CONTENTS
Informing Music People Since 1977 &EBRUARY s 6OL s .O
Industry Profile
Jeff Bhasker A Grammy winner who has worked with the likes of Jay Z, Kanye West, fun., Lana Del Rey and the Rolling Stones, the producersongwriter allows us into his creative world, a place with ample room for developing new artists.
By Dan Kimpel
46
Max Martin Shoes Co.
An inside look at this company’s fashion-forward approach to the Grammy gift lounge.
By Octavia DeFranco
36
Departments
#OVER 0HOTO "EN #LARK s !BOVE 0HOTO .INELLE %FREMOVA
Analyzing The Hits Producer Bobby Owsinski dissects hit songs by successful artists, including Black Eyed Peas, Bruno Mars and Rascal Flatts, to reveal what makes each tune tick—and how to craft your own songs for greater hit potential.
By Bobby Owsinski
40
Directory of Producers & Engineers
08. Close Up 09. Assignments 10. New Toys 14. Book Store 16. Up Close 18. Studio Mix 23. Business Affairs 26. Signing Stories 28. Song Biz 32. FilmsTVsTheater 34. Mixed Notes
Reviews 48. Album Reviews 50. New Music Critiques 52. Live Reviews
Compiled By Denise Coso
56
20. Producer Crosstalk: Sergio George . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Rob Putnam 22. Exec Profile: Ben Lovett, Communion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Andy Kaufmann 30. Songwriter Profile: Len Chandler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Dan Kimpel 44. Career Connection: Ros Earls, 140dB Mgmt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Andy Kaufmann 78. Tip Jar: 10 Ways to Be a Real DJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Mick 4
February 2014
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ART DIRECTOR artdirector@musicconnection.com
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ASSOCIATE EDITOR
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Barry Rudolph
steve@creativesalesresource.com
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Mira Abas Dan Kimpel
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
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SONG BIZ dan@dankimpel.com
Jessica Pace &),- s 46 s 4(%!4%2 j.marie.pace@gmail.com
FEATURE WRITERS
Andy Kaufmann andy.kaufmann@comcast.net Rob Putnam toe2toe6@hotmail.com Editorial Intern Siri Svay intern@musicconnection.com Web Intern Macie Bennett CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Carl Anthony, Allegra Azzopardi, Bernard Baur, Brett Bush, Karen Emmert, Gary Graff, Eric A. Harabadian, Corey Irwin, Ted Jamison, Oscar Jordan, Andy Kaufmann, Jessica Pace, Rob Putnam, Adam Seyum, Daniel Siwek, Vincent Stevens, Brian Stewart, Laurier Tiernan, Brooke Trout, Albert Vega, Jonathan Widran, Ellen Woloshin PHOTOGRAPHERS Allegra Azzopardi, Bernard Baur, Daren Cornell, Jody Domingue, Jim Donnelly, Kevin Estrada, Corey Irwin, Oscar Jordan, David Klein, Tony Landa, Dave Long, Thomas Long, Jessica Pace, Scott Perham, Rob Putnam, Alexander G. Seyum, Danny Seyum, Mark Shiwolich, Daniel Siwek, Brian Stewart, Dave Stone, E. H. Tiernan, Paula Tripodi, Brooke Trout, Albert Vega, Ellen Woloshin MANUFACTURED AND PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Music Connection (ISSN# 1091-9791) is published monthly by Music Connection, Inc., 3441 Ocean View Blvd., Glendale, CA 91208. Single copy price is $3.95, Canada $4.95. Subscription rates: $35/one year, $59/two years. Outside the US, add $25 (US currency) per year. We are not responsible for unsolicited material, which must be accompanied by return postage. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited. The opinions of contributing writers to this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Music Connection, Inc. Copyright Š 2014 by E. Eric Bettelli. All rights reserved. Founded by: J. Michael Dolan / michael@jmichaeldolan.com NEW CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 3441 Ocean View Blvd., Glendale, CA 91208 Office: 818-995-0101 Fax: 818-995-9235 Email Address: contactmc@musicconnection.com Website: http://musicconnection.com Legal Counsel: Christopher J. Olsen / chris@chrisolsenlaw.com
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WEEKLY BULLETIN
6
February 2014
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MIKLOS MALEK By Jonathan Widran
WHAT’S NEW: After three successful seasons as a judge and artist mentor on The X-Factor, the wildly popular U.K. based show’s Hungarian version, veteran songwriter, producer and mixing engineer Miklos Malek is looking for the next music superstar. “Auditioning thousands of people, and helping my contestants win the show and the audience’s heart gave me a new perspective on what today’s artists need to become successful.” PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Since launching his career in N.Y.C. in the early 2000s, Malek—who has lived and worked in Los Angeles since 2006—has worked with a wide variety of artists from a multitude of genres, from R&B/pop to country, world music and global pop. Signing with Notation Music Publishing led to his breakthrough as a co-writer and arranger of Anastacia’s “I Thought I Told You That” (featuring Faith Evans) and opportunities to work with Jennifer Lopez (“Love Don’t Cost A Thing”), Pixie Lott, Dream, M2M and country singer Jessica Andrews.
Launching his first L.A. studio in Hollywood, he began working with a wide variety of independent artists, in addition to Kat Graham, Janice Dickinson and Tata Vega. In recent years, he has also written for and produced artists from Japan, his native Hungary and Poland, in addition to instrumental superstar Yanni. Currently, he is developing new artist Anika Wilmore. FROM THE BEGINNING: Malek grew up in a family of renowned musicians in Budapest. After receiving a master’s degree in classical piano at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, he moved to the U.S. to study at Berklee. HIS INSPIRATION: “I started playing the music my parents listened to when I was very young, and I still listen to music with the ears of a kid, experiencing the same emotions that inspired me to get into the business. I want to work with artists who can move people, because at the end of the day it’s about energy and emotion. Nothing gives me greater joy than to help artists realize their potential.” Contact Miklos Malek c/o Katarina Klisowska, 213-925-5576 8
February 2014
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Michelle Grabel-Komar
Andrew Stines
Full Compass Systems has announced the addition of Michelle Grabel-Komar to its executive staff as Vice President of Product Planning & Procurement. In this role, she will oversee the Purchasing, Product Management, Planning and Merchandising departments. Grabel-Komar has over 20 years of experience in high-volume retail, manufacturing and business operations. She started her career working for Forbes-Meagher Music, a retail musical instrument store. She then accepted a position at Full Compass, where she worked as a National Sales Pro from 1996 to 2000. Michelle moved to Shure Incorporated as a Regional Sales Manager and was elevated to Senior Manager, Western US Sales during her 13 year tenure. Contact laurie@fullcompass.com.
Sony Music Nashville Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations Mike Craft has announced the promotion of Andrew Stines to the post of Senior Director of Operations in Nashville. Stines was most recently Director of Operations. In making the announcement, Craft remarked, “Andrew plays a key role in leading process changes related to many of the challenges brought on by the ongoing evolution of our industry. His solid business analysis skills consistently provide value across departmental lines, and I’m very grateful that we have someone like Andrew on our team.” For more info, contact Allen Brown or Chris Melancon, allen.brown@sonymusic.com, chris. melancon@sonymusic.com.
Fred Casimir
Kyle Kjensrud
BMG, the new model music rights management business, has appointed Fred Casimir to run its recordings business worldwide as Executive Vice President International Repertoire. Casimir will have responsibility for both new recordings released through BMG Artist Services and for BMG’s substantial catalogue recordings business, including the Sanctuary and Mute Records catalogues. Casimir, formerly SVP European Repertoire and Managing Director BMG Germany, joined BMG in June 2009. He previously held positions at Fremantle Media Entertainment, Fremantle Licensing Germany, Mercury Records, EMI Electrola and worked as an independent music manager. Contact annika.reiche-seiz@bmg.com.
Kyle Kjensrud has been promoted to General Merchandising Manager & Planning Supervisor at Full Compass Systems. Kjensrud previously held the position of Assistant Product Manager. Kjensrud will manage all merchandising initiatives, select products for promotional activities and work closely with the e-Commerce team for website recommendations. In addition, he will supervise the Planning team as they recommend products for inventory. Kjensrud will also continue to develop and maintain vendor relationships. For more information on this appointment, contact Full Compass Advertising & Marketing Supervisor Laurie Andres at laurie@ fullcompass.com.
Jessie Maldonado
Kristy Porter
Jessie Maldonado has been promoted to Vice President, Promotion Operations, RCA Records. Maldonado previously held the title of Senior Director, Promotion Operations. In her expanded role, Maldonado will be responsible for the dayto-day operations of the Pop Promotion department, handling N.Y.C. and satellite radio as well as spearheading national radio campaigns. She will also be adding administrative duties for the Global Brand Partnerships department. Maldonado will continue to report to Joe Riccitelli, Executive Vice President/GM, RCA Records and will remain in the New York headquarters. For further information on this appointment, contact Meghan.Kehoe@rcarecords.com.
Guitar Center, Inc. (GCI) has announced the promotion of Kristy Porter to Director of Merchandising, General Accessories. Porter’s career with Guitar Center started in 2001 as a customer service associate at the Oxnard, CA store. In 2005, after four successful years as a top salesperson, Department Manager and Assistant Store Manager, she moved to Guitar Center’s headquarters in Westlake Village as an Assistant Category Manager. She was quickly promoted to Category Manager, General Accessories, and over the past five years has helped her department grow into one of the largest in the company. Porter emphasizes the continued importance accessories have in attracting customers to retail stores on a more frequent and loyal basis. Contact christopher.bennett@guitarcenter.com.
Jesse Dean
will.i.am
Australian pro-audio brand RØDE Microphones has announced the addition of Jesse Dean in the facility of Product Specialist for its U.S. operations. Dean comes to RØDE with over 10 years experience in audio manufacturing, distribution and operations, across both hardware and software. His career includes time with Groove Tubes, PMI Audio Group as National Sales Manager and Slate Digital. Working closely with the Sales and Marketing teams, Dean will support the company’s current efforts across both the MI and broadcast segments, championing the brand’s entire range of products and becoming a knowledge base for RØDE’s distribution channel in the U.S. Contact jesse.dean@rodemic.com.
3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) has announced the addition of will.i.am as its Chief Creative Officer. In this leadership role, will.i.am will inspire, shape and drive all of 3DS’ initiatives to mainstream the use of 3D printing through major collaborations with creative brand partners, innovative global campaigns and educational grand challenges designed to grow the popularity of 3D printing. 3DS plans to leverage will.i.am’s international creative industry network to immediately extend its reach into select high-end fashion accessories houses, leading entertainment and life style brands and key corporate sponsored educational and sustainability initiatives. Contact Press@3dsystems.com for additional details.
VP of Product Planning & Procurement Full Compass Systems
Executive VP International Repertoire BMG
VP, Promotion Operations RCA Records
Product Specialist RØDE Microphones
Senior Director of Operations Sony Music Nashville
General Merch. Manager & Planning Supervisor Full Compass Systems
Director of Merchandising, General Accessories Guitar Center, Inc.
Chief Creative Officer 3D Systems
February 2014
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– BARRY RUDOLPH barry@barryrudolph.com
CUBASE 7.5/CUBASE ARTIST 7.5 UPDATED Both Cubase and Cubase Artist version 7.5 add workflow enhancements, updates to the included virtual instruments and some new effects. A new feature that it sorely needed by any DAW music producer of large track count music productions is TrackVersions. It’s for creating, renaming and managing multiple versions of one or more audio, MIDI and instrument tracks. Also available for chord, tempo and signature tracks, TrackVersions allows users to create and switch between variations of track content, including all events and their corresponding lanes. With this update, Cubase introduces new Visibility tools to the Project window’s Inspector along with extensive viewing filters. You’re able to dynamically change track(s) visibility to maintain a clear line-of-sight across all tracks. Moreover, the arrangement of tracks can be reflected one-to-one on the MixConsole when locked into sync mode. Both updates highlight three great new effects: LoopMash FX comes with new style breaks such as tape-stops and stutter effects that can easily be programmed; REVelation is an algorithmic reverb with control over depth; and Magneto 2 is an updated tape saturation processor. http://steinberg.net/cubase75
GLYPH BLACKBOX MOBILE HARD DRIVES BlackBox is a new line of small and lightweight mobile hard drives (about the size of an iPhone 4S) from Glyph Production Technologies. The new BlackBox drives come in two sizes: 500GB ($99 BB500) and 1TB ($149 BB10000) and also come with a three-year warranty. These are USB 3.0 bus-powered drives that make great traveling companions whether you’re moving large music files from studio to studio or exchanging song files with a co-writer. The 5400-RPM BlackBox drives are for archival and backup and not for streaming audio or video files from DAW systems. Since they are bus-powered only, there is no wall power supply to lose and they include a USB 3.0 SuperSpeed cable. At speeds up to 3x faster than USB 2.0, your transfers will be snappier than ever. If you’re backing up your computer with Carbon Copy Cloner or Time Machine, transferring files for delivery to a client or just need some additional storage, the BlackBox provides a great blend of low cost, performance, reliability and mobility. http://glyphtech.com/products/blackbox
WAVES MANNY MARROQUIN SIGNATURE SERIES The Waves Audio Manny Marroquin Signature Series Collection is a bundle of custom plug-ins developed in collaboration with renowned mixing engineer Manny Marroquin (Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5). These are six hybrid plug-ins that distill a lot of Marroquin’s mixing style, aesthetic and process that he’s developed over his continuing and storied career. The Manny Marroquin Signature Series are: Delay, Distortion, EQ, Reverb, Tone Shaper and Triple D. The Series is available in all Native plug-in formats including the new AAX 64-bit for use in Pro Tools 11 HD. Besides the two delay lines, Manny’s Delay has four more internal processors available running in parallel—to “color” the delay’s sound including: a Reverb section, Distortion, a Doubler to randomize the pitch center of the delay outputs and a Phaser to add a watery phasing effect. Marroquin’s Distortion plug-in can be used either inline or in parallel. The EQ plug-in is a brilliant idea with four-band equalizer models that use combinations of the cutoff frequencies of various classic hardware EQs. The Manny Marroquin Reverb is a convolution reverb that models 18 of Manny’s favorite reverbs, Tone Shaper has four parallel compressors split into four separate linear phase EQ bands and is an amazing plug for kicks, snares and toms. Triple D has DeBoxy, DeHarsher and DeEsser modules all contained in one plug-in and is a real problem solver. I think the Waves Manny Marroquin Signature Series Collection is a well-thought-out set of processors and sells for $500. http://waves.com/content.aspx?id=12132
ON-STAGE GEAR GA300 CLASSICAL GUITAR CAPO The GA300 joins the GA100 guitar and GA200 ukulele capos with its quick-squeeze trigger design that allows musicians to play open strings and chords in whatever key they want. The GA300 features an elongated handle that fits comfortably in the player’s hand and, by way of a simply squeeze, is removed and/or repositioned nearly instantly. Classical guitar players can relocate the capo mid-measure for key changes with no problem at all—a move not really possible with thumb or screw-style capos. The lightweight and durable GA300 is constructed from zinc alloy and offers a scratch-resistant anodized finish. Silicone padding offers true string pressure that will not scratch your guitar yet gently applies pressure to nylon strings found on most classical guitars. The GA300 Guitar Capo provides ample coverage for 6 and 12 string guitars. It is available in a black finish and is priced at $23.99 MSRP. http://onstagestands.com 10 February 2014
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M SERIES REMASTERED M20x
M30x
M40x
M50x
Online reviewers, top audio professionals, and cult followers have long agreed that the ATH-M50 is an unmatched combination of audio and build quality whether in the studio or on the go. That award winning formula is embodied in the newly remastered M-Series line, with a model perfectly suited for every discerning ear. PURE. PROFESSIONAL. PERFORMANCE.
audio-technica.com
– BARRY RUDOLPH barry@barryrudolph.com
KRK ROKIT 5 G3 STUDIO MONITORS The entire line of new KRK/Gibson ROKIT Generation 3 two-way active monitors have more than just cosmetic upgrades—but I do like the new “rounded” corner look of this pair of black vinyl wrapped ROKIT 5 G3s. The radius edges reduce distortion caused by diffraction while the new proprietary waveguide is said to optimize the system’s imaging. The KRK 5 G3 model is bi-amplified; a 30-watt amp powers a 5-inch Aramid Glass composite woofer and a 20-watt amp drives a 1-inch soft dome tweeter—both amplifiers run in Class AB. Besides these 5-inch models, there are also 6-inch and 8-inch models each with the same set of controls on their back panels. There is the HF Level adjust, LF Level and a Volume control knob that goes from -30dB to +6dB. The back panel also has an RCA 7k-ohm unbalanced, plus both 10k-ohm balanced TRS and XLR input jacks. The KRK ROKIT G3 has a frequency response of 45Hz to 35kHz with a max peak SPL of 106dB. I like Auto-Mute—they self-mute after 30-minutes of no input signal and the bottom of the ROKIT MDF cabinets have an integrated soft rubber matt to decouple them from you speaker stands or desktop. I placed my ROKIT 5s on my DAW desktop left and right on either side of my flat panel monitor. Their front firing bass ports allow for placement anywhere you like—even near walls and corners. With the controls set flat I found them to sound fairly neutral—in my acoustically treated control room I wanted a touch brighter sound from them and one click on the HF level did the trick for me. The ROKIT 5 G3 two-ways sell for $250 MSRP each. http://krksys.com/krk-studio-monitor-speakers/rokit/rokit-5.html
DRUMFIRE DHB6500 DRUM HARDWARE BAG Drumfire has their newest hardware bag, the DHB6500. The DHB6500, the CB4000 Backpack Cymbal Bag and the CBT4200D Deluxe Cymbal Bag complete a line of luggage for the on-the-go drummer. The heavy duty DHB6500 bag handles and collects all the hardware for a standard 5-piece kit. Up to eight stands or mounts fit into its large foam-lined main compartment, which features a collapsible divider to help organize and protect hardware. There is an end-compartment sized to fit a standard round throne seat, while an additional external zippered side compartment holds drumsticks, keys, trap gear, tools, etc. Constructed primarily of tough padded Cordura nylon material, the DHB6500 bag measures 38 L x 14 W x 10 H inches and features a rigid polymer reinforced spine with wheels and an integrated handle for the easy transport of up to 100lbs of gear. The Drumfire DHB6500 sells for $109.95 MAP. http://musicpeopleinc.com
GAUGE PRECISION ECM-84K Gauge Precision Microphones’ ECM-84K Stereo Microphone Kit celebrates Gauge Precision’s 5th Anniversary. The ECM-84K is a pair of professional, small diaphragm, condenser microphones that are ideal for recording acoustic and electric guitars, drums and percussion. They are a matched pair for use as drum set overheads, stereo miking of pianos or capturing the sound of an orchestra or choir ensemble. The ECM-84K microphones have a clear, natural sound and crisp presence peak centered at 5kHz with a full frequency range of 30Hz-20kHz. The ECM-84 Anniversary Kit comes with two cardioid and two omni-directional capsules that you can easily change (they screw on the microphone bodies) and both have -10dB pads and low-cut filter switches. This anniversary set comes beautifully packaged in a genuine hardwood box with standard accessories that include two professional shock-mounts, adapters and a stereo mounting bracket for accurately setting up an X/Y stereo coincident pair of cardioid microphones or spaced omni pairs. Pricing and further details are available on their website. http://gauge-usa.com
DANGEROUS MUSIC’S DANGEROUS SOURCE The Dangerous Source is a portable and/or desktop monitor controller for speakers and headphones used in your DAW music production system. The 1U Source fits comfortably beneath a 13-inch laptop computer or on anywhere on your desktop for easy control of volume, input selection, speaker switching for two-sets of speakers—including a way to add a sub woofer and individual level for two headphone outputs. Itinerant laptop users will like the USB audio input that supports up to 24-bit/192kHz productions plus there are also two sets of analog input jacks: unbalanced -10dBv, 1/8-inch mini stereo and a pair of balanced XLR/1/4-inch Combi jacks. With all the essential tools collected together in one unit along with a set of short cables, songwriters, music mixers and DJs could travel gig to a gig and appreciate the fast, simple and increased reliability of their whole rig when using the Dangerous Source. The Dangerous Source sells for $899 MAP, and there is an optional rack mount kit for permanent studio installations. http://dangerousmusic.com BARRY RUDOLPH is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 gold and platinum records. He has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs, and more. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and loves teaching audio engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. He is a lifetime Grammy-voting member of NARAS and a contributing editor for Mix Magazine. http://barryrudolph.com
12 February 2014
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February 2014
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Secrets to the Sounds of Success Veteran producer, engineer, and author Bobby Owsinski uncovers the stories and techniques behind modern rock, country, pop, hip-‐hop, and classic rock hits.
BOOK S T ORE Down the Rhodes: The Fender Rhodes Story By Gerald McCauley and Benjamin Bove (hardcover) $44.99
This is the first book to bring together a large spectrum of prominent musicians to discuss their music and experiences with the Fender Rhodes. These “Rhodes scholars” include Chick Corea, D’Angelo, Donald Fagen, Herbie Hancock, David Paich, Patrice Rushen and many more. Meanwhile, artists like Stanley Clarke, George Benson, Allee Willis and others give their unique appreciation of the instrument. Includes a Blu-ray disc.
The Artist's Guide to Success in the Music Business, Second Edition
The Worst Gig: From Psycho Fans to Stage Riots, Famous Musicians Tell All
Written from the perspective of a musician who has experienced numerous levels of success, this guide is the result of over a decade of experience in the music business. From production and performance to marketing and career-building, this book instructs artists on how to take the hard-earned lessons of a fellow musician and put them to work in their own careers.
Backed by interviews from household name headliners and everyone’s favorite indie bands alike, Niccum has chronicled some of the most outrageous and epic moments in live music, giving the scoop on some of the wildest live gig miscues straight from the artists themselves. Wilco, Def Leppard, Tenacious D, Rush, John Mayer, Sex Pistols plus many more.
By Loren Weisman (paperback) $19.95
Essential for songwriters, producers, engineers, and music fans! Each 5” x 7” book includes: Insider song facts and trivia Form, melody, and lyric characteristics In-‐depth analysis of arrangements ,QVLJKW LQWR WKH SURGXFWLRQ
alfred.com/deconstructed
14 February 2014
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Beyond Mastering By Steve Turnidge (paperback) $24.99
A book for the audio buff who wishes to better grasp the intimate elements of sound mastering. Beyond Mastering explores Turnidge’s theories developed throughout his 25 years of experience in the industry as an engineer. He divulges truths and stories that communicate ways to fully integrate the profession into everyday life to become more productive.
By Jon Niccum (paperback) $12.99
Love Him Madly: An Intimate Memoir of Jim Morrison By Judy Huddleston (paperback) $16.95
Love Him Madly follows Huddleston’s romantic journey with the Doors frontman from a teenage perspective. A story full of lust, codependence and spiritual confusion, it also sheds light on the ‘60s L.A. subculture. It is an emotional representation of a sexual connection with a man who suffered from psychological distress and the complexities of human life.
explore. experience. expand.
Rock Your Music Career! Earn a certificate in: The Music Business & Independent Music Production & Film Scoring &
Spring Quarter starts Mar 31 Enroll early and save! Learn more at uclaextension.edu/es_mc
Train with top industry professionals. Learn and network with local musicians.
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February 2014
1/17/14 1:19 PM 15 musicconnection.com
PMC SPEAKERS By Jonathan Widran
A NEW PRODUCT IS BORN: PMC, a U.K. based, world leading manufacturer of professional monitor and audiophile speaker systems, was founded in 1990 by Peter Thomas of the BBC and Adrian Loader of FWO Bauch. The combination of knowledge and a life-long passion for the music led to the production of PMC’s first product—the BB5-A—an active main studio monitor. This design was snapped up by BBC Maida Vale and Metropolis Mastering and remains used by Stevie Wonder’s Wonderland Studio, Prince, Capitol Studios and for many renowned classical labels. PMC is one of the very few companies who have been awarded an EmmyŽ for its contribution to recording excellence. Blockbuster film titles include: Skyfall, Argo, The Help, Iron Man and Man of Steel. PMC experienced dramatic growth during a recent time that was considered one of the worst ever in the audio industry; in the U.S. they established a growth over 30% year after year. In a strategic move to facilitate PMC’s ambitious future growth plans, the business has acquired new headquarters at Holme Court near Biggleswade, in a Georgian style mansion set on five acres and built in the 1860s. RECENT & NOTEWORTHY: r 5IF *# 9#%4 " TUVEJP NPOJUPST EFTJHOFE to deliver the full-scale dynamics and no compromise performance of the XPSME T MFBEJOH SFGFSFODF MPVETQFBLFS UIF ## 9#% " JO B TNBMMFS TUZMJTI QBDLBHF 'PVS UIPVTBOE XBUUT PG 1.$ EFTJHOFE $MBTT % BNQMJà DBUJPO
TUFSFP QBJS BOE %41 EJHJUBM TJHOBM QSPDFTTJOH DSPTTPWFS DPOUSPM NBLFT UIF *# 4 9#% POF PG UIF NPTU BDDVSBUF NPOJUPSJOH TZTUFNT JO UIF XPSME r 5IF UXPUXP TFSJFT– XIJDI DPNCJOFT 1.$ T XPSME DMBTT EFTJHO QFEJHSFF BOE SFTQFDUFE "EWBODFE 5SBOTNJTTJPO -JOF– "5-– CBTT MPBEJOH UFDInology with sophisticated digital signal processing. The stylish, midnight blue range comprises three models, the twotwo.5, twotwo.6 and twotwo.8, which share the same core design and features. The model number refers only to the approximate size (in inches) of the bass driver, with larger numbers denoting increasing cabinet volume, greater bass extension and higher SPLs. r 9 1.$ T MBUFTU NPEFM JT B SFWPMVUJPOBSZ MBSHFS NBJO TQFBLFS TZTUFN Contact Maurice Patist, 949-922-9603 16 February 2014
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NATHANIEL SHANNON
Goatwhore Return To Florida Studio, Tap Producer Erik Rutan Goatwhore have returned to St. Petersburg, FL’s Mana Recording Studios with producer Erik Rutan (Canibal Corpse, Six Feet Under) to record their sixth full length album. Goatwhore’s new album will be the followup to the band’s 2012 release, Blood for the Master. Music and videos can be seen now at http://metalblade.com/goatwhore.
