Hello everyone it’s your host Daniel from Dulaxi, and today I have with me the exceptional artist, C’batch from White Plains, New York, United States. And C’batch is here to discuss his recent original album “The Vault 1 (C’batch Smooth / Rough)” which was released on March 21st, 2026. So, welcome, C’batch! But before we begin our interview, to our audience; here is what you need to know about this artist.
Stephen H. Cumberbatch, professionally known as C’batch, is a veteran composer, guitarist, producer, author, and multi-instrumentalist from White Plains, New York, whose expansive musical career reflects decades of artistic innovation, emotional depth, and genre-defying creativity. Renowned for blending Smooth Jazz, Ambient Soul, cinematic textures, and electronic influences into immersive soundscapes, C’batch has established himself as a deeply expressive musician whose work balances technical sophistication with heartfelt storytelling. Beyond his acclaimed guitar work, he is also an accomplished keyboard, synthesizer, and sampler programmer who has collaborated with numerous respected music professionals throughout his career while proudly maintaining membership with ASCAP. His creative legacy includes involvement in influential works such as Sinnamon’s timeless club anthem “I Need You Now,” a landmark release whose synth-driven production helped shape the foundations of house, garage, and rave music, as well as NV’s “Let Me Do You,” an electro-funk and early house classic celebrated within iconic New York club culture. Through his independent company, Stevette Music, Inc., founded alongside Yvette Cumberbatch in 1984, he has continued to preserve and expand his artistic vision through publishing, production, and archival releases that document his lifelong musical journey. His latest project, “The Vault 1 (C’batch Smooth / Rough),” serves as a cinematic and deeply personal return to one of his most transformative creative eras, revisiting and reimagining material from the “Unfinished Business” period with modern production techniques that elevate the emotional essence of the original recordings. The 18-track archival release captures the richness of C’batch’s evolving artistry through atmospheric arrangements, meditative guitar work, and introspective composition, reaffirming his commitment to artistic evolution while introducing a new generation of listeners to the timeless depth and influence of his music.
Having this brief Introduction about C’batch, I’m sure new and current fans must be excited about our Interview today.
INTERVIEW SESSION
Daniel: You’ve built a career as a composer, guitarist, producer, and programmer across several eras of music. Looking back, what originally inspired you to pursue such a multidimensional path in music?
C’batch: I believe it came from being deeply influenced by the music that surrounded me throughout my life. Different sounds, genres, and creative environments naturally pushed me to explore music from multiple angles, not just as a performer, but also as a composer, producer, and programmer.
Daniel: Your work has contributed to influential records like “I Need You Now” and “Let Me Do You,” both of which left a lasting mark on club and dance culture. How does it feel knowing your creative fingerprints continue to influence generations of music?
C’batch: It feels wonderful because that was never something I expected. There’s a special feeling in knowing that your work continues to resonate with people and inspire new generations long after it was created.
Daniel: Stevette Music, Inc. has existed since 1984 and continues to evolve with your vision. What has kept both your artistry and the company creatively alive across decades of change in the music industry?
C’batch: The freedom to create music without having to conform to trends or limitations has been essential. I’ve always believed in making music that feels authentic to me rather than chasing whatever the industry happens to be promoting at the moment.
Daniel: The Vault 1 (C’batch Smooth / Rough) is described as more than an archival release, it feels like a process of renewal. What emotional journey did revisiting these unfinished ideas take you through?
C’batch: Absolutely. It’s much more than an archival release. In many ways, it represents a renewal and a polished revival of songs that were left dormant for years. Revisiting the material gave me an opportunity to breathe new life into ideas that still carried emotional and creative value.
Daniel: The album opens with “Song For God,” a deeply reflective and meditative piece. Why did you choose that track as the introduction to the project, and what does it personally represent to you?
C’batch: I chose that piece for several reasons. First and foremost, I wanted to place God, the One who makes all things possible, at the beginning of this new musical journey. Secondly, I believe the song sets the emotional and spiritual tone for the entire project.
Daniel: One of the most powerful statements connected to this album is: “It’s not just archival, it’s renewal.” Can you expand on what that line means spiritually and creatively for you?
C’batch: Renewal, to me, means revisiting dormant musical compositions through a completely different lens and allowing them to evolve into something fresh and alive again. It’s about rediscovering the emotional essence of the music while giving it a renewed purpose and sound.
Daniel: Tracks like “Round & Round,” “Just into You,” and “Let Me Be the One” each carry distinct emotional textures. Were there any songs on the album that surprised you emotionally once you revisited them years later?
C’batch: Honestly, reworking every piece surprised me in some way. Revisiting those songs brought back emotions and memories I hadn’t experienced in years, and hearing them evolve into something new became an emotional experience in itself.
Daniel: The title Smooth / Rough feels symbolic, almost like a reflection of life’s contrasts. What message were you hoping listeners would take away from that balance between softness and rawness throughout the album?
C’batch: The title came from my feeling that some songs carried a smoother emotional texture while others felt more raw and rugged. That contrast naturally reflected life itself, the balance between calmness and struggle, refinement and imperfection.
Daniel: Your music blends Smooth Jazz, Ambient Soul, and Cinematic Minimalism in a way that feels immersive and visual. How do you approach building atmosphere and emotion within your compositions?
C’batch: I think it’s mostly an unconscious process. The music naturally reflects whatever emotional or mental space I’m in at the time. Atmosphere and imagery seem to emerge organically from the mood of the composition itself.
Daniel: Several tracks on the album appear in alternate versions and reinterpretations. What excites you most about revisiting and reshaping a song instead of leaving it in its original form?
