Faces
By Michael Raine
KURTIS CASTELLO
Over the years , at trade shows and other product-focused events , I ’ ve often run into Kurtis Castello , either coming and going in the hallways or manning the Intellimix booth . He always speaks with a smile , exuding a happy and buoyant demeanor , the kind of presence that can pick up your mood even when you don ’ t necessarily feel like being at whatever particular event you ’ re at that day . And so , it should be no surprise when he tells CMT he considers trade shows one of the best parts of his job as the director of operations and Zoom brand manager at Quebec-based music and audio products distributor Intellimix .
“ I know a lot of people in the industry maybe don ’ t like doing trade shows and having a booth and all that stuff where you have to deal with people , but that ’ s something that I don ’ t mind doing . You know , people at the retail level deal with those users and they get that daily , but sitting in an office dealing with distribution , you don ’ t really get that interaction . So , I like being out there !” he says .
In fact , in thinking back over his 16 years at Intellimix , the two highlights that stick out both involve trade events , though they ’ re quite different encounters . The first took place during the A3C hip-hop conference in Atlanta . Castello was at the famed Patchwerk Recording Studios doing a Native Instruments demo session . “ Opportunities like this do not happen often and there were some major players in that room !” he says , though it takes some prodding for him to name drop . “ If I were to say one , it ’ d be Young Guru , only because he was part of one of the brands we had and , actually , I was part of the reason he was there , so that was a nice highlight . He ’ s an engineer for Jay-Z and a bunch of people . It ’ s funny because when he was speaking , everybody stopped talking .”
The other professional experience that sticks out does not involve anyone famous , but rather is simply a touching and very human moment . “ One fond memory was meeting an autistic child at one of our clinics ,” he recalls . “ Although this child had specific challenges , the products we were demonstrating gave him the confidence and courage to express his introverted self . Seeing him perform and shine in front of others and his parents gave everyone a feeling of joy and accomplishment .”
Growing up in Montreal , “ my childhood consisted of making friends , playing basketball , football , and playing music at any chance I could get ,” Castello says . In his elementary years , he remembers his friends coming to his house at lunch to listen to records on the old home stereo . This early love for music meant he was also tasked with bringing the music for classroom parties while the other kids brought the snacks . It was an early precursor to his future as the high school ’ s go-to DJ , which then turned into a decade as a professional DJ after graduation .
“ In the ‘ 80s , of course , there was just such beautiful music . So , it was everything under the sun when it came to that . I would do high school sock hops , which is basically when they ’ d hold daytime parties in the school ’ s gymnasium . So , I ’ d get off in second period and was allowed to go set up , and then at lunch time they ’ d have the sock hop ,” he says . “ After completing high school , I started making a name for myself as a DJ . From basement and community centre parties , to guest appearances in downtown night clubs . I would also travel to nearby cities in Canada and the U . S . for special events . So , my interest in music pushed me to want to learn more .”
In the early 2000s , shortly after completing his studies in audio and music production at Musitechnic in Montreal , Castello was looking for some stable work . He reached out to a friend , Rahim Nathu , who was then working at Intellimix and learned of an opening in the warehouse . And so , that ’ s where his professional journey in gear and distribution began .
“ After a couple of years , my work ethic eventually led me to becoming the service manager , and after a couple of years in that department , I was asked to move into inside sales . From there I was promoted to brand manager and travelling across Canada had started ,” he summarizes . “ Due to the experience I had accumulated in the different departments , I was then assigned to director of operations .”
In terms of Castello ’ s current day-to-day responsibilities , Zoom is currently his primary focus — managing inventory , as well as sales , marketing , and product support — but he is always ready to help out anywhere he ’ s needed .
“ Every day is different — working with my friends and colleagues , working with manufacturers and our partners , while delivering a good experience to users ,” he says , thinking about what he likes about it . “ And obviously the gear . I love learning about the gear and products .”
These days , “ the highlight of my week is going to get groceries !” he jokes , but in truth , music is never far from his mind . “ But really , at home , I just try to keep those happy moments , whether it ’ s pulling out some old vinyl and listening to music , or jumping on the computer and creating some songs , which is a bit of a hobby .”
As well , he and his wife dote on their “ little girl Mila , our miniature Chihuahua . We ’ re both animal lovers and it just adds something to the dynamics of being at home — she becomes a big part of the family . She ’ s so small , but yet she takes up a lot of our hearts .”
As the pandemic ’ s end hopefully nears , like everyone , Castello is looking forward to some normalcy , which to him includes “ packed dance floors , sold out concerts , and being around friends , just enjoying life . Professionally , I ’ m always looking to make the current year better than the last .”
Michael Raine is the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Music Trade .
18 CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE