Meet a producer in the canyons where wildflowers grow! Learn how one app on your phone can reinvent music credits, and how one lost score united two award-winning creators. We have new releases from Barcelona, Down Under and invite you to experience electric love and southern gothic. Hear music of a king re-imagined for the big screen. Meet the first female founder and chief executive of a publicly traded music company. It's the NAMM wrap up and we've got dates for your social calendar and more...! We remain Grateful to you, our valued readers and sponsors for supporting music that lives and moves. |
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Ryan Ulyate: A Zest for Music And California Zins
Ryan's Place: ATC Dolby Atmos Studio in Topanga Canyon Where Wildflowers Grow!
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Ryan's love for music began early. His Dad's picture with Elvis Presley (on the drums) adorns the walls of fame on Ryan's place, his Dolby Atmos studio in Topanga Canyon, Calif. Ulyate Snr. played the clarinet in the Fox Orchestra directed by Alfred Newman in the 60s and worked on many sessions. So, at age 7, Ryan decided to record his older sister’s singing group with their Dad’s mono reel to reel. "Learned it’s not a good idea to absent-mindlessly scratch the mic while recording!" says Ulyate who moved on to collaborate with the iconoclastic front man of the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Ryan's zest for California Zinfandels came much later, as he'll tell you when you visit his studio. He has a cellar and prefers California wines "those from Carlisle Winery," says Ryan. Like good wine, good music lives in the walls of his studio equipped with Pro Tools, a vintage Studer tape machine (used for baking archival reel to reel taped) and a here you'll find a whole lot of ATC speakers for his immersive mixes. It's a real treat to hear Tom Petty and the Wildflowers in Dolby Atmos. It feels like you're in the studio with him and his band. This week, I got to sit in "the sweet spot", and hear the natural and warm sound, just like the day it was recorded by Ryan. "Working with Tom was an experience that I will be forever grateful for. He was my friend -a very talented and very cool guy. His music is timeless. His voice is one that will be heard for many yea rs to come," says producer/engineer Ryan Ulyate, perched in his studio with breath taking views of the canyons, beautifully landscaped grounds and vistas, ideal for creativity.
In the middle of the pandemic in 2020 Ulyate worked with producer Glyn Johns on Mick Fleetwood And Friends Celebrate The Music of Peter Green and Early Years of Fleetwood Mac.
He upgraded his control room to Atmos in 2020. This is where he has mixed all of his projects since 2007. The main studio, his living room with 22’ high ceilings, provides just the right amount of ambience –making it possible to record everything “in-house.” Ulyate was the natural choice to see to completion Petty’s dream of a re-issued Wildflowers release that would include the ten excellent songs that had been cut from Wildflowers for its original 1994 release. Working with Adria, Annakim and Dana Petty and bandmates Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, Ulyate also went through literally hundreds of tapes to compile insightful demo versions of the Wildflowers materials as well as the most inspired live versions and unique alternate takes to create the Wildflowers & All the Rest box set. To top it off, Ulyate remixed the Wildflowers tracks in immersive Dolby Atmos. Heading into “Atmos Land” as he calls it, Ulyate expanded to a 5.1 surround sound system with the addition of three more ATC SCM50ASLs.
“The larger picture is that all of this technology helps fully-realize this great music from this guy that I knew and loved. It’s fun being able to celebrate Tom and his music. The technology helps us give a beautiful representation of his music to his fans!”
Read more, including an exclusive studioexpresso interview with Ulyate here
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ATC models:
"ATC monitors are something you have to experience to really grasp how different they are from everything else. Lets just say that you can hear details you’ve never heard before, leading you to faster, more accurate decisions in your creative process," says Brad Lunde, President of Trans Audio Group.
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Models range from $5,000 to $50,000 per pair and all share a very similar sound. For larger rooms and midfield, applications check out the SEM45 with dual 6.5-inch drivers and the fantastic SEM150 with a 15-inch woofer and 350 Watts of power. Choose the size that works for your space. More info here
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Sound Anchors and Redmount products are designed and manufactured in Palm Bay, Florida U.S.A. using American parts and skilled American labor. Next time that you need to purchase high quality stands or mounts please consider Sound Anchors. click here for Sound Anchor dealers in USA
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Reinventing Music Credits
MUSO.AI An Easy-to-Use Integrated Mobile Platform Founded by Jay Baumgardner of NRG Studios
NRG Recording Studios owner, producer, mixer/engineer Jay Baumgardner (P.O.D., Bush, Papa Roach, Drowning Pool, Godsmack) was too familiar with a nagging problem shared by his close friends and clients.
How to control your work's accurate credits on streaming sites? The idea to improve the situation was first hatched by Baumgardner in 2007 in his studio in North Hollywood, home to some of the biggest artists in the industry to include: Linkin Park, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z. "We're fixing the industry's music credits problem by verifying the data with creators themselves so they can receive the credits and missing payments they deserve," says Baumgardner.
Today 95% Of music collaborators are still not properly credited on popular streaming sites. Even decades into the digital age, outdated systems and antiquated crediting procedures continue to prevent musicians, songwriters, producers, and other contributors from properly getting recognized and paid.
Enter Muso.AI. I t is the world's first verified music credit platform. Music professionals across the industry can claim their profiles, clean up legacy credits, correct metadata, and share those updates with the platforms that matter most, and it's FREE! Paid subscribers can unlock in-depth credit analytics, daily and lifetime stats, and more. It's available on iOS and Android with monthly subscription services beginning at $9.99. "We recently announced a new subscription plan built with businesses in mind. Muso.AI Pro gives users access to analytics for one profile, but now, with Pro+, labels, publishers, and management companies can get full access to their own custom roster of industry professionals, says Nina Navarro, SVP of Marketing. We asked Navarro about other applications. "As far as gear, the vision has always existed to capture metadata to catalog the equipment used during recording or editing. Those tools are in development and will be ready to deploy when the time is right," she says.
Unlike other apps out there, Muso.AI delivers everything you need to manage credits, showcase your discography and elevate your music career in one simple, integrated, mobile platform that’s easy to use.
How Easy? Muso.Ai already has 3 million profiles in its database, waiting to be claimed! After setting up an account, you verify your identity, claim your profile and you're on your way to fix legacy credits!
The modified data is then shared with Muso.Ai's growing list of data partners, and anyone using services like Airgigs, Campsite, Music Story, United Market, EngineEars, etc. You can incorporate your verified Muso.AI credits into their portfolio, profile or CV. New partnerships with business-solution services like EngineEars and United Market give members of both platforms the option to add their verified credits to their profile with a Muso.AI link. The user pays nothing for this data—they just need to log in and start claiming their credits and they can sync them to any participating data partners’ sites.
The engine is built to collect data from various industry data sources and merges them together through an A.I. enrichment process. The analytics feature aggregates catalog data from the top streaming services and social channels including Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, SoundCloud, Shazam, and others, so users can see and share their cross-platform lifetime impact.
Muso.AI delivers stats on your entire catalog at your fingertips, refreshed daily, and ready to view at any time. Credits changes are validated by artists and master rights holders. Verification for artists is done by logging in with a social media account tied to the artist, showing that you have access to the artist's page.
The folks at Muso.AI have secured an official partnership with Sound Exchange and working on others. "You’ll have to stay tuned on some of our plans, but we can say that there are a few other conversations in the mix that we’re excited to talk about soon," adds Navarro.
Muso.AI helps musicians claim missing credits, so they can monetize their work. And, that's good news for all you creators!
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studioexpresso Interview with Award Winning Record Producer, Jay Baumgardner
Jay, you've been a mixer/producer and studio owner with an impressive client list for decades. As music has migrated to streaming platforms, most creators understand your frustration with keeping accurate credits.
SE: When did you have the idea and who did you reach out first to look for solutions?
JB: In 2007, I was shopping the idea around to a few people. No one knew what I was talking about. I even contacted the guy running iTunes at the time, and he told me that if this was so important to me, I should start my own company. I thought, “Okay.”
Sometime later, I met Aaron Kaufman at one of Steven Slate’s events. He and I talked about the idea for about a year, and then I met Kyran de Keijzer in 2012—he had joined NRG as an engineer. That’s when everything started firing, and the company launched in 2014.
SE: How hands-on have you been with the developers?
JB: Considering I have no background in tech, at first, I was bouncing my ideas through Aaron and Kyran and learning our capabilities and limitations as I went. Now that I’ve been sitting in on calls with our lead developers for several years, I’m much more educated on how to communicate with the dev team in a way that we both know what each other is talking about.
SE: It looks easy enough to input credits via cell phone -- for your own credits, have you gone DIY yet?
JB:: My Muso.AI profile was the test profile used in development, so my legacy credits were primarily managed on the back end in the early days. Any new credits that I have now, I log in to fix and manage them myself.
SE: What's one feature that has evolved since its inception?
JB: Something that many don’t know is that Muso.AI was originally developed to capture credits at the moment tracks were being laid down. But we soon realized we had to shift our focus to fixing the legacy data credits already out there. There is just so much info missing or duplicated, and we’re uncovering more music metadata issues than we ever knew existed. In the future, we’ll integrate the original vision, but first things first. And that’s updating the current record.
SE: As producer manager, I'm excited to bring MUSO.AI to our studioexpresso community. Congrats Jay!
JB: We’d love to partner with studioxpresso! Your reach and credibility is priceless when it comes to educating people about the industry’s metadata problem and what we’re doing to fix it. We’d love your help letting your subscribers know that anyone with credits can join for free and start claiming and fixing their catalog today.
SE: Music to my ears! Thank you.
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Debut Album From Kalena Produced by Jeffrey Weber
Engineered and Mixed by Clark Germain
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Photo by Thomas Concordia.
Producer Jeffrey Weber introduced teenage singer/songwriter Kalena Haireka (hear her cover of Dreams by Fleetwood Mac) on his "The What Now" show on Youtube in January of 2022. The Sidney-Australian native plays the piano and writes her songs. Fast forward, she has recorded her debut album at United with Weber and mixer Clark Germain. "We gathered a who's who of musicians. "Yup, you REALLY need to hear this! Kalena can bring it!", says Weber.
Above (l-r): Rhonda Smith (bass), David Leach (percussion), Andre Frappier (guitars), Joseph Otis (drums), Dapo Torimiro (keybords, arrangements), Kalena Haireka (lead vocal/songwriter), Clark Germain (recording & mixing engineer), Jeffrey Weber (producer), Troy Laureta (keyboards, arrangements), Michael Clark (score supervisor/assoc. producer).
