By Umer Nangiana


The man behind the current number 1 billboard smash hit, Uptown Funk, is coming to Doha after releasing his brand new album “Uptown Special”. Mark Ronson, the English producer, songwriter and musician, will bring his all his latest tracks, collaborations and his personal mix of everything cool to Indigo, Sheraton Doha on April 23.
“Uptown Special”, the fourth album by Ronson, is a tale of several cities, a wide range of collaborators, and a road trip deep into the American South.
In 2014, Ronson achieved his first UK and US number one single with Uptown Funk, which featured vocals from Bruno Mars. In 2015, the song won Ronson the Brit Award for British Single of the Year. His fourth studio album, “Uptown Special”, was released in January 2015, and became his first UK number one album.
Ronson has also produced multi-platform, Grammy-winning albums for artists such as Amy Winehouse and Adele.
While his debut album, “Here Comes the Fuzz” failed to make an impact on the charts, his second album “Version” reached number two in the UK Album chart and included three UK top 10 singles. This success won him a Brit Award for Best British Male Solo Artist in 2008. His third studio album “Record Collection” was released on September 27, 2010, peaking at number two in the UK.
However the story of Ronson’s latest project really starts back when he was New York’s hottest DJ. In the late 1990s into the early 2000s the New York club scene was percolating with booming hip-hop and glitzy R&B.
In those days before he emerged as a multi-talented musical force. “It was a fun time to be playing music,” he says. “At clubs like Cheetah you didn’t have to play a hip hop record until 1am. You could play early 80s classics by Chaka Khan, Boz Scaggs and Michael Jackson and rock the crowd. I’d play Steely Dan’s Black Cow at 11:30 and it would work. Then, at 1am you’d play Hypnotize by Biggie and the crowd would go wild. I come back to those memories.”
This mix of vintage R&B and pop with contemporary hip-hop is what made Ronson a star DJ. “I never get tired of hearing records like ‘Earth’, Wind & Fire’s ‘Can’t Hide Love’ next to ‘Rock the Boat’ by Aaliyah,” says Ronson. “I wanted this record to feel like hearing that kind of musical mix on great New York club night.”
“Uptown Special” has all the flavour of a night with Mark rocking the ones and twos with funk, soul, and psychedelic pop in a style that echoes classic productions by Quincy Jones and Steely Dan, and funnelled through its creators sophisticated understanding of arrangement and melody.
Of his three previous albums Mark feels “Uptown Special” is closest in spirit to his 2003 debut, “Here Comes the Fuzz”, which came directly out of his DJ experience.
The first single, Uptown Funk, features Grammy award-winning superstar Bruno Mars on vocals and drums, who sings with passion and plays drums with fire that will bring funk back on the radio. Mark also produced Mars’ massive hit single, Locked out of Heaven where they developed a close musical kinship. Early on in his career as a DJ while attending New York University, Ronson became a regular at downtown hip hop spots and made his name as a DJ on the New York club scene in 1993.
He soon became known for his diverse, genre-spanning selection. Influenced by funk, the hip hop scene of New York and the more rock influence of the UK (all of which he incorporated in his sets) he attracted a wider audience.
He was soon a popular and sought after DJ in New York City, frequently booked for high profile events and private parties.