Swizz Beatz Rides Monster Into CES Monster has developed the state-of-the-art audio system featured in the exclusive new Lamborghini Veneno RDS. At the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV, Monster Partner Swizz Beatz spoke of the exciting collaboration between the world’s highest-valued car with the highest-end audio technology. The Lamborghini Veneno RDS roadster will be powered by Monster’s signature Pure Monster Sound™ and will be the audio company’s first collaboration with a car manufacturer.
Legendary Hollywood Studio Set To Open New SSL Room EastWest Studios is preparing to open its new SSL room. The room will feature an SSL G+ and George Augspurger custom monitors as well as a great selection of plug-ins and analog outboard gear including a Fairchild 670 Stereo compressor. Pictured in the new room’s lounge (l-r): Chief engineer Lawrence Malchose and EastWest studio manager Candace Stewart.
Van Nuys Studio Goes Global Recently at Van Nuys, CA’s Stagg Street Studio, renown Pakistani sarongi instrumentalist Zohaib Hassan from Lahore, Pakistan, was in with a stellar collection of classical-Indian musicians working on his new album. Pictured standing (l-r): Eric Shepherd, producer; Qamar Abbas, Swarmandal; Zohaib Hassan, Sarangi; Javad Butah, Tabla; David Berner, Tanpura. Seated: Matt Lavella, engineer.
More Studio News The success of Prism Sound’s Audio Design Workshop LIVE event at the 51st AES Conference in Helsinki has inspired the company to launch the free webinar series, Audio Design Workshop: Bitesize. The Bitesize series delves deeper into the
audio engineering and measurement topics already discussed in Prism Sound’s popular Wednesday Webinars series. These free seminars, which are available to download from the Prism Sound website (http://prismsound.com), have already covered a range of
technical issues surrounding audio test and measurement and are now regarded as a valuable educational resource for audio engineers. The launch of Audio Design Workshop: Bitesize takes the concept a stage further by delivering a detailed insight into modern testing
Producer Playback “When you work on a project, it’s timeless. Don’t do it just for the money. Ten or 15 years in the future you want to listen back to a track and it’ll still be living.” – Robin DiMaggio (Steve Vai, Diana Ross). Interviewed in MC February 2010
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techniques and their underlying theory. Each webinar will last roughly 30 minutes, ensuring it remains concise and relevant and will include live demonstrations and a Q&A session. Anyone wanting to attend should register at http:// prismsound.com/webinars.
– ANDY MESECHER andym@musicconnection.com
Comeback Kid Split Studio Time In Burbank, Winnipeg Comeback Kid are finishing up in the studio, putting the finishing touches on their forthcoming album, Die Knowing. They recorded drums with Kyle Black at Ocean Studios in Burbank, CA. All additional tracking was done at Private Ear studio in Winnipeg, MB. Die Knowing will be released on March 4, 2014. Pictured (l-r): vocalist Andrew Neufeld alongside Ocean Studio producer Kyle Black.
Factory Studios Upgrades Workstations
KAMRANV
DAVID GOGGIN
Factory Studios, a Brooklyn facility specializing in audio recording for advertising, TV, radio, digital media and music, has added a new Solid State Logic AWS 948 Hybrid Console/Controller in Studios 1 and 2. Both studios capture to a Pro Tools® DAW system that is controlled by the AWS 948 console. Additionally, Factory’s Studio 3, which is a Dolby Approved Cinema Suite, runs SSL Duende Native plugins for sonic consistency across the facility.
Musicians Pay Tribute To Hal Blaine At Ocean Way A gathering of musical luminaries recently convened at Ocean Way Recording studios in Hollywood to film their tribute to legendary drummer Hal Blaine, who is being inducted into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame at this year’s WinterNAMM Show. Pictured in Ocean Way’s Studio A are (l-r): drummer Bermuda Schwartz; Nancy Sinatra; director/interviewer Mr. Bonzai; NAMM president Joe Lamond; keyboardist Don Randi; and drummer Joe Porcaro.
Filipetti Tapped For L.A. Philharmonic’s Zappa Tribute The LA Philharmonic marked the 10th anniversary date of the opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall with the world premiere of the orchestral work by L.A.’s groundbreaking iconoclast composer Frank Zappa. Grammy Award-winning recording engineer Frank Filipetti (Elton John, Korn, James Taylor) chose a large selection of Sanken microphones for the performance of Frank Zappa’s 200 MOTELS - The Suites. Pictured in the Music Mix Mobile West truck at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (l-r): Frank Filipetti and Mark Linett before the performance.
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PRODUCER CROSSTALK
SERGIO GEORGE By Rob Putnam
From Arranger to Grammy-winning Producer
S
alsa producer and multi-Grammy winner Sergio George stepped into production nearly by accident. With a degree in orchestration and some training in engineering, he landed various jobs. The pivotal one for him was as an arranger on a session with Tito Nieves. The producer quit mid-session and George was asked to assume the role, thereby earning him his first hit: “SonĂĄmbulo.â€? He’s since worked with various stars of salsa including Marc Anthony, Christina Aguilera and Tito Nieves. Indeed, he produced Celia Cruz’s final album before her death. He’s received two Latin Grammys for Producer of the Year and is the founder and CEO of salsa label Top Stop Music. When George begins work with an artist, he ensures that he’s familiar with their work and finds where they can fit into the prevailing climate. “I The three most important things have to be into the project or know he’s learned as a about the person’s background,â€? producer/composer are: George explains. “But I’ve already done that homework before I agree to s 0ATIENCE do a project. Then I combine who that artist is with what I think the markets #HECK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR place will accept. Then the song se)T S NOT ABOUT YOU )T S ABOUT THE lection starts. Before you even get in ARTIST AND THE CONSUMER the studio, you have to have a plan.â€? George had been in the production s 2ESPECT MUSIC $ON T GET game for 15 years before he earned CAUGHT UP IN EVERYTHING ELSE
his first nomination for Producer of LIKE CARS GIRLS OR WHATEVER ELSE the Year. “Salsa wasn’t seen as a IS GOING ON 4HE MUSIC WILL LIVE producer-driven genre,� he observes. ON SO FOCUS ON IT “So I attribute my success to staying in the game. Over time, everything catches up and goes your way. God rewards you if you just don’t quit.� His decision to launch Top Stop came about after pouring effort into a project and seeing it fail to make it into record stores or onto radio. “I wanted some control over the direction of the records,� he says. “I’m not talking about just the production but I have to be able to market and promote records properly. Otherwise you put a lot of heart and soul into a project and somebody else doesn’t care about it and won’t put any money or energy behind it. With Top Stop, I can control everything. “The biggest challenge about running a label is getting an artist recognized,� he continues. “It’s easier [than in the past because you have the Internet] but so does everybody else. It’s tougher to get recognized. You have to have a plan before you come out with an artist and you have to attack so many sources. That has to be done before you even decide to record an artist. It’s got to be somebody with something solid to offer.� One of the biggest production challenges George has ever faced was when he traveled to Tokyo in 1988 to produce and engineer Japanese salsa band Orquesta de la Luz. “I didn’t speak Japanese and they didn’t speak English or Spanish,� he recalls. “The entire record had to be done with an interpreter. That was difficult but it taught me that music is universal.� Things went well and he was invited back several times. Another, more personal and poignant challenge was the work he did on Celia Cruz’s final album. “She was dying of a brain tumor and had breast cancer,� the producer recalls. “We went into it knowing that she was going to die. I’d known her for 25 years at that point but I had to rush and do my job before time ran out. That was an amazing experience of someone’s willpower and desire to leave a legacy. It taught me patience and compassion.� Contact Nick Carcaterra/Susan Blond, Inc., nickc@susanblondinc.com; sergio@topstopmusic.com
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– ANDY KAUFMANN
Ben Lovett President / CEO Communion
We always work from their perspective. There’s never any small print or hidden traps, because we don’t have an interest in – ANDY KAUFMANN doing that.
Years with Company: 7 Address: #7 W. 22nd St., New York, NY 10010 Phone: NA Web: http://communionmusic.co.uk E-mail: NA Clients: Mikhael Paskalev, the Trouble With Templeton, Caveman, Willy Mason, Half Moon Run, Story Books, Michael Kiwanuka, Bear’s Den, Deap Vally, Joe Banfi, Pale Seas, Gabriel and the Hounds, To Kill A King, Nathaniel Rateliff, Treetop Flyers, Ben Howard, Three Blind Wolves, more.
Club Life: In the U.S., we’ve organized [our club nights] so you can play all the dates in one month, but it’s more about a monthly residency in each city. We have had some bands play all the shows. A lot of people start with their town and then they’ll do a few more. So we do stuff like cross-pollinating and crosspromoting between markets. Some artists will have a bigger draw and can help benefit others. It’s less a competitive atmosphere than a communal and supportive one.
BACKGROUND: Best known as one fourth of Grammy-winning English folk-rock band Mumford & Sons, Ben Lovett co-founded Communion in 2006. The label, promotion outfit and touring platform concentrates on unsigned acts and assumes an artist-friendly approach that has lifted acts like Gotye, Daughter and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros to prominence. Last year, they crossed the Atlantic and invaded America.
It’s Not About Profits: Our intentions are always to be supportive and work in the favor of the artist. We’re not driven by profits. We don’t have much by way of overhead, so we haven’t got any pressure to commercialize any musician who doesn’t want to be. We focus on helping an artist be the best they can be. We try not to put everyone through the same mold and don’t just push music out. And we tend not to throw money at stuff and hope it works, because we can’t really risk doing that. We very much consider everyone who’s with us to be part of our family.
“The problems we’re trying to solve for musicians who are marginalized or having trouble getting noticed are something that occurs in every country and city.”
Going West: I founded [Communion] with two other people in the U.K., Kevin Jones and Ian Grimble. For the past couple years, we’ve been operating the North American division of Communion from the U.K., releasing certain records like Ben Howard and Michael Kiwanuka in America. In 2013, I took control of the company on the ground here. I’m living in New York fulltime and building out the company.
Showcasing Talent: We started as a promotions company. The core of the Communion business model is in our club nights and live promotions. We started running a monthly party in London and we would have five or six new bands who we thought were the best undiscovered artists around. It was an opportunity to provide a platform for musicians and create a one-stop shop for people wanting to discover stuff. That monthly event has grown to 25 cities in five countries. We’ve also grown in distribution. We promote hundreds of shows a year. We do shows up to about 5,000 capacities. And then we release records and publish songwriters. A lot has happened in the last eight years, but the inception was all about showcasing talent as best we could. Everyone’s Problems: I’ve always had a dream of living [in America], but the things we’re addressing are not specific to being British. The problems we’re trying to solve for musicians who are marginalized or having trouble getting noticed are something that occurs in every country and city. It just made sense to start working on that in America. Let Artists Be Artists: It’s very hard to be a musician. It’s incredibly up to chance and difficult to get noticed. How do you build a fan base? You see people doing everything they can to promote themselves even though they’re not naturally a promoter; they’re naturally songwriters. They’re pressing CDs and writing press releases, but they’re not manufacturers or press agents. But at that early stage, there’s no one to help do those things. 22 February 2014
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Chicken V. Egg: I remember playing gigs in 2006. We would play a show and the only people who turned up were our friends and family. And when we finished playing, the person putting on the show told us we hadn’t reached the threshold to get paid anything. So we had driven to the venue, paid for parking, did the gig and didn’t get paid a penny. It’s not our responsibility to fill the room. That’s the responsibility of a promoter. So for the last eight years, I’ve done everything I can to become as passionate a promoter as possible and get people to see music they might not know. More so than ever, people just want to see a band they already know. How are bands ever going to become a band that people want to see if they don’t support them? It’s a bit of a chicken or the egg situation. The Hook Up: As a promoter, record label and publisher, on all sides we are looking for new musicians. We’re also looking for people to work with us on the industry side of things. Each [artist we find] is different. Sometimes, it’s a recommendation by a friend. Sometimes, you read something. Sometimes, you see something at a show. Often, it’s through the club nights. The club nights have gotten us a lot of our talent, because that’s the initial booking. We’ll provide an opportunity for an act to play the show and we’ll get to know them better. Then we’ll ask them to play one of the other cities. A good example of that is the Districts out of Philadelphia. I saw them and they blew me away. I’ve discovered stuff watching TV. We found this video of two girls playing in an art gallery in Los Angeles. They blew our mind and we asked if they wanted to work with us. Differing Deals: We do lots of different deals. The three companies are separate, so we publish some artists, release some artists’ records and promote some. Some artists we work with on all three sides. But we strive to lay out a proposal that is how the artist would want to be treated and handled.
The Old Ways Work Best: It’s important not to forget the basic level that people like music. People listen to music on the radio. People read magazines. People use iTunes to buy music. People go to big retail outlets and still buy CDs. And people do still buy vinyl. The more traditional ways that people digest music still work. Even though you may come up with some crazy, new way to monetize music, I’m always a bit skeptical. I always listen and investigate, but you’ve got to remember that the public are not concerned about that stuff. They just want to hear good music and if they like it they’ll invest in it. Getting Behind Artists When It Counts: People are in the habit of just investing in bands they already like. I’m hoping that, through the Communion club nights, we’re going to show people there’s a lot more music out there. They just need to take one step forward, take that risk and it’ll almost always pay off. There are thousands of unsigned bands kicking around each of these major cities and we’re going out there finding the best ones and putting them on a stage. At that point, people can discover their new, favorite bands. There’s something special about that moment. One of my favorite things about music is being one of the first to hear a band and then supporting them as they grow, instead of waiting for a magazine to put a band on their cover, at which point they’re heavily invested in and there’s a whole machine behind it. Making Audiences Into Tastemakers: I’d love there to be a Communion club night in every city all over the world. And I’d love for us to be able to elevate bands to where not only they’re getting these opportunities we want to provide them but where people have a richer and broader taste of what music is out there. And I think that by doing that people will start to decide the future trends of music, rather than major labels and publications that currently steer what people hear and invest in.
– BERNARD BAUR
MUSIC CONNECTION’s Business Affairs delivers up-to-date information about the signings of new artists, significant developments at major and indie labels, as well as news of managers and attorneys who are active in the A&R aspect of the music business. So that MC can provide the most current information possible, please send any industry news, buzz or rumors that need to be verified to BBatMC@aol.com.
OPPS
Anime Expo (AX) is accepting entries for a Music Competition. Anime Expo presents the best in Japanese music entertainment, featuring concerts from J-Pop, Ani-Song, Japanese rock and Idol Performers. The “Artist Alley” at AX is a venue for amateur and semiprofessional artists to celebrate Japanese pop culture through works of art. In fact, participation by professional artists is prohibited. Amateur artists and bands can enter and get a chance to go up against a select number of finalists to see who has the biggest and baddest act. The Expo will be held from July 3 - 6, 2014 in Los Angeles. Rules and regulations can be found at http://anime-expo.org. The New Music Seminar (NMS) will be held from June 8 to June 10 at the New Yorker Hotel in N.Y.C. NMS has attracted more than 8,000 participants from 35 countries and is considered one of the most influential Music Business Conferences in the world. In 2014,
NMS will host two-hour, open-door listening sessions where leading A&R Scouts from indies and majors, as well as booking agents, will be on hand to listen and offer valuable feedback on your music— with a chance to get signed on the spot. In fact, NMS promises to help both artists and industry players break through today’s marketing challenges by providing the knowledge and connections they need to succeed. To learn more about this event, log on to http:// newmusicseminar.com. FanMusic offers a variety of contests and competitions for all genres—up to 50 new music contests every month that you can enter for free. The website also allows you to share your music online and receive feedback. You can check it out at http://fanmusic.com. The Hollywood Music In Media Awards (HMMA) has started to accept submissions for its 2014 awards show. All nominees are automatically entered to win at the “HMMA Main Event,” which will be held on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 in Hollywood. All HMMA nominees are also granted a complimentary ticket to the event and a red carpet appearance in front of press and industry. Visit http:// hmmawards.org/submit-music for further details. Musicians Contact is a referral service that helps musicians and singers find jobs. Thousands of bands, employers, agents and managers have used the service to find musicians and singers for over 40 years. All styles of music
JARED HARA’S SYMMETRY INKS RECORD DEAL Progressive pop-rock band Symmetry has signed with British indie label Self Made Records. Symmetry was co-founded by blind guitarist Jared Hara and Mike Campbell. Hara’s life story was captured in the touching HBO documentary, Blindsided. He was also the first blind guitarist to be accepted at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. The international DIY label will be releasing Symmetry’s full-length debut, titled Frozen In Time, worldwide in 2014. James Paul Wisner, renowned for his work with Dashboard Confessional and Paramore, is producing the record. For more information, visit http://jaredhara.com.
JARED LETO SOARS AT ROCK IN RIO The photo above (by I Hate Flash) has been called one of the year’s best pictures by Rolling Stone magazine. It shows singer Jared Leto having a blast while performing at Rock in Rio. Leto, lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars, performed for a huge crowd––595,000, to be precise––that gathered in the “City of Rock” (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) to celebrate, dance and enjoy music with an amazing lineup of acts, including Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Muse, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden and John Mayer among others. Visit http://rockinrio.com/rio/en for further info. are represented, locally, nationally, and worldwide. Go to http:// musicianscontact.com for further information.
,!"%,3s2%,%!3%3 SIGNINGS
Supersuckers have released a return to their punk rock roots called Get The Hell. The latest recording features 12 tunes, with a tightly focused sonic assault of big riffs, catchy hooks and good ol’ balls-to-the-wall rock & roll. Recorded at Willie Nelson’s famed Arlyn Studio in Austin, TX and mixed by Dwarves leader Blag Dahlia and Andy Carpenter, the album conjures all the attitude of a band in its prime, kicking out snarling, anthemic choruses over head-bobbing chord progressions. U.S. and European tour date announcements will be coming soon. See http://supersuckers.com to learn more. Sprung Monkey have announced tour dates with Suicidal Tendencies in support of their new album, Dead Is Dead. “We are so primed and ready to get out on the road and start delivering the goods to the hoods,” says Sprung Monkey frontman Steve Summers. “This music needs to be heard loud and proud, and I’m amped that we are doing these tour dates,” From the days of selling CDs out of their trunk to their breakout success on MTV, Sprung Monkey have kept true to their heavy, hypnotic sound. Through the years, they have become a staple in the extreme and action sports world, appearing on ESPN’s X-Games
and contributing tunes to countless surf, skate and snowboarding films, which opened up opportunities that have included major tours and festivals in the United States, Europe and Australia. For tour dates and news, visit http:// sprungmonkey.com. Charlie Daniels, award-winning, platinum selling music icon, has announced the release of rare 1979 live recordings from the fifth year of the momentous Volunteer Jam. The release of these recordings kicks off a series of Volunteer Jam EP digital recordings to be released in the coming months, all executive produced by Daniels. “This collection goes right down through the middle of the CDB catalog, a good representation of where the band was at the time,” said Daniels. Blue Hat Records in association with MRI/RED Distribution are releasing the recordings as a sampling of the historic concerts created by the Charlie Daniels Band. You can visit http://charliedaniels.com for additional details. Multiple Brit & Grammy awardwinner Boy George, seller of over 150 million records, has signed a worldwide label services deal with Kobalt Label Services for the release of a his latest album. George’s first studio album in 18 years, This Is What I Do, was issued on his own Very Me Records and will be supported by live dates across the U.K. The album features a string of guest musicians including DJ Yoda, Kitty Durham (Kitty Daisy & Lewis), Ally McErlaine February 2014
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– BERNARD BAUR
(Texas / Red Sky July), MC Spee (Dreadzone) and Nizar Al Issa, many of whom will perform as George’s band on his live dates. Boy George relates, “This is the first record I have ever made and owned myself. It’s very exciting to be a bit more in control of my work and to be doing this independently feels very liberating.” Fans can learn more at http://boygeorgeuk.com.
PROPS
Lyric videos on YouTube have become music’s hottest trend. In fact, labels and artists are making big money and reaching more fans as DIY-style clips hit the streaming service. In the 1966 documentary Don’t Look Back, Bob Dylan is featured in what, at the time, was an innovative music video. As the song “Subterranean Homesick Blues” plays, Dylan unfurls cue cards that correspond to the lyrics. The clip became a moment aped by many artists since, the visual suggesting a connection between hearing a song and reading the lyrics. Today, with YouTube replacing MTV as the primary outlet for music videos, the lyrics-only clip has become one of the most effective marketing tools online, with many generating more than 100 million views without a single shot of the artist. And the content can be monetized, thanks to YouTube’s ad revenue sharing program. According to one expert, if you have 1,000 or more pieces of content on your channel, those monthly revenue sums really start to multiply.
The Kenny Rogers Children’s Center has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health. With the help of the grant, the Center is able to serve more than 350 children with special needs up to the age of 21 with no charge to the families. “I am proud to be associated with this center and the community,” says Country Music Hall of Fame member Kenny Rogers. “The Center provides such a wonderful service. In an effort to keep it all going, I’ll be coming back to in 2014 for a fundraising event. I hope to see you all there.” To find out more, or to support the cause, go to http:// kennyrogerscenter.org. Croshal Entertainment Group (CEG) is celebrating 10 years of music industry service. The company was established in 2003 by music industry veteran Fred Croshal, who was the general manager of Maverick Recording and held various executive positions within Sony Music. CEG’s roster has included stellar acts like New Found Glory, Collective Soul, Bonnie Raitt, Jason Mraz, Jackson Browne, Alanis Morissette, Gnarls Barkley and Crosby, Stills & Nash, in addition to several independent labels. CEG has been responsible for numerous worldwide independent releases, with cumulative sales of over four million albums, a number that continues to grow. In an industry that has undergone massive changes over the past decade, CEG is among an elite group of companies that has not only
DIY Spotlight thecoolschool
In the DIY world information is power, especially when it comes to business activities. With that in mind, industry veterans Kenny Kerner and Chris Fletcher created thecoolschool to address the needs of DIY artists. Together, they have over 75 years of experience in booking, touring, artist management, music journalism, artist development and career counseling. This unique school focuses on the “business of music” with seminars, workshops, lectures, counseling and industry events specifically tailored for independent artists and bands. Subject matter includes personal management, booking and touring, time management, networking, artist development, utilizing social networks and designing marketing plans, as well as other subjects. thecoolschool also offers career counseling, help with bios and EPKs, and will work with student-clients on their live shows. Enrollment is easy—it’s on an
CHANEL DOES MUSIC
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See http://thecoolschool.biz, contact coolschoolbiz@yahoo. com, 818-345-5899
Have a successful DIY strategy to share? Email bbatmc@aol.com. weathered the storm, but has thrived due to a tireless focus on artists and a willingness to adapt. See http://croshalgroup.com.
THE BIZ
The newest Young Money/Cash Money recording artist, Chelsea Chanel Dudley, better known as Chanel West Coast, is making history as the first ever MTV crossover personality, going from TV to music. Chanel is in the unique position of launching an empire, which already includes starring roles on MTV programs Ridiculousness and Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. Live performances, provocative music videos and fashion shoots have garnered her millions of followers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. She is currently hard at work on her full-length debut set to drop March 2014. See http:// iamchanelwestcoast.com.
event-by-event basis. “Musicians don’t have to go to school for years and spend thousands of dollars to learn about the music business,” Kerner notes. “At thecoolschool they can enroll only for the lectures and workshops that directly impact their careers.” Fletcher adds, “Because musicians have little or no money, we’ve priced everything very low—mostly ranging from $20 to $50 with special discounts for entire bands.” thecoolschool is held on Saturdays at the Actors Workout Studios in the Art District of North Hollywood with events scheduled through February and March. Additional dates are currently being scheduled. The first coolschool lecture, “How To Make Money As A Musician” (with Chris Fletcher), will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“Weird Al” Yankovic and Sony have settled a $5 million lawsuit. Sony settled with “Weird Al” for an undisclosed amount following the parodist’s lawsuit against the label for $5 million in underpaid royalties. Their legal battle began in March of 2012, though the two parties had been sparring since early 2010. An audit by Yankovic’s Ear Booker company uncovered dozens of bookkeeping offenses, but the lion’s share had to do with digital media. Fun as it is to read sentences like, “The documentation provided by Sony revealed that Sony failed to pay the publishing royalties due for physical sales of albums Running With Scissors and Poodle Hat,” the real beef has to do with iTunes and YouTube. In regard to the former, a 2012 suit between Eminem and Universal
redefined the artist-label royalties percentage breakdown. As for the latter, Yankovic says he saw no revenue at all from clips like “White & Nerdy.” Spotify has launched in 20 new countries and has announced a free mobile service. Spotify founder Daniel Ek said, “We’re seeing a rapid increase in listening on tablets and smartphones instead of computers. As such, I genuinely believe that if we give people more access to legal music they will stream more.” The new free mobile tier allows users to listen to playlists they’ve created, as well as “shuffle play” through the entire catalogue of a particular artist. The service also offers ready-made playlists for different moods, activities and occasions. BERNARD BAUR was voted one of the “Top Music Business Journalists” in the country. Bernard is the connection between the streets and the suites. Credited with over 1,200 features in a variety of publications, he’s a Contributing Editor at Music Connection.
– BERNARD BAUR
The Truth About TAXI… An Unedited Forum Post from TAXI Member James Kocian http://forums.taxi.com/post353820.html#p353820
H
i Friends, It's been awhile, but I'm still here!! TAXI has been the singular catalyst for me in the past 2 years. I am closing in on 2 years of membership and my experience has been overwhelming. I will be at the Road Rally this year, as I've recently been invited to speak at the 'Successful Members' panel. This is all beyond humbling to me, and I feel indebted to Michael and his incredibly talented staff.