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Zoe Thrall Celebrated Workversary at Hidout Studios!
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Candadian record producer and musician (Ozzy Osbourne, Modern Science, Disturbed, In This Moment, Shania Twain) owns The Hideout Recording Studios in Las Vegas where Kendrick Lamar, Carlos Santana, Five Finger Death Punch, and everyone in between has recorded. Last year owner Kevin Churko tapped music industry veteran Zoe Thrall as Director of Studio Operations and this year in March she celebrated her one-year workversary at Hidout with owner Kevin and Kane Churko (above).
The Hideout Recording Studio is following a surprising record-breaking year of growth for the studio.a full-service recording and production facility minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip. The studio’s recording and monitoring rooms were designed to achieve the most precise acoustic sound while providing clients the vibe and comfort needed for a recording session ranging from a large tracking to intimate vocal performance rooms. The studio features Ocean Way sound systems, Solid State Logic (SSL) consoles, Avid Pro Tools HD, and a considerable collection of cutting-edge and vintage outboard gear, including an extensive selection of vintage microphones. For bookings call Zoe Thrall at (702) 318-6001
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BETTERMAKER’S NEW STEREO PASSIVE EQUALIZER DELIVERS PURE ANALOG BEAUTY OF A PASSIVE EQ WITH IMPRESSIVE DIGITAL PLUG-IN CONTROL
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Bettermaker builds boutique signal processors worthy of worship in their own right, but then they level-up their incredible products with convenient, easy-to-use plug-in control and instant recall.
The new Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer replicates that proven formula to bring the famous and deeply-loved sound of the classic passive EQs to modern high-end workflows. No more snapping pictures or relying on misplaced recall sheets to preserve settings. Bettermaker makes recalling settings easy and reliable with unlimited memory via the associated DAW plug-in. Engineers will find the controls on the Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer familiar: low boost or cut at four possible frequencies; high boost at ten possible frequencies with bandwidth control; and high cut at three possible frequencies. Bypass, output gain, and reset round out the controls. But, of course, the real magic of the Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer is its sound, which includes two perfectly matched channels, and comprehensive plug-in control and recall. “The 100% analog signal path of the new Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer has all the heft and ethereal air of the vintage passive EQs that are so loved by engineers,” said Brad Lunde, founder and president of TransAudio Group, the U.S. distributor of all Bettermaker signal processors.
The Bettermaker Stereo Passive Equalizer is now available and shipping – and is priced at USA MAP $1999
TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier U.S. importer/distributor and/or U.S. sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. Success hinges on TransAudio providing dealers and end users with a higher standard of product expertise and support far beyond the norm.
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Culture Wars At United Recording |
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Culture Wars has created a unique sound of their own, while striking visual elements are a key component in the success of the band. Alex Dugan plays the primary role in blending the group's music and look, which can be seen in the Super 8 footage in their music videos as they tour Las Vegas in debauchery. Watch Culture Wars Faith here
Here they took a break in their busy touring schedule to drop in at United Recording in Hollywood to track some tunes for their upcoming album. The dynamic Texas band has a reputation for hard rock and exciting live shows, as well as a series of music films helmed by Dugan, who is a graduate of the film school at the University of Texas.
(L-R) in United Studio B are Culture Wars' drummer David Grayson, frontman Alex Dugan, engineer Gerardo Ordonez, United staff engineer Scott Moore, guitarist/electronics Dillon Randolph; and producer Caleb Contreras holding Pete.
Photo by David Goggin.
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Introducing The Daking Mic Pre 4T
Soulful Circuitry Meets Proprietary Problem-Solving Features
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Above: Brad Lunde with Geoff Daking |
Perfect for studio, live, and broadcast audio recording, the Mic-Pre 4T features 4 high end pre-amps in 1U of rack space, Jensen input/output transformers, and has now added variable high pass filters on each channel.
The new Daking Mic Pre 4T is designed for the widest possible range of inputs, from vintage, low-gain ribbons, to high-gain modern condensers, and instruments via the DI. Avoiding clipping and distortion is critical for error-free capture of that once-in-a-lifetime magical performance. Daking’s variable low pass filters make it possible to have a different low-filter setting on each of the four input channels, preventing unwanted over saturation of the transformer. "The Instrument DI passes through the ultra linear Jensen output transformer for one of the best DI’s around. The Daking Mic Pre 4T is the one pre-amp that’s right for many different sources, rather than the costly “different pre-amps for different sources” approach," says Brad Lunde. Watch the YouTube interview with Trans Audio Group's Brad Lunde, where Geoff Daking goes into great detail on the design and features of the new Mic-Pre 4T. Daking Audio gear is built in USA and distributed by TransAudio Group.
Built in the USA, Daking uses only high-end parts like Jensen input and output transformers in a high-end design using all-discrete transistor Class A circuitry. How's that for Soulful circuitry meets proprietary problem-solving features? Order yours today!
