The A-Team
Aaron Albano aka Ming | Harold Stephan | Abe Romano | Paul Umbach
Aaron Albano aka Ming
Writer.Producer.Protagonist
With a musical and business insight that transcends everyday definitions of trend and genre, Aaron Albano, a.k.a Ming, is an inspired, talented, and hard-hitting producer, songwriter, and performer known from London to Los Angeles. Thirteen years of touring and production experience has given Ming uncontested credibility as an enduring source for fresh and distinctive sounds.
In 1996, Ming opened the record label and recording studio Madhattan Studios in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City with former partner FS. Over the course of ten years, the legendary break beat duo Ming+FS played over 1000 shows in the United States and abroad, opening for acts such as Sting, Run DMC and Moby, released four albums and a series of EP’s, and countless 12 inches and remixes. During his tenure with Ming+FS, Ming earned the reputation as an innovative talent, racking up writing, producing, and remixing credits for artists such as P. Diddy, Suzanne Vega, and Toby Lightman.
Ming’s business acumen led him to expand his career to commercial music. He mastered the nuances of licensing and film scoring through years of creating content for television and film, eventually leading to musical credits in syndicated shows such as CSI: NY, CSI: Miami, Sex In The City, Showtime’s Weeds, BBC America’s series Dinner Take All (title score and cues), and the BBC/TLC series Travel Spies (title score and cues). Ming+FS’s music also found an audience with the gaming community when Sony enlisted the group to provide tracks for their PlayStation games Wipeout Pure and Tourist Trophy. EA Sports has also used original tracks from Ming+FS in their game NBA Ballers.
Ming’s work at Madhattan Studios firmly established him as a pioneer and a true professional; a music person of the first order. In 2006, seeking to add to his success in the music industry, Ming left his accomplished group and label to open his own production company, Hood Famous Music (HFM).
HFM fills an industry gap: a full service production house that develops emerging artists who match Ming’s intense drive and unique musical vision. Some standout projects include the metal band Bazaar Royale, Hip Hop and R&B maestro Michael Lynche, and NYC’s electro-rock outfit 33hz.
Under HFM, Ming has created a large catalog of varied and distinctive music licensed mostly by popular companies to help define their brand. MTV, a regular client of HFM, recognizes Ming’s distinctive style as part of their own ethos, relying on him for exclusive tracks for shows such as The Real World, Cribs, Becoming, and Beauty at the Beach. Rockstar Games, currently the hottest gaming company, placed Ming’s mix of 33hz’s “I Feel Alive” in the top selling game Midnight Club LA.
With the success of HFM, Ming is extending his brand with Habitat Music, a new venture providing original music for the advertising community as well as film and television. The creation of Habitat is a testament to Ming’s innate work ethic and drive to always challenge himself: “What’s propelled me to stay in music has been the endless creative freedom – learning different musical styles, instruments, and even businesses.” He continues, “If you want to be a successful music producer, you have to challenge yourself to to stay current and keep your ear to the ground.”
Aaron “Ming” Albano has seen serious success in an industry where few even make it out of the starting gate. He declares, “I’ve been an artist and a label owner. I know what it means to make a record. I know what it is to grind something out for 10 years, and I know what it is to stay true your own vision.” He concludes, “Music has been the thread that holds everything together in my life. I’m always trying to push myself to do something innovative. Sharing that creative moment with someone; struggling over a song and then breaking through – these are the eureka moments. When you push hard enough, great things happen.”
Harold Stephan
Writer.Producer.Yoda
Whether writing and producing music for recording artists, his band Amelia’s Dream, TV commercials or shows and movies, Harold Stephan brings his love for music and the people who create and enjoy it to every project he is involved with.
Harold began his career as an assistant engineer at one of NYC’s busiest recording studios, UNIQUE, where he learned the art of pop record production, working side-by-side with guys like LL Cool J (Bigger and Deffer), Maurice Starr (New Kids On The Block), Keith Diamond (Donna Summer), and Phil Spector (John Lennon).
After meeting songwriting partner and future wife Amelia Gewirtz, the two founded Amelia’s Dream. Releasing three albums with a fourth in the works, their carefully crafted brand of alternative pop-rock has found it’s way into various MTV reality shows, Disney movies, and feature films.
As an experienced entrepreneur, Harold has kept in tune with the music industry’s continually shifting and growing opportunities. Taking advantage of opportunities in the commercial music industry, Harold worked with major brands like Chevy, Sears, Burger King, and Ocean Spray to expand their reach in the marketplace. He recently created The Artist Development Group as a launching pad to develop and market great artists and bands.
An honors graduate of New York University, Harold has written feature articles for Electronic Musician and Keyboard Magazines. Harold is a voting member of N.A.R.A.S. (grammy.com) and lives in NYC with his wife Amelia and their son Adam.
Abe Romano
Executive Producer.Certified Mad Man.Zen Master
A native New Yorker, the city’s musical culture has always been a part of Abe’s identity. From Hip Hop to House, Freestyle to Funk, Salsa to Scratching – it’s in his DNA. Abe’s musical aspirations originate in the old school when, as a kid on the Lower East Side, after piano lessons at the Henry Street Settlement, he initially tried his hand at DJ’ing with a single turntable and a cassette deck. The journey has since taken him from the infamous pioneering rave “NASA” in the early ‘90s to A&R duties at Kinetic Records and later, Music Editor for UGO.com and other digital entities.
As part of his professional career, Abe spent over a decade as a certified “Mad Man,” serving Madison Avenue’s finest, the likes of Arnell Group, Draft FCB, Avrett, Free & Ginsberg and most recently, TBWA\ Chiat Day. While in the biz, he was responsible for leading integrated (above and below-the-line) marketing activity for clients including Michelin, Disney, Tommy Hilfiger, Sprint-Nextel, AT&T Wireless, Bank of America, Bayer and Embassy Suites, to name a few.
Abe joins Habitat Music marking his return to the love of his life (second to his wife and two dogs): music.
Paul Umbach
Writer.Producer.Secret Weapon
This multi-platinum musician/producer/songwriter has been involved with some of the biggest stars in pop music. After establishing himself as a sought after producer/engineer in New York, Paul took a gig in 1998 in the Pop A&R dept of JIVE Records as a staff producer/writer. His “3rd Floor” studio saw the likes of Britney, ‘NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and the top songwriters and producers from around the world. While at the hit making machine, his songwriting and production began to spread throughout the music industry, helping artists pen deals to Interscope, Sanctuary, Geffen and several indies.
Paul brings his extensive record industry experience and his insatiable energy for creating music to the TV/Film and Advertising world. Catchy tunes for Huggies, Spaghettios, Campbells, McDonalds and the Sears “Good Life” song are among his “Ad Hits”, along with numerous major film placements for Sony, FOX, Warner Bros.
Now living in Nashville, TN, he opened his production facility, The MAZE Group in early 2009 and has been writing and producing with Nashville’s elite songwriters and artists.