Taking Risks…
In a nutshell, TAXI has motivated me and allowed me to take creative risks; to dabble in genres I didn't even know existed, and to develop relationships with high-level music professionals I otherwise would NEVER have had access to.
Major Publishers
So far this year I've signed 13 songs with major publishers. I'm writing with people all over the USA, and have made regular trips to Nashville a part of my routine. I've been co-writing with a guy who has had multiple (recent) #1's. It boggles my mind actually.
Once in a Lifetime Opportunity!
I'm writing Hip Hop tracks for a well known rapper's next project, and I'm connected to a MultiPlatinum, Grammy-Winning Producer who allows/asks me to regularly send him material to pitch to the biggest artists in music. That in and of itself is enough is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it's been ongoing for nearly a year. There's more, but this isn't about me. It's about: T-A-X-I Have I mentioned that I live in GREEN BAY, WI? I mean, sure, we have the Packers — but it isn't exactly a music hub for anything more than Journey tribute bar bands.
I really can't stress how invaluable TAXI is to people who are willing to put the CRAFT into the ART of songwriting and music production. The "Forwards" section of the [TAXI] forum itself is worth the membership fee. Why?
Figured Out What Elements I Missed…
It's not to brag about Forwards. What I did was hit the [TAXI] Forums after I got “Returns” and found members who received “Forwards” for the same listings. Then I went and LISTENED. I analyzed the differences in our songs. Lyrics. Vocals. Arrangements. Instrumentations. Productions. I re-read the listings, and figured out what elements I missed. And I adjusted accordingly. Where else can you get that? The success of members (at least this member) is a TEAM effort. And I am honored to consider TAXI part of my team. It is possible to succeed. To “make it.” To realize our dreams. Don't quit. Don't settle. Don't lose hope. And stick with TAXI.
The World’s Leading Independent A&R Company
1-800-458-2111 • TAXI.com
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BRYAN ELLIS
Date Signed: January 2013 Label: Title 9 Productions/GCG/Universal Republic Records Type of Music: Ethereal Pop Management: Michael Michel - Title 9, GCG, 310-475-9520 Booking: TBD Legal: Robert H. Lieberman - Fischbach, Perlstein, Lieberman & Almond, LLP, 310-556-1956, ext. 3 Publicity: Greg Cortez - 424-901-8716, Greg.Cortez@42West.net Web: http://imbe.me A&R: Avery Lipman
S
inger/songwriter Bryan Ellis’ story of how he arrived at a label deal isn’t a short one. It began several years ago when he was a teenager in Cincinnati and was offered a production deal. Later he moved to New York City, and after laboring for nine years he scored a publishing deal. Feeling depleted, however, he was on the verge of abandoning Gotham when he got a call from a friend who told him that Title 9 Productions was interested in him. It was the perfect call at the perfect time. “It was a moment of complete confusion and surrender,” Ellis recalls of his signing. “That’s what allowed it to happen. I’d spent a lot of time in the studio doing what everyone told me I was supposed to be doing. I wrote song after song and made myself open to any kind of collaboration. It drained the music out of me.”
“I was literally packing my bags when a friend who was working with a producer called.” After a stretch in New York, he was ready to skip town. But then the fateful call came. “I was literally packing my bags when a friend who was working with a producer called. He told me that someone wanted to sign me. I didn’t believe him at first, but it allowed me to develop myself.” The timing of the deal couldn’t have been better. “I was at a point where I didn’t know how to bring out the music anymore; I thought I’d exhausted it,” Ellis explains. “The more I tried to make it happen, the more it escaped me. What’s odd about this whole thing is that it didn’t happen the way I wanted or assumed it would. I got the deal when I was ready to give it up. That may have been part of the reason [it was able to happen].” Ellis’ EP, The Cloud of Unknowing, was released last year accompanied by lead single “Strange Days.” His full-length album, The Wayfarer’s Songbook, is planned for release sometime in the first half of 2014. Title 9 is affiliated with Universal Republic. – Rob Putnam 26 February 2014
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THE PACK A.D.
Date Signed: February 2013 Label: Nettwerk Music Group Type of Music: Rock Band Members: Maya Miller, drums, vocals; Becky Black, guitars, vocals. Management: Aaron Schubert, aaron@nightbeat.ca Booking: Steven Himmelfarb, himmelfarb@billions.com Legal: Randal Neal Cohen Publicity: Penny Palmer - Nettwerk Music Group, Hollywood, CA 90028, ppalmer@nettwerk.com Web: http://ThePackAD.com A&R: Ric Arboit / Nettwerk Music Group, ric@nettwerk.com
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ancouver-based duo the Pack A.D. have had record deals in the past, but their previous contract expired last year. Label-less, they focused on recording their next album rather than looking for a replacement. Then their manager told them indie mainstay Nettwerk had been following the duo and, now that they were free agents, were ready to pounce. Besides being tempted by a few songs off their new disc, the label appreciated the rockers’ work ethic. “They lured us with food,” muses drummer Maya Miller. “Usually, it’s alcohol, but apparently for us it’s food.”
“Right away, it was someone we could be in touch with.” One thing the pair liked about Nettwerk was its 30-year track record. They also found the staff personable. But the biggest reason they chose Nettwerk over at least two other labels was proximity. “Right away, it was someone we could be in touch with,” says Miller. Being close has allowed maximum convenience for things like designing the album layout. After attending last year’s Christmas party, the Pack and their lawyers signed a licensing deal with an option for two more albums. “The previous deal we had was a three-album deal,” Miller explains. “It’s a roomier deal.” They also hammered together a split publishing contract, which took longer to complete than the record agreement. Miller urges others to employ a laissez-faire approach in seeking a label. “If you’re doing well, the labels are going to hear about you, because that’s their job,” she insists. “Just let it happen. It seems like donothing advice, but I honestly think that works best.” Do Not Engage was released worldwide on Jan. 28. – Andy Kaufmann
TY DOLLA $IGN Date Signed: October 2012 Label: Atlantic Records Type of Music: Hip-Hop/R&B Management: Kevin Liles - KWL Enterprises and Will Dzombak & Cameron Thomaz - Taylor Gang Management, LLC Booking: Peter Schwartz - The Agency Group Legal: Helen Yu, Esq. - Yu Leseberg Publicity: Jason Davis - Atlantic Records & Aishah White Web: http://dollasignworld.com A&R: Shawn Barron
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os Angeles native Ty Dolla $ign didn’t come to his deal with Atlantic Records in the storybook way. There was no chance encounter with a label bigwig on a redeye flight, where a demo was passed and suddenly instant fame fell from above. This artist’s deal is more about building relationships, consistent writing and hard work. “I got discovered in the studio, in Hollywood, because I was always there writing songs for other artists,” explains Ty Dolla $ign. “Atlantic Records felt like my songs were good but it wasn’t like in the old-school days where you play a demo and then you get a deal.” In Hollywood, he began working with A&R rep Shawn Barron of Atlantic Records. Barron has influenced the careers of Diggy Simmons, Phreshy Duzit and Drake, among others. Offers were now surfacing for Ty Dolla $ign, yet the bond the two formed was resilient.
“I [basically] went to every label and said, ‘Look, I’m not going to accept anything less than final cut…’” “Shawn and I had the relationship and that’s why we did our record deal together,” he says. Ty Dolla $ign’s Beach House EP, released in December, features “Or Nah” with Wiz Khalifa. “Paranoid,” features B.o.B, while the remixed version showcases Trey Songz, French Montana and DJ Mustard. The opener is called “Work” and the artist considers it his favorite. The EP will serve to strengthen the ties between him and Atlantic. “I didn’t feel like enough people were aware of me to do a full-length, so I wanted to drop an EP to keep the sales going,” the artist says. “So far, everybody loves it.” After playing back samples of some of his latest work, Ty Dolla $ign felt inspired and picked up the bass again. His writing sessions of late have been productive and when the full-length album arrives this summer, Ty Dolla $ign reveals he will be laying down most of the instrument tracks himself. “The other day I wrote nine bass guitar melodies,” he says. “And after that I just wanted to do the whole thing.” – Carl Anthony
LETHAL DOSAGE Date Signed: October 2013 Label: Battleground Records Type of Music: Metal Band Members: Daniel Davis, vocals; Theodore J. Simon III, guitar; Josh Hayes, guitar; Pepe Shepperd, bass; Frank Chacon, Jr., drums. Management: N/A Booking: N/A Legal: N/A Publicity: Dave Brenner - Earsplit PR, dave@earsplitcompound.com Web: http://reverbnation.com/lethaldosage A&R: N/A
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ucson, AZ-based Lethal Dosage have been active on the Southwest hard rock and extreme metal scene since 2009. Initially formed by high school buddies Daniel Davis and Frank Cachon, Jr.; the Lamb of God and Black Sabbath devotees plunged into the recording realm with their self-released album Inhale in 2011. “It was a big learning process,” says Cachon, Jr. “We only had about 300 CDs made. It was put together with a little bit of money we had. We worked hard for it. It was all about learning how to jam together, learning how to be together and just trying to get a grasp on this media thing.” Regional touring followed which built a solid reputation and fan base. A breakthrough performance at the 2013 Southwest Terror Fest in Tucson found them opening for legendary headliners Sacred Reich. It also reacquainted the band with event co-organizer and Battleground Records head David Rodgers. “We’ve known David Rodgers for a few years now,”
“We knew what the game was about now.” says Cachon, Jr. “He was there for our first album release with Inhale. He had actually introduced us to [producer] Ryan Butler of Arcane Digital for our first recording. They approached us about spreading the word about their label. So far our mutual working together has been great and all about good times.” Rodgers and label partner Ryan Clark emphasized their knowledge and connections in the extreme metal music scene and a working relationship between Lethal Dosage and Battleground Records was solidified by a handshake. Lethal Dosage’s new album is entitled Consume and will be released globally on Feb. 25. “On the first album we were bonding and establishing a foundation,” says the drummer. “With Consume we knew what we wanted to do and what the recording process was all about. We went back to Ryan Butler and we knew what the game was about now.” Lethal Dosage will do limited regional touring at first, with much more extensive excursions throughout the summer. – Eric A. Harabadian February 2014
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ASCAP Centennial Birthday
Ne-Yo Honored in New York The ASCAP Foundation honored prolific singer-songwriter Ne-Yo with the ASCAP Foundation Champion Award in recognition of his leadership in efforts to increase awareness of disadvantaged children in American cities. The accolade was presented during the Foundation’s 18th annual Awards Ceremony, held at the Allen Room, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams hosted the event.
Carole King is Beautiful Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of legendary songwriter Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. The musical is currently running at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre in New York. Visit http:// beautifulonbroadway.com.
Cates Inks with Disney Songwriter Jess Cates has signed an exclusive worldwide agreement with Disney Music Publishing. He has worked with such artists as Backstreet Boys, Martina McBride, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, JC Chasez, Nick Lachey and Jonas Brothers. The deal is in association with Cates’ frequent songwriting collaborator, Emanuel “Eman” Kiriakou. Pictured (l-r): Ken Bunt, President, DMG; Cates; Mio Vukovic, SVP of A&R/Head of Creative, DMG; Emanuel “Eman” Kiriakou. 28 February 2014
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The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has released its 100th birthday campaign’s centerpiece song and music video, “More Than the Stars,” featuring an extraordinary collaboration between 15 top ASCAP songwriter and composer members, including Amy Grant, Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, ASCAP Country Music Songwriter of the Year Josh Kear, Ne-Yo, Dan Wilson, Bill Withers and more. The tune was an unexpected result of ASCAP’s commissioned film Why We Create Music. The collaborative project featured 15 top music creators sharing their insights on the craft and power of music, and documents them adding musical elements to the score of the film itself. “More Than the Stars” will join the Why We Create Music film, both directed by Already Alive filmmaker and co-founder Michael Marantz, as a major element of ASCAP’s innovative ASCAP100. com website. The site also features an interactive timeline that is revealing 100 Years of ASCAP’s rich history, one day at a time. To watch the video, visit http:// bit.ly/ASCAP100Song.
You May Write at Cape May
Cape May, NJ is the oldest seaside resort in the United States and stretches 20 miles into the Atlantic Ocean and below the Mason-Dixon line. Famous for its rich history of visitors and Victorian architecture,
this National Historic Landmark City also hosts world-renowned jazz festivals. In early spring of 2014, Cape May will come alive during the annual singer/songwriter weekend. This event is designed for singer/ songwriters of all genres and those interested in the music industry. The focus will be on emerging and established talent networking with one another, music industry professionals and members of the regional music community. The Singer Songwriter Cape May will host over 70 music industry professionals at the 6th annual conference on March 28-29, 2014. Speakers participate in and conduct over 15 panels, clinics and music business workshops. The one-onone mentoring and demo listening sessions are one of the highlights of this event every year. Visit http:// sscapemay.com for details.
BMI/peermusic Latin Competition
The opening of the 11th annual peermusic Latin Scholarship competition has been announced by the BMI Foundation, Inc. Established by music publisher Ralph Peer II and funded by peermusic, the competition for young songwriters and composers awards a $5,000 scholarship for the best song or instrumental composition submission in a Latin genre. According to Porfirio Piña, BMI Foundation President and Director of the competition, the program is open to students between the ages of 16 and 24 who are enrolled in any college or university located in the United
SESAC’s Big Night SESAC recently celebrated affiliated songwriters and publishers at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Keifer Thompson (of Thompson Square) was named SESAC Country Songwriter of the Year and Magic Mustang won Publisher of the Year honors. “Cruise” was Country Song of the Year. Pictured (l-r): Pat Collins, SESAC; Thompson; and SESAC's Tim Fink and Shannan Hatch.
– DAN KIMPEL dan@dankimpel.com
States and Puerto Rico. All words and music must be original. The postmark deadline for entries is Feb. 14, 2014. Competition rules and applications are available on the BMI Foundation, Inc. website, http://bmifoundation.org.
Casey LeVasseur in the 3 Ring Circus
3 Ring Circus Music, the independent publishing company founded in 2004 by songwriter and MC cover subject Jeffrey Steele, has expanded its staff. Casey LeVasseur has been promoted to director of A&R. LeVasseur, who joined 3 Ring Circus in 2007 as song plugger for the Jeffrey Steele Music, Gottahaveable Music and Soulride Music catalogs, previously directed creative activities including licensing and administration issues and songwriter “boot camp” workshops. In her new role, LeVasseur (Steele’s daughter) will continue to work with rising country trio the Shuggah Pies, develop new talent and expand the writer roster, as well as spearhead her family’s efforts on behalf the Alex LeVasseur Memorial Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. She holds a B.A. in Cinema Arts from California State University, Northridge. She can be reached via Casey@3RingCircusMusic.com.
A History of Bigotry Derails Conference
Durango in Wine Country
Platt Named WCM President Jon Platt has been promoted to President, North America, Warner/ Chappell Music (WCM). Platt will take on a newly expanded leadership role, overseeing teams across WCM’s offices in New York, Nashville, Miami, Toronto and the company’s headquarters in Los Angeles. Platt most recently served as Warner/ Chappell’s President, Creative North America.
Registration for Durango Songwriters Expo in Santa Barbara Wine Country is open. Held in Buellton, CA, just north of Santa Barbara in the rolling wine country, this event will be held Feb. 27, 28 and March 1. With industry from Los Angeles and Nashville, the Expo features song listening sessions, panels, workshops and a concert with the hit songwriters in attendance. Merlot and melodies, cabernet and collaboration––pop a cork and make plans to attend at by visiting http://durangosongwriters-expo.com.
Jim Selby Joins ole ole Digital announces that Jim Selby, former Naxos CEO, has joined as the division’s inaugural Senior Vice President. Under his leadership ole Digital will ensure that ole is at the forefront of online rights management, collections, content and business development by actively representing the interests of the company’s clients and owned assets across all online platforms. Visit http://majorlyindie.com.
DAN KIMPEL, author of six music industry books, is an instructor at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. He lectures at colleges and conferences worldwide.
PHOTO BY ED RODE
What was once going to be a songwriters retreat for women in Louisiana led by singer/songwriter/ activist Ani DiFranco has now
been cancelled after controversial details came to light surrounding the event. Most importantly, the event was to take place on the Nottoway Plantation, a former slave plantation, which rankled many of DiFranco’s fans and those who became aware of the Righteous Retreat Song Camp and took to her now deleted Facebook event to complain. Among details that came to light about this event are that the Nottoway Plantation is a corporate owned entity whose wording on their site calls former slaves “willing workers” and that the event was being promoted by an Australian investment group with a history of endorsing and funding anti-gay, anti-immigration and anti-abortion agendas. More information is at http://righteousbabe.com.
Getting “Redneck Crazy” in Nashville ASCAP celebrated the creative team behind “Redneck Crazy,” the charttopping single from Columbia Nashville recording artist Tyler Farr, at a party at the ASCAP Nashville offices. Co-written by ASCAP members Mark Irwin, Chris Tompkins and ASCAP Country Music Songwriter of the Year Josh Kear, the platinum-selling title track from Farr’s debut album marks the singer’s first No. 1 single. Pictured (l-r, front row): Mark Irwin; Tyler Farr; Josh Kear; and Chris Tompkins. Back row (l-r): Mike Sistad, ASCAP; producers Julian King and Sony Music Nashville’s Jim Catino; Gary Overton and Norbert Nix, Sony Music Nashville; Carla Wallace, Big Yellow Dog; Matt Turner, Big Loud Shirt; and Eric Gallimore, Red Vinyl Music.
Phil Everly: Bye Bye Love Phil Everly, who made up one-half of the Everly Brothers, has died at age 74. In 1986, the duo became one of 10 inductees in the inaugural class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. In addition to recording hits like “Bye Bye Love” and “Wake Up Little Susie” and “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” penned by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, Everly co-wrote the duo’s hit “Cathy’s Clown” and “When Will I Be Loved,” later a signature song for Linda Ronstadt. February 2014
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Len Chandler True Tales from The Gaslight By Dan Kimpel
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f it was never new, and it never gets old––it’s a folk song,” proclaims Oscar Isaac as the title character in the feature film Inside Llewyn Davis. For Len Chandler, these words are prophetic. “Green Green Rocky Road,” a song he co-wrote and registered for copyright over a half century ago, has two prominent placements in the film. Performed on camera by the lead character, it is also featured as the film’s end title, in a version recorded by the late Dave Van Ronk. Chandler and poet Robert Kaufman penned it on the bones of a traditional folk song collected in Negro Songs From Alabama by Harold Courlander. Chandler remembers the collaboration like this. “Kaufman was at my $34 a month New York apartment on Stanton Street for dinner. I had already put the music together. Kaufman said, ‘Dooka dooka soda cracker/Does your momma chew tobacco?’ and I said, ‘If your momma chews tobacco/ Dooka dooka soda cracker.’ We were just playing.” In addition to Van Ronk, the song was covered by numerous artists including Judy Henske, Leroy Inman and Ira Rogers, and Chubby Checker. As depicted in the Coen Brothers' film, The Gaslight was a subterranean Greenwich Village club. Chandler, a classically trained musician from Ohio, was working at St. Barnabas House for Abused and Neglected Children. Escorting the kids on rollerskating excursions in Washington Square Park, he would borrow a guitar and offer spirited performances of traditional songs. “The guy who people might remember as Wavy Gravy was Hugh Romney, a poet who performed at The Gaslight,” Chandler recalls. “Hugh invited me to come and sing in between the poets.” Over time, Chandler closed these shows. The Gaslight was a “Basket House,” meaning that performers were paid from money donated by the patrons. “We didn’t pass the basket ourselves,” explains Chandler. “We hired a woman named Malcolm the Witch. She had green hair and a python snake in a straw bag that she carried on her shoulder. She collected the money for 10 percent.” In his autobiographical Chronicles Volume One Bob Dylan wrote, “One thing about Chandler was that he was fearless. He didn’t suffer fools, and no one could get in his way. He was powerfully built, like a linebacker, could kick your silly ass from here to Chinatown, could probably break anybody’s nose. He had studied economics and science and had it down. Len was brilliant and full of goodwill, one of those guys who believed that all of society could be affected by one solitary life.” Chandler took Dylan to the hospital to meet his hero, Woody Guthrie. And Chandler recalls being with Dylan on another monumental occasion. “My wife sent Bob and me out on the fire escape to smoke. The two girls who lived next door were out on their escape, learning ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ from a Broadside magazine. Bob said, ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever heard anyone singing one of my songs.’” The character of Llewyn Davis is reportedly inspired by the late folk singer Dave Van Ronk, who Chandler remembers fondly as “wonderful” but also a “folk Nazi.” He explains: “If you were finger picking and you strummed down with the back of your fingernail, that was some ‘California bitch folkie shit!’ He would literally watch you up close to make sure you weren’t stroking upwards with your thumb.” A recording artist produced by John Hammond on Columbia Records, Chandler lived history, marching through the segregated South with Dr. Martin Luther King for the cause of voter registration, and joining Dylan and Joan Baez to perform at the March on Washington in 1964. He accompanied Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland on the infamous F.T.A. anti-war tour; moved to Los Angeles and performed with the Credibility Gap, a satirical radio troupe; and in 1971 with John Braheny co-founded the Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase (LASS) an organization that positively uplifted the careers of thousands of songwriters. Now, Inside Llewyn Davis signifies a new chapter in a storied career. “The Coen Brothers properly credited me,” says Chandler. “And I am ecstatic that my song is in their movie.” Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Chandler
30 February 2014
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THEIR ENCORE. YOUR PAYCHECK.
WE PAY ROYALTIES FOR LIVE PERFORMANCES SESAC ensures you get paid for live performances of your music, no matter who plays it - you, or a band covering your song onstage 2,000 miles away. Get the royalty treatment you deserve with payments for live performances, truly personalized service and monthly payment for radio play. Visit SESAC.com to learn more.
SESAC.COM January 2014 February 2014
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DROPS
Grammy nominee and hit performer P!nk just dropped The Truth About Love Tour: Live From Melbourne on Blu-ray, DVD and digital long form. The footage, which captures the Australian leg of the artist’s sold-out tour, was executive produced by P!nk and creative director Baz Halpin (Taylor Swift, Katy Perry). It includes an hour and 50 minutes of P!nk performing 21 songs that span her seven albums with a captivating stage performance that include pyrotechnics and acrobatics. Bonus features
GRAND PIANO
P!NK include The Truth About Tour and a bluegrass rendition of “Slut Like You.” The Truth About Love, P!nk’s most recent album that dropped in 2012, was the artist’s first No. 1 debut in the U.S. that topped Billboard’s Top 200 album sales chart. Reach Meghan Kehoe at Meghan. Kehoe@RCARecords.com for more information. Lakeshore Records released the I, FrankEnstein – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack digitally and on CD in January. The soundtrack features 10 songs written and performed by By Maker, featuring Geno Lenardo (Filter, Device) and Daniel Davies (Year Long Disaster). I, Frankenstein hit theaters on Jan. 24. Previously Lenardo contributed to the Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans with string writing for the Alkaline Trio song “Over and Out” and additional programming for The Cure’s “Underneath the Stars.” See http://lakeshore-records.com. To celebrate their 45th anniversary, the Allman Brothers Band announced archival DVD and CD releases in addition to their annual residency dates at the Beacon Theatre in New York, from March 7-22, and two sets in April at the Wanee
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Festival in Florida. On Feb. 18, Live At Great Woods drops on Epic/Legacy Recordings. The live show was filmed in September 1991 at the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts in Massachusetts, and the DVD is in its original long-form version with unedited interviews. Epic/Legacy will also release a two-disc CD set titled Play All Night: Live at the Beacon Theatre 1992, which features rare recordings of two Beacon Theatre shows in March 1992. Lastly, the band’s own Allman Brothers Band Recording Company drops Boston Common 8/17/71 on Feb. 18, recorded 10 weeks before the death of co-founding guitarist Duane Allman. Elijah Wood and RACHAEL SAGE John Cusack star in Grand Piano, a film by director/composer Eugenio Mira that opens theatrically March 7. Wood plays stagefrightstricken piano virtuoso Tom Selznick in the 90-minute film. When Selznick reappears in public after a long hiatus for a Chicago concert, he finds a message written on the score that reads, “Play one wrong note and you die,” left by an anonymous sniper played by Cusack. In
addition to his work as a composer and director, Mira has starred alongside Robert De Niro in Red Lights. Grand Piano is available through video on demand Jan. 30. Contact Nathaniel Baruch at Nathaniel@BrigadeMarketing.com for details. The fourth season of Lifetime Network reality show Dance Moms premiered last month and will feature music by from award-winning composer, self-taught pianist and former New York City Ballet dancer Rachael Sage. Her music was featured on the season premiere, which aired Jan. 1 and will appear later in the season on Episode 8. On the show, which follows budding dancers (and their mothers) in the early stages of their careers, Maddie Ziegler and Chloe Lukasiak perform routines to two songs––“Birthday” and “Confession”––both from Sage’s 10th album, Haunted By You. Watch Dance Moms on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. PT/ET. On Feb. 20, singer/songwriter Jonatha Brooke opens her one-woman show Off-Broadway at the Duke Theater in New York in conjunction with the release of her first album in five years, titled My Mother Has Four Noses. Brooke has collaborated over the span of her 30-year career with a range of artists including Derek Trucks, composer and trumpeter Chris Botti, and most recently with Katy Perry on “Choose Your Battles,” a track that appears on Perry’s album Prism. Brooke’s show at Duke Theater was preceded by sold-out house performances across the country and will feature monologues between herself and her mother, impersonated by Brooke, and accompanied with songs from My Mother Has Four Noses. Contact Katy Lane at KatyL@SusanBlondInc.com for more info.
