Ron Trent

A perennial innovator in soulful music and the arts, Ron Trent originally aspired to be an architect—an ethos he carried onto the dance floor as a pioneering architect of house music. Inspired by his father’s record pool in the late ‘70s, Ron diligently studied, collected, and DJ'd from an early age, leading to the release of the seminal Altered States at just 14. Under the mentorship of Hula & Fingers, key figures in Chicago’s house and R&B scene, he refined his skills as a producer and musician, shaping the signature soulful, emotive sound that defined his influential label, Prescription, alongside Chez Damier in the early ‘90s. Moving to New York, Ron became a fixture at Body & Soul, Shelter, and his own nights at Vinyl and Shine, later pioneering a genre-blending residency at Shine with Giant Step, where neo-soul, jazz-funk, and international grooves fused into his signature dance formula. His production work extended beyond house, collaborating with legends like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Moodymann, Tony Allen, Peven Everett, Jody Watley, and 4hero. A champion of his home city, he founded SODA in 2016 to preserve underground music’s legacy, helping launch the Silver Room Block Party and Move Your Body Festival. His deep musical knowledge also fuelled his Giant Step/Sony productions, featuring artists like Amel Larrieux, Anastacia, Donnie, and Carl Hancock Rux, alongside acclaimed DJ compilations (Giant Step Sessions, Music Reflections, Deep & Sexy 2). Under his moniker WARM, Ron's 2022 album What Do The Stars Say To You pushes his genre-blending vision even further, a sonic journey - featuring Jean-Luc Ponty, Azymuth’s Ivan Conti & Alex Malheiros, Gigi Masin, and Khruangbin. Seamlessly weaving spirit, nature, and urban life, the album solidifies his legacy as a trailblazing force in music and culture.