2004 looks reaaly like the awaited… blazin' year for Kevin Hedge and Josh Milan and I'll personaly never say enuff how to me (and surely to most of our visitors here) it sounds like justice. With some consistent releases on their West End label, a weekly residency alongside Louie Vega at NYC Cielo for Kevin + some collaborations as demonstrated on the EOL album, not to mention their current "Love Is On The Way" 12" heavily promoed since the last WMC, Blaze embarks on a totally new adventure with their Found Love CD mix album to be released on West End in America and already out on Slip'N'Slide for the rest of the world. More explainations with Kevin (this time)…

"Found Love" brings us back to the souvenir of last year's Sunslice Festival. Not only was it your first European performance, but you also introduced us with this song for the very first time… Has this experience that you've had over there been for anything in the conception of this CD mix album, havin on top of it Josh doing keys

Josh and myself started doing this when I was a mobile DJ in the late 80's. We would go to parties and make up remixes of popular house tracks live. We'd add solos, or strings or even beats to create something
unique and different from what every other DJ had.

How did this concept appear to you ? I mean, you could have done the mix alone like most people do…

We have always been a group and done all our work together. So in the
spirit of being creative and the fact he and I are a team, we've done this project together.

I can see that you've secured a deal with Slip'N'Slide although you might have released it solely on your own label, and it's obviously the case about your Dance United Artists project to be released seperately in Japan on Victor and US on King Street. Is this that it's too hard for an independant label to do the job on a worldwide scale ?

Partnering with labels that are stronger than West End in other
markets we feel, gives the project a better opportunity for success.

You said to me a while ago that you didn't feel like a DJ, as compared to Timmy Regisford and you end up having this outstanding mix sounding almost like a Blaze production. Could it mean that you've trained hard spinning apart for your other activities ?

What I mean is, I humbled by the talent and the work that guys like Danny Krivit, Francois K. and many others have and have put into entertaining audiences around the world. These guys are pioneers and
have advance DJ culture. I can only hope that one day I will be respected in the same light.

How was this other form of collab with Josh ? Did he provide you with suggestions of his own ? Has this been some hard studio production work at the end of the day ?

Anytime we are in the studio our first plan is to give our best to the creative spirit. We have always done our work in collaboration. And
input and ideas from the both of us are included on every production.

What about your weekly residency at NYC Cielo alongside Louie ?

I feel honored that Louie has invited me to come play with him at the ROOTS party. Again he has contributed so much to our seen and he is a huge talent. I only hope to learn more about the craft from him.

You look like being more close to each other from a year to another, not to mention the EOL experience… Is there anything else to expect in the near future ? Is it that joining forces can be taken as an obligation facing today's situation ?

We feel that Louie shares our same vision, to share our passion for music with the world. We are good friends and we love each other. He is our brother.

What about your newie ("Love Is On The Way") on Louie's label ? Its release date ?

That is something new for the EOL extensions album, to be released in September.

How do you see today's nightclubbing in NYC ?

The club scene in NYC is good. Instead of one or two really big parties, we have many smaller more intiment ones. The really good ones are ROOTS, Deepspace and 718 sessions.

Is house music to stay underground ? What is this to be done for its acceptance by a bigger crowd ?

We as a community have to be happy with what our scene is. We do have something and it has survived through the many changes in the business. However in order for us to grow we have to become better marketers.

V/A : Found Love – A Blaze CD mix compilation (Slip'N'Slide), to be released on West End Records in July

Catch Kevin Hedge behind the decks alongside Louie Vega this Wed, June 16 at NYC Cieolo for Blaze's Found Love mix CD Release party
CIELO : 18 Little W 2th St. – NYC
More info : cieloclub.com / mawrecords.com / westendrecords.com