– JESSICA PACE j.marie.pace@gmail.com Cirque Du Soleil's Totem has hit Santa Monica, CA until March 16. The show traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. With a live music pit backing the visual performance, many parts of the show use unorthodox instruments as seen here. The Totem tour will head to Portland, OR in March. For tickets, visit http:// cirquedusoleil.com.
Brazilian guitar virtuoso Badi Assad, who debuted in 1987, was named one of Rolling Stone’s top 100 guitarists in the world, then went on hiatus in 2007 after releasing 10 albums performed twice at the New York Guitar Festival in January, premiering her score for Wu Yonggang’s 1934 film The Goddess, a product of China’s cinematic golden age about a Shanghai woman working as a prostitute to fund her son’s education. Assad has also made an altruistic return to the music scene; following last year’s release of Between Love and Luck, inspired by motherhood, Assad booked a benefit performance last month at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. The
TOTUM .
OPPS
Affiliates, or former affiliates, of the film and television world as well as the music industry are sought for recorded podcast and radio show The Mind Bender Radio Network. Those interested in participating on the radio show should email Tony Trombo at MindBender Radio@Yahoo.com for details.
The Marin Shakespeare Company in San Rafael, CA is offering professional pay to interested actors for all roles in its 2014 season, which includes the classics Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It and An Ideal Husband. Auditions are held Feb. 7, 8 and 9 at Dominican University in San Rafael. Sacramento Music Circus, a 60-plus-year musical theatre organization under California Musical Theatre, is casting for several musicals March 14. Productions include La Cage Aux Folles, Brigadoon, South Pacific and A Chorus Line, which will run in the summer. See http:// californiamusicaltheatre.com/participate/auditions for further details.
PROPS
The 2014 BAFTA Awards nominations have been announced and among those composers in the Original Music category receiving recognition are Steven Price (Gravity), Henry Jackman (Captain Phillips), Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave), John Williams (The Book Thief) and Thomas Newman (Saving Mr. Banks). For further information these composers, contact Ray Costa at Costa Communications, rcosta@costacomm. com. The BAFTA Awards happen Feb. 16.
Modoc
Musicians/Songwriters Email: Ryan Moore at Rymeaux PR, Ryan@RyMeaux.com Web: http://modocmusic.com Most Recent: FOX Sports
The Projection Booth is looking for film scholars, directors, writers, producers, actors and editors to participate in discussions on the impact and making of a selected film. Contact Mike White at Mike@Projection-Booth.com to be considered for the weekly podcast.
International radio show and recorded podcast Real Talk With Lee seeks actors, producers and all manner of creative types to discuss a range of topics on this talk show, which airs seven days a week. Send an email to LookAtMeCasting@ gmail.com for more information.
Out Take
ABC and Dick Clark Productions recently announced that the 2014 Billboard Music Awards will return to ABC and broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 18. Contact LMorentin@ DickClark.com.
BADI ASSAD show launched Shine A Light, a program dedicated to raising awareness about Syrian war refugees and bringing renewable energy solutions to the refugee camps. A portion of the proceeds were also designated for renewable energy projects in the areas of the Philippines most affected by the recent typhoon. Visit http://badiassad.com/en/video to hear Assad talk about her latest album. REVOLT and Clear Channel and Media Entertainment recently announced a 2014 partnership. Beginning March 3, nationally syndicated hit radio show The Breakfast Club on New York’s Power 105.1 will be televised live Monday through Friday on the new multiplatform cable network REVOLT TV. The live morning show features entertainment news, interviews with celebrities and hip-hop artists, and music mixes. The Breakfast Club stars former Sirius XM Satellite Radio morning show host Angela Yee, host of MTV2’s Sucker Free and Week In Jams, DJ Envy and MTV2 multi-show host and TV personality Charlamagne Tha God. For complete information, contact Kai Wright at KWright@REVOLT.tv or Angel Aristone at AngelAristone@ClearChannel.com. JESSICA PACE lives in the Nashville area and writes about music, local government and education. Contact her at j.marie.pace@gmail.com.
Nashville rockers Modoc have widened their audience over the last year with multiple song placements on television, and in November 2013 they signed with Los Angeles-based company Hitcher. Most recently, FOX Sports featured Modoc as Artist of the Month, airing songs on a variety of sports programs for the month of December including “Fortune and Fame,” “My Way” and “Runnin’” from the band’s eponymous 2013 release. Last year, the song “Devil On My Shoulder,” co-written by Modoc vocalist/ guitarist Clint Culberson with Grammynominated producer Paul Moak, appeared on an episode of ABC’s 666 Park Avenue. The song was in fact written in the hopes of making the cut for the soundtrack of Breaking Dawn, the last installment of the Twilight series. “We actually wrote ‘Devil On My Shoulder’ to try to get it on Twilight,” Culberson says. “That was ambitious to think we’d get it, but as we were writing it, we kind of had [the movie] in mind.” When asked about the band’s screening process for offers, Culberson said Modoc does consider branding, but there’s little they will turn down for the sake of reaching more listeners. “For the most part, we’re not going to worry too much about what people think,” says Culberson. “We’re trying to get as many people into our music as we can. Sometimes if someone’s going to put your song on a commercial, but no one’s going to hear it anyway, but they’ll throw me several thousand dollars, why not. I don’t think we’re that prideful. I’ve heard the Black Keys talk about saying no to a lot of things early on; now they’re looking back and saying that was dumb.” Other tracks from last year’s Modoc, including “My Way” and “Exceptions to the Rules,” were also featured on Esquire Channel’s White Collar Brawlers, and the band will have another song appearing on the new CBS series Reckless.
February 2014
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Imagine Dragons Desert Homecoming
PAULA TRIPODI
Our recent cover boys, Imagine Dragons, have been quite the busy bees lately. On top of owning the radio charts, the band successfully handled their first headlining tour, performed and took home a trophy from the AMAs and built a studio in their hometown of Las Vegas. Returning to the city of sin to celebrate, Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon and company sold out Hard Rock’s 4,000cap venue, The Joint. After the show, Reynolds took to the Hard Rock’s Body English Night Club and tore up the dance floor with over an hour of spinning. Read the full review at http://music connection.com/imagine-dragons-welcomed-homecoming-crowd.
Woody Allen Brings New Orleans Jazz To UCLA
PHOTOS: ERIK KABIK
UCLA students received an early Christmas present as Woody Allen and company performed in Royce Hall at UCLA. The New Orleans-styled band consisted of trombone, trumpet, standup bass, drums, piano, banjo, occasional vocals and Mr. Allen himself on clarinet. Read the full review at http://music connection.com/woody-allen-orleans-jazz-band.
Truley Family In N.Y.C. Grudge Match
DAVID POMPONIO
Nashville-based actor Todd Truley was in New York recently to attend the premiere of Grudge Match, in which he plays a physician. Most recently Truley was a regular on the ABC-TV series Nashville as Marshall Evans. Pictured is Truley with his wife, Ellen, the Vice President of Corporate Relations with the performance rights organization, SESAC. Ellen was recently included in Billboard magazine’s WOMEN IN MUSIC issue in a Women of the PROs special feature.
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MARK MARCELO
A Tribute to Earle Mankey A sold-out Troubadour in West Hollywood hosted Earle Mankey Appreciation Night, presenting artists who’d worked with the producer, in a benefit for It’s A Dog’s Life Rescue by Octagon Entertainment. Performers included Wednesday Week, Nelson, a Long Ryders reunion and the Tearaways, intro'd by Piers Morgan. Pictured (l-r): emcee Mark “Antiques Roadshow” Walberg; John Ferriter of the Tearaways/Octagon Ent.; Piers Morgan; and Tom Green.
– ANDY MESECHER andym@musicconnection.com
JAMES DONNELLY
Camp Freddy Share Roxy Stage With Love, Slash, Idol, more.
Tidbits From Our Tattered Past
Camp Freddy made their annual trip to The Roxy on the famous Sunset Strip to end 2013 with a bang. With their three-day residency, the group brought out a slew of friends, including Courtney Love, Billy Ray Cyrus, Moby, Slash (pictured), Billy Idol and many more. With so much engagement between members and guest performers, this felt like more than just a show––it was a reunion of great musical friends.
Panagos is a ‘Rising Star’ In L.A.
In this cover story Music Connection explored the inner workings of Johnny Carson's late-night musicians, a big band known for its skill as well as its personality. Observed frontman Doc Severinsen, "Groups of musicians tend to be slightly...unruly is not the word, but it's in the neighborhood." Elsewhere in the issue we spotlighted Island Music Group's Lionel Conway and reviewed the Bangs (aka the Bangles), the Fizzies and A Flock of Seagulls.
MICKEY YEH/MICKEY'S MAXIMUM EXPOSURE
The 23rd Annual LA Music Awards and Hollywood F.A.M.E. Awards at Avalon Theater drew over 1,000 attendees and featured nine live performances and 12 celebrity recipients along with the presentation of 50 awards to independent artists and bands. Pictured is Rising Star Award recipient Lisa Panagos. See http:// lamusicawards.net.
1982-Tonight Show-#16
DAREN CORNELL
2002-Sasha & Digweed-#9
Eagles Take Flight At Re-Modeled, Re-Imagined Forum Recently reopened, The Forum did not disappoint patrons who attended its inagural stand by the Eagles, seen above. “From the moment I drove into the revamped parking lot, I knew this wasn’t the same venue I’d been to so many times before,” says MC’s Daren Cornell. “The new seating arrangements enveloped the stage, the acoustics were outstanding, and the overall feel/vibe of the interior far exceeded my expectations. And of course the Eagles did not disappoint.”
Electronic dance music was suffering abysmal turnout when we sat with world-class DJs John Digweed and Sasha, who were on their risky Delta Heavy Tour. Digweed blamed the promoters, "There's an aspect where the promoters have viewed the landscape of electronic festivals like a gold rush, like there was easy money to be made. But you have to develop trust." February 2014
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Jeff Bhasker
Grammy Winner Ponders Pop Puzzles and the Alchemy of the Hit
NINELLE EFREMOVA
By Dan Kimpel
36 February 2014
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Across a dazzling span of marquee artists––a roster highlighted by Alicia Keys, Kanye West, P!nk, fun., Eminem, Drake, Beyonce, Jay-Z, OneRepublic, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, Bruno Mars, the Rolling Stones, Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift––Jeff Bhasker has emerged as a wellspring of extraordinary pop prowess. This accomplished vocalist and musician excels as a gifted songwriter, an inventive arranger and the producer of monumental pop records like “We Are Young” by fun. featuring Janelle Monáe, for which he was awarded a 2013 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. This year his Song of the Year nomination is for “Just Give Me a Reason,” (P!nk featuring Nate Ruess). Originally from New Mexico, Bhasker studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, moved to New York City on 9/11 and came to Los Angeles a few years later. Playing keyboards in Kanye West’s band led to his role as West’s musical director and ultimately to the discovery of his own sound. In this exclusive interview, Bhasker talks to MC about artist development, how his diverse skill set led him to the A-list writing and production gigs, and his belief that he is only as good as his last song. Music Connection: We heard the just-released single “Down This Road” by Cam, a new country artist who you have signed, developed and produced. We understand that the artist development role is an important endeavor for you? Jeff Bhasker: I’ve been developing artists my whole career. It happens a lot when you’re producing especially, unless you get lucky and find the ones who know exactly what they’re doing, like Nate (Ruess from fun.) or Kanye (West). After a while you’re like ‘”Wait––why am I developing this artist for someone else’s label. I should be doing it for my label if I’m spending all this time.” MC: Back in the day, the labels would do it. Would you say that now it seems to be everyone else’s gig. Bhasker: Sometimes development feels like such a lost practice. Nowadays it’s “Find someone and start recording.” But artists need time to develop. There are a lot of lost albums. Bruno Mars was signed to Motown and they mutually dropped each other. It wasn’t working. Ne-Yo was trying to be an artist, quit, then started writing songs, became a hit songwriter and then became an artist again. You need chances to develop, maybe miss the mark, and then fix it. And to get a little bit jaded almost in a good way––only do something that you like because in the beginning you’re trying to figure out how to please people. Sometimes you develop them and the label doesn’t want to go in your direction. So thank you for wasting all of that time and energy. MC: So here is the big question: How do you choose your projects? Bhasker: I alluded to this earlier––I try to work with the people who have the strongest sense of what they want to do, and a clear idea. As a producer that’s one thing that makes my job easier so we don’t waste a lot of time. It relates to your artist development question. Particularly with fun. and Kanye West, they know exactly what they want to do. Then the task is to bring the vision to life. More and more it’s going to take a miracle for me to work with someone who doesn’t know for sure what they want to do. MC: Is it similar criteria in every type of collaboration? Bhasker: In writing or producing, the other thing is finding people who have different strengths from your own. I work with Emile Haynie a lot and we have a very similar perspective on what we want the music to sound
like, but we have very complementary skill sets. I play keyboards and I know music and arranging, and he’s more self-taught and has these amazing samples and he approaches it from the drums. We can both do the other thing too, but our specialties are very complementary. MC: In modern pop music, we often see multiple songwriters and producers collaborating on tracks. Is this so everyone can play to his or her strengths? Bhasker: From my experience on the inside, making an album or writing a song is very much like a puzzle, and there is always a right solution––or maybe the most brilliantly wrong solution. Sometimes there is one line that’s not good enough and someone comes up with the perfect line. So if someone just writes one line, they are a writer on the song because the song wouldn’t be the same without that one line. They might even change one word, or say, “The melody should go like this.” It depends on getting the right people around. I’ve been doing the New York Times crossword puzzle every day. We’re working on Mark Ronson’s album and Mark’s really good with the puzzle. Someone in the studio might have one answer, and that leads to the next one. Songs should have solutions, and it should all relate. It’s solving that puzzle. MC: You have had great success in your work with female artists. Bhasker: It’s true. I think one reason is my singing voice. I use the falsetto a lot. I remember being a kid and my sister would say, “Sing like Whitney Houston.” I would get the intonation right and be in that range. Maybe there’s something there that can translate to female artists. It’s interesting, I’m not sure why that is, but I love the sound of the female voice. MC: You dropped a mixtape, Born On The Fourth of July, under your artist name Billy Kraven. It shows your singing voice is very expressive; do you use it as an instrument when writing songs? Bhasker: Singing is what led me to songwriting. D’Angelo was a big hero of mine. His vocals were very layered and musical and coming from a jazz background, I loved that. It’s more part-oriented. MC: Our young readers who are pop aficionados want me to ask: What was your role with Lana Del Rey on Born To Die? February 2014
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Bhasker: She did the album with Emile Haynie, and I did a couple things with him. On “Diet Mountain Dew� I maybe chipped in a couple of chords. I assisted Emile but he laid the real foundation. She had the songs already, and the way it should be delivered.
r Jeff Bhasker’s father, Dr. Ravi Bhasker, is a medical
doctor born in India who served as mayor in his hometown, Socorro, NM.
r Socorro is a town of less than 9,000 inhabitants. It is also
the hometown of Conrad Hilton, founder of the eponymous Hilton hotel chain, and the great-grandfather of Paris Hilton.
r Among Bhasker’s early gigs was performing in Socorro at Frank and Lupe’s El Sombrero, a Mexican restaurant.
r When he came to Los Angeles, Bhasker formed a shortlived cover band called Sex Panther with Bruno Mars and his brother, drummer Eric Hernandez. They performed at San Fernando Valley venue Pickwick’s Pub in Woodland Hills. The band broke up when Bhasker landed a gig with Kanye West.
r Bruno Mars has characterized Jeff Bhasker as a “mad scientist of a producer.�
Quick
Facts
r Bhasker’s first big break came when he produced the title track on the Game’s The Documentary, which sold more than three million albums. At the time, he was working on composing hip-hop beats for rappers and says he gradually became more interested in melody to “unite the words and music together.�
MC: Lana Del Rey seems to be a very polarizing artist about whom others have strong opinions. Bhasker: I was just hanging out with her in New York. Sometimes, with some artists, it’s just being a friend. Not even doing so much musical stuff, but I think she is so talented that I wanted to encourage her to have the confidence in herself. When you hit stardom and people are catching on it’s like, “You have a hit, we have to do an album, and you’re going to be a big star.� It’s like an incredible amount of pressure that artists have to go through. There is so much riding on it: record companies, managers and fans. MC: Some critics have been less than kind. Bhasker: She took this incredible amount of slack in the press, really unfair, mean grilling by critics who would embrace Lorde as the second coming of something. She wouldn’t exist without Lana. I think Lana’s vocals are more three dimensional, but she gets criticized unfairly. I would tell an artist, “Don’t listen. Believe in what you’re doing.� When you’re trying to create something it’s a very tender place to be; putting your idea out there takes a lot of courage. With Lana I try to give her encouragement and courage to keep going and doing what no one expects.
r Bhasker collaborated on the Grammy winning Best Rap Song in 2010 for “Run This Town,� by Jay Z feat. Rihanna and Kanye West co-written with West, Rihanna, Shawn Carter and Ernest Wilson.
r “All of the Lights,� a song by Kanye West featuring Rihanna,
was co-written by Bhasker, West, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones and Warren Trotter and recorded on West’s album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It won Best Rap Song and Best ! $! $ $ $ Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2012 Grammy Awards. $
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MC: We know that your history with Bruno Mars goes way back to his beginnings as a solo
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artist and continues with Unorthodox Jukebox. “Young Girls,” which you co-wrote and coproduced, sounds like the second coming of Phil Spector. Bhasker: It’s a good melody and Bruno’s voice is so great at delivering all of that stuff. He’s really mastered putting the right melody. He can sing anything and make it sound good, but he’s become such a great songwriter. That’s what makes him really stand out. That’s one of the things I love about Cam too; she writes and sings. It’s almost an unfair advantage. The same thing with Nate Ruess and Lana Del Rey. You can have co-writers, but if you write the material and you deliver it then you believe it. People can see through a fake emotion pretty easily. MC: Do you hear a striking vulnerability in Bruno’s vocal performances? Bhasker: That’s the combination: strength and vulnerability. I think people hear struggle and hope for the singer to prevail. “He can’t possibly hit that high note.” Rihanna can sound like the super bad bitch, but she’s got that vulnerability and sadness mixed with triumph.
Bhasker: Someone might have said at Berklee “You’ve got to learn all of this and then forget it. Learn the rules then break them––but you can’t do it until you know them.” What someplace like Berklee can’t teach you is how to be an artist or to have a voice; how to have a clear distinction and a style. For me, that was after school, living in New York and being interested in more things like painting, graphic design and architecture. And eventually meeting someone like Kanye who is the definition of an artist, who has the courage to say something different with expertly crafted and a quality product that’s wrong in all of the right ways. You can’t learn how to be an artist at school. MC: What do you say to people, maybe students at music schools like Berklee or Musicians Institute, who would like to be in the position that you are in now?
Bhasker: Keep trying and never give up and you’ll get there. It’s as simple and corny as that. As in any field it can be tough to ascend to a position and be successful and get attention. People who don’t make it are people who give up. Nothing’s going to be given to you in any way. If you keep trying you get better, eventually you’ll do something great. Don’t be satisfied if something is just okay. Do something you love and people will catch on. You say, “The position I’m in.” I’m only as good as my last song. Some people want a Jeff Bhasker song or to work with me, but in the end you have to do something amazing. Strive for that and you’ll get it. You can’t be lazy. The people who make it are those who are working at it every day. Contact greg.cortez@42West.Net
MC: Nate Ruess embodies the same traits; the resignation that we hear with his performance singing the vocal hooks on the song you co-wrote and co-produced for Eminem, “Headlights.” Bhasker: (Sings) “And if the plane goes down, or if the crew can’t wake me up/Well, just know that I’m alright/I was not afraid to die” A bonechilling lyric that makes you want to cry. MC: Looking intently at your entire body of work, what emerges is that one of the most striking points of connection is your use of drum tracks. They seem almost dispassionate, used with an orchestral approach. Bhasker: It’s metronomic sometimes. This allows the music to shine out a little more. That’s my strength, having a musical idea carry it. It’s also characteristic of older records before there was sub bass. If you listen to hip-hop breaks, in a lot of hip-hop the drums are quite small in the mix. You just hear a little pop of the snare. MC: And the parts are quite simple. Bhasker: I used to play a lot of jazz and I love drumming. Mostly now I say, “I need you to play one of two fills: Pat Boone or Debby Boone.” The drums have to be kind of neutral. It’s all about the song. Sometimes I’m happy to have no drums. It’s happened in the past couple years. You don’t lean on drums. I really like your term “dispassionate.” The music should be passionate. That’s how I write too. I’ll write on the piano and instead of making a click track I’ll make a track on the MPC and track to that. I have the intention of going back and making it better, but at the end I like the way it all fits together. I fight the urge to add, I would rather minimize and take away. Adding makes it sound smaller, ironically. MC: As a student, you attended Berklee College of Music. What about that education has helped you the most? Bhasker: It was a solid foundation; being around other people my age that were into what I was into, especially jazz. It was an amazing thing, to be challenged. People were so much better jazz pianists than me, so much more advanced. I took a lot of inspiration from learning Bach’s music and also practicing a lot.
The GRAMMY Museum® On Display Until March 30, 2014 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 Monday-Friday 11:30am - 7:30pm, Saturday- Sunday 10:00am - 7:30pm
For more information, go to GRAMMYMUSEUM.ORG GRAMMY Museum and the Museum logo are registered trademarks of The Recording Academy and are used under license. !
!
MC: Does this translate to the real world? February 2014
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40 February 2014
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H
ave you ever wondered why some songs are hits while others never quite make it? Have you wondered if there is a standard formula for a
THE ARRANGEMENT
The arrangement is how the instrument elements interact with one another within the song, how the elements are layered and where they enter and exit. Regardless of the type of music, every arrangement consists of five major elements:
hit? If you’ve followed my Big Picture music production blog (http://bobbyowsinski.
blogspot.com), you know that I’ve posted in-depth analyses of hit songs from various music genres, and I’m here to tell you that there certainly are common traits among hits, and these traits occur more often than you’d think.
r The Foundation provides the pulse of the song. This usually comes from the bass and drums, although it could come from any instrument with a lot of low frequency information like a tuba in a marching band (or with the Roots). r The Rhythm provides the feeling of motion in the song. This could come from a strumming guitar, a piano playing 8th notes, a synth playing an arpeggiated line, or percussion instruments like congas or shakers.
These x-rays of the hits have become so popular that it has resulted in a book series called Deconstructed Hits, where each book looks at the hits of different genres, from classic rock to modern rock, country, pop and hip-hop, and that’s where a lot of the following information comes from. You’d think that there’s not much in common between the genres, but I’m going to explain how the hit tunes that we love to listen to over and over again—regardless if it’s pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, Swahili marching band or alien space music—all abide more or less by the same rules. This is extremely important information if you’re a producer, songwriter or arranger––not from the standpoint of following a formula, but helping you to fix a song if it is
r The Pad provides the glue to the song. This is a long sustaining note or chord that could come from an organ, strings, a synthesizer, electric piano or power chords from an electric guitar. r The Lead provides the melody of the song. This is usually the vocal or instrument or instruments playing the melody or solo. r The Fills provide interest. The fills can come from almost any instrument or vocal that’s playing a counter line to the melody, or playing in between the phrases of the lead.
just not going where you think it should.
THE BASICS
If we break down a hit into its essence, it revolves around four main pillars: the song form, the arrangement, the production and the mix. The effect of both the mix and the production can be difficult to measure and therefore have their own set of observations (some of which we’ll get to later), so for the purpose of this article we’ll concentrate on the song form and the arrangement, since both are easy to hear so you can easily spot the similarities and differences from song to song.
THE SONG FORM
In my definition, song form means how a song is constructed, which means how the different sections fall together and how the melody and lyrics act within it. Sometimes there are a lot of different sections to a song and sometimes only a few. Sometimes the melody is strong, but sometimes not. Sometimes the lyrics are profound, and sometimes they’re inane. In any case, a great song form can carry the tune and make it a hit, while a poor or formulaic one can also become a hit with the addition of the following trait...
As an example, in a typical rock, pop or R&B song, the Foundation would be the bass and drums, the Pad might come from an instrument playing a sustaining chord, the Rhythm might come from a tambourine playing double time, the Lead from the lead vocal, and the Fills from either a guitar or background vocals answering the lead vocal. Good arrangers and producers know that having more than five elements playing in the song at the same time is confusing to the listener, so most songs rarely have all five occurring at once. That doesn’t mean that there can’t be more than five instruments playing at the same time though. In most cases, a number of instruments are playing the same part in the same or different registers, and they make up a single element. Song form and arrangement are tied together by the fact that, in most hits, most sections of the song have a slightly different arrangement from the previous one that keeps the song interesting.
SOME EXAMPLES
Let’s look at how the form and arrangement works in a number of hits, going all the way back to the ‘70s, then comparing them with some that are more recent.
Refugee Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers This big 1980 hit is as perfect an example of a hit rock song as you can get. Its form is an almost textbook pop formula, and looks like this: intro (with guitar solo) | verse | B-section | halfchorus | verse | B-section | chorus | bridge | solo | verse | B-section | chorus | outchorus As with most hits, the dynamics in the song are great, but unlike many of the songs of today built around beats, loops and sequences, they’re not only created by additional overdub layers but by real dynamic playing from the band. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have always been a great live band, and this song shows why, as the playing breathes with the song, pushing it to a peak in the bridge, and bringing it back down to a quiet third verse. The arrangement elements are: r Foundation: drums and bass r Pad: organ r Rhythm: shaker r Lead: lead vocal, guitar in the intro and solo. r Fills: guitar in the verses and background vocal answers in the chorus. The song builds and develops in a classic way that every band should learn. In the intro, the full band is playing with intensity with the lead guitar over the top, then in the verse the intensity lessens as it is just the organ and rhythm section with rhythm guitar strums every four bars. In the B-section, the band gets louder as another guitar kicks in. In the chorus, the guitars go back to what they played in the intro (but they’re lower in the mix) and the background vocals answer the lead vocal. The only fancy arrangement aspect in “Refugee” is the doubled lead vocal in the bridge, and the fact that the first half of the solo is by the organ, followed by the guitar.
