Jon Grossbard's "Feverbarn" Arranging the Stars

A Profile of Underground New York Music Producer Jon Grossbard

By John Tolmie Photos by Kate Tolmie & Courtesy of Jon Grossbard

Music in its purest form is refined in chaos. Uncertainty, suffering, rebellion, passion, and irrational dedication are the veiled emotional foundations upon which all cherished anthems have been built. And what better cauldron than the Gritty New York City of the early 1980s? This era spawned several new and distinctive genres whose influence would alter the future of soul, rhythm and blues, funk, and the almighty rock and roll. Greenwich Village was the epicenter of all things hip and where a young Jon Grossbard launched his lifelong voyage into the melodious heartbeat of New York’s music scene. “I was really young when I started out. We were Greenwich Village Studio Rats at the time and hung out up and down Bleecker Street. I was working with Michael Gayle who was a song writer for Aretha Franklin and friends with Michael Jeffries the manager for Jimi Hendrix.” Jon recalls, “Jimi had just tragically died, so Jeffries began looking to start a production company. Me and some friends had put together a band and he was kind enough to give us enough studio time to work towards an album.” Jon and his troupe would rehearse at Electric Lady Studio and would record after the big acts had finished their sessions, which was available at only the oddest of hours. “I remember waiting for the Beach Boys to finish up one time. They were there until five in the morning, so we had to wait to get in and Jeffries somehow even found us an engineer willing to work that early.” Jon laughs, “Most bands started later in the day, so most times we had the studio in the morning through the early afternoon. It was a great experience and I promised myself that one day, I’d have my own recording studio.”

Producer Jon Grossbard

Jon dedicated the later afternoon hours at Every Man Art Gallery. He had opened the Madison Avenue gallery out of his passion for and homage to works of Surrealism, Dada, and Abstractism. The gallery was the first of its kind and ground zero for New York’s burgeoning Pop-Art movement. “In the beginning, it was the only gallery in the city to feature Pop Graphics.” Jon explains, “We had Warhol’s and Lichtenstein’s before those guys really blew up. But then the eighties economy got funky and art sales dropped way off, so we had to close the gallery.” The closure was a hefty yet temporary defeat that was quickly met with promise as Jon reacquainted himself with a familiar colleague. “I got really lucky and bumped into a fellow who grew up in my hometown.” Jon recalls, “He owned a small recording studio in Manhattan called Daily Planet and asked me what I was up to. Todd Rundgren and other popular acts used the studio, so I decided to join in, and we got going.” Explains Jon. But the space was agreeably too small, and the two opted to move to a more suitable location. “My new partner was the manager for George McCrae who, at the time, had the number one record in the country, but he managed to flush McCrae’s career right down the toilet because the next album bombed.” Jon says shaking his head, “Then I find out we were six months behind on the electric bill! There were so many problems. So, we talked and decided to part ways which was good for everybody. Finally, I was free to do my own thing.”

Most bands started later in the day, so most times we had the studio in the “ morning through the early afternoon. It was a great experience and I promised myself that one day, I’d have my own recording studio. ”

With Jon at the helm of the studio, now renamed Planet Sound Recording, his dreams of producing music rapidly began to materialize. “We attracted a lot of top-notch talent from New York because it was really tough to find a place to rehearse.” Jon explains, “Most bands couldn’t rehearse in an apartment and couldn’t afford studio time. So, when I opened, a lot of cool African American musicians from the city started coming down, which was perfect because, at the time I was really into soul and R&B.” Planet Sound Recording was a curious anomaly of instant success as Jon, a Jewish chap from the burbs, began to produce records with several of New York’s finest up and coming R&B talents. Word got around as the studio’s vibe enticed Cool and the Gang, Cameo, The Village People, and many others, most of whom would go on to find international fame. Unknown bands would enter the doors of Daily Planet Recording and exit with crucial and career-changing albums produced by Jon Grossbard and his uncanny talent.

With his status firmly cemented as one of New York’s most respected R&B producers, a new and evolving genre would soon require Jon’s help as he discovered the raw and frustrated vibrations of New York’s underground Punk Rock scene. “So, I meet this guy, Hilly Crystal. Man, he was a real character! He was just really wonderful and really strange all at the same time.” Jon says with a chuckle, “Hilly had a bar right across the street from my apartment, and he was a wild man! Well, that bar failed, and he opened another one that failed and then he just disappeared. I lost track of him for years! Then he popped up again when he opened a place over on the Bowery called CBGB’s.” The now world-famous club had been an incubator where new musical subgenres emerged as rhythms from rock, Latin, reggae, surf, and country melded together for the first time. “Now, the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, and the New York Dolls all played there and at the time none of them had record contracts, so Hilly sent a lot of them to my studio to rehearse and record.” Jon recalls, “It was amazing to work with some of them for a short time. Then, suddenly, they all got discovered and were picked up by record companies. So, basically, that’s how the whole punk and post-punk pop scene started to develop.”

