Finally got to see Kodo live. Such a majestic show!
Mar 252011
I usually don’t post about who, what, when and where I work with in the studio because some artists don’t want for that information to be out, at least not until after their recording is released, but since somebody else did, I’m happy to repost the article.
In this article on Sonic Scoop, New York City establishment Avatar Studios highlighted some of their latest clients and mentioned me in conjunction with a recording session with Lou Reed that we did there. The song (which the article also mentions) was subsequently mixed by myself at EastSide Sound Studios in New York City.
You can read the whole article here (http://www.sonicscoop.com/2011/02/14/lou-reed-kurt-elling-bobby-mcferrin-recording-at-avatar/)
Feb 152011
To set the record straight I just wanna say that the “Music is Life is Music is Life is Music…” motto has been my Facebook profile description for years now, and those who know me on FB know that. You can imagine my “oh shit!” moment when I saw the Grammy posters in every NYC subway station… It was probably used even before me but I still wish I had copyrighted that slogan! ;-)
Feb 152011
The beautiful “Homeland” album I worked on by the amazingly talented Laurie Anderson was nominated for a Grammy this year. Unfortunately we did not wind and Jeff Beck (whose guitar sound I had the pleasure to mix 5 years ago) got the Grammy instead.
My congratulations go to Beck for another win in his career and my best wishes go out to Laurie, one of the most ground breaking pioneers of new music, new technology and art out there!
To be clear, am NOT complaining, I am thankful I have work when a lot of talented colleagues are struggling…
Today I worked 9 hours with Lou Reed in the studio mixing a song at EastSide Sound… then I went to dinner with my lovely girl for her birthday and at 9pm I went to do live sound at a gig for a lively up and coming band called Pants Velour who rocked the house… Now I’m on my way home to do some more show advancing for a gig with the Swiss-American band Grand Pianoramax at SXSW festival in Austin… and finally tomorrow I have a 10am load in for a 10.30pm show with Bryan Ferry in the city so it’s gonna be an early and looooong day.
In the middle of everything I found out that Laurie Anderson is up for a Grammy Award for a her latest and amazing album on which I did engineering work, so I wish her all the best, not only cause it would bring my Grammies to four, but because she is one of the most amazing artists out there and deserves all the recognition and praise!
I just finished a late night recording session with Lou Reed that went really well. We did a cover of an old song for a tribute record and great musicians accompanied him. Now I’m walking home in the snow from the studio and I’m thinking: say what you want, complain about the puddles and the slow traffic, but I love NYC covered in snow: makes the city look even more special and unique, even more so at night.
A few nights ago when the snow was coming down heavy I was standing at a light looking at musicians carrying their instrumental through a blizzard going to or coming from a gig which probably didn’t pay much… Now that’s priceless passion and love for music!
Check out a few shots…
Jan 262011
One of the most genius videos I’ve seen in a long time! I mean the lyrics are just so deep. Thanks to Robert Lee for hipping me to this.
And while we are on the subject, check out the screenshot of this new Windows software. This is gonna be HUGE amongst hiphoppers and r&b/urban “producers” alike!
Jan 262011
Working through my pile, one by one, today I listened to a record I mixed sometimes last year. The album was recorded by someone else in a studio in New Jersey I believe but they weren’t happy with the mixes they were getting so they came through the tunnel looking for a shinier sound at the other end.
It’s a mixture of Jazz and Brazilian music, a combination that young Japanese saxophonist Wataru Uchida has been exploring with the help of producer and bass player Nilson Matta.
Great NY-based Brazilian musicians such as Romero Lubambo, Helio Alves, Cafe Da Silva and Ze Mauricio make up the cast of this album. Eight tunes written by Wataru and by Baden Powell, to whom the album is dedicated.
Check it out.
Dec 122010
They are just making travel harder with every day that goes by and they are the ones that take the fun out of traveling!
First laptops, then shoes, then liquids… It just goes on and on… When will it stop? My guess is never!
I bought a travel belt (all fabric with plastic buckle, no metal parts at all) specifically to speed up going through security and now they want me to remove it citing a “new procedure”! What new procedure? One they just invented today to annoy the hell out of me?
And check this out! These new body scanners they installed? I went through it today and they STILL padded me down!!! What the fuck?!?!$?!&?!?@?!
TSA has been checking people at airports for decades and yet we had terrorist attacks anyway. So what is the point? Terrorist have always and will always outsmart them.
If we fired ALL ground TSA personnel in every airport in the world and we put those people on planes with weapons and in incognito (just like Air Israel does, who coincidentally has NEVER had a terrorist attack on a plane!) then traveling through an airport would be a breeze and flying would be safer!
Nov 262010
Wow, November has been crazy… Can barely sit still! JFK is my second home! Luckily I’m escaping this crappy rainy thanksgiving weekend weather for some sunshine!
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I recorded it at EastSide Sound Studios in NYC after their performance at Japan Society in NY last year. I just recently finished mixing it (also at EastSide Sound) and the famous mastering engineer Seigen Ono mastered it for CD and Super Audio CD at Saidera Mastering.