More Than A Feeling Boston Just to show that there are exceptions to most formulas, Boston’s 1976 hit “More Than A Feeling” uses a slightly different form from the normal rock or pop song of the era in that the Bsections are instrumental as they transition into the choruses. The form looks like this: intro | verse | B-section | chorus | intro | verse | B-section | chorus | bridge/solo | intro | verse (with an extra 9 bars) | chorus | outro February 2014
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MOST HITS HAVE A SHORT INTRO. THE AVERAGE INTRO OF TODAY’S HIT IS ABOUT 7 1/2 SECONDS The intros are just verses minus the vocals, and the outro is a chorus minus the vocals. The bridge is where the solo occurs and is almost like a different song with a completely different set of chords and feel. During the last verse the song takes a left turn with an added nine bars that build to the B-section guitar line. The Arrangement The arrangement of “More Than A Feeling� is pretty classic in that it breathes with intensity pretty much where you expect it to––except for one place. The B-section is unexpected in that it is a Les Paul/Marshall lead line that fades into feedback and reverb into the chorus, which has both double big electric guitars, handclaps adding motion and harmony vocal answers. The bridge is interesting in that it is a lead guitar melody over a new set of chord changes, which leads into the third verse where the drums drop out and the intensity lowers. This is brilliant in that there’s a new nine-bar part tacked on to the verse where the drums and lead guitar enter and help the song build to its peak with the lead vocal and guitar wailing on the same reverbed note. The arrangement elements are: r 'PVOEBUJPO CBTT BOE ESVNT r 3IZUIN BDPVTUJD TUSJOH HVJUBST JO WFSTF DMBQT JO DIPSVT r 1BE OPOF r -FBE MFBE WPDBMT MFBE HVJUBS JO UIF # TFDUJPO BOE TPMP r 'JMMT MFBE HVJUBS JO CBS UIJSE WFSTF CVJME WPDBM BOTXFST JO DIPSVT Now let’s look at some recent hits.
Firework Katy Perry “Firework� is a more or less traditional pop song in that it has a common structure found in most hits. It looks like this: 42 February 2014
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TIPSU JOUSP ] WFSTF ] # TFDUJPO ] DIPSVT ] DIPSVT ] WFSTF ] # TFDUJPO ] DIPSVT ] DIPSVT ] CSJEHF ] DIPSVT ] DIPSVT ] PVUSP That doesn’t mean it’s boring, though. The song builds nicely and takes us through a couple of peaks (one at the bridge and one at the outro), thanks to the song’s built-in dynamics. The Arrangement The intro and first verse are extremely sparse, with the strings entering at the first B-section and continuing to build to a crescendo through the first chorus. The chorus repeats with additional movement thanks to the entrance of the bass. The first half of the second verse drops down to just 8th notes on the keyboards plus the drum pattern, but changes with the entrance of the bass on the second half—a very nice arrangement touch that keeps the interest high by changing the dynamics of the song. Dynamics is a huge key to excitement, either live or on a record, and this song is an excellent example of how it is done. The arrangement elements are: r 'PVOEBUJPO CBTT BOE ESVNT r 3IZUIN LFZCPBSE QMBZ JOH UI OPUFT TUSJOHT r 1BE TZOUI JO UIF CSJEHF r -FBE MFBE WPDBM r 'JMMT TUSJOHT JO UIF DIPSVT
Grenade Bruno Mars If you were going to write a straight-down-the-middle pop song, this is the way to do it. The song is unusual in that it begins right with the verse with no intro. Other than that it’s formula all the way, not that there’s anything wrong with that if it works (it does here). Basically the song looks like this: WFSTF ] DIPSVT ] CBS JOUFS MVEF ] WFSTF ] DIPSVT ] CSJEHF ] UXP CBS JOUFSMVEF ] WFSTF ] PVUSP The Arrangement Just as the form of the song follows a formula, so does the arrangement. It develops from the sparse first verse to the big chorus, then drops to a less sparse second verse, and finally peaks at the bridge. The tension is released by the stripped-down last outro verse, which is very unusual since most outros retain the big sound, and the tension, to the end. There’s an organ that plays just underneath everything that acts as the Pad and glues the track together, which is a pretty common use for the instrument. What’s interesting is that the
arpeggiated electric piano line in the verse acts as the Rhythm element, but during the chorus the rhythm switches to the double time feel of the drums. The arrangement elements are: r 'PVOEBUJPO CBTT BOE ESVNT r 1BE PSHBO r 3IZUIN BSQFHHJBUFE FMFDUSJD QJBOP MJOF JO UIF WFSTF UIF EPVCMF UJNF GFFM PG UIF ESVNT JO UIF DIPSVT BOE PVUSP QFSDVTTJPO r -FBE MFBE WPDBM r 'JMMT CBDLHSPVOE WPDBMT BOE UIF PDDBTJPOBM QFSDVTTJPO TPVOE FGGFDU
What Hurts The Most Rascal Flatts This big country hit is another song that follows the traditional hit-single form almost perfectly. It looks something like this: JOUSP ] WFSTF ] # TFDUJPO ] DIPSVT ] JOUFSMVEF ] WFSTF ] # TFDUJPO ] DIPSVT ] JOUFS MVEF CBST ] TPMP CSJEHF ] DIPSVT ] UBH ] PVUSP If you were going to draw up the form for a hit record, this song would be it. The difference here is that the execution of every aspect is top-notch, which separates it from other songs that might have the same form but never became hits. The Arrangement What’s especially cool is that all the sections of the song repeat––but are slightly different the second or third time through. A good example is the line in the last bar of the first half of the intro, which is initially played on acoustic guitar, then doubled with the fiddle the second time through. On the third pass it’s a steel fill. Another great example is the last chorus where the song stops and the melody changes, then the background vocals enter right afterwards. Also listen to how the second verse develops with the entrance of fiddle and electric guitar. Then in the second chorus the steel and banjo enter. The arrangement elements are: r 'PVOEBUJPO CBTT BOE ESVNT r 3IZUIN BDPVTUJD HVJUBS JO UIF WFSTFT BOE UIF CBOKP BOE TIBLFS JO UIF DIPSVTFT r 1BE TUFFM HVJUBS BOE CJH FMFDUSJD HVJUBS DIPSET EVSJOH UIF DIPSVT r -FBE à EEMF JO UIF JOUSP BOE JOUFSMVEF MFBE WPDBM JO UIF WFSTFT BOE DIPSVTFT BOE MFBE HVJUBS JO UIF TPMP r 'JMMT TUFFM HVJUBS BOTXFS JO UIF JOUFSMVEF BOE CBDLHSPVOE WPDBM BOTXFST JO UIF MBTU DIPSVT
Now let’s look at some songs that don’t fit the mold at all:
I Gotta Feeling Black Eyed Peas
“I Gotta Feeling” has an unusual form in that the sections don’t always come where you expect them to and sometimes have different lengths. The form looks like this: intro | chorus (32 bars) | verse (24 bars) | Bsection | chorus (16 bars) | verse (16 bars) | B-section | verse (16 bars) | chorus | end The interesting thing is that the longest verse and chorus actually occur at the beginning of the song, and the second B-section is in between the second and third verses. The Arrangement Just as with the form, the arrangement of “I Gotta Feeling” is also somewhat different from what you’d expect from a pop hit. While it does breathe dynamically like most hits, it doesn’t happen where expected. The intro is exceptionally long for a hit (about 30 seconds) and, as with many dance songs, the music of the verse stays the same with the chorus sung over it. The arrangement elements are: r Foundation: kick, low synth r Rhythm: high hat, 8th and 16th note synths, upbeat synth r Pad: low synth on intro and second chorus r Lead: lead vocals and raps r Fills: vocal answers
Sexy And I Know It LMFAO
If we look at “Sexy And I Know It” from a pop perspective, the song seems simplistic both in form and lyric, but this is a completely different genre so we have to throw that thinking out. All dance and electronic music is built around 4- and 8-bar modules that sometimes work as the traditional verse, chorus, bridge––but then again, sometimes they don’t. In this song they do, and here’s what the form looks like: intro | verse | B-section | chorus | verse | Bsection | chorus | verse | B-section | chorus Pretty simple, right? Not exactly. The verse after the second chorus is a hybrid; it’s a little bit of a verse with the song hook (“Sexy and I know it”) thrown in. In a way, you could almost call it a bridge, but only from a lyric standpoint since the underlying musical structure doesn’t change. The Arrangement This song shows that you can have a hit with a minimum number of elements. As with all electronic music, the rhythm is the most important element, but seldom is it so stripped down throughout the entire song. The song consists of kick drum, the vocal, a repeating synth line and a very few synth and drum fill elements so it is really pared down almost as far as it can be and still work. The arrangement elements are: r Foundation: kick drum sample r Rhythm: kick drum, high-hat and repeating
synth line r Pad: none r Lead: lead vocal r Fills: various synth sounds and noises
HOW PRODUCTION HAS CHANGED
Hit song production has changed immensely from the 16- and 24-track recording days. Hits today are “less organic.” With so many songs built around beats, loops, sequenced tracks and virtual instruments, the intensity from section to section in a hit is changed by adding or subtracting an instrument or vocal, instead of a live player just playing more dynamically. This has changed the feel of the today’s hits. Hits today are quantized or “put on the grid.” Back in the days of tape, performances generally weren’t perfect (Steely Dan aside). The track space was limited, and if a player made one flub, many times you lived with the mistakes, and that also helped the songs sound more human or organic. Effects layering is more sophisticated today. Back in the early days of hit making, the only effects that were available were reverb and delay, and usually only one of each. Today we have a huge array of effects available, and even the most basic native plugin is far more variable than any of the original effects. Plus, effects can be easily automated so they can appear or morph for only a single word or beat, which make the hits of today sound more “slick.” Curently, most songs have an ending. Before the turn of the century, most hits ended with a fade. Not so today. According to one study, hard endings play better in the digital world, where a fade is more likely to make the listener skip to the next song.
CHARACTERISTICS OF HIT SONGS
After looking at hundreds of hit songs, there is definitely a list of similar characteristics: r Most hits are short. Songs today average 3:47 in length, which is a lot longer than it used to be, but still an easily digestible bite. r Most hits have a short intro. The average intro of today’s hit is about 7 1/2 seconds, but it’s always been about getting to the point and that never seems to change. r Most hits limit the number of arrangement elements that occur at the same time. Most
have only three or four, and rarely even five arrangement elements that play simultaneously, but no more. r The arrangement of most hits develops over the course of the song. Usually it reaches a peak at either the bridge or the last chorus. r Most hits use the arrangement to keep your interest. There’s always a new element entering or exiting to hold your attention. r Most hits have either a bridge or arrange a repeating song section to act like a bridge. The latter is an arrangement trick to keep the interest high and the song flowing. r Virtually all hits are dynamic, with a lot of tension and release, which means a hit changes in intensity. This is usually accomplished through the addition or subtraction of instrument or vocal tracks, but can also occur because of good oldfashioned dynamic playing if real musicians are used. r There are exceptions to all of these rules. It is rare to find a song that follows these traits exactly. Often what makes a song a hit in the first place is the ability to twist one of these traits into something new. As you listen to songs in the future, begin to listen to the similarities in song form, arrangement and production, which can be a great help if you’re a songwriter, arranger or producer. The more you know about how hits are made, the more likely you’ll actually create one. Keep in mind that even though you may not like a song or an artist, it is still worth a listen. Hits are hits for a reason, and they are definitely hard to come by. Each has some sort of magic––as well as some common elements––so something can be learned from every single one.
PRODUCER/ENGINEER BOBBY OWSINSKI is one of the best selling authors in the music recording industry, with 23 books that are now staples in audio recording, music, and music business programs in colleges around the world, including the recently released Deconstructed Hits series, Social Media Promotion For Musicians, The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook and more. He’s a contributor to Forbes, writing on the new music business, and his popular blogs are nearing four million visits. Visit his production blog at http://bobbyowsinski. blogspot.com, his Music 3.0 blog at http:// music3point0.blogspot.com and his website at http://bobbyowsinski.com.
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– ANDY KAUFMANN
ROS EARLS
Inside the World of Producer Management
I
“
fell into the music industry by accident,” divulges Ros Earls, founder and owner of England’s 140dB Management (http://140db.co.uk). Since going into business in 1987, the classically trained singer/pianist has assisted a bounty of the world’s most recognizable producers, mixers, writers and engineers, including Ed Buller, Gil Norton, Steve Osborne and Danton Supple.
and one part-time accountant. Their current roster, meanwhile, has only grown to 19. “I’ve considered expanding beyond the numbers I currently have,” she muses, “but I’ve found that, in spite of my best efforts to delegate, my producers want to know that they’re getting my input on a day-to-day basis. That’s why they came to us in the first place.” It’s all a piece of Earls’ working philosophy
over in the process.” Ultimately, the company’s renown is summed up by their interpersonal touch. “I like to have a musical relationship with my clients,” she boasts. “To get to know how they feel about music to a point that I know what they’d think about something without even asking.” Doing so allows her to distinguish which projects are crying out for a particular client’s
“My producers want to know that they’re getting my input on a day-to-day basis.”
“But now,” she continues, “I see it’s a world that always suited me.” Earls was the receptionist of Sarm Studios/ ZTT before moving to Trident Studios where she met mega producer Flood, whose credits include U2, PJ Harvey, Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails. Eventually, she came to the realization that the studios weren’t what make records great—it comes down to the people. “I got to the point where the management side of things was so clearly my priority that I had no choice but to jump,” she recalls. “And to my surprise, most of the engineers and producers jumped with me.” One of those producers was Flood. The company launched from her coffee table at home, sharing space with her brother and maintaining low overhead. Today, Earls marvels at these lo-fi roots. “I worked on a typewriter with carbon paper for making copies and eventually progressed to a word processor—an Amstrad.” Single-handedly supporting 15 clients simultaneously meant long hours. Today, 140dB claims three full-time employees 44 February 2014
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that places personal service above everything else. Her holistic approach means she helps clients with every aspect of their lives, freeing them to concentrate on creating great music. Likewise, she will only consider collaborating with people who are exceptionally talented, passionate and kind. “I’ve managed folk who made me loads of money but whose daily attitude made me unhappy,” she recalls. “I don’t do that either.” The company’s guiding principle of fostering balanced relationships extends, naturally, to their contracts. “I wouldn’t say our terms are more favorable than other management companies,” Earls admits, “but it’s really important to me that the artist doesn’t feel raped by the deal you’re offering.” She claims some of the most interesting jobs she’s doing these days involve directly helping artists for little or no money. Subsequently, each of their deals differs greatly. “I need to sleep at night, so I’m not going to do business with someone in a way that is fundamentally unbalanced,” she notes. “You want to represent your client in a way that fully reflects their status and skill while knowing you haven’t screwed anyone
involvement and which aren’t. Most of the artists she handles discovered her through their website or via word of mouth. Although she isn’t looking to take on new clients, she’ll always make time to consider new talent. “Send me the work you are most proud of,” she advises. “This gives an immediate insight into your approach to music.” Producers, she suggests, need to be writers and musicians, on top of possessing a decent understanding of the industry’s business side. Also, have your own studio and be self-motivated. But critically, “You need to have enough strength of personality to take charge in some situations, but the wisdom and humility to be collaborative and invisible in others.” Although she is located in London, Earls services the industry worldwide. “I don’t mind staying up late for people who are wonderful and sometimes even grateful. I’m happy to work with anyone who’s great, whichever planet they’re from.” Contact Erika Tooker / Music PR & Video Promotion, me@erikatooker.com
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musicconnection.com 45 11/5/13 9:05 AM
– OCTAVIA DEFRANCO
Max Martin Shoes Co.
Footwear Maker Steps into Grammy Gift Lounge
W
ith iconic rap legend MC Lyte as spokesperson, Max Martin Shoes Co. is launching a high-end women’s footwear line at the GRAMMY Presenters gift lounge this year. Founded by entrepreneur William Panzarella, the footwear company distinguishes itself by creating and producing its line exclusively in the United States. With manufacturing done in downtown Los Angeles, and materials sourced from throughout the U.S., the company aims to support the American economy in a marketplace dominated by competitors such as Christian Louboutin, Fendi, Jimmy Choo and other luxury footwear companies based in Europe with manufacturing based in other
point for the line. The camera lens is on Los Angeles, especially during the spring awards season this time of year, and what does Los Angeles have? It has celebrities!” The company plans to have its line in several department stores for the Fall 2014 fashion season. On board are Barney’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus and other upscale department stores in metropolitan areas. Clearly a launch this ambitious doesn’t come cheap. In addition to the relationships established by Panzarella and the executive team, the company utilized a successful Kickstarter campaign to assist in raising launch funding. Part of Max Martin Shoes Co.’s business model includes charitable contributions and
“We are using the GRAMMYs as a launch pad to introduce the designs to this exclusive audience.” international areas. After running in high-heel shoes at charity events, Panzerella became interested in creating a line of quality, comfortable, fashionable women’s shoes and boots. Panzarella tapped friend MC Lyte and the GRAMMYs for the debut of the line with a clear vision. “We are using the GRAMMYs as a launch pad to introduce the designs to this exclusive audience,” he says. “Musicians have the best style and they start fashion trends.” He also hopes to court other potential celebrity endorsers at the event. With retail prices for the goods starting at around $500.00 and going up to $1800.00, clearly the shoes and boots aren’t for everyone. “These are luxury items, investment items,” he explains. “We have invested in great production, and great talent to create them.” Creative Directory/Lead Designer Tanita Gray is a graduate of the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology and has been designing shoes and apparel for eight years. “It was a challenge to make high-end shoes in the U.S.,” she says, “but we have created a great network.” She notes that Los Angeles and the GRAMMY Awards event make an ideal arena to create awareness of the product line. “It’s a great starting
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participation with American educational and youth empowerment programs. “By creating this positive example of making a luxury brand in the U.S., we intend to benefit the economy and also deliver a message of what is possible in this country,” adds Panzarella, who is also the creator of the AEGIS Foundation, which raises funds for equality on youth education. “Working with the GRAMMY organization could not have been easier,” he adds. “We approached them and it was a very simple arrangement. It’s a great marriage.” The company has a detailed business plan to fully roll out over the next five years. “It is not a quick or easy thing to launch and establish a luxury brand,” says Panzarella, noting that Max Martin Shoes Co. is in the business for the long haul, not to become a trendy overnight sensation. There are no plans to participate in other awards shows or activities this spring, keeping the launch exclusive to the GRAMMY Awards. Max Martin Shoes Co. cites five core principles: Fashion, Comfort, Quality, American Made and Community. Panzarella is based in Minneapolis, MN. Contact Dina Rezvanipour / 3D Public Relations & Marketing, http://3dpmarketing.com, 310-909-8770
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My Own Lane Kid Ink
Tha Alumni Music Group/88 Classic/RCA Records Producers: Various
8
Rev
Reverend Horton Heat Victory Records Producer: Jim Heath
9
The real joy of this album is found through the intimacy of headphones. Yes, the songs are catchy and enjoyable with the volume cranked but the full effect is best absorbed when flowing exclusively to the ears. We are invited to not only hear Kid Ink, but feel him. At the simplest level, it encourages a smile with songs like “We Just Came to Party,” while deeper themes are revealed through “No Miracles.” Some stereotypical elements of the genre appear, but still a classy, clean sensation rules the record. Exciting to think where the story may go for Kid Ink, given this is his major label debut. There is more to be said of “My Own Lane” but “well done” will sum it up just fine. – Carl Anthony
The calendar year’s just begun and already Reverend Horton Heat’s new release Rev places for one of the best party records of the year. If you’re not already hip to the Reverend, for the past 25 years he’s delivered some of the best psychobilly on the planet. And the gospel that he sings of is basically sex, drugs and rock & roll! A couple of smokin’ hot instrumentals here? Check! Tales of heartbreak filtered through sardonic wit? Check! A song musically inspired by Motorhead? Check! Musical nods to rock & roll greats like Link Wray and Bill Haley? Check! The Reverend delivers all this and more with a twisted yet good-natured conviction. Get this now. – David Arnson
Nathan East
Beautiful Life
Nathan East
Yamaha Entertainment Group Producers: Chris Gero, Nathan East
8
Dianne Reeves
Concord Records Producer: Terri Lyne Carrington
8
This is an extremely eclectic album filled with so many delightful surprises and engaging musical avenues. When you’ve played with everyone from Clapton and Collins to Whitney and Streisand, you’ve got quite a well of experience to draw from. And bassist/producer/ songwriter East takes full advantage of that on this solo debut. The leader steps out brilliantly with an instrumental take on Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke.” He also coaxes an absolutely unparalleled performance of Van Morrison’s “Moondance” out of guest Michael McDonald. There is a sweet rendition of “Yesterday,” with East’s 13-year-old son Noah and some original jazz and funk to round things out. – Eric A. Harabadian
In the spirit of her producer Terri Lyne Carrington’s 2011 Grammy winning The Mosaic Project, which featured Reeves among a bevy of top female guest artists, Reeves draws from an eclectic palette of influences, beautifully reimagining classics (“I Want You,” “Waiting in Vain,” “Stormy Weather,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”) amid a batch of beautiful originals. She elegantly rises to the challenge of staying front and center while vibing with jazz and R&B greats, including Robert Glasper, Esperanza Spalding, Gregory Porter, Lalah Hathaway, Sean Jones, Raul Midon and some of the last ever sessions by Reeves’ cousin and longtime collaborator George Duke. – Jonathan Widran
Eric Paslay
Red Dragon Cartel
Eric Paslay
EMI Records Producers: Marshall Altman, Daniel Hill, Billy Lynn
8
Red Dragon Cartel
Frontiers Records Producers: Jake E. Lee/Ronnie Mancuso
9
A co-writer on the No. 1 “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” for Jake Owen, Paslay has penned songs for Eli Young Band, Lady Antebellum and others. “Keep on Fallin’” fires up his debut, and he hoists a beer with his Top 10 hit “Friday Night,” (previously recorded by Lady A and featured on ESPN). Little Big Town is on hand for “Country Side of Heaven,” and the singer uncorks sensuality with “Good With Wine.” “Less Than Whole,” co-written with and previously recorded by “Big” Kenny Alphin, reflects a contemplative theme echoed in “Deep as it is Wide.” These benevolent songs enrich Paslay’s collection with spiritual substance and soulful satisfaction. – Dan Kimpel
Jake E. Lee co-wrote two of Ozzy Osbourne’s finest solo albums: Bark At The Moon and Ultimate Sin. He brought a blues-based melodicism along with the best stage moves in the business. Lee’s return with Red Dragon Cartel is full of patented guitar flourishes and inspired songwriting. Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander appears on the soaring “Feeder,” while former Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno crushes on “Wasted.” Lee is tip-top amid dense production. Hooks abound as Sass Jordan wails superbly on “Redeem Me,” and Maria Brink goes ballistic on “Big Mouth.” Red Dragon Cartel is an infectious modern metal record that proclaims that Jake E. Lee is back. – Oscar Jordan
Little Red
Paul Rodgers
Katy B
Columbia Records/Rinse Producers: Geeneus, George FitzGerald, Jacques Greene
8
Little Red sets the scene of an international dance club, with beautiful vocals and resonant, surprisingly dark, lyrics. Love and heartbreak are the prevailing themes here. In “Crying For No Reason,” Katy battles an inner emotional struggle while pleading for forgiveness for past mistakes. Standout dance track “Everything” has a familiar ‘90s feel, its catchy hook sure to linger in memories long after listening. Power pop-ballad “Emotions” is the most entrancing, with a vocal buildup that climaxes into an emotional anthem about seeking refuge in a new, exciting love. Overall, Katy B’s sophomore album will remind you of strobe lights, young love and bittersweet memories. – Mira Abas
The Royal Sessions
429 Records Producer: Perry A. Margouleff
8
Two decades after paying homage to his blues hero with the star-studded solo recording Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute To Muddy Waters, the legendary rock singer celebrates the enduring power of soul music in his life and career with an extraordinary 10-track set of seminal ‘60s and early ‘70s classics from The River City. Adding authenticity, it was recorded at the famed Royal Studios with the musicians who once played on over 26 gold and platinum R&B hits. Rodgers gives searing readings of classics ranging from “Walk On By” to “I Can’t Stand The Rain,” but the heart of the set is five deepcatalog gems by his primary inspiration, Otis Redding. – Jonathan Widran
To be considered for review in the Album Reviews section, you must have a record deal with a major label or an independent label with an established distributor. If you do not, please see our New Music Critiques section.
48 February 2014
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(818) 280-1100 ( Fax: (818) 280-1101 info@rainborecords.com November 2013 September 2013 November December February 2013 2014
musicconnection.com 47 musicconnection.com musicconnection.com 49 51
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
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Bhavana Reddy
Albatross
Contact: bhavanareddymusic@gmail.com Web: bhavanareddy.com Seeking: Booking, Film/TV, Mgmt Style: Indie Rock Username: BhavanaReddy
Contact: vintagegeek@googlemail.com Web: facebook.com/albatrossmusic Seeking: Publish’g, Booking, Film/TV, Distr. Style: Folk/Pop/Americana Username: albatross
With a voice that commands attention, Bhavana Reddy comes with an Americanized world-pop vibe that conjures visions of a James Bond title sequence. That would best describe "Smells Like Rain," in which Reddy's anguished sensuality soars above a swirl of violins, cellos and a big beat. "Tangled In Emotions" amps up the sex appeal and challenges Reddy's vocal range. The visceral "Stuck In The Valley" shows how expert the production is at handling dynamics. Less about hooks than tone and feel, this music should do well with underground music fans.