Jon had been a key player as he introduced the world to New York’s R&B, Pop and Punk underground and, today, continues expanding his creative genius across other genres. Jon possesses several mysterious abilities, akin to the great conductors of renown, by easily composing a song all in his mind, which would go on to become international hits heard around the world. But, producing music was as fulfilling as it was hectic, and the endeavor soon took its toll. So, Jon and his bride Hope purchased a cozy eighteenth-century retreat nestled in the serene forests of Killingworth. They have owned the house for over thirty-five years and today the Connecticut retreat has become their permanent home. It is also where the next chapter in Jon’s musical legacy continues. With the support of Scott Struzinski, a successful Connecticut contactor, die-hard blues devotee, and not half-bad blues guitarist himself, Jon’s new vision was born he affectionately named, Feverbarn Recordings. “Scotty and I teamed up and he came on as my executive producer and he backs a lot of the stuff we’re doing here now.” Jon says with excitement, “We also renovated my barn out back into a recording studio and installed my vintage analog and digital equipment we brought up from my studio in New York.”

For decades, Jon was rewarded with an amazing career and having recently beconing a member of the Septuagenarian club, he is dedicating his golden years in appreciation by giving something back. With Feverbarn Recordings primed for recording, Jon and Scotty began to search the Nutmeg State for a worthy talent in need of a boost. “It was great to work with stars like Anita Baker, and Madonna, and Chaka Khan. We worked with a lot of big successful acts over the years back at the studio. But that was then, and this is now, and well, I suppose that’s what I’m doing here all over again.” Jon says as he gestures to a substantial row of framed gold records lining the walls of Feverbarn Recordings. They are a daily reminder of his success and satisfaction of helping so many achieve their dreams. They are also purposefully hung facing the musicians that record at Feverbarn as tangible inspiration that all things are possible. Jon smiles and continues with a shrug,

We worked with a lot of big “ successful acts over the years at the studio. But that was then, and this is now, and well, I suppose that’s what I’m doing here all over again. ”

“Yeah, those people moved on from me. I was just the footnote in their career. But, I was happy to help them along. So, we came up here to do the same thing and maybe help Connecticut musicians that may have been overlooked. Maybe we’ll find the next fantastic Jimi Hendricks or the next wonderful Aretha Franklin or the next amazing somebody!” Jon says with a grin. “That’s why I’m wearing this!” He unbuttons his top to reveal a t-shirt underneath of a young man, head held back, sporting a wild afro and clutching a guitar in a bonafide rockstar pose. “This is Ryan Newman who I’m working with now, oh man, I can talk for an hour about this kid!” Jon says pointing to the graphic, “He is a young soulful prodigy who has already played with some of the top blues acts around today! I am so lucky to have produced and recorded his first solo album here at Feverbarn Recordings!”

Ryan Newman

Ryan Newman is a young soulful “ prodigy who has already played with some of the top blues acts around today! I am so lucky to have produced and recorded his first solo album here at the Feverbarn

To support Ryan’s new album, Jon recruited singer Arlene Wow (whose own solo album is also in the works at Feverbarn Recordings) and an army of today’s finest session studio musicians such as Scott Spray who works with Eric Clapton, and Bobby T of Edgar and Johnny Winter, and legendary Motown session keyboardist Vic Washington, and of course Jon Grossbard his-own-self orchestrating the musical arrangements.

Fever Barn ”!

“We also brought in The New York Horns with arrangements by Mario Sprouse! All meticulously recorded by Russ Landis who worked with David Bowie, members of The Velvet Underground, and many others.” Jon says as he continues to give thanks, “I almost forgot to mention my most talented partners on the planet! Legendary first session bassist Bob Babbit who played with Marvin Gaye, Elton John and, Stevie Wonder and super producer Mike Theodore who produced hits like “Get Ready Here I come” and “Rodriquez”, the subject of the film Searching for Sugarman. Anyway, yeah, I think we have something really amazing going on here man. Now, all we have to do is get the word out!”

Well, now the word is out to you faithful reader. Do yourself a favor and include Ryan Newman and Arlene Wow the next time you search YouTube or create a playlist on Pandora, Spotify, or Bandcamp. You won’t be disappointed.

For more history on Jon Grossbard check out his website jongrossbard.com