C’batch: I love hearing music from a different perspective or angle. Alternate versions allow listeners to experience the same composition in a completely new emotional or sonic context, which keeps the music alive and evolving.
Daniel: As both a guitarist and producer, how do you decide when instrumentation should speak quietly and emotionally versus when it should become more expansive and cinematic?
C’batch: It always depends on the nature of the composition and what the music itself calls for. Sometimes subtlety communicates emotion more effectively, while other moments require the instrumentation to be more expressive and dominant.
Daniel: Your musical journey spans decades, multiple collaborations, and evolving genres. In what ways do you think C’batch the artist today differs from the musician you were during the original “Unfinished Business” era?
C’batch: At my core, I believe I’m still the same person creatively. The difference today is that I’m probably more confident and bolder in my decision-making, both musically and artistically.
Daniel: Many artists struggle to preserve their artistic identity over time, yet your music still feels deeply personal and emotionally grounded. What has helped you remain authentic throughout your career?
C’batch: The music I create is always personal because it comes directly from the heart and mind. My compositions are emotionally driven, and staying connected to that honesty has helped preserve my artistic identity over the years.
Daniel: You’ve worked across jazz, soul, club music, and cinematic soundscapes. Which musical influences have had the deepest impact on the way you hear and create music today?
C’batch: All of those genres, and many others, have influenced the way I hear and interpret music. Each style contributes something unique to my artistic perspective and continues to shape the way I compose and produce.
Daniel: Revisiting older recordings can sometimes reopen old emotions or memories. Were there moments during the making of The Vault 1 that challenged you personally or creatively?
C’batch: Absolutely. Revisiting this material made me realize how much strong music I had left behind over the years. Some of those songs were simply abandoned too soon. My principal co-writing partner, the late James Edward “Buddy” Herring, always encouraged me to return to those compositions, so revisiting them also became a meaningful way of honoring that creative partnership.
Daniel: Your work often carries a sense of reflection, healing, and
emotional depth. Has music always been a form of personal expression and release for you, or has your relationship with it evolved over time?
C’batch: Yes, music has always been a deeply personal expression of who I am. Writing music has consistently been a release from the pressures and routines of everyday life, and that relationship with music has remained constant throughout my journey.
Daniel: Listeners have described “Song For God” as emotionally healing and deeply introspective. What has the audience response to the album meant to you so far?
C’batch: Hearing that means everything to me. I’m grateful that listeners connect with the song on such a personal level, and I hope it continues to uplift, heal, and inspire anyone who hears it.
Daniel: Because the album feels cinematic and immersive, many listeners may connect with it on a deeply personal level. What do you hope people experience emotionally when they sit with The Vault 1 from beginning to end?
C’batch: I hope listeners leave with a sense of contentment, inner peace, and tranquility.
Daniel: The Vault 1 is described as the first chapter in an ongoing archival series. What can listeners expect from the future releases, and are there more hidden musical stories waiting to be rediscovered?
C’batch: Listeners can expect even more diversity in musical styles, including projects that are more vocal-driven while still maintaining the emotional and cinematic qualities that define my work.
Daniel: After such an expansive career and this powerful return to earlier material, what goals or creative visions are driving you forward into this next phase of your journey as C’batch?
C’batch: One of my biggest goals is to further explore cinematic music by expanding on some of the earlier material I’ve revisited. I believe there are still many untapped ideas and stories within that music waiting to evolve into something even greater.
Having Had A Close Listen To This Immersive And Emotionally Layered Body Of Work, Here’s My Thought.
Listening to “The Vault 1 (C’batch Smooth / Rough)” by C’batch felt less like hearing a conventional album and more like stepping into a carefully preserved emotional archive that has been restored with extraordinary attention to detail and artistic maturity. What immediately stood out to me throughout the project was the patience and confidence in its production style, as the album never rushes to impress through dramatic transitions or overwhelming complexity, but instead builds its emotional weight through atmosphere, groove, texture, and subtle evolution. The fusion of smooth jazz, soul-funk, ambient soul, cinematic minimalism, and contemporary R&B creates a deeply immersive listening experience that feels warm, meditative, reflective, and emotionally intelligent from beginning to end. I was especially drawn to the way the album balances polished modern clarity with the timeless warmth of classic soul and jazz traditions, allowing every keyboard harmony, restrained guitar accent, expressive wind texture, and tightly programmed rhythmic pattern to breathe naturally within the mix. Even with its minimalist tendencies, the album never feels empty or repetitive because C’batch understands how to make repetition itself feel emotionally progressive, gradually layering melodic and rhythmic elements until the atmosphere becomes hypnotic and deeply absorbing. There is also a strong emotional honesty running throughout the album, as themes of spirituality, vulnerability, romance, introspection, desire, and personal reflection quietly unfold beneath the surface without ever becoming forced or overly dramatic. What makes this project truly memorable to me is its ability to transform restraint into depth, proving that emotional impact does not always require explosive arrangements or lyrical overload when mood, tonal balance, and sonic intention are handled with this level of precision. “The Vault 1 (C’batch Smooth / Rough)” ultimately feels like a timeless late-night soundtrack designed for deep reflection, and its seamless blend of archival nostalgia and modern refinement makes it one of those albums that becomes more rewarding and emotionally resonant with every revisit.
~ Daniel (Dulaxi Team).
Finally to our audience, I urge to listen to “The Vault 1 (C’batch Smooth / Rough)”, add its songs to your playlist and be inspired by them. On behalf of Dulaxi I like to appreciate you all by saying thank you everyone, See you on our next interview.
For more information about C’batch, click on the icons below.