Albatross (Adam Stockdale) and his band offer organic, hi-touch tunes painted with a full palette of sounds. "I Am What I Am" and "I'd Give It All..." achieve an appealing glow thanks to banjo, horns, even mellotron, a tune that'll entice fans of Mumford and Lumineers. Propelled by vigorous acoustic guitar, "Puppet on a String" adds violin and accordian to its melancholy chorus. Though it is clear that the material, while solid, is elevated by the deft arrangements, Stockdale delivers it all with soul.
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
9 8 7 7 9
Carmen Grillo
Gift of Destiny
Contact: carmen@carmengrillo.com Web: carmengrillo.com Seeking: Label, Song Placement, Distr. Style: Blues-Rock Username: carmengrillo
Contact: mike@giftofdestiny.com Web: giftofdestiny.com Seeking: Booking, Film/TV, Radio Airplay Style: Metal/Punk/Rock Username: GiftOfDestiny
Grillo delivers upscale blues-rock with just the right amount of swing on tunes like "Come and Go" whose balanced production allows ample space for each of his seasoned backups (including horns and B3) to exert their chops. That's especially true of the bassist as well as Grillo himself, a solid singer who's a gifted, fluid guitarist with a tone that is equal parts sweet and snarling. "A Real Mother For Ya" is an infectious strutter, while his original instrumental "I Got The Sauce" allows the guitarist to showcase his tuneful dexterity.
GoD is uncommonly versatile. With its agit-prop stance and Johnny Rotten vocal whine, "C.I.A." is straight-up punk rock. "Therapy" deploys DJ fx and weapons-grade riffs and drumming that goes beyond heavy. And if Rob Zombie banged Marilyn Manson, their lovechild might sound like GoD's version of "Play That Funky Music," an unlikely cover that is ultimately a winner right down to its fluid wah-pedal. Influences are clear here, but the quality performances, especially the muscular drumming, are what really boost this band ahead of the pack.
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
8 8 8 8 8
Justin Abrams
Bo Renaud
Contact: justin@justinabrams.com Web: justinabrams.com Seeking: Booking, Film/TV Style: Piano-driven Singer/Songwriter Username: JustinAbramsMusic
Contact: bo@borenaud.com Web: soundcloud.com/borenaud Seeking: Licensing, Distr., Booking, Label Style: Country/Southern Rock/Country Pop Username: BoRenaud
Pianoman Justin Abrams sings to the ladies with a heartthrob, radiofriendly voice. His best, "I Want You Completely," is vivid, intimate, sexy, and has an overall melancholy undertone. Falsetto doubling is strong, piano solo is neat and economical. Abrams shows his Elton John influence on "Not Certain" but his keyboard trills are overdone and distracting. We love the creative use of echoey autotune on "Miles Away," but the core of the song gets lost amid structural complexities. Still, Abrams displays a vocal appeal that, with tighter songcraft, could connect.
The country music ear loves a great pun, and Renaud nails it with his cleverly titled "Four Chords and Several Beers Ago," a crafty tune that could be improved by adding some bottom to his vocal. That's exactly what his team does for him on the beachy, Jimmy Buffett-like "Let Her Go" and it sounds just right, real warm and intimate. "The Hard Way" is a chugging, guitar-driven rocker with a solid hook, effective backup vocals and a nifty guitar solo. Going forward, we feel that a tighter, snappier snare-drum would enhance these tracks.
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
7 8 8 8 8
Music Connection’s executive committee rates recorded music on a scale of 1 to 10. Number 1 represents the lowest possible score, 10 represents the highest possible score. A final score of 6 denotes a solid, competent artist. For more information, see Submission Guidelines on next the page. 50 February 2014
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Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
9 8 7 7 8
7 8 8 7 8
7 7 8 7 8
Harn SOLO
Chiany
Contact: reachinghigherpress@gmail.com Web: harnsolo.com Seeking: Booking, Film/TV Style: Hip-Hop Username: HarnSolo
Contact: chrysallenojon@aol.com Web: facebook.com/chianyalexandra Seeking: Label Style: Singer/Songwriter Username: chianyalexandra
With his producers Crescent Kingz and Prospek, the articulate, intellectual New Orleans artist Harn Solo delivers tunes like the jazzy, reggae-infused "Louis Armstrong" that are chockful of great samples and witty wordplay—perfect for the college rap/intellectual fan. This is hooky, perfectionist, smart, somewhat nerdy, even mathematical hip-hop that likes to play with treble/ bass dynamics, as in "The Future." While the artist has a tendency to stick to a recognizable formula from song to song, his tracks possess moments of stunning work.
Despite the "bedroom" quality of her recordings, and an overuse of reverb, Sacramento, CA-based Chiany manages to make an impact with just her voice and acoustic guitar. In fact, she delivers such intimate, affecting performances here on "Stay," "Ruin" and "Love Is Defined" that you come away thinking, "Don't mess this up by dropping a big noisy band on it." Instead, this young artist should work to enhance her special intimacy, the tactile tones of sadness, regret and yearning that are so nakedly and intelligently conveyed a la Nick Drake's Pink Moon.
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
7 8 8 9 7
Rough Church
Eddie Grey
Contact: speedbmp@earthlink.net Web: roughchurch.com Seeking: Booking Agent, Label Style: Indie Rock, Psych/Pop Username: RoughChurch
Contact: eddiegrey8@gmail.com Web: reverbnation.com/eddiegreymusic Seeking: Label, Booking, Film/TV, Distr. Style: Pop Username: EddieGrey
Spearheaded by Greg Franco's poetry, passion and eccentricity, Rough Church drips with the battery acid of Los Angeles' original punk scene, giving a particular nod to the hardcore artistry of the Minutemen. "Librarian Warlord" adds a '90s vocal edge supported by tight, dynamic musicianship. "Carpal Tunnel" is our favorite, a song that manages a catchy cacophony a la Primus. Though uninterested in mounting a "project mersh," these guys have come up with tunes that could work well in a Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtrack.
Eddie Grey shows a gift for spanning genres with each song, and he also has the smarts to use a different drummer for each outing. This solid and expressive singer's ballad "A Time For Everything" is mainstream pop, inspirational in nature, vaguely Christian. Its synthetic elements suggest a demo that's ready for a full organic treatment. Grey shifts gears to the reggae-fueled "Caribbean Girls" before moving on to the R&B influenced "Be My Heart," which has a unique keyboard twang. This artist's myriad skills suggest he'd be an effective TV songsmith-for-hire.
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
7 7 8 7 8
Phidippus
TJ Perry
Contact: thedaringjumpingspider@ yahoo.com Web: soundcloud.com/phidippus Seeking: Label, Booking, Licensing Style: Electronica Username: phidippus
Contact: Tjperrymusic@gmail.com Web: tjperry.com Seeking: Label, Publishing, Mgmt Style: Pop/Soul Username: TJPerry
Named after a jumping spider, Phidipuss is more into making art than mere music. His "Crooked I YODO" remix is all sonic anarchy (lots of skittering effects, throbbing bass) layered beneath the rapper's original flow. "There Are Things Inside My Brain" has a Trent Reznormeets-early-hip-hop vibe. Phidippus delights in presenting juxtapositions and contrasts, tones and textures that keep the ear engaged if not soothed. Ultimately a pranksta not a gangsta, this artist wants to play dazzling tricks on his listeners.
Production Lyrics Music Vocals Musicianship
8 6 8 7 8
On the upside, Perry's synth-driven dance track "Rewind" is a catchy enough ditty, a straight-up R&B/pop/ gospel song glazed with autotune. On the downside, what undermines this song as well as the soulful "I Won't Stop" and "Someone There" is an over-reliance on studio tricks and, especially, his weak verses whose lyrics sound half-baked. Perry has a knack for catchy hooks, though, and his vocals (with some coaching) show promise; he just needs to hook up with a thoughtful lyricist who can contribute verses that really matter. The ladies lo-o-ve memorable lyrics.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: There is absolutely no charge for a New Music Critique. We critique recordings that have yet to connect with a label or distributor. To be considered please go to http://musicconnection.com/amp and click on “Get Reviewed.” All submissions are randomly selected and reviewed by committee. February 2014
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WitZend Venice, CA
Material: Cosmic Coast are a rock and blues duo made up of talented music industry veterans. Specializing in blues standards made popular by artists such as Herbie Mann, Howlin’ Wolf and Louis Armstrong. Though their current repertoire is made up entirely of other people’s songs, the group have plans to write and record original material and hope to have something released this year. Musicianship: Behrens and Mullins have been working in the music industry for over 20 years. Musicians don’t get that kind of career longevity by luck. These are true talents who have honed their craft, and their prowess is evident in their performance. Though Behrens is best known for his flute and sax work, he’s equally impressive on vocals, displaying a cool, raspy sound that seems custom made for the blues. Mullins also does double duty, maintaining a solid backbeat while he’s on the drums, then stepping things up a notch when he tickles the ivories on the piano. Performance: The heart of Cosmic Coast lies in the chemistry between Behrens and Mullins. There were no computers or technical gear cluttering up the stage, just
COSMIC COAST
two talented musicians feeding off of one another’s energy. The real thrill of the night came when guest vocalist Chloe Behrens (Stan’s daughter) jumped behind the mic. Her impressive voice ranged from powerful at some points, to sultry at others. Though she only performed two songs with the band, they were definitely memorable. Cosmic Coast finished their set with a version of “On The Road Again.” It should come as no surprise that this was a crowd favorite, considering Behrens was formerly a member of Canned Heat, the group who made that song famous. For an encore, Mullins moved behind the piano for a
COREY IRWIN
Contact: brent@kbhentertainment.com Web: http://facebook.com/cosmiccoast The Players: Rob Mullins, drums, piano; Stan Behrens, sax, flute, harmonica, vocals; Chloe Behrens, guest vocals. Username: Pending
masterful version of “Georgia On My Mind.” It was the perfect end to a solid showcase of musical talent. Summary: Cosmic Coast are working on original material in hopes of releasing it sometime this year. Though she’s not a permanent member of the group, one can only hope that Chloe Behrens is involved in the new music. Her presence added a spectacular element to the band’s sound and really elevated them to another level. As a duo, this is still a very talented group. But as a trio, they could be something even more. – Corey Irwin
Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Material: Combining technical prowess with innate musicality, Bernhoft has masterminded a presentation that is altogether dazzling and innovative. Former frontman of the Norwegian alt-rock band Span, he recently released his second solo album Solidarity Breaks and has since sold 250,000 copies, making him a No. 1 seller in Norway. Since then, he’s been back in the States performing sold-out shows. Berhoft’s unique musical statement comes from his use of pre-recorded loops and harmonies which he combines with his live performance. This is not simply playing to pre-recorded tracks; the elements are so exquisitely and artfully blended that if you close your eyes you would swear there was an entire band on stage. He also employs two mics to achieve multiple vocal qualities. His material tends to favor rhythm over melody so you can’t always sing back a hooky chorus, but your attention is firmly fixed in the moment. Musicianship: As a child performer in the Norwegian opera, Bernhoft began honing his vocal chops at an early age. As a result, his voice is a strong, fluid instrument and integrates perfectly into the musical tapestry he designs. Vocally, he has an R&B sensibility 52 February 2014
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BERNHOFT
but can easily pull off a jazz or blues riff and anything else that requires vocal rhythmic agility. He has mastery over his guitar playing along with keyboard and beat box skills.
Performance: Part musical mixologist, part musical magician, Bernhoft served up non-stop excitement that kept the audience engaged. Alternating between uptempo numbers and ballads the show moved at a good pace. Bhernhoft opened the set with “Wind You Up” (recently performed on the Arsenio Hall Show). It is possibly his strongest, which was a perfect way to kick off the show. With its Stevie Wonder-like groove and soulful vibe it literally wound up the crowd and set the stage for what followed. He also demonstrated what he can
MARK SHIWOLICH
Contact: tasya@pressherepublicity.com Web: http://bernhoft.org The Players: Bernhoft, keyboards, guitar, percussion and programming. Username: Bernhoft
do with a big cover song as he performed a respectable version of Tears for Fears’ “Shout.” His interaction with the audience was relaxed and personable, with no shortage of humor, and brought an aspect of intimacy to a very large space. His cutting-edge retro look finished off what is already a well-packaged act. Summary: Taken individually, each element of Bernhoft’s talents might have landed him success; however, this incredible mix of technical magic and profound musical aptitude once again bears out the old adage “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Coupled with a memorable hit song and continued good fortune Bernhoft could be poised for big things. –Ellen Woloshin
frontman to his own hit records. Imagine the lyrical confidence of Kurupt from Tha Dogg Pound fused with the energy of the late, great Mac Dre; Problem is like a young, tenacious Mario Andretti carving out his own path in the Diamond Lane.
PROBLEM
El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA
Contact: greg@bighassle.com, 323-456-3490 x247 Web: http://DiamondLaneMusicGroup.com The Players: Problem, emcee and producer. Amp Username: Problem Material: Fresh, enthusiastic, composed is
DANIEL SEYUM
Musicianship: Graduating from the School of Hard Knocks, Problem’s musical abilities should not be underestimated. From his vocal fortitude to his admirable personality, Problem is virtually impeccable. Knowing how to put on a show, what animates his sound is the way he delivers his message; personifying what he composes. Problem’s voice is rich in tone with a gritty quality to it.
the ideal description for this Compton-bred emcee. With an assortment of well-designed songs in his catalog, Problem symbolizes a balance between old-school funk and modern hip-hop. Songs such as “Like Whaaat” and “Twerk” allow Problem’s distinctive voice to shine like the star that he has become. Finally, the ghostwriter behind the scenes is the
Performance: This emcee has grown into a performer one should not pass on. Not only does he participate with the crowd, but he also knows how to put on a show by bringing out other notable hip-hop elites that only a rising star can gather. T.I., the Game and Tyga all made surprise appearances during this performance. Furthermore, all of them had guest verse appearances to deliver. The room was filled with hip-hop royalty who provided a distinguished and audacious energy that resulted in a memorable experience. Summary: Problem is a “problem” to weak emcees contaminating the hip-hop culture. He is what Raid is to roaches. He is the future of West Coast rap music, and with his latest success, only time will tell when this young, assertive musician will become the “problem child” for hip-hop music. – Adam Seyum
Gibson Showroom Beverly Hills, CA Contact: Chris Sampson, sampson@thornton. usc.edu Web: http://music.usc.edu The Players: Austin Smith; Alec Benjamin; Tyler Mann; Ren Martinez Username: USCSongwriting Material: This is part two on the showcase put on by students from the University of Southern California. The evening gave each student the chance to perform a song they’d been working on in class. While there was a distinct lack of diversity in terms of musicals genres on display, it was refreshing to see so many talented young people focused on developing the craft of songwriting. At a time when so many artists seem content to rehash the same mind-numbing tunes, it’s uplifting to find the next generation of musicians who are willing to push the limits of their work; even if they do so while staying within the industry’s preconceived borders. Musicianship: Austin Smith’s song “Seattle” was one of the best all-around pieces of the night. His strong piano playing provided a sturdy backbone to the tune, while his equally powerful voice carried the engaging melody. Hints of Billy Joel could be heard throughout the song, as it felt equally ready for Top 40 radio as it did for a Broadway musical. While fellow performer Alec Benjamin followed a similar piano/vocals model, his style varied greatly. His song “1994” captured a much younger, almost adolescent quality. Though its arrangement wasn’t as lush as some of the others, the chorus proved undeniably catchy.
USC SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE PART2 Performance: Proving that you can’t judge a book by its cover was Tyler Mann. The skinny redhead knocked out a beautiful piano ballad called “Lights Down Low.” Full of soul and emotion, it sounded reminiscent of modern artists like Miguel and John Legend. Another standout was Ren Martinez, who dazzled with her touching “Dial Tone.” The music ebbed and flowed between building crescendos and low, hushed tones. This provided the perfect opportunity for the singer to showcase her gorgeous, smoky voice, which could most easily be likened to that of Nora
Jones. Martinez was the last performer of the night, and was clearly a smart choice as the evening’s closer. Summary: Kudos to the students and to their teacher, Chris Sampson. Their work and dedication to songwriting provided an entertaining evening of well-honed musical numbers. While not everyone who took the stage will go on to a career in music, it’s clear that several have a bright future, be it as songwriters, performers or both. – Corey Irwin February 2014
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House of Blues Parish Room West Hollywood, CA
Contact: avalonmgnt@aol.com Web: dianerosekelly.com The Player: Diane Rose Kelly, lead vocals, guitar Username: Avalonmgnt@aol.com Material: Diane Rose Kelly transmits uplifting messages and positive vibes through her lyrically driven folk-rock songs. Her backing band provides a full sound, but her songs translate to solo acoustic renditions as well. Her newest, “What’s Up Within,” for which she just made a music video, immediately catches on with its echoing chorus, while “Eyes of My Beloved” is a lyrically honest, romantic and slow love song. Kelly’s songs are soundly composed and rhythmically driven. While “What’s Up Within” or “Harmony” could attract a younger crowd, her music seems to cater to an older demographic. Musicianship: Kelly confidently strums her way through her material, while effortlessly singing honest lyrics. With a natural songwriting ability, she gets down with her guitar, strumming dynamic patterns to achieve a solid groove. This songwriter really drives the rhythm home in “Inspiration.” While her guitar playing is confident, she could benefit from more vocal training. Kelly has a powerful voice that rings in a lower register, but it teeters between sharp and flat notes when she sings higher or transitions to falsetto. Performance: Kelly played an intimate show that was both uplifting and sensual. The dim,
Legends 1926 Bar & Grill
DIANE ROSE KELLY
pastel lighting mixed with the Christmas tree lights around the room set the mood for “Eyes of My Beloved.” The acoustics of the Parish Room played to her advantage and the popular “What’s Up Within” echoed around the room. Kelly encouraged the intimate audience to chant along with her and clap to the song. This was the only song, however, that stood out from the similar strumming patterns of her other material. Kelly seemed to have a plan for the night and had the audience eating out of her palm, wanting more with the close of every song. She actually titled her concert “Praise the Day,” which was the song she closed with before her encore of “Almost There,” to celebrate life and love. In “Praise the Day,” however, Kelly went
high above her vocal range and hit a number of flat notes. This happened early on during her falsetto in “Lift,” as well, but these minor flaws did not take away from the enthusiastic show Kelly played. Summary: Diane Rose Kelly loves writing and playing music and this was evident in her live performance. Her song “What’s Up Within” has the potential to reach the ears of many, but her lyrics seem to be directed at a middle-aged/ older audience, which could limit the attention she receives. Fine-tuning her vocals and varying her song structure will diversify her material and strengthen her fan-base. –Vincent Stevens
Trenton, MI
Material: Encouraging the crowd to chime in with suggestions, Remedy’s Karin Elizabeth claims, “We play everything!” And one would be hard pressed to disagree. Their depth of musical knowledge and ability to reference the appropriate tune for the right moment is spot on. Much of the material is of the classic rock, pop, country and soulful variety. Everyone from the Rolling Stones, Romantics, the Beatles and Bill Withers are represented. But they also will throw down with a choice Bruno Mars or Adele selection as well. Some well placed original pieces such as the groovy, syncopated “Dangerous” or the clever, modern country yarn spinner “Quit Yer Bitchin’” are also extremely well crafted. Those tunes, in particular, are a real indication of the musically astute path this band is on.
or accompanist/soloist. Lead guitarist Larry Braden plays with economy and taste and can shred when called for. Billy DeAngelo keeps a strong pulse and has a rough bluesy voice that fits most prominently in the mix. David Cowie adds some really nice embellishments and textures and bassist Nick Cole-Klaes rounds things out with a warm and robust bottom end.
Musicianship: A strength in numbers approach really applies here as all five members are masters of their musical domain. Egos are checked at the door and the result is a thoroughly entertaining evening for the audience. Elizabeth is a multi-instrumental dynamo that shines equally as a strong frontperson
Performance: The band’s unified working relationship was refreshing. There were no barriers between the band and the audience and that made for a fun and participatory atmosphere. Elizabeth would invite folks up to dance with her and even ventured out in the crowd, at a pivotal point, to complete the
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REMEDY
ERIC A. HARABADIAN
Contact: Karin Elizabeth, 810-610-4227, remedyentertainmentllc@gmail.com Web: http://remedydetroit.com The Players: Karin Elizabeth, vocals, violin, guitar, saxophone; Larry Braden, lead guitar, vocals; Billy DeAngelo, drums & vocals; David Cowie, keyboards, vocals; Nick Cole-Klaes, bass, vocals. AMP Username: karinelizabeth
fiddle reel to the Who’s “Baba O’Riley” atop the venue’s bar. There was an overall comfort and good humor expressed between band members and the group also worked in tasteful solo spotlights on various tunes throughout the night. As a unit, their harmonies were both serviceable and inspired. Summary: Just as their name implies, Remedy will provide the cure for what ails you. If you’re looking for a band with a great selection of tunes, they’ve got it. If you’re simply out to cut a rug, they provide plenty of that as well. And if you’re seeking quality musicians who can stretch out and jam on a dime, you’ve come to the right place – Eric A. Harabadian
JOHNSONS MOTORCAR Shimokitazawa Tokyo, Japan Contact: johnsonsmotorcar@gmail.com Web: http://johnsonsmotorcar.wix.com/jmcpage The Players: Martin Johnson, lead vocals, fiddle; Blacko Muiri, guitar, vocals; Coleman Baylis, bass, vocals; Rinamame, drums. Username: johnsonsmotorcar Material: Drawing from influences as varied as Jethro Tull and Tool, Johnsons Motorcar’s material consists mostly of well-polished originals that mix traditional Irish themes with rollicking pub-rock. Some segments
E.H TIERNAN
fluidly, while rhythm guitarist Blacko Miuri holds tight to Rinamame’s kick drum with precision and colors things in with his chord choices. In the occasional quick musical break, he interjects tasteful leads. Rinamame wields her drum kit with the knowledge of a composer and the abandon of a child, constantly supporting the band with solid kick drum skills, and embellishing each song with tom and cymbal rhythms too fast for the average eye. The driver of this Motorcar, Mr. Johnson, displays both vocal and fiddle proficiency befitting any seasoned pro.
