Jon Brion

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Lore & Background

Jon Brion's involvement with Late Registration began after Kanye West heard his score for the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and also listened to songs Brion had produced for Fiona Apple's second album, When the Pawn... (1999). Apple was one of West's favorite acts and sources of musical inspiration for the album. Brion was inexperienced in creating hip-hop records when he first collaborated with West, but the two discovered after only one afternoon in the studio that neither confined his musical knowledge and vision to any specific genre. Brion described the difference in direction from standard hip-hop: 'There are colors and ideas that make [the album] different from average hip-hop, but Kanye is already different from the average hip-hop guy. He's got this sense of pop record-making which is really solid, and he likes tracks with a lot of things going on in them – which is not necessarily common for hip-hop. He was already barking up that tree.'

The recording sessions between West and Brion were largely exploratory, as the pair experimented with a broad spectrum of sounds. West would construct a song's basic structure, bringing in a sample, drum beat programming, and occasionally unfinished rap verses. After thinking through what musical direction to take, West would then select from a variety of unique instruments that Brion both provided and played, including drums and strings. Brion shared West's vision of recording as the creation of a film, saying: 'He thinks in frequency ranges. I can recognize when someone sees music architecturally, which is how I work. I see it as a spatial thing: left to right, front to back, up and down. It's animated and it's moving in real time. Kanye has that. He tries things out until it fits, until it sits where it is supposed to sit and everything has the correct emotional function.'

In Their Own Story

When Kanye West first brought Jon Brion into the studio for Late Registration, Brion had no experience making hip-hop records. But after just one afternoon, the two found they could work productively together because neither confined his musical knowledge to any specific genre. West would arrive with a sample, drum programming, and sometimes unfinished rap verses. Brion would then provide and play a variety of unique instruments—drums, strings, and more—that West would select from to incorporate a distinctive sound into the song's texture. Brion described West's approach as architectural: 'He thinks in frequency ranges. I can recognize when someone sees music architecturally, which is how I work. I see it as a spatial thing: left to right, front to back, up and down.' For the track 'Heard 'Em Say,' featuring Adam Levine, Brion was able to effectively work with the composition and Levine's vocal track in just a few hours. For 'Gold Digger,' once the track was in place, it was layered with additional instruments that Brion contributed.

Reader's Guide

Brion's production on Late Registration is defined by his use of a 20-piece ensemble and a variety of instruments not usually associated with hip-hop, including a celesta, harpsichord, and Chinese bells. The album moved away from the sped-up soul samples of West's debut toward a more elaborate and orchestral style. Brion's approach was exploratory—he and West experimented with a broad spectrum of sounds, with Brion providing and playing instruments including drums and strings. Brion saw the music spatially: 'left to right, front to back, up and down,' ensuring every element had the correct emotional function. His work on specific tracks included layering additional instruments onto 'Gold Digger' after Jamie Foxx's vocal was in place, and effectively working with Adam Levine's vocal track on 'Heard 'Em Say' in just a few hours.

Did You Know?

• West enlisted Brion after hearing his score for the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and listening to songs Brion produced for Fiona Apple's second album, When the Pawn... (1999).
• Brion was inexperienced in creating hip-hop records when he first collaborated with West, but they found they could work together after only one afternoon in the studio.
• Brion described West's musical thinking as architectural: 'He thinks in frequency ranges. I can recognize when someone sees music architecturally.'
• For 'Heard 'Em Say,' Brion was able to effectively work with the composition and Adam Levine's vocal track in just a few hours.
• Brion contributed additional instruments to 'Gold Digger' after the track was already in place with Jamie Foxx's vocal.

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