Family Records’ lineup reads like a who’s who of the music business—only five years premature. It’s almost guaranteed that the artists you see performing at intimate venues like Bar 4 or last weekend at Gramercy Theatre, will be the ones you mention to you friends years from now and rave about how you saw them play live before they made it big. These artists aren’t household names yet, but there’s plenty of evidence that they will be soon—especially if Wesley Verhoeve has anything to say about it.

The entrepreneur behind this New York-based boutique record label and artists management firm is Mr. Verhoeve, a thirty-something Dutch transplant who has succeeded in carving out a niche for Family Records and its musicians. The label was founded in 2007, and while creating good music is obviously paramount, the community element is also important to the dynamic of the label. “The name, Family, was picked with a certain vision in mind where it’s truly a little family that is supportive of each other,” said Wes. “Artists are approached only if in addition to having amazing music, they also fit into the group personality wise.”

Wes’s path from his hometown of Maastricht to Manhattan was unconventional to say the least. After earning an MBA, Wes bypassed the corporate world in order to pursue his love of music. New to the city in 2003, he met Jay Mankind and started Cross-Pollination, a popular weekly music series on the Lower East Side. A couple of years later, he teamed up with musicians Casey Shea and Jeff Jacobson to form the band The Undisputed Heavyweights, and Family Records was subsequently founded as a way to release their music. The Undisputed Heavyweights retired in 2008, but Family Records remains the band’s lasting legacy.

Family Records releases 8-10 albums a year by a slew of talented artists including Dinosaur Feathers, Matt Singer, and Gabriel Kahane. In addition, they manage four artists: Casey Shea, Wakey! Wakey!, Pearl and the Beard, and their newest project—Lacrymosa. Bridging rock and instrumental, electronic and folk, the common bond between these musicians is their unfailing ability to produce honest, soulful music that strikes a chord deep within even the most skeptical of listeners.

Most of Family Records’ albums can be streamed on their website, and it’s evident that the rise of social networking via Facebook and MySpace has helped build a community for these artists online as well as in New York. “It has made it easier to promote and distribute your own music,” acknowledged Wes, who admits to being something of a Twitter addict himself. “It’s given artists a lot of possibilities and power, but it’s also led to a very cluttered online music space.”

To set Family Records apart, Wes and his team have come up with creative ways to stay a step ahead of the changing industry. “I think specifically with the Casey Shea project, we’ve made some interesting strategic choices not many people would’ve made, but it’s been working out well,” said Wes. “We’ve been releasing one three-song single per month for six months, and giving them away in limited edition handmade runs at the release shows. It’s certainly helped us build buzz around the project, and emotionally engage early adopter fans.”

Days at the office are anything but typical for this music man who splits his time between the studio and meetings around town. “Generally my day involves problem solving, strategic thinking, and lots of communicating with interesting people, whether it’s artists, bookers, or one of the many partners we work with,” said Wes.

While his daily routine might not be predictable, his go-to look for work is. In the five years since Wes moved to New York, his style has evolved into a tailored uniform that reads business not boring; urban but with a European sensibility. Button-down oxford shirts, skinny ties with a tie bar, and fitted jeans are standard form for Wes. He avoids the quirky yet ubiquitous pairing of Converse sneakers with business wear in favor of the traditional—he sticks to brown or black leather shoes for a polished look. “For the most part, I aspire to pursue a timeless look, with hints of the modern age in terms of cut,” explained Wes. “On a style level, I admire guys like Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Robert Downey Jr., and Daniel Craig.”

Considering Wes’s profession, it’s surprising to learn that he is one of those rare New Yorkers who travels around the city sans iPod. “I listen to music on my iTunes in the office and at home, but when I am on the move I like to take in the sounds of the city,” said Wes. His favorite songs of the moment are Jay Z’s “U Don’t Know”; Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill”; and The Shins’ “New Slang.” Phoenix, Sufjan Stevens, and The Beatles are also all in heavy rotation on his stereo.

And what about Wes’s recommendation for this year’s “song of summer”—that catchy tune that sticks with you from May to September? True to form, Wes is one step ahead of the rest. “I feel a little bit like a fraud for picking an album I’m involved in, that isn’t even out yet, but for me personally, the summer song of 2009 is The Bloodsugars’ song ‘The Pedestrian Boogie.’” Judging from Wes’s track record, his song of summer is bound to be our favorite come autumn.

Check out WesleyVerhoeve.com and TheFamilyRecords.com to order CDs and find the latest schedule of concerts and events hosted by Family Records and its artists.

Source:
TheFamilyRecords.com

Photos: Ari Sommer of Melophobe.com