ring of Ashley McIsaac, and others of the Pogues, but the alternative edges of this band’s sound make it clear that it’s theirs alone. A haunting feeling imbues these tunes; the kind of haunting that makes one’s soul yearn. Although numbers like the traditional “Mason’s Apron” may start off slow and pensive, most songs like “Johnny is a Rovin’ Blade” and “Rocky Road to Dublin” are as lively and aggressive as anything you'd hear in the pubs of Ireland itself. Musicianship: Bassist Coleman Baylis travels up and down the neck of his axe
Performance: Baylis bobbed and swung in the center of the background as Blacko arched and bounced to the rhythms, interacting with the audience. As a perfomer, Rinamame is definitely Johnsons Motorcar’s MVP. With her drum kit facing sideways on stage left, she smiled profusely while wailing out her tribal rhythms, often standing up in the middle of it all, without missing a beat. Band leader Johnson fiddled and sang with enough enthusiasm for a stadium show, but, like Rinamame, never having the quality of his performance affected by its wildness. Summary: Johnsons Motorcar might not present anything groundbreaking, but what they do offer are all the qualities that people flock to festivals around Japan to see them display: consistency and a passion for their craft. They are definitely a band to watch, in every sense of the expression. – Laurier Tiernan
Thousands of artists have been reviewed by Music Connection. Each is a member of MC’s always-free AMP Social Space. To read the reviews, go to http://musicconnection.com/amp. Music Connection does not charge a fee for reviews. To learn more, visit http://musicconnection.com and see Get Reviewed. February 2014
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Annual Directory of
Producers and Engineers Updated for 2014, Music Connection’s exclusive, national list of professionals will not only help connect you to record producers and sound engineers, but mixers and vocal production specialists too. (For MC’s list of mastering engineers please click here.) AGENCIES AAM Advanced Alternative Media 7 W. 22nd St., 4th Fl. New York, NY 10010 212-924-2929 E-mail: info@aaminc.com Web: www.aaminc.com Additional locations: 5979 W. 3rd St., Ste. 204 Los Angeles, CA 90036 310-271-9350 1600 17th Ave., S. Nashville, TN 37212 615-742-1234 ALL STAR MUSIC GROUP/ GRAND SLAM ENT. 4919 Murietta Ave. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 818-789-5964 E-mail: allstarmusicla@gmail.com Contact: Jeff Gordon Styles: all Notable Projects: Mandy Rain, Isaac Hasson (Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez,) Abram Dean (Warner/Chappell) Lauren Mayhew, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, TLC, Toni Braxton, Coolio, Nappy Roots, Stefy Rae (Columbia Records), Candice Accola (WB/Maverick Records/Vampire Diaries), Tay Barton, (Disney’s 2011 “Next Big Thing”) Kenton Duty (Shake It Up) Honor Society, Eminem, 50 Cent, Game, Usher, G-Unit, Pussycat Dolls, Ashley Tisdale, Miley Cyrus, Jordin Sparks, Lemonade Mouth, Adam Hicks, Mitchel Musso, Cee Lo Green, Slam Girls, Ron Artest, Diamond Artest, Kahlil Bell, Ashley Rodriguez (American Idol), Lloyd Banks, Diddy’s Day 26, Natalie Aguero (School Gyrls), P.J. Bianco (Fifth Harmony, Jonas Bros., Demi Lovato, Metro Station, Mya, L.P., Sophia Black, Bonnie McKee, Haley Reinhart) & Alex Cantrall (Jojo, Dru Hill, Sisqo, Mya, Vanessa Hudgens, Zendaya, & Bella Thorne). *Call or email for latest updates. ARDENT STUDIOS 2000 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104-2794 901-725-0855 Fax 901-725-7011 E-mail: drusso@ardentstudios.com Web: www.ardentstudios.com Contact: Dan Russo John Hampton Notable Projects: Gin Blossoms, The Cramps, The White Stripes, The Replacements, Alex Chilton, Travis Tritt Pete Matthews Notable Projects: North Mississippi Allstars, Against Me, Dust for Life, B-52’s, Alex Chilton, Skillet, George Thorogood Adam Hill Notable Projects: The White Stripes, Big Star, The Raconteurs, The Scruffs, George Thorogood Jeff Powell Notable Projects: Afghan Whigs, Centro-Matic, Sixteen Horsepower, Big Star, Susan Marshall Mike Wilson Notable Projects: Lucero
Jim Gaines Notable Project: Huey Lewis, Albert Cummings, Coco Montoya, Devon Allman, Pat Liston BK ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, THE 15300 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 203 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818-728-8200 Fax 818-728-8213 E-mail: reception@ bkentertainmentgroup.com Web: www.bkentertainmentgroup.com Notable Projects: Sara Bareilles, Linkin Park, Fitz & The Tantrums, Haim, Shinedown, 3 Days Grace, Switchfoot, KORN, Gary Clark Jr. BOARDWALK ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 8295 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90069 310-385-5900 Web: http://www.facebook.com/ boardwalkeg Contact: Gary A. Randall, Tim Bogart Evan “Kidd” Bogart Notable Projects: Wallpaper, Rihanna, Jason Derulo, ZZ Ward CANADIAN RECORDING SERVICES 1867 Draycott Rd. North Vancouver, BC V7J 1W5, Canada 604-985-0679, Cell: 604-803-7400 E-mail: mimi@mikefrasermix.com Web: www.canadianrecording services.com Contact: Mimi Northcott C MANAGEMENT Studioexpresso c/o Rogers & Roland Instruments, LA 2295 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107 E-mail: info@studioexpresso.com Web: www.studioexpresso.com/chome. htm Ken Allardyce (engineer, musician, mixer, producer) Notable Projects: Green Day, Avril Lavigne, Goo Goo Dolls Web: www.studioexpresso.com/profiles/ KenAllardyce.htm Rafa Sardina (engineer, mixer, producer, musician, 10-time Grammy winner) Notable Projects: Web: www.RafaSardina.com Chaz Jankel (composer, arranger, musician) Notable Projects: Quincy Jones, Ian Dury & the Blockheads Web: http://www.chazjankel.com Lulo Perez (producer, songwriter, arranger, musician) Notable Projects: Alejandro Sanz, Amaury Guitierrez JOE D’AMBROSIO MANAGEMENT, INC. 875 Mamaroneck Ave., Ste. 403 Mamaroneck, NY 10543 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Matty Amendola Larry Gold Nic Hard
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Nathaniel Hare Kevin Killen Lawrence Manchester Marlo J. McNulty Thom Monahan Rob Mounsey Jay Newland Hugh Padgham Mike Pela Elliot Scheiner Ryan Stewart Tony Visconti Joe Zook
Mike K Notable Projects: David Archuleta, Jordan Cahill, Cartel, American Bang Greg Charley Notable Projects: B2K, ATL Project, 702, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin Chin Notable Projects: Eminem, Drake, 50 Cent, Young Artists for Haiti
DEL ORO MUSIC 10700 Ventura Blvd., Ste. H Studio City, CA 91604 818-308-6839 E-mail: bud@deloromusic.com Web: www.deloromusic.com Robert Eibach (rock, pop, indie, folk, R&B) Notable Projects: Truth & The Lies, Lakotah, The Simple, Every Reason, Juliet B. Rock, David Longoria, Michael Downey, Slackjaw Jezabel, Claire David Longoria (pop, jazz, dance, rock, R&B) Notable Projects: Sting, George Michael, Boyz II Men, Cece Peniston, Marc Antoine, Ottmar Liebert, Poncho Sanchez, Aretha Franklin, Andraé Crouch, Michael Downey, D’London, Larissa Lam, Lakotah, Marc Antonelli, Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Foreigner, April Diamond, The Coasters, Tata Vega, Juliet B. Rock, Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez, Zoon Baloomba, PBS Specials GENUINE REPRESENTATION 11271 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 225 Studio City, CA 91604 E-mail: genuinerep@earthlink.net Web: www.genuinemusicgroup.com Styles: R&B, hip-hop, pop, pop rock *Unsolicited material accepted *No phone calls please Pro-Jay Notable Projects: Robin Thicke, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Wayne, Mya, BB Mak, Jordan Knight, Usher, Marc Anthony, Will Young Damon Sharpe Notable Projects: Ginuwine, Kylie Minogue, Big Time Rush, New Boyz, Chicago, Monica, Kelly Rowland, Corbin Bleu, Nelly Dj Khalil Notable Projects: Jay Z, Eminem, Drake, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Jim Jones, The Game, G-Unit, Raekwon, Xzibit, Cypress Hill, Tony Yayo Brion James/Naked Soul Productions Notable Projects: Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Babyface, Total, Brian McKnight, Immature Big City Notable Projects: Stella Mwangi, Charlie Wilson, Jessie Chiang, Karpe Diem Organized Noize Notable Projects: Outkast, Ludacris, TLC, Cee Lo Green, Trey Songz, Raphael Saadiq, Brandy
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Kookie Notable Projects: Trey Songz, Baby Bash, The 411, Ak’sent, Lemar Ezi Cut Notable Projects: Stella Mwangi DJ-D Wrek Notable Projects: Nick Cannon Gregg Pagani Notable Projects: Charlie Wilson, Will Smith, Babyface, Leanna Rimes Emile Ghantous Notable Projects: Pit Bull, Frankie J, Prince Royce, JLS, Charlie Wilson, Jojo Jon Ingoldsby aka Anonymous Notable Projects: Kesha, Holly Brook, Madona, RBD, Tiesto Trackbastardz Notable Projects: Rohff, Keny Arkana, Le Remede, Tsutone, Rap Life Soundtrack GLOBAL CREATIVE GROUP, INC. 4757 E Greenway Rd., Ste. 107B-PMB180 Phoenix, AZ 85032 800-884-4553, 310-386-7327 E-mail: info@gcgmusic.com Web: www.globalcreativegroup.com Contact: Ian Faith GPS/GLOBAL POSITIONING SERVICES 3435 Ocean Park Blvd., Ste. 107-191 Santa Monica, CA 90405 310-656-1350 Fax 656-1349 E-mail: info@globalpositioning services.net Web: www.globalpositioningservices.net Contact: Jim Phelan, Jerimaya Grabher, Andrew DiDio or JW Johnson Mikal Blue (producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter) Notable Projects: Colbie Caillat, Eamon, Smokey, Jason Reeves, Joe Brooks Billy Bush (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Fink, The Naked & Famous, Garbage, Foster the People, Jake Bugg, Against Mel, NO, Boxer Rebellion Andrew Dawson (producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter) Notable Projects: Kanye West, Common, Lil Wayne, Jay Z, P.O.S., Night Terrors of 1927, K.Flay, The Rolling Stones, The Summer Set Noah Georgeson (producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter, musician) Notable Projects: The Strokes, The Dead Trees, Devendra Banhart, Mason Jennings, Joanna Newsom, Bert Jansch, Noah Georgeson, Little Joy
Download at www.musicconnection.com/digital The Helio Sequence (producers, mixers, programmers, musicians) Notable Projects: The Hello Sequence, Quarto Negro Ethan Johns (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Whip Poor Wil, The Boxer Rebellion, The Vaccines, Kaiser Chiefs, Tom Jones, Laura Marling, Paolo Nutini, Crowded House, Turin Brakes, Joe Cocker, Ray LaMontagne Glyn Johns (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Band of Horses, Ryan Adams, Crosby, Stills & Nash Adam Lasus (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: The Orbans, Army Navy, Oliver Future, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Settle, Marching Band James Maddock (musician, songwriter) Notable Projects: James Maddock, Wood Iestyn Polson (producer, engineer, mixer, programmer, musician) Notable Projects: Chris Velan, David Gray, Simple Kid, Paul Hartnoll Jason Schweitzer (engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Mayer Hawthorne, Pussycat Dolls, Eminem, Nelly & Fergie Charlie Sexton (producer, musician, songwriter) Notable Projects: Charlie Sexton, Poul Krebs, Edie Brickell, Marc Cohn, Los Super Seven, Shannon McNally, Matt Morris, Lucinda Williams Duncan Sheik (producer, engineer, songwriter, composer, musician) Notable Projects: Spring Awakening Original Cast, What a Girl Wants, Duncan Sheik HITMIXERS MANAGEMENT P.O. Box 280010 Northridge, CA 91328 818-300-0400 E-mail: skipsaylor@gmail.com Web: www.skipsaylor.com *Call for more information Skip Saylor Notable Projects: Production Bootstraps (Amazon Top Pick of 2013), Ronnie Hudson w/ Snoop, Too Short and E40, Candyman 187 w/ Snoop Dogg, Sardar, Ceasefire, California Dreamers, End of Ever, The Ex-Hang-Ups, TJ Gibson, Oh My Stars, Spacifix, Brandon James, Riley Bray, Lynn Carey Saylor w/ Brian May Mixing/Engineering - Jonathan Butler (No. 1 Contemporary Jazz Album, No. 9 Gospel on Billboard), Booker T. Jones, Vintage Trouble, Bobby Brown, Distortion Music, Brainpower featuring W.C. Ralph Tresvant, Jonathan Lashever, Mohammad Molaei, The Lost Boys, Dominique & Darius, Will Smith, Notorious, Iron Man 2, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Nashville Film Festival Award-Top Music, Parenthood, Cherie Currie, Layla Hathaway, Hung, Twentieth Century Fox Films, HBO Film/TV, The Day the Earth Stood Still, X-Men, Obama Documentary, Mumtaz Morris, Phoebe Snow, Gospel Artist Karima Kibble, The Reddings, Gary Taylor, Vesta Williams, Linda Clifford, Con Funk Shun, Damion Hall, Whispers and many more Ian Blanch Notable Projects: Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliot, Nappy Roots, KRS-One and many more
Tommy D Notable Projects: Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Korn, Snoop Danny Romero Notable Projects: Raphael Saadiq, Whitney Houston, Ginuwine Enrico De Paoli Notable Projects: Ray Charles, Elton John, Marcus Miller Jon Gass Notable Projects: RuPaul’s Drag U, Gary Glitter, The Backstabbers, Boy George, Nothing Forever Keith Cohen Notable Projects: Michael Jackson, Prince, Paula Abdul ADAM KATZ Next Wave Management 3191 Casitas Ste. 145C Los Angeles, CA, 90039 323-522-4567 Web: www.nextwavemanagement.com Robert Carranza (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Jack Johnson, Los Lobos, Eels, Beck, Ozomatli, Molotov, Supergrass Joe Chiccarelli (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Shins, White Stripes, My Morning Jacket, The Strokes, Christina Perri John Congleton (producer, writer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: St. Vincent, Explosions in the Sky, Polyphonic Spree, Black Mountain Gareth Jones (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Depeche Mode, Erasure, Interpol, Clinic, Liars, Mogwai, Grizzly Bear Danny Kalb (producer, writer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Ben Harper, Beck, A Fine Frenzy, Neon Neon, They Might Be Giants John McEntire (producer, writer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Tortoise, Sea & Cake, Stereolab, Red Krayola, Richard Buckner Mickey Petralia (producer, writer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Flight of the Conchords, Beck, Ladytron, John Cale, Peaches Howard Redekopp (producer, writer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Tegan & Sara, The New Pornographers, An Horse Chris Vrenna (producer, writer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Trent Rezor Chris Walla (producer, writer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Teenage Fanclub, Ben Gibbard, Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, Tegan and Sara, The Decemberists
Keston Wright Notable Projects: Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Westside Connection
Brian West (Track&Field) (producer, writer, mixer) Notable Projects: Maroon 5, Nelly Furtado, K’Naan, Darren Hayes, Awolnation
Lance Pierre Notable Projects: Xzibit, Tupac, Eminem
LIPPMAN ENTERTAINMENT 23586 Calabasas Rd., Ste. 208 Calabasas, CA 91302
818-225-7480 Fax 818-225-7483 E-mail: music@lippmanent.com Web: lippmanent.com Contact: Michael Lippman, Nick Lippman Tone Def Notable Projects: will.i.am, Green Day, Outkast, Chris Isaak, Santana, Third Eye Blind, Michelle Branch, Buddy Guy, Los Lonely Boys, Fingertight, Monte Negro James “Jimbo” Barton Notable Projects: Rob Thomas, Linkin Park, Stone Sour, Marilyn Manson, Metallica, Buck Cherry, Jude, Eric Clapton Nellee Hooper Notable Projects: U2, No Doubt, Gwen Stefani, Smashing Pumpkins, Madonna
Billy Steinberg & Josh Alexander (writers, producers) Notable Projects: “I’ll Stand By You,” “Night In My Veins” the Pretenders, “So Emotional” Whitney Houston, “Like A Virgin” Madonna, “Eternal Flame” Bangles, “True Colors” Cyndi Lauper, “I Drove All Night” Roy Orbison, “I Touch Myself” Divinyls, “When It All Falls Apart” the Veronicas, “Too Little Too Late” JoJo, “Over It” Katharine McPhee, “Give Your Heart A Break” Demi Lovato Danielle Brisebois (artist, songwriter, producer) Notable Projects: Natasha Bedingfield, Halestorm, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, Boyzone, Donna Summer, Paula Abdul, Clay Aiken, Mandy Moore, Kelly Clarkson
Ron Nevison Notable Projects: Led Zeppelin, Heart, Meatloaf, UFO, Ozzy Osbourne, Bad Company
Chris Braide (writer, producer) Ivor Novello Winner Notable Projects: Britney Spears, Sia, Christina Aguilera, Lana Del Rey, Yuna, Paloma Faith, Stooshe, JLS
Steve Rinkoff Notable Projects: Meatloaf, Celine Dion, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, The Bangles
Steve Sulikowski aka 16 Frames (artist, songwriter, producer) Notable Projects: 16 Frames, Selena Gomez, Keith Harkin, Brendan James
James Stroud Notable Projects: Toby Keith, Clint Black, Clay Walker, Randy Travis, Tim McGraw
Thom Panunzio (producer, engineer, mixer) Geffen Records Executive Notable Projects: Bob Dylan, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Black Sabbath, Patti Smith
Martin Harrington Notable Projects: Celine Dion, Kylie Minogue and Natalie Imbruglia, Natalie Appleton, Blue, Busted, Crosby Loggins, Emma Bunton, Five, Flipsyde, Geri Halliwell, Lee Ryan, Rachel Stevens, Simon Webbe, Sonique, Speedway, Thalia and Westlife
McDONOUGH MANAGEMENT LLC 468 Pennsfield Place, Ste. 202 Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 805-446-3370 Fax 805-446-3371 E-mail: frank@mcdman.com Web: www.mcdman.com Contact: Frank McDonough
MARIE MUSIC GROUP, LLC 5199 Lakeview Canyon Rd. Westlake Village, CA 91362 805-777-7260 E-mail: lisa@mariemusicgroup.com Web: www.mariemusicgroup.com Contact: Lisa Marie *No unsolicited material **Please call for complete roster & credits McDANIEL ENTERTAINMENT 1311 Broadway Santa Monica, CA 90404 424-238-5711 E-mail: staff@mcdanielent ertainment.com Web: www.mcdanielentertainment.com Contact: Anne Zogby John Shanks (writer, producer) Grammy Winner, Producer of the Year Notable Projects: Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, Take That, Sheryl Crow, Natasha Bedingfield, Goo Goo Dolls, Lawson, Miley Cyrus, Ashlee Simpson, Fleetwood Mac, Kelly Clarkson, Michelle Branch Rick Nowels (writer, producer) Grammy Winner Notable Projects: Lana Del Rey, Lykke Li, Cee Lo, John Legend, Belinda Carlisle, Colbie Caillat, Madonna, Keith Urban, Jason Mraz, Sla, Jewel Gregg Alexander (artist, writer, producer) Grammy Winner Notable Projects: New Radicals, Santana, Various Artists, Boyzone, Sophia Ells Bextor, Ronan Keating, New Radicals, Rod Stewart, Texas Paul Buckmaster (composer, arranger) Grammy Winner Notable Projects: Taylor Swift, Train, Goo Goo Dolls, David Bowie, Miles Davis, The Rolling Stones, Carly Simon, Lloyd Cole
Joe Barresi (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Bad Religion, Chevelle, Parkway Drive, ETID David Bianco (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Bob Dylan, Del Amitri, Tom Petty, Frank Black, Ozzy Osbourne, TSOL, Blues Traveler Mike Clink (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Guns N’ Roses, Pure Rubbish, I Mother Earth, Megadeth, the Glitterati Nick Didia (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Powderfinger, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against the Machine, Bruce Springsteen John Fields (writer, producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Jonas Brothers, Switchfoot, Andrew W.K., Bleu, Pink, Mandy Moore, Delta Goodrem, Backstreet Boys Paul David Hager (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Goo Goo Dolls, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, American Hi-Fi, Selena Gomez, Devo Matt Hyde (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Slayer, Monster Magnet, Hatebreed, Porno for Pyros, Pride Tiger, Fu Manchu, Hotwire, Sum 41 Alain Johannes (writer, producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Chris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age, Eleven, Live, No Doubt, Eagles of Death Metal Pierre Marchand (writer, producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright, Stevie Nicks, the Devlins, Blue Rodeo February 2014
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers Roger Moutenot (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Guster, Paula Cole, Yo La Tengo, Sleater Kinney, Jill Sobule, Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Jessie Baylin Nick Raskulinecz (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Rush, Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, Stone Sour, Ash, Velvet Revolver, Superdrag Andrew Scheps (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Jay Z, Metallica, The Duke Spirit, Adele Philip Steir (producer, remixer) Notable Projects: Lillix, Athenaeum, Los Amigos Invisibles, Magnified, and remixes by Korn, No Doubt, etc. Matt Wallace (writer, producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Maroon 5, OAR, Ludo, Michael Franti/Spearhead, Sugarcult, Faith No More, the Replacements, Train Don Was (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: The Rolling Stones, Stone Temple Pilots, Bonnie Raitt, Iggy Pop, Bob Dylan MIKE’S ARTIST MANAGEMENT P.O. BOX 35880 Tucson, AZ 85740 520-628-8655 E-mail: Mike@mikesmanagement.com Web: www.mikesmanagement.com Contact: Mike Lembo MIMI NORTHCOTT Manager for Mixer Mike Fraser & Producer Jeff Dawson 604-985-0679, Cell: 604-803-7400 Vancouver, Canada E-mail: mimi@mikefrasermix.com Owner, Canadian Recording Services, Ltd., mimi@canadianrecording services.com NETTWERK PRODUCER MANAGEMENT 6525 Sunset Blvd., 8th Fl. Hollywood, CA 90028 323-698-1845 Fax 323-301-4195 E-mail: alia@nettwerk.com Web: www.nettwerk.com/producer Contact: Alia Fahlborg Jim Abbiss (producer, writer, mixer) Notable Projects: Adele, Arctic Monkeys, Noisettes, Birdy, Lamb, U.N.K.L.E., The Music, Goldfrapp Ken Andrews (artist, mixer, producer) Notable Projects: Paramore, The Pierces, Nine Inch Nails, Beck, Blondie Ron Aniello (producer, writer) Notable Projects: Lifehouse, Guster, Barenaked Ladies, Jars of Clay Howard Benson (producer, mixer) Notable Projects: Daughtry, Three Days Grace, Kelly Clarkson, My Chemical Romance. Bon Jovi
Bob Clearmountain (mixer) Notable Projects: The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow Mark Endert (producer, mixer) Notable Projects: Train, Madonna, Maroon 5, The Fray, Zac Brown Band, Paper Tongues John Feldman (producer, writer, mixer) Notable Projects: Black Veil Brides, The Used, Blitz Kids, Good Charlotte Dave Fortman (producer, mixer) Notable Projects: Evanescence, Godsmack, Mudvayne, 12 Stones, Simple Plan
Scott Elgin (engineer) Notable Projects: Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Tom Jones, Dr. Dre
John Goodmanson (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Weezer, Owl City, Los Campesinos, Hot Hot Heat, Death Cab For Cutie, Nada Surf
George Gumbs (engineer) Notable Projects: Fall Out Boy, Britney Spears, Nine Inch Nails, Aretha Franklin, Linkin Park, Alicia Keys
Jimmy Harry (producer, writer) Notable Projects: Madonna, Pink, Matt Cardle, Weezer, Belinda, Santana
Steve Olmon (engineer) Notable Projects: Deftones, Motorhead, Metallica, Scarface, Busta Rhymes
Holly Knight (writer) Notable Projects: Tina Turner, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Heart, Pat Benatar, Antonia Bennett Tom Lord-Alge (mixer) Notable Projects: Weezer, Blink-182, Boys Like Girls, Faith Hill, Live Mike Plotnikoff (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Daughtry, Three Days Grace, Buckcherry, All American Rejects, Kelly Clarkson Matt Serletic (producer, songwriter) Notable Projects: Rob Thomas, Gloriana, Matchbox Twenty, Santana, Collective Soul, Aerosmith Randy Staub (engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Metallica, Nickelback, Alice In Chains, 3 Doors Down, Stone Sour, Five Finger Death Punch Jeff Trott (producer, writer) Notable Projects: Sheryl Crow, O.A.R., Counting Crows, Stevie Nicks, Augustan, Martha Wainwright Victor Van Vugt (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Chrissie Hynde, The Knocks, Gogol Bordello, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Beth Orton Cameron Webb (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Social Distortion, Motorhead, Sum 41, Zebrahead, Silverstein, Pennywise
David Bottrill (producer, mixer) Notable Projects: Tool, Peter Gabriel, Smashing Pumpkins, Silverchair, Placebo, Muse
Josh Berg (engineer) Notable Projects: Dr. Dre, The Game, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Lil Wayne, Jessta James, Jeff Dunham
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Dave Dominquez (engineer) Notable Projects: Staind, Papa Roach, Guns N’ Roses, Weezer, Tupac, Shwayze, Queen Latifah
Quentin Gilkey (engineer) Notable Projects: Dr. Dre, Olivia Newton-John, Eminem, Michael Jackson, Brandy, Asher Roth
Chris Badami (producer, engineer, mixer) Notable Projects: Jennifer Rostock, Ace Enders, The Starting Line, Socratic, The Early November
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Aaron Dahl (engineer) Notable Projects: Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Quincy Jones, DJ Quik, Kurupt, Lil Wayne, The Game
Rhys Fulber (producer, remixer, programmer, writer) Notable Projects: Fear Factory, Delerium, Conjure One, Paradise Lost
PARAMOUNT / ENCORE / AMERAYCAN / TRACK RECORD STUDIOS (See also Ameraycan Recording, Encore Studios & Track Record Studios) Hollywood/Burbank/North Hollywood, CA 323-465-4000, 818-842-8300, 818-760-8733 E-mail: info@paramountrecording.com Web: www.paramountrecording.com Styles: all *No Unsolicited Material
Raine Maida (writer, producer) Notable Projects: David Cook, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, The Veronicas
Andrew Chavez (engineer) Notable Projects: Linda Perry, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Gwen Stafani, Celine Dion, Alicia Keys, James Blunt, Adam Lambert
Matt Pakucko (engineer, producer, mixer, songwriter, and musician) Notable Projects: Paula Abdul, Goo Goo Dolls, Def Leppard, Ed Cherney, Irv Gotti Sean Phelan (engineer) Notable Projects: Nicki Minaj, Drake, JoJo, Jay Sean, Nikki and Rich, Alex Da Kidd, Rick Ross Julian Prindle (engineer) Notable Projects: A$AP Rocky and Swizz Beats, DJ Afrojack, Earl Sweatshirt, RZA, Nichole Scherziner, Big Sean Randy Urbanski (engineer) Notable Projects: Tricky Stewart, Swizz Beatz, Teddy Riley, Danja, Jus Blaze, Ammo, LOS da Mystro SOS MANAGEMENT Address by request 928-308-8422 E-mail: sosmanagement@gmail.com Web: www.sosmanagement.com, www. fb.com/SOSmanagementInc *No unsolicited material accepted Sean Beavan Notable Projects: Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt, Unwritten Law, Kill Hannah, Marilyn Manson, 8mm, System Of A Down, Slayer, Thrice, Guns N’ Roses (see personal listing) Herwig Maurer Notable Projects: Hypernova, Simone White, 8MM, Robbie D, Toddy, New World Revolution Ben Rosen Notable Projects: Unwritten Law, Marilyn Manson, 8mm, Nikka Costa, Grinspoon, New World Revolution SPA MUSIC MANAGEMENT, INC. 2 Generations 275 Madison Ave., Ste. 1905 New York, NY 10016 212-661-6990, 917-951-3645 Contact: Aimee Berger E-mail: aimee@2generations.com Web: www.2generations.com Russ Desalvo Notable Projects: Celine Dion, Trisha Yearwood, Marc Anthony, Bebe Winans,
Tina Arena, Sophie B. Hawkins, Mya, Anastasia, Jennifer Paige, Natalie Grant, Michelle Wright, Amber Glen Robinson Notable Projects: Voivod, Dave Grohl’s project Probot. The Ramones, The Steve Miller Band, David Bowie, ACDC, Gwar, The Cycle Slutz From Hell, Annihilator, Trevor Horn, Thomas Dolby, Keith Richards, David Crosby, Ringo Starr, Todd Rundgren, The Beach Boys, The Smalls, Tears for Fears, Teddy Pendergrass, Patsy Cline SURVIVAL MANAGEMENT INC. 30765 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. 325 Malibu, CA 90265 310-317-9223 E-mail: survivalmgmt@msn.com Web: http://survivalmanagementinc. com/?p=155 Contact: Bob Ringe *Please call for complete roster & credits Zakk Wylde Notable Projects: Black Label Society UNDERTOW MUSIC 5 Old Conant Rd. Lincoln, MA 01773 617-395-7746, Cell 617-470-8663 Fax 617-249-0830 E-mail: jeff@undertowmusic.com Web: www.undertowmusic.com Contact: Jefferson Macklin *see website for projects WORLDS END (AMERICA) INC. 183 N. Martel Ave., Ste. 270 Los Angeles, CA 90036 323-965-1540 E-mail: info@worldsend.com Web: www.worldsend.com Contact: Sandy Roberton, Colin Chambers, Paul Tao, Niki Roberton Producer, Mixer, Engineers: Jarl Aanestad Tom Biller Steve Booker Chris Bruce Dave Cooley Max Dingel George Drakoullias CJ Eiriksson Jack Endino Don Gehman Matthew Gerrard Adam “Atom” Greenspan Stephen Hague Mark Howard Ted Hutt Peter Katis Larry Klein Danny Kortchmar Nick Launay Chris Lindsey Stephen Lipson Mocky Paul Northfield Tim Palmer Rick Parker Michael Patterson Vince Pizzinga John Porter Jesse Rogg Atticus Ross Chris “Frenchie” Smith Mike Spink Peter Stengaard Ed Tuton Alex Wong Brad Wood
INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS 21st CENTURY PRODUCTIONS Silverlake, CA 323-661-3130 E-mail: 21stcenturystudio@earthlink.net Web: 21stcenturystudio.com Styles: Original Music, Acoustic Music,
Download at www.musicconnection.com/digital Voice, Music for Movies, Books on Tape Notable Projects: The Red Gretsch Kit, Thanks Oliver Charles (Ben Harper, Gogol Bordello, Ocean Eleven, and many more), John Bigham (Soul of John Black, Miles Davis), and Shawn Davis OC RECORDING COMPANY, THE 3100 W. Warner Ave. Ste. 7 Santa Ana, CA 92704 323-244-9794 Web: www.ocrecording.com Contact: Asaf Fulks (Engineer & Producer) Format: Analog & Digital, Pro Tools HD 11,Sony C-800G, Neve 1073, Neumann, Avalon Styles: All music genres, ADR & Voice Overs Basic Rate: Please call for info. World class recording, mixing, mastering & production WILLIAM ACKERMAN P.O. Box 419 Bar Mills, ME 04004 207-929-5777 E-mail: will@williamackerman.com Web: www.williamackerman.com Notable Projects: George Winston and Michael Hedges, Founder of Windham Hill Records, Grammy Winner, recipient of multiple Platinum and Gold records.
