Spotify has expanded its collaboration with the legendary Electric Lady Studios for a series of live EPs titled Live at Electric Lady, it was announced today. The series will build on the companies’ pre-existing partnership for Spotify Singles.
Live at Electric Lady will consist of high-quality live audio EPs recorded at the iconic Northeast recording studio, with the first coming from singer and pianist Jon Batiste on July 29. The Batiste EP was recorded May 21, 2021 with jazz musicians Kenny Garrett, Ron Carter, Gary Bartz and Joe Saylor.
Other artists to be featured in the series include Patti Smith, Japanese Breakfast, Dominic Fike, Faye Webster, Bleachers, Remi Wolf and Natalie Bergman. Participating artists are encouraged to play their own music as well as covers of songs by artists connected to the studio’s history. The recordings will be distributed exclusively on Spotify.
Commissioned by Jimi Hendrix and opened in 1970, Electric Lady Studios has hosted sessions with such greats as Stevie Wonder, The Clash, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, among others.
“The opportunity to partner with an iconic studio like Electric Lady is an incredible way for Spotify to pave the way forward with new audio content & formats while also paying homage to a place that has a very special place in music history,” said Spotify recorded music lead Michele Santucci in a statement. “There’s magic in the walls at Electric Lady, which we are aiming to capture and share with the world!”
Added Electric Lady general manager and partner Lee Foster, “The idea for ‘Live at Electric Lady’ dates back to as early as the mid-70’s, done typically for various radio stations throughout the years. This, however, is the first time that it’s had a dedicated partner and a concrete plan forward. Having Spotify, its staff, and its know-how has given us the big engine we needed to make this program a success. As we look to the future of continued curation of great music, content, and events, this partnership is a great step forward in our evolution, which we look forward to for many years to come.”
More information on Live at Electric Lady can be found over at Spotify’s For The Record blog, including an in-depth Q&A with Foster.