Watch the interview with Brad Lunde with Geoff Daking here
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Trans Audio Group -- The Recording Studio Equipment Experts. Call to order from their trusted brands:
A-Designs (USA), ATC Loudspeakers (UK), Auratone, Bettermaker, Daking Audio, Drawmer, Hakan, Latch Lake, Mojave Audio, Mutec, Pete's Place Audio, Sabra-Som, Subwoofer Pros, and Tube-Tech
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studioexpresso Video Spotlight
Paravi Das
Electric Love DIY Video!
Piano track by: Xander Ambrose mixed by: Ben Michals
Paravi Das (Pxrxvi), pronounced parr-OH-vee DAHS, knows how to breath and sing! She studies musical theater at UCLA. She's also getting noticed by a lot of fans. Her 15 second cover of Electric Love by Garrett Clark Borns (Børns) hit 2.2 million views on tiktok. She posts: "And even though I'm late, some people wanted to hear the full version!! if u were in my neighborhood watching me look INSANE recording this in public, ignore this and me forever pls & thank u." The video of her "neighborhood," looks effortless, an the DIY edits get a nodge. She continues: "Video and vocal arrangement are completely self done/improvised hehe," and gives "HUGE shoutout to these dudes: Piano track by: Xander Ambrose mixed by: Ben Michals." Plus, Pxrxvi has a track on the new Elvis soundtrack with her delicous version of Suspicious Minds which we highly dig. Her treatment is my personal pick from the soundtrack on RCA for its creative interpretation -- sounds like a loving, bittersweet lullaby, perfect to go with the film's end credits.
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Jonah Kagen
Barcelona
Seen Film
When he’s not writing/recording/producing his own music, Jonah keeps himself extremely busy as a student and as the captain of the Cornell University varsity men’s soccer team. Savannah Georgia-native Jonah Kagen 's new video release for his single Barcelona caught our eyes and ears. He's a cross between a jazz virtuoso with lyrics that demand festival singalongs and social buzz.
When it comes to tattoos, his choice of body ink represents the two sides of his personality --one half depicting dark imagery and the other half colorfully cheery. This duality shines on his ARISTA debut. In the Fall of 2020, he teased out his original single “Broken,” previewing the song by encouraging his followers to “co-write” with him via TikTok, which incited a flurry of duets (5,000 to date). As the video amassed millions of social views and engagements, he built up anticipation for its formal release, attracting a staggering 30,000 pre-saves. Over the first three months post-release, “Broken” gathered over 10.5MM streams across listening platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more. After amassing over 10 million total streams and receiving acclaim from the likes of OnesToWatch. Off to a good start! "Barcelona” is for anybody who’s had someone they care about move away," says Kagen.
Video director, Stefano Bertelli from Italy and his company Seenfilm.com worked on Barcelona using their paper-cut stop motion video technique. Mr Bertelli who sent us the video produces music videos and commercials and works remotely! Reach out and say Buongiorno Bertelli!
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Aida Victoria
You Was Born to Die from A Southern Gothic
Produced by TBone Burnett for WB
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Nashville-based singer/songwriter Adia Victoria earned critical acclaim for her indie blues songs following the 2016 release of her Atlantic-issued debut Beyond the Bloodhounds.
Over the next two years, Victoria took breaks from touring to issue a French-sung EP and another of classic blues covers before recording her 2019 follow-up, Silences, with producer Aaron Dessner of the National.
Her third studio LP, A Southern Gothic, released in 2021, is produced by T-Bone Burnett.
This year Victoria has select live dates -- June 25 at Hyde Pk, London, UK, July 1, at Wise Hall, Vancouver, BC and July 2, at Madame Lou's in Seattle, Washington. The track You Was Born To Die
features Kyshona, Margo Price, and Jason Isbell and has a catchy blues shuffle. The producer, T-Bone, makes a cameo appearance with the artist in the opening scene of the video directed by Joey Brodnax - watch it here.
She was one of five children raised in a Seventh Day Adventist family, growing up in South Carolina. After a period spent traveling in Europe, she settled in Nashville and began writing her own songs. Absorbing the sounds of the South — rural blues and vintage country — and interpolating her literary influences, Victoria soon became a common presence on the Nashville club scene and attracted a devoted following.
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Brooke Eden
Choosing You
Released July 29
BBR Music Group
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Country singer Brooke Eden has carved herself a space in Nashville. Eden has used her personal journey to self-acceptance to create music that is both bold with the message that says: It's okay to be who you are!
Her new song Left You For Me (listen here), out now, is the first release from her upcoming EP, Choosing You, dropping July 29th via BBR Music Group.
She wrote the song with Kyle Schlienger and Jon Stone. “The song is about leaving a toxic situation in order to be the best version of yourself,” says Eden.
Eden’s new music is produced with longtime collaborator Jesse Frasure (Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Like, Little Big Town). Since making her debut, Eden has shared stages with Country’s biggest stars including Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Kane Brown and Keith Urban. Most recently, she made her ACM Awards performance debut, joining Parmalee and Blanco Brown for their platinum multinational No. 1 smash hit Just the Way.
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In 2021, Brooke Eden embraced who she is as an LGBTQ+ artist. |
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Monday October 31st
Celebrate the legacy of Ed Cherney and Al Schmitt, founders of Recording Industry Golf & Poker Tournament
Sand Canyon Country Club
27734 Sand Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91387
Sponsorship opportunities and more...
Sign up for a foursome, or a single, or a twosome -- sign up here!
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Michael Feinstein Conducts Pasadena Pops Summer Concerts
The Lost Score That United Friends of Two Beloved Composers David Raksin and Clare Fischer
Flugelhorn Samba Premiered with Sway With Me - Latin Rhythms on June 25
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Photo: Maestro Michael Feinstein and Clare Fischer's son, Brent Fischer review the score for Flugelhorn Samba (Sambalero) recreated by Brent for the Premiere performance by the Pasadena Pops on June 25. |
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Michael Feinstein is a pre-eminent force in contemporary popular music today. The singer and piano virtuosi is the Ambassador of the Great American Songbook with performances on world stages, to include: The White House, Buckingham Palace, Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, and the Sydney Opera House. For his recorded work, Feinstein has earned five GRAMMY®, and two Emmy nominations for his PBS-TV specials and NPR series.
Feinstein was named Principal Pops Conductor for the Pasadena Symphony in 2012 and continues to delight audiences with creative programming. Last Saturday, on June 25, audiences at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden enjoyed Feinstein conduct under the stars in a program called Sway With Me - Latin Rhythms with songs like Sway, I Love Lucy and Girl from Ipanema featuring soloists Margo Rey, Mauricio Martinez and Oscar Hernandez, piano.
For this program, Michael had also chosen a song by his beloved friend and film composer David Raksin. The Song Sambalero, originally titles Flugelhorn Samba was from the 1962 Turner classic, black and white film, Too Late Blues. Soon, Michael realized the original score, arranged by one of his favorite composers, Clare Fischer, could not be found. Being a fan of Clare’s prodigious work, he reached out to his son, Brent in February.
Brent Fischer who directs The Fischer ensembles, suggested to recreate the score specially for Michael and the Pasadena Pops. Brent used the existing recording and music for piano to build the score for the given instrumentation, which resulted in a premiere with the Pasadena Pops under the leadership of its Artistic Director, Michael Feinstein last Saturday. "Fluegelhorn Samba was deeply important to me to be able to include. The ties to your father, Raksin, and old Hollywood is a unique lifeline you revived and the audience could feel the joy in the piece. What an amazing transcription you did! And now it lives!," says Feisntein. "You were born with not only a microphone but also a baton in your hands! Your kind words about my art at the show were deeply appreciated. Happy to play my small part!" said Brent Fischer.
And that's how the lost score united friends of two beloved composers - David Raksin and Clare Fischer!
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Prolific Hollywood film composer David Raksin (above) worked on some of the most celebrated motion pictures of the postwar era, among them Abraham Polonsky's Force of Evil, Nicholas Ray's Bigger Than Life, Vincente Minnelli's The Bad and the Beautiful and Laura with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, arranged by Billy Strayhorn. In all, Raksin scored in excess of 100 films, not to mention themes and scores for more than 300 television programs including Ben Casey and Life With Father. Raksin was the president of the Composers and Lyricists Guild of America (1962-1970). He was also a member of the faculty of the University of Southern California from 1956, where he taught film composition.
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Dr. Clare Fischer (left) is credited for conceptualizing the signature harmonic and orchestraional palette carried on and furthered by his son, that has become the Fischer brand. 2x Grammy winner Fischer has recorded over 45 albums as leader and has arranged, composed and/or played on another 100 plus albums for other recording artists. As a sought-after arranger, Dr Fischer provided orchestral "sweeteners" for pop and R&B royalty to include: Rufus (with Chaka Khan) , Prince and Paul McCartney.
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Grammy®-winning producer, composer, arranger Brent Fischer carries on the legacy of his legendary father, Dr. Clare Fischer. A multi-instrumentalist (bass, vibes, keys, drums), Brent moves easily between genres - Jazz, Pop, Symphonic and more. His credits appear on over 30 million albums for artists including Usher, Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello & The Roots, Raphael Saadiq, and D'Angelo (won Grammys® for Best R&B Album and Song for the song Really Love from his album Black Messiah). Fischer has produced over nine Fischer albums -- all original works, including: Pacific Jazz, ¡Intenso! (featuring: Sheila E. and Roberta Gambarini, ¡Ritmo! (2012 Grammy® Best Latin Jazz Album feat Poncho Sanchez and Alex Acuña), Music for Strings, Percussion and the Rest (2013 Grammy® Best Instrumental Composition) followed by Continuum and a modern big band treatment of the classic Pictures At an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky which has delighted audiences worldwide.
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King of Rock 'n' Roll's Music Re-Imagined For The Big-Screen
Elvis Soundtrack on RCA Records feat Doja Cat, Gary Clark Jr., Eminem, Diplo and more
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Elvis's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, praised the film in an Instagram post after seeing it twice, calling it "nothing short of spectacular".
She went on to praise Butler's performance as her late father, stating that he had "channeled and embodied my father's heart and soul beautifully."
"We wanted to translate Elvis' music sometimes for a more contemporary ear...these different interpretations are inspired by his influence on our culture that lives on."
--Buz Luhrmann (from his commentary on remastered Elvis originals)
“Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it’s a whole new social revolution – the 60’s comes from it.”
---Leonard Bernstein
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Elvis may be the greatest cultural force in the 20th century, to quote Leonard Berstein. It's hard to imagine the large body of work - both music and films - he has left behind, considering he was only 42, when he died on August 16, 1977.
The film, Elvis, premiered at several festivals, namely in France at the Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2022, and was theatrically released in US by Warner Bros. Pictures, the following month, in June. Grammy award winning Global Superstar Doja Cat contributed an original song for the film, Vegas. The song incorporates elements from Presley's own songs, such as his cover of Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog. It was released as a single on May 6, 2022, ahead of the film's companion soundtrack album, scheduled for release by RCA Records. The track Summer Kisses is actually made up of three Elvis songs. The classic Suspicious Minds has been treated for movie's end credits by Pxrxvi - my personal pick for its creative interpretation -- sounds like a loving, bittersweet lullaby. Chris Isack and Stevie Nicks take on a more gothic approach to their tracks.
It’s not that Presley was the first to be associated with the term Rock and Roll; in fact, Rocking and Rolling had been around since the early 1900s as a descriptive of the spiritual excitement of African-American church services. In the film, Alton Mason portrays Little Richard. Gary Clark Jr. is featured in the role of Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup singing That’s All Right Mama in an early scene where a young Elvis hears sounds of gospel for the first time in a tent. The biographical musical drama is directed by Buz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge! The Great Gatsby and Romeo & Juliet). It stars Tom Hanks and Austin Butler as Elvis Presley (left) playing Elvis' signature 1956 Gibson J200 guitar in the jungle room at Graceland. Luhrmann revealed that when Elvis sings in the film, it is Butler's vocals that are used when he is young, while the real Elvis' vocals are used when he is older. The album will also feature variations on Presley material by major artists in a variety of genres and styles, to include: Italian band Maneskin and Kacey Musgraves are also part of the soundtrack with their respective cover versions of If I can Dream and Can't Help Falling In Love
Eminem announced on his Instagram that he and CeeLo Green will collaborate on a new track titled The King and I, produced by Dr. Dre for the film's soundtrack.
The full roster of artists for the soundtrack album was announced the same day with Stevie Nicks, Jack White, Diplo, Swae Lee and many more joining the lineup, along with the film's cast. Watch the official trailer here
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Vital In-Person Events Help Build Brands & Friends
NAMM 2022 In Pictures
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Above: Art by Producer Sylvia Massy who writes in a post: "Remember ~ back when we all got together in January?I Drew this poster a few years ago to celebrate our yearly Los Angeles NAMM snowbird pilgrimage."Below: NAMM 2022 attendee distribution. |
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The world's largest annual musical instrument and equipment trade event, The NAMM Show, was back in person on
June 3-5, 2022 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The show demonstrated the power of in-person events to help brands build mind share, develop relationships, create content, exchange ideas and get business done.
Attendance was down by half from 115,000 in 2020. More than 3,500 brands of instruments, sound and lighting gear, recording equipment and other products from up to 1,000 companies were displayed at this year's NAMM Show (a 50% drop). NAMM did a great job of pivoting to online during Covid and built a robust online system where schedules were posted and participants could engage. According to LA Times NAMM President Joe Lamond envisions hybrid events such as this year’s edition, which combines the in-person gathering with the online NAMM Show+. “Many companies told us: ‘We want smaller meeting rooms to meet with our customers and make plans for next year,’ said Lamond.
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Two Music Icons Recognized at TEC Awards During NAMM
Peter Asher Inducted to NAMM TEC Hall of Fame by Susanna Hoffs
Carol Kay Receives Les Paul Award
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The first in-person TEC Awards since 2020 saw winners announced across 21 technical excellence and seven creative excellence categories, with comedian and musician Fred Armisen returning as host for the ceremony.
Legendary producer and performer Peter Asher (top left) and pioneering bass player Carol Kaye (right) were recognized for their vast contributions to the world of music at the 37th annual TEC Awards. Upon receipt of the award, Asher shared, “The 21st of January, 1964 was a Tuesday, and the first time I ever went into a real recording studio. I went into EMI studios on Abbey Road… By the end of that day, a few important things had happened. I decided I wanted to be a record producer because I saw what a producer could do, in terms of shaping the sounds…So I have to thank for this award, not only the TEC Committee, but NAMM as a whole. And all the brilliant people who attend NAMM, and what they give us – all the great technology, the amazing instruments, the incredible inventions which sonically flourish in the hands of brilliant engineers.” Watch her beautiful introduction. After a beautiful introduction by Susanna Hoffs and accepting the award, Asher performed “A World Without Love,” a song by Paul McCartney from Asher’s days in the duo, Peter and Gordon. Watch here
Bass-guitarist extraordinaire Carol Kaye was honored with this year’s Les Paul Innovation Award, though she could not be there. The Foundation’s Executive Director Michael Braunstein, who accepted the Award on her behalf, noted Kaye’s impact on the musical landscape, “Carol, like Les [Paul], built a legacy that will continue to encourage all people to create incredible sounds.” Watch the salute to Carol Kay here
Congratulations to all recipients of 37th Annual TEC Awards.
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l-r: TEC Awards MD, Michael Bearden (side view), and Larry Batiste, with Karen Dunn, CJ Vanston, among fabulous house band musicians that included Jeff Skunk Baxter, Luis Conte, Dwayne Smitty Smith, Randy Emata, Charles McNeal, Nick Daley, Anthony Bonsera (not in this photograph) ; Claris with Peter Asher on the red carpet before the ceremony.
studioexpresso & Trans Audio Group Presented
Production Pearls & Atmos Dreams at TEC Tracks, NAMM 2022
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studioexpresso presented Production Pearls & Atmos Dreams for TEC Tracks on the Saturday afternoon before TEC Awards, and featured highly credited producers from its community. Label executives Zev Feldman of Resonance Records (Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Nat King Cole), Brent Fischer (Usher, D'Angelo, Prince) of Clavo Records, and John Wooler of Mood Media and formerly Virgin Records (Flying Lotus, Elton John, Miles Davis) revealed techniques to create and grow lasting catalogs, give fans unforgettable experiences. Brad Lunde of Trans Audio Group offered his input on Dolby Atmos installations at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, and project studios for Dweezil Zappa and Ryan Ulyate. The speakers talked about creating brilliant packaging as well as how to increase your audiences and succeed in today's crowded market space. studioexpresso's Claris Sayadian-Dodge moderated.
The recorded session is now available for those who register here
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With mixer/engineer Steve Genewick who has been mixing up a storm in Dolby Atmos with credits on Apple Music here
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At The TEC Awards reception with producers
l-r: Rafa Sardina and George Massenberg --later appeared on-stage together as TEC Awards presenters.
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TEC Tracks reception at The Anaheim Hilton with Pro Audio VIP guests
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studioexpresso and Trans Audio Group have featured many producers, and musicians over the past nine years of TEC Track's history at NAMM
Curt Bisquera (Sarah McLachlan, Elton John), Kenny Aronoff (Smashing Pumpkins, John Mellencamp, Sting), Greg Penny (Elton John, KD Lang), Rafa Sardina (Lady Gaga, John Legend), Niko Bolas (Neil Young, LeAnn Rimes), Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hedrix, Kiss), Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Faith No More), Cheche Alara (Christina Aguilera), Kim Bullard (Elton John, Kelly Clarkson), Cristina Abaroa (Celine Dion, Enrique Iglasias), Brady Leffler (Hot Chelle Rae, Justin Beieber), Al Schmitt (Diana Krall, Paul McCartney), Alex Acuna (LA Phil, Beck), Teddy Campbell (American idol, The Tonight Show w Leno), Ellis Hall (Ray Charles, Tower of Power), Jacob Armen (Prince), Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt), Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Melody Gardot), Manny Marroquin (Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys), Dave Schiffman (Adele, Limp Bizkit), Gregg Field (Sinatra, Pharell), Sylvia Massy (Tool, Johnny Cash), CJ Vanston (Toto, spinal Tap), Dame Gail Dorsey (David Bowie, Gwen Stefani), Jenny Mason (The Mrs), Neal Pogue (Outkast, Andre 3000), Leland Sklar (Phil Collins, James Taylor), Moogie Canazio (Sergio Mendes, Sarah Vaughan), Laura Dickinson (Frozen II, Lady and the Tramp), Daniel Seeff (KJazz, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz), James Torme,
Zev Feldman of Resonance Records (Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Nat King Cole), John Wooler of Mood Media (Flying Lotus, Elton John, Miles Davis) and Brent Fischer (D'Angelo, Elvis Costello and The Roots).
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Trans Audio Group Booth NAMM 22 |
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l-r: Producers Sylvia Massy, Matt Wallace, Ed Stasium, moderated by Daniel Keller, Capturing Lightning at TEC Tracks. TEC Awards producer, Pete Johnston, NAMM President & CEO, Joe Lamond & TEC Awards Musical Director, Larry Batiste
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One and Dunn™ is a new series of podcasts with Karen Dunn and her guests. Producer, Songwriter, Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist, Mixer, Engineer, Artist, & Director Hill Kourkoutis (left) is the first woman to receive the Juno award for Recording Engineer of the Year in May, 2022.
Learn how she found music, establishing an artist’s vision & creative pallet for a project, what’s next after winning a Juno, and more.
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Alison Ball and Jae Deal join the Guitar Center Music Foundation Leadership Body
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The Guitar Center Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on granting instruments to music education and music therapy organizations, announces the expansion of its Board of Directors with two new appointments: Alison Ball, the current president of TuneGO Music Technology and CEO of Alicat Media, and Jae Deal, award-winning composer and producer and USC faculty member, have joined the organization’s leadership body. The announcement was made by David Helfant, Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Guitar Center Music Foundation, and signifies the ongoing growth of the organization’s leadership team.
Alison Ball previously served as V.P. of A&R at Warner Brothers Records, and as current president of TuneGO, she has built a reputation as a leader in big data and emerging NFT technology.
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Jae Deal is an award-winning composer, music producer known for his pop, gospel and hip-hop arrangements.