JEFF ANDERSON 3710 E. 700 S. Lafayette, IN 47909 800-732-6476 E-mail: jeff@lafayettestudio.com Web: http://soundlogicrecordingstudio.com/history Styles: Emo, Rock, Pop Notable Projects: Amanda Overmyer, Anna-Marie Sanderson, Anthony Glise, Jared Yates, Waltz for Venus, Kayla Newton, Joe Peters FABIO BOI ANGELINI RedRum Productions 14737 McCormick St. Sherman Oaks, CA 91411 323-556-1172 E-mail: boi@redrumproductions.net Web: www.redrumproductions.net Styles: rock, pop, country
ALDO ARGANA Tryana Productions 9567 Flower St. Bellflower, CA 90706 818-388-5550 E-mail: Tryanaproductions@hotmail.com Web: www.tryanaproductions.com Styles: Any KIM ARMSTRONG K.C.’s Independent Sound 2401 E. Wardlow Rd. Long Beach, CA 90807 562-438-9699 Styles: rock, jazz, country Notable Projects: Big Jay McNeely *Unsolicited material accepted ARTIST ONE PRODUCTIONS 310-874-3691
ROBERT SCOTT ADAMS Director of Job Placement & Student Services Omega Studios’ School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences 5609 Fishers Ln. Rockville, MD 20852 301-230-9100 E-mail: info@OmegaStudios.com Contact: Omegastudios.com Notable Engineers: Elliot Scheiner, Frank Filipetti VACHIK AGHANIANTZ 818-504-2065 E-mail: vachaghan@gmail.com Web: https://www.facebook.com/vachik.aghaniantz Styles: all Notable Projects: James Brown, Earth, Wind and Fire, Krayzie Bone, Ice-T, Big House, Gloria Trevi, Next Friday ELTON AHI Rusk Sound Studios 1556 N. La Brea Ave. Hollywood, CA 90028 323-462-6477 Styles: pop, dance, film scoring & mixer; general audio STEVE ALBINI Electrical Audio 773-539-2555 2621 West Belmont Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 Web: http://www.electricalaudio.com/index.php Email: info@electricalaudio.com ALEX ALESSANDRONI c/o NuCircle 7080 Hollywood Blvd., Ste. 512 Los Angeles, CA 90028 424-242-4741 Fax 323-370-6756 E-mail: info@nucircle.com Web: www.nucircle.com/people/alex.html MATTY AMENDOLA/FRODUCTIONS Brooklyn, NY E-mail: matty@froductions.com Web: Froductions.com, Mattyamedola.com Styles: Production, Composing/Scoring, Artist Development, Tracks VIA FTP Notable Projects: Metlife, Jody Porter, Mark Hudson, Vinnie Zummo TIM ANDERSEN (engineer, producer) 651-271-0515 (cell) E-mail: tandersen2005@yahoo.com Web: timandersenrecordingengineer.com Styles: rock, R&B, hip hop, rap, acoustic Notable Projects: House of Pain, Shaq, Judgement Night SDTRK, Set It Off SDTRK, Def Jef, Patti LaBelle, Temptations, Hiroshima, Krayzie Bone, Snoop. Producers I have engineered for: John Shanks, Richard Perry, Warryn Campbell, Carey Gordy, Louil Silas, MC Hammer, Rodney Jerkins, Quincy Jones, D.J. Rectangle, Wron G. Mix Instructor: Minneapolis Media Institute February 2014
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers E-mail: susan@artistoneproductions.com Web: www.artistoneproductions.com Contact: Susan Styles: singers, singer-songwriters, commercials and soundtracks Notable Projects: (past & current clients) Marion Cotillard, David Wenham, Stephen Graham, Eddie Van Halen, MTV
Unwritten Law, Thrice, 8MM, POD, Guns N’ Roses, Hypernova, Envy on the Coast
Producers, Engineers: Eric Valentine Roy Thomas Baker Jim Steinman Roger Sommers
EVAN BEIGEL Jojo Ocean Music 818-321-5472 E-mail: mail@evanjbeigel.com Web: www.evanjbeigel.com Styles: all *No Unsolicited Material
BEN ARRINDELL BJA Sound 150 W. 28th St., Ste. 803 New York, NY 10012 347-827-0763 E-mail: info@bjasound.com Web: http://soundclashnyc.com/engineers/benbjasound Notable Projects: Gerald Levert, K-Ci & JoJo, Aretha Franklin, Busta Rhymes, The Temptations and Janet Jackson. *Call for mixing rates JOEY AYOUB/THE SOUND SALON Hollywood, CA 90028 323-962-2411 E-mail: joe@thesoundsalon.com Web: www.thesoundsalon.com Contact: Joe Ayoub Styles: all, rock, metal, pop, R&B, film Notable Projects: Cab 2, Nina Shaw, Seven Foot Wave, Down From Hollow, Dream Vampires, Czarina, Annie Calder, The Mac, George Lacava PETER A. BARKER Threshold Sound + Vision 2114 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 310-566-6677 E-mail: Peter@thresholdsound.com Web: www.thresholdsound.com Styles: rock, acoustic, AAA, indie, live concert 5.1 mixing specialist Notable Projects: Yanni Simone, Ember FX, Sick Love, George Lacava, Jamila Ford, Jason Perlman, Dream Vampires, Jeffrey Silverman *No unsolicited material WILLIE BASSE (producer, engineer) 818-731-9116 Contact: James Wright E-mail: williebasse@gmail.com, james@ kerosenemedia.com Web: www.williebasse.com Styles: rock, blues, heavy metal Notable Projects: Canned Heat, Finis Tasby, Frank Goldwasser, Terry Ilous, Jeff Nothrup, Black Sheep (the Metal Band) BEATOLOGY MUSIC 909-843-5673 E-mail: beatology@mac.com Web: www.multiplatinumproducers.com, http://www.beatology.com Contact: Gordon “DJ Stealth” McGinnis Styles: urban music Notable Projects: Dr. Dre, Notorious B.I.G., Xzibit, N.W.A., Above the Law, 2Pac, George Clinton, Ice Cube, Redman, Digital Underground, Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Kid Frost, Jayo Felony, Kam, W. C., Kurupt, K Dee, Mack 10, Luniz, Mac Mall, Kausion, H. W. A., Kokane, Mad Lion, Domino, Gospel Ganstaz, Heather Hunter, Martin Johnson, E-40, Will Downing, Sir Nose, Najee, Ken Navarro, Greg Adams, Jeffrey Osbourne, Wayman Tisdale, Bob Baldwin, Everette Harp, Patti Austin, Paul Jackson Jr., Michael Lington, Michael Henderson, Jean Carne, Norman Conner, Phil Perry, Pieces of a Dream, Club 1600, Dave Mann, Eazy-E, Tray Deee, Outlawz, Volume 10, Caffeine, Badd Azz, Hostyle, Brian Bromberg and many more *Unsolicited material accepted SEAN BEAVAN SOS Management Address by request 928-308-8422 E-mail: sos@sosmanagement.com Web: https://www.facebook.com/ SeanBeavanProducerPage Notable Projects: NIN, Marilyn Manson, No Doubt,
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JEFF BHASKER E-mail: greg.cortez@42West.Net Web: jeffbhasker.com Notable Projects: Bruno Mars, fun., Rolling Stones, Kanye West, Lana Del Rey
JERMAINE BELL Maine (Beatz) 323-420-7701 E-mail: mainebeatzbang@gmail.com Web: www.facebook.com/Mainbeatz Styles: rap, hip-hop, pop, R&B Notable Projects: D Dimes (The Hustle Boys) Doggy Style Records, Joon Speaks (H&H Gang), Unsigned artist Done Deal, Sophia Kapri, JDash, Ziggy Zarrion, GI Joe, Dweeez, Augistine, Tay Byron, Smok3, Truth, CT, and many more unsigned local acts Recording Engineer: Bass Heavy Records, PCP ent. Film/TV Music Q Placement Projects: Full Frequency Media Vision Films (Beyond The Talent). LANCE BENDIKSEN Bendiksen Productions 3120 Saulsbury St. Wheatridge, CO 80033 720-234-1234 E-mail: lance@bendiksenproductions.com Web: www.bendiksenproductions.com Notable Projects: Grayson Erhard, Caleb Grose, Back Porch, Niccole Fentress RAY BENSON Bismeaux Productions PO Box 463 Austin, TX 78767 512-444-9885 E-mail: bismeaux@austin.rr.com Web: www.bismeauxstudio.com Styles: swing, jazz, R&B, country Notable Projects: Asleep At The Wheel, Charlie Robison, Aaron Watson, Ray Benson, Suzy Bogguss, The Chieftains, Pam Tillis, Kelly Willis, Trace Adkins, George Martin LENISE BENT (producer, engineer) Los Angeles CA E-mail: soundflo@aol.com Styles: americana, blues, world, rock, pop, jazz Notable Projects: Blondie, The Knack, Suzi Quatro, Robert Fleischman, The Barrelhouse Kings, Rich DelGrosso, Gary Allegretto, Lance Baker Fent, Steely Dan, Supertramp, Janiva Magness BIG SCARY TREE Los Angeles, CA 213-680-8733 E-mail: jeb.lipson@gmail.com Web: www.bigscarytree.com, www.myspace.com/bigscarytreestudios Contact: Jeb Lipson Styles: Specializing in recording live humans on great gear in a great room! No computerized sequenced music allowed! Notable Projects: call for current client roster PRASANNA BISHOP Akashic Recording 1388 Deer Trail Rd. Boulder, CO 80302 303-444-2428 E-mail: prasanna@akashicrecording.com Web: www.akashicrecording.com Contact: Prasanna Bishop Styles: pop, rock, rap, reggae, jazz Notable Projects: DI2, Xzibit, Obie Trice, Big Head Todd, Marshall Mathers, The Bonner Party, Interscope Records RICHARD “Ric” BOWLS It’s Only Plastic Music Nashville, TN 818-848-5059 E-mail: ricbowls@gmail.com Styles: all, co-producing with Carmine Appice *Call for complete listing
Download at www.musicconnection.com/digital JOHN BOYLAN 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 2300 Los Angeles, CA 90036-5050 E-mail: info@greateasternmusic.com Web: www.greateasternmusic.com Notable Projects: Linda Ronstadt, Eliana Burki, Michael Flynn CLIFF BRODSKY (producer, writer) Brodsky Entertainment, LLC E-mail: cliffbrodsky@me.com Web: www.cliffbrodsky.com Styles: all forms of modern and classic rock/pop Notable Projects: Warner Brothers, Universal, Sony, MCA, Virgin, Interscope *Unsolicited material accepted similar to: John Mayer, Sara Bareilles, Coldplay ONLY! MATT BROWN 4859 S Findlay St. Seattle, WA 98118 206-331-5837 E-mail: matt@emerson77.com Web: www.emerson77.com Styles: indie rock, alt. country, folk, shoegaze, experimental, ambient Notable Projects: Trespassers William, The Walkabouts, Memphis, Bill Frisell, Lucinda Williams, Lindsay Fuller, The Soft Hills THE BULLITTS | JEYMES SAMUEL The Muse Box 516-318-2787 Web: www.themusebox.net E-mail: (NY) Amanda@themusebox.net | (LA) Nadine@themusebox.net Notable Projects: Mr. Hudson, The Feeling, Jay Electronica ANDREW BUSH Grandma’s Warehouse 355 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 213-484-8844
E-mail: andrew@grandmaswarehouse.com Web: www.grandmaswarehouse.com Styles: all ANDY CAHAN / THE DEMO DOCTOR Cathedral City, CA 818-489-4490 E-mail: andycahan@verizon.net Web: www.allentertainment.net Contact: Andy Cahan Styles: all Notable Projects: Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, the Turtles, Eric Carmen, Jimmy Webb, Little Richard, Chuck Berry *Unsolicited materials accepted ERIC MICHAEL CAP (aka General Groove) Burbank, CA 818-567-1911 E-mail: avpost@goldstreetent.com Web: www.GoldStreetMusic.com Styles: pop, R&B, gospel Notable Projects: Accent Media, IntraTherapies, Kern Direct, Texas Department of Health, The Invisible Man, The Style Group BRYAN CARLSTROM c/o Tranzformer Studio 293 South Lake St. Burbank, CA 91502 818-748-8618 E-mail: bryancarlstrom@mac.com Web: www.bryancarlstrom.com JOHN CARLTON 614 Center St. Bangor, PA 18013 610-588-4968 E-mail: mail@hilltopstudios.com Web: www.hilltopstudios.com Contact: Dave Mosca Styles: Country Notable Projects: A Tennessee Tradition, Country State of Mind, Tom Kozic
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers CAZADOR RECORDING (Top L.A. Producer, Audio Engineer, Studio Drummer, Studio Vocalist, In-Studio Vocal Coach, Composer, Songwriter) Owner of Cazador Recording (ProTools10 HD6) Hollywood, CA 323-655-0615 E-mail: cazador.jimmy@gmail.com Web: www.jimmyhunter.com Original Music: www.reverbnation. com/jimmyhunter, www.jimmyhunter. com/jimbo.html Styles: rock, pop, R&B, most styles, live drumming or programming, Hunter has produced over 4000 songs since 1986 Notable Projects: Wes Williams, Todd Stanford, Ivy Lite Rocway, Savannah Phillips, Mr. Smoove 1, Tim Fleming’s Selective Amnesia, Mark R. Kent, Dr. Alias, The West Hollywood Cheerleaders, Francis Schulte, Crimson Crout, Dre Charles, Steve Warnick, Lisa Gold, Thorn, Tom Powers, Jeff Rients’ Prairie Land Band, The Della Reese Ministry DAVID CHAMBERLIN DBW Productions Woodland Hills, CA 818-884-0808 E-mail: info@dbwproductions.com Web: www.dbwproductions.com, www. facebook.com/dbwproductions Styles: rock, indie, blues, hard rock, pop, country, adult contemporary, folk, celtic, new age, hip-hop Notable Projects: Zach Galifianakis, Paul Jackson, Jr. Have produced over 80 indie CDs, most of which are singersongwriters. Check website for details and sound samples. ANDRE CHAMPAGNE PRODUCTIONS North Hollywood, CA 818-890-6913 E-mail: andremedia@aol.com Web: www.andrechampagne.com Contact: Andre Notable Projects: Director & supervising editor and engineer / mixer for “Rock ‘n’ Roll Chop Shop” HD post production supervision and Behindthe-Scenes featurette director/producer on “Sutures” (feature) Surround sound editing and mixing for “The Colombian Connection” (feature), dialog mastering for “Johnny’s Gone” (feature), additional post production on “Sun City Picture House” and “Baseball in the Time of Cholera” (documentaries), second unit cinematography on “Beast Beneath” (feature), Publicity editing, DVD authoring and broadcast clip delivery for Discovery Channel, Lifetime, TLC, Comedy Central. TIMO CHEN Los Angeles (Silver Lake) E-mail: timochenmusic@gmail.com Web: www.t-monicmusic.com Styles: ambient film music, alt-pop, electronica, outsourced Asian pop Notable Projects: Coco Lee, Janina Gavankar, “Kissing Cousins,” Ford Motors, Burger King GABE CHIESA (producer, mixer, engineer) E-mail: gabechiesa@yahoo.com Web: www.myspace.com/gabechiesa Styles: R&B, rap, hip-hop, jazz, rock, orchestral, TV, film and animation Notable Projects: Rize (Documentary), Tupac Shakur, Eve, Eminem, DMX, Xzibit, Coolio, E-40, Bone Thugs, tha Alkaholics, Wu Tang Clan, Bobby Digital, Ashanti, Chico DeBarge, Nikka Costa, Aaliyah, Tony Braxton, Pharcyde, Salt N Peppa, Herbie Hancock, El DeBarge, Goo Goo Dolls, Simple Plan, W.B. Animation (Batman, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Tazmania).
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ARIEL CHOBAZ E-mail: ariel.chobaz@mac.com Web: www.arielchobaz.com, www.facebook.com/arielchobaz Notable Projects: Nicki Minaj, Drake, Keyshia Cole, Lil Wayne, Rihanna RANDY CHORTKOFF (C.E.O.) Delta Groove Productions, Inc. 16501 Sherman Way, Ste. 100 Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 818-907-1600 E-mail: deltagroove@earthlink.net Web: www.deltagroovemusic.com Notable Projects: Ana Popovic, Phantom Blues Band, Phillip Walker, Mitch Kashmar, Finis Tasby, King Ernest, Kirk Fletcher, the Mannish Boys, Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers, The Hollywood Blue Flames, John Long and Billy Boy Arnold CLEAR LAKE AUDIO 10520 Burbank Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601 818-762-0707 E-mail: contact@clearlake recording.com Web: www.clearlakeaudio.com Contact: Brian Levi Notable Projects: No Doubt, Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin, Steve Stevens, Melissa Etheridge, Crosby & Nash, Chaka Khan *Please call for complete roster & credits STEVE BARRI COHEN c/o Lake Transfer Artist Management 11300 Hartland St. N. Hollywood, CA 91605 818-508-7158 Email: info@laketransfer.com Web: www.laketransfer.com Recent Projects: Patrice Rushen & Sheree Brown (Hidden Beach / UMG), Candyboy featuring Mari Y. (Hip Pop Intl Records), Jacky Cheung (Hong Kong / Univ Music Grp), Sylvia St. James (House of Blues Gospel Program), UNIV/NBC (“Let It Grow” film), “13” (The Band - Rock), Taylor Dayne (Arista/ BMG), Friends of Distinction (RCA/ BMG), El Chicano Project (The Brown Sound / SOLA Label), “Fair Game” (Film score) Shanice Wilson (Motown/UMG) Sam Salter (LaFace/Sony) Evelyn Champagne King (RCA/BMG) JOSE CONDE Brooklyn, NY 11217 E-mail: jlc3d@aol.com Web: www.olafresca.com 718-230-8140 Styles: funky, jazzy, Latin dance *No unsolicited materials ERIC CORNE (engineer, producer, mixer, composer) Los Angeles, CA 310-500-8831 E-mail: ericcorne@gmail.com Web: www.ericcornemusic.com Styles: rock/indie rock, Americana/ country, blues/jazz, folk/singersongwriter Notable Projects: Glen Campbell, Michelle Shocked, DeVotchKa, Instant Karma Darfur, Anne McCue, Lucinda Williams, Nancy Wilson, John Doe, Tsar, Walter Trout/John Mayall, Joanna Wang, PF Sloan, Tim Easton JIM D. Pyram-Axis Music Redondo Beach, CA 90278 310-802-3376 E-mail: music@pyramaxis.com Web: www.pyramaxis.com Styles: pop, rock, hip-hop, electronic, contemporary Christian Notable Projects: Currently producing tracks for top Universal artists. Global reach, Artist Consulting, placement
ASCAP, GRAMMY, HMMA *Call before submitting JEAN MICHAEL DANTON 2603 W. magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505 818-974-0348 E-mail: jeanmicheldanton@mac.com Web: http://metropolisconcert.com, http://jeanmichelguirao.com, www. soundmatch.com Styles: techno, dance, pop, R&B, rock, movie soundtracks, cartoons soundtracks, advertisements tracks, Stage Opera Notable Projects: Chateau D’Herouville, Palais des Congres, studio des Abesses, Abbey Road Studio, Rocket Music Studio, Ocean Way, Entourage Studio, Elton John, Serge Gainsbourg, Michel Magne, Jean Michel Jarre, Mike Picirillo (Janet Jackson, Latoya Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Kim Carnes, Tiffany), Freddy Cannon, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Roger Daltrey, Jim Doyle (president Rocket Music), Chris Slade (AC/DC drummer) JEFFERY DAVID Los Angeles Web: Soundcloud: http://snd. sc/16LhG6q Signed to Reach Music Publishing Notable Projects: Seal, Echosmith, Christina Grimmie, Victoria Beckham, Guess, Lamborghini. Contact: jenn4jd@gmail.com Managed By Glenn Davis glenn@ davismedialaw.com JULIAN DAVID (engineer, mixer, producer) Los Angeles, CA & Germany/Europe 626-233-2927 E-mail: jd@julinadavid.org Web: www.juliandavid.org Notable Projects: aVid*, Andy Gillmann, Any of Both, Biohazard, Bud Shank, Fraunhofer IIS, Larry Goldings Trio, Pacific Symphony, Patrick K, The Spyderz, Trenchtown, UCLA Bruins Band, Walter Trout. JEFF DAWSON 604-985-0679 E-mail: mimi@mikefrasermix.com Web: www.jeffdawsonproductions.com Notable Projects: Daniel Powter, State of Shock, Kelly Rowland, Marcy Playground, Holly McNarland, The Dudes, Tal Bachman and Crystal Pistol BUTCH JONES/825 RECORDS Brooklyn, NY E-mail: Info@825records.com Web: www.825Records.com Styles: Audio Engineeering, Mixing, Mastering Notable Projects: Talking Heads, The Bacon Brothers, Madonna MARC DESISTO Sherman Oaks, CA 818-259-4235 E-mail: marcdmix@gmail.com Web: www.marcdesisto.com Styles: Modern Recording/Old School Philosophy Notable Projects: Who, Robin Trower, Melissa Etheridge, Ingram Hill, Brian Ray, Joe Cocker, Michelle Branch, U2. *Call before submitting material JEANNIE DEVA Recording Vocal Specialist P.O. Box 4636 Los Angeles, CA 91041 818-446-0932 E-mail: Sing@Jeanniedeva.com Web: www.JeannieDeva.com Styles: Specializing in vocal arrangement and recording in all styles. Notable Projects: J. Geils and Magic Dick, Rounder Records, Charisse
Arrington, MCA, Dar Williams, Razor and Tie Records, Alldaron West, ATCO/ Atlantic Records RAPHAEL De GIORGIO Diamond Dreams Music (FullSpectrum-Music-Production) North Orange County, Carbon Canyon CA 91709 909-393-6120 Fax 909-606-5779 E-mail: info@diamonddreamsmusic.com Web: www.diamonddreamsmusic.com Styles: All genres, R&B, pop, soul, acoustic, rock, blues, dance, jazz, orchestration, soundtracks, country, electronica and more Notable Projects: Many different artists, (see website for list) TV, Film, National Radio, Commercials, (Paramount/ABC-TV, Disney Channel, NBC, UPN, MTV, HBO, WGN, A&E, FOX Sports, ESPN, History Channel, Style Network, Showtime, CARS. TV, E-Channel, Warner Chappel Music, Conoco Oil, Del Oro Music & Filmworks, Transition Music, and many album projects. Diamond Dreams Music also has topquality, radio ready mixing & mastering services. DON DIXON Entourage Talent Associates, Ltd. 236 W. 27th St., 8th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212-633-2600 Fax 212-633-1818 E-mail: booking@entouragetalent.com Web: www.dondixonmusic.com Styles: rock, pop, blues, alternative Notable Projects: 10CC, The Church, Joan Armatrading, Joe Satriani, Procol Harum ROBIN DIMAGGIO AKA DIMAGIC (DiMagic Productions) 818-430-8926 Contact: Kellee Mack E-mail: kelly@kelleemackpr.com Web: dimaggiointernational.com Styles: All music that can be Complimented Notable Projects: Celine Dion, Johnny Cash, will.i.am, Kenny G, Roy Orbison, Seal, Stevie Nicks DJ BOOM, SCOTTY BEAM Listen Vision 2622 Georgia Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20001 202-332-8494 Fax 202-332-8495 E-mail: info@listenvision.com Web: www.listenvision.com Styles: hip-hop, R&B, house, reggae Notable Projects: KRS-One, BET, Doug E. Fresh, XM Satellite Radio, Belleville Outfit, Hillary Duff, Spyro Gyra, United Airlines, Kenny Chesney, Ray Hubbard, KRS-ONE, Mobb Deep, