About Us
In September 1981…I was sitting in my dorm room, and I heard, above me, some slammin’ bass guitar playing. I went upstairs to check it out, and introduced myself to my future roommate. Since I played guitar in various HS R&B bands, and so did he, we naturally hit it off. Being roommates during and after college allowed us to begin writing and recording. From the beginnings of using an old Electro-Harmonix drum machine and tape recorder, we went to our first pro session at a $1 per track 12-track studio in Fairfield, CT. From there we put together a group featuring a male and two female vocalists. Out of that came songs such as “Backslider,” “Same Place, Same Time,” “Baby Girl,” “You’re The One,” “I Want Your Love” (The Slammin Funk Remix), and “Special Lady.”
The mid-80’s saw the birth of After Six..(yes, we were formed just a few months before After 7 came out) and submission of a demo to Solar Records, who acknowledged some interest…but nothing came out of it. We then parted separate ways due to employment seeking, etc. Fast forward to 2002, after the development of two home studios, and the relocation of one of us, the idea was to form After Six Productions, whose first studio project was a remix of a song called “It Takes Two.” The success of the debut caused us to more formerly pursue a writing/performing/production role…and here we are. Doug’s main instrument is guitar, with bass guitar as a second instrument. Keyboard comes third. Dan plays bass guitar, primarily, and keyboards, second.
We look forward to doing business with you.
Dan McCollum
Dan was born in Durham, NC and at age of two moved to Stamford, CT where he first started his musical journey singing songs for family and friends at the age of eight. From there he attended the “Harlem Children’s Dance Theater” where he developed his dance and rhythmic styles from the Afrocentric music exposure. At the age of twelve, while playing the flute in his middle school band, he got his first guitar. While taking lessons, he fell in love with the bass guitar, later playing in high school R&B funk bands as he continued to study music theory.
While in high school he had the pleasure of meeting then renowned bassist Bernard Edward of the group Chic, who encouraged him to continue playing and to develop his own style of playing.
While in college, he and a college roommate began writing and recording R&B songs with a local group, Boramc, later known as AfterSix. Between 1984 and 1987, AfterSix recorded several tunes in Southern Connecticut and submitted a demo to Solar Records, in Los Angeles for consideration.
While still in CT, Dan work and collaborated with Bernard Edwards, Jr. and Neal Boyke as he continued to develop his own style of playing. During this time, he had the opportunity to sit in on a recording session at Power Station Recording Studio in NY. Dan Continued to develop his writing playing skills by doing session work at surrounding studios.
In 1998, Dan moved to Maryland, where he connected back with his old writing partner and roommate Doug Ramsay.
Dan’s musical influences include bassist Louis Johnson, Bernard Edwards, Alphonso Johnson, early Motown James Jamerson and songwriters such as Rod Temperton, Billy Joel, Nile Rogers, Bernard Edwards, George Clinton, and a host of others from the R&B, Jazz Funk eras.
Doug Ramsay
Doug Ramsay was born in Newark, NJ and began playing the guitar at age 14 in a neighborhood high school R&B band called Black Frost. The group grew tired of covering Top 40 R&B tunes and began to write their own original songs. As one of the primary writers, Doug not only honed his skills as a guitarist, but also as a writer and an arranger. Throughout the rest of his high school years, he also played in the school jazz ensemble, and continued with Black Frost, and another band, Sapphire, participating in talent shows, variety shows and similar events in the NY/NJ area.
While in college, he and a college roommate began writing and recording R&B songs with a local group, Boramc, later known as AfterSix. Between 1984 and 1987, AfterSix recorded several tunes in Southern Connecticut and submitted a demo to Solar Records, in Los Angeles for consideration.
After returning to NJ, Doug did recording session work and performed with area recording artist Caprii, culminating in a spot on Live At The Apollo Theatre. Doug continued to perfect his musicianship in NJ and began to write contemporary gospel tunes after realizing his musical gift was given unto him to praise God with. Using his influences of R&B, Jazz, House, Hip-Hop, and Funk, he began to write praise songs that were scripturally based, while building a small MIDI-based project recording studio in his apartment.
In 1993, Doug received a call from a fellow bass player who invited him to join their church choir at From The Heart Church Ministries. He has been with the music ministry department ever since, as a guitarist participating in various choirs and ensembles. Out of the adult choir, an instrumental praise quintet was born called Perfect Peace, which Doug was the guitarist for its entire existence. During that time, and after Perfect Peace disbanded, Doug became a session guitarist for area recording artist Linda Washington, and recorded on Linda’s debut CD as a solo artist, “Nothing Is Impossible” in mid 2003. In 2001, Doug and Dan McCollum put together AfterSix Productions, to record older and newer tunes they had written together. In 2004, Doug again recorded tracks on local area bassist and writer Derrick “Doc” Pearson’s debut release, “I Sing a New Song To The Lord”. In late 2003, Doug and co-bandmate/drummer from Perfect Peace, Ken Stanback, had the desire to form another Christian Jazz group. After contacting area bassist Ron Finney, and later bringing on keyboardist Danielle Faison, 150 East was born. Currently, Doug plays with the Christian Jazz Ensemble, Divine Intervention – http://diband.net
Doug’s musical influences include guitarists Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, Ronny Jordan, Nile Rodgers, Joe Pass, Paul Jackson, Jr, Mark Hicks, Jesse Johnson, O’Dell, Marlon McClain, Mark Whitfield, Grant Green, Jonathan DuBose, Rudy Johnson, Natural, and Norman Brown; as well as bands Incognito, Mint Condition, Jeff Lorber, Ben Tankard, Brentwood Jazz Quartet, Earth, Wind and Fire, The Yellowjackets, Fourplay and many others. His favorite genres are downtempo, chillout, instrumental 90’s hip hop, contemporary gospel, rock, jazz, smooth electronica, and classic R&B, to name a few. He has also scored the ten-episode web series, At Risk, and is CEO of the publishing company, SkySongs Music Worldwide. He’s also a member of BMI
learn more about Doug and his solo releases and session work at his LinkedIn profile
[/accordion-wrap]