Deal is also a session keyboardist, programmer and bassist who has worked with several prominent artists including Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, Diddy, Ne-Yo, Ty Dolla $ign and Wynton Marsalis. In 2019, he was the curator, music director and a producer of a Jammcard event that honored George Clinton and featured Ice Cube, CeeLo Green, Anderson .Paak and Flea. From 2008 to 2020, he was an orchestrator for Janet Jackson’s world tours. Deal has also contributed to projects for Elton John, Jill Scott and songwriter Diane Warren, performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and served as musical director for Kirk Franklin’s Youth Ministry at Faithful Central Bible Church. He was also a winner of the 2016 International John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the Hip-Hop category with co-composer Tia P., and the two were the first international winners of Australia’s Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition. He currently serves on the faculty at University of Southern California in the Music Technology program. Prior to joining USC, Deal developed and wrote the Songwriting I curriculum for the Los Angeles College of Music and taught Music Business classes at the Musicians’ Institute in Hollywood, CA.
David Helfant, Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Guitar Center Music Foundation, remarked, “Alison and Jae are welcome additions to our board. Their wealth of experience in the music industry, whether it be production, A&R, emerging technologies or beyond, affords them a set of valuable perspectives that will help shape the way the Foundation operates and the relationships we forge moving forward. Through education, mentorship and outreach, they both place a strong value on nurturing the next generation of talent, and that is very much in line with the opportunities that The Guitar Center Music Foundation makes possible through our initiatives. A hearty welcome to Alison and Jae!”
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Golnar Khosrowshahi, Founder and CEO of Reservoir |
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Golnar Khosrowshahi became the first female founder and chief executive of a publicly traded (on NASDAQ) independent music company, Reservoir Media Management, a successful NYC-based boutique song publisher owns the rights to the X-Factor TV theme, for instance.“It was a true moment of arrival,” she recalls. Reservoir is one of several independent music rights holders — among them Hipgnosis Songs Fund, Round Hill Music Royalty Fund and One Media iP Group — that have gone public within the last few years. She leads 2022's Billboard list of high-achieving women from every sector of the industry. An Iranian-Canadian businesswoman who also serves as Board Chair and director for Silkroad, a musical collective founded by cellist Yo-Yo Ma in 2000. she is the cousin of Dara khosrowshahi, the current CEO of Uber. She founded Reservoir in 2007 as a music publishing company. The private company expanded to a full-service music company with 130,000 copyrights, 36,000 master recordings dating back to the 1900s, and with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Nashville, Toronto, and London. Reservoir has spent $400m on catalog acquisitions to date. She is a classically trained pianist through the Royal Academy of Music in London, England and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada. Reservoir has acquired TVT Music Enterprises in 2010, Reverb Music in 2012, P&P Songs in 2013, Chrysalis Records in 2019 and Shapiro Bernstein in 2020.
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Golnar Khosrowshahi, (left below) President with Toronto producer-songwriter Slakah the Beatchild, signed to Reservoir.
Photo: DAVID COOPER/Toronto Star
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You could say producer, The Beatchild, has a certain reverence for music history. He draws beat inspirations from the best -- Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, to Hollywood film classics with Gene Kelly and street kids today. His Twitter posts says: "Gonna do a series of beats inspired by my (own) kids."
And if you're going to call yourself beat child, well, brand it further by releasing a video with a visual spin on your new track Unselfish Desires feat Mixologist Martin Blackburn, using classic dance/music clips that have a swinging groove and of course, the BEAT! Watch Unselfish Desires in studioexpresso video spotlight here
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An American Poet Who Inspires Joy And Healing
In Search of Walt Whitman
Sometimes we forget the turbulent times of the past and how better off we're today.
This engaging 2-part documentary film, In Search of Walt Whitman aired on PBS and is available on YouTube. As we celebrate America's independence on July 4th, enjoy the story of poet, Walt Whitman and his remarkable life (1819-1892) during the turbulent era in which he lived, and the timeless poetry he created. As early as 1850, he began writing what would become Leaves of Grass, a collection of poetry which he would continue editing and revising until his death. Contemporary of Abraham Lincoln, his poetry explores and celebrates the human body and soul. In Part Two, the poet moves to Washington to care for injured Civil War soldiers but is disillusioned by the Gilded Age after the war. His renowned poems such as When Lilacs Last in the Doory’d Bloomed, O Captain! My Captain! (dedicated to President Lincoln) The Wound-Dresser, Prayer of Columbus, and Goodbye My Fancy tell an American story that resonates today. Happy 4th of July!
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Supporting Creators & Self-Expression |
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June ends with graduations. "Take a chance in doing what you love...risk being seen in all of your glory...we're the light that shines through...there's always doors opening...choose love and don't ever let fear take you away from your playful heart. " words from Jim Carrey's 2014 commencement address to MIU.
It takes courage and commitment to choose what you love. Musicians, studio owners, managers, producers, mixer/engineers...well, you all know well.
Our music community has many tiers of professionals, among them, I want to recognize a media giant, Robbie Clyne (left) of Clyne Media (Recording Academy, Audio Technica, Guitar Center, Andy Summers) who stood tall this year sans his long-time partner, Lisa Roy Petocz. Robbie and Corey Walthall were there on the red carpet during TEC Awards at NAMM to greet guests and took pictures. For this picture, I pulled Robbie in and together we're sending a kiss to all you fearless hearts.
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Until next month, keep doing what you love and tell us about your musical journey!
Music Lives and Moves!
Claris Sayadian-Dodge founder/editor
claris@studioexpresso.com
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818-990-3031 fn
800.717.Keys Toll Free
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