Tedd Josiah (born 1970) is a music producer from Kenya. He started as a musician, first briefly with the group Ebony Affair before forming a new group, Hart in 1993. The group was disbanded in 1995 and Josiah joined Sync Sound Studios as a producer. In 1999 he left Sync Sound Studios and formed Audio Vault Studios. It was renamed to Blu Zebra in 2002.
He is credited for producing compilation albums called 'Kenyan, The First Chapter' and 'Kenyan, The Second Chapter'. The two albums featured Hardstone, Kalamashaka, Gidi Gidi Maji Maji, Necessary Noize, In-Tu, Jimmy Gathu, Maina Kageni, Pete Odera, Ndarling P and Ugandan musician Kawesa
Tedd Josiah lists having a keen ear for music as a must. "You need to have some sort of musical ability. If you can't play a musical instrument, you're handicapped due to your inability to communicate what you want from an artiste", he says.
He further adds that an understanding of different genres of music is essential. "If, for example, you are recording a hip-hop track, the sound will not be as clean as an R&B one or even a ballad. There are different sounds for different genres. Country, for example, is predominantly an acoustic guitar." Tedd also says that song-writing skills are essential and stresses that whoever the end listener is supposed to be they should always be top of mind. He gives examples of Eric Wainaina and Achieng' Abura as having more mature musical overtones as opposed to the Kleptos. "At my age, lyrics like ' Swing, swing' will not necessarily appeal but to a younger person, they will." He says the class of the end listener should also be considered.
Being a veteran producer, he is behind the success of Gigigidi Maji Maji, K-Shaka, Necessary Noize, Suzanna Owiyo and Yunasi, among others. Most artistes who work with his Blu Zebra production company have their albums out. Rarely does the production house release singles.
Josiah is also the founder of Kisima Awards, the premier annual musical awards held in Kenya. He was given producer of the year prize at the Kisima Awards in 2004, but he rejected it citing his position as an organiser of the awards. Next year he resigned from its organizing committee.
Like most studios in Kenya, Blu Zebra has a fixed producer and it operates also as a record label. Blu Zebra continues to be one of leading Kenyan production houses/record labels, alongside Mandugu Digital, Ogopa DJs, Calif Records, Homeboyz, Jomino among others.
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