GRAMMY AWARD WINNER!
Michael Hyde
(Special Tribute)
Produced in 1997 in the music production studios in Los Angeles, California of the legendary Belizean producer and Grammy Award Winner Michael Hyde, this eclectic feature shared at the link below was done 30 years ago for one of my Broadcast Journalism classes at the California State University, Los Angeles (CALSTATE LA).
Languishing in Hyde's studio feeling quite helpless as to how the news segment for a school broadcast show would have got done, it was the innovation and creativity of Mike that saved the day and hooked me up with one of the best sound that was fed into a beat up VHS camera as yours truly feature on music production was recorded. It was the second time that Mike had saved me from a frustrated moment in terms of meeting deadlines for an assignment being almost given a failing grade at Los Angeles City College (LACC) while doing an Associates of Arts Degree in Television Production in 1995.
He came through at the school's television studios equipped with just a digital keyboard in time to be filmed as my guest by my production crew for another feature that allowed me to ace that class. And he did both productions for me as a dear friend under his most pressuring and busy schedule as a self-employed musician while asking for nothing.
There is a deep sense of gratitude that is owed to my brother Michael Hyde since our artistic inspiring high school days at St. Michael's College in the 1970s when he taught me to play music by air in Belize. And we continued our remarkable friendship in the arts after both of our migration from Belize.
During a recently in-depth sit down conversation with Mike in his state of the art studio in Los Angeles on New Years Day 2020, it was truly an honor for me to discuss the arts, music and technology with a man that did not have such of a luxury to have become this professional musician, producer, and artistic phenom that he is. His story will traverse volumes here and what is departed to you about this Belizean legend is only a snapshot of who and what he is as this incredible and humble human being that have risen to such high acclaim for Belize in the global music world.
Throughout the 40 or more years that we have known each other and have collaborated on so many in terms of the arts, the beautiful struggle that Mike has waged to perfect his craft and to become perhaps Belize's most accomplished and best musician of all time is a fantastic story in itself that one day can be produced as a documentary by yours truly. Though he has become quite unruffled by the noise in the Belizean entertainment circles both at home and abroad, he has made some impressive developments for himself and for Belize as a respected musician among many of the greats in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and the world.
And so Michael Hyde needs no accolades in terms of publicity and spotlight in the Belizean confines though he would be the first to tell you that he have always taken Belize with him in all of his musical endeavors and proudly identify as such among his international world beat musical peers. He is a Belizean to the bone and carries his country very proudly on his back as he performs like a shining star on some of the biggest stages both in the U.S. and around the world. He bestowed an honor on me once introducing me to Ziggy Marley as his Belizean high school classmate at a 2002 San Diego music festival while performing with Marley's band there. The sense of humility that he has lived all his life has truly touched me and will impact my life forever.
And so this small feature here shared with the Belizean Legends audience as a tribute to my dear friend and mentor Michael Hyde, that was done in solidarity with me as a colleague of cherished friendship, speaks of the kind of people like Mike in this world that give of themselves unselfishly so that others may grow and developed. Thank you Michael.
MICHAEL HYDE & ANDY PALACIO!
Belizean musical legends Michael Hyde and Andy Palacio were two of the best musical duos of the 1980s and 90s Punta Rock musical explosion.
Their musical collaboration produced big hits for the Belizean music scene like Watu, Ereba and many others. Andy had sought out the young Belizean musical producer and Grammy award winner with Ziggy Marley whenever he came to town in Los Angeles, California. They produced many Punta Rock hit tracks through the Caye Records music label owned by the legendary Patrick Barrow.
In 1994, the first full Andy Palacio album was produced under yours truly Kalifa Productions after Hyde had returned from Gabon, Africa on a musical tour with some pulsating African rhythms within his musical repertoire, putting an Afrobeat spin on Andy’s Garifuna drum beats and lyrical brilliance.
The two were made for each other like they were raised from the same land and musical experience producing the hit tracks, Roots, Saminei Humei, Albert Street, Jammin’, Time For Peace and Se Busca. This was the first Andy Palacio album called ANDY PALACIO since the artist had only done singles before for the Belize music scene. It also preceded the Watina album done under StoneTree Records.
The classic and historic photo share here depicts Andy and Mike performing together at the 1989 Belize Caye Fest at the fabulous Birds Isle in Belize City, Belize. Hyde introduced in live performance in Belize some of the latest keyboard instruments and instrumentation that were driving the American and global music scene. And Andy himself was one of the most stellar and electrifying performers who was second to none among his peers like the legendary Mohobub Flores, Chico Ramos and Mime. Belizean Punta Rock saw its best musical productions and performances by some of the best of Belizean artists in the 80s and 90s!
Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/QKyLOmM8u98?si=UUnJ0py5FWpAcLDn
https://on.soundcloud.com/z3ibjdQXP5Bh9dI6kw
https://on.soundcloud.com/8JvCNddVDdY6mdr2VK
https://on.soundcloud.com/v5j2NES51IYaj5GjXa
https://on.soundcloud.com/dZYeeUmhDcPksuRp7b
https://on.soundcloud.com/KsjNvR5M1ynnHxf1Cs
https://on.soundcloud.com/CFdq2sXC7s97dFNNPB
https://on.soundcloud.com/zE4WKnUYzPi4qiX3ld
https://youtu.be/bmZHorLkYsM?si=u9qbT0Z4qFC5JEmB
(Photos through the courtesy of Michael Hyde, Belizean Legends & the AMANDALA newspaper)
Bilal Amir
BELIZEAN MUSIC LEGENDS
MICHAEL HYDE
