Billboard Pop single. "As opposed to other label situations with which I've been involved, my participation in Critical will not only be in the creative process, but being active on the business side as well," says Chris. Lenny Hoffman is an experienced spinner and producer. He has been a featured guest DJ on numerous "live" broadcasts from clubs around the New York/New Jersey area on WHTZ-FM ("Z100"). Gaspare Valenti is the owner of Step One Studios in Brooklyn and has worked as a programmer, engineer and co-producer on over thirty released records. "I've worked with most of the Legends of Style singers in the past at one time or another and we're all still good friends, so it was relatively easy getting them together for the project," says Chris. "The level of energy and excitement in the studio was tremendous, as this was the first they had actually sung together and they were really trying to show off their chops. For any DJ' s who are into this music, "We Are The Ones" is an absolute must to the program." And if you haven't heard of this awesome song yet, you are missing out! I find the lyrics and the talented vocals on the song to be very moving and powerful. With such lyrics as "...we are the ones who filled your memories, whose style has set you free..." it just hits ya right in the heart! Throughout the song you can hear each singer sing parts of their own songs that have become to be known as legendary classics, and the great part about it is that they do so in such a way that it blends into the whole theme behind "We Are The Ones" - it's just one of those things that you have to hear to believe and understand it for yourself. And as the Legends of Style says, "We still believe we're here to stay..."
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Picture this: Brooklyn, New York... September 25, 1995... Veteran Producer/Songwriter/Re-mixer Chris Barbosa, along with partners Lenny Hoffman and Gaspare Valenti, announce the formation of their new independent recording company, Critical Records... The results? Well, out of the then newly formed label, came their first release entitled "We Are The Ones," which featured a who's who all-star roster of some of the very best Freestyle artists that has helped shape the Freestyle music genre. The roster consisted of super divas Judy Torres, Cynthia and Brenda K. Starr, and Freestyle kings George LaMond, Coro, Joey Kid, and Tony Moran. And what better to name the group than "The Legends of Style!" for these artists are surely legends of the style! The Critical trio's experience in the dance music world is vast and diverse: Barbosa's credits over the past decade and half includes writing and producing the Grammy nominated "Let the Music Play" and "Give Me Tonight" by the talented diva, Shannon, "Yo Little Brother" by Nolan Thomas, and "Bad of the Heart" by no other then Freestyle's great George LaMond. Chris also has extensive experience in Artist Manage for such acts as LaMond, as well as EMI recording artists, Blessed Union of Souls - whose first single "I Believe" was a Top 10 Billboard Pop single. "As opposed to other label situations with which I've been involved, my participation in Critical will not only be in the creative process, but being active on the business side as well," says Chris. Lenny Hoffman is an experienced spinner and producer. He has been a featured guest DJ on numerous "live" broadcasts from clubs around the New York/New Jersey area on WHTZ-FM ("Z100"). Gaspare Valenti is the owner of Step One Studios in Brooklyn and has worked as a programmer, engineer and co-producer on over thirty released records. "I've worked with most of the Legends of Style singers in the past at one time or another and we're all still good friends, so it was relatively easy getting them together for the project," says Chris. "The level of energy and excitement in the studio was tremendous, as this was the first they had actually sung together and they were really trying to show off their chops. For any DJ' s who are into this music, "We Are The Ones" is an absolute must to the program." And if you haven't heard of this awesome song yet, you are missing out! I find the lyrics and the talented vocals on the song to be very moving and powerful. With such lyrics as "...we are the ones who filled your memories, whose style has set you free..." it just hits ya right in the heart! Throughout the song you can hear each singer sing parts of their own songs that have become to be known as legendary classics, and the great part about it is that they do so in such a way that it blends into the whole theme behind "We Are The Ones" - it's just one of those things that you have to hear to believe and understand it for yourself. And as the Legends of Style says, "We still believe we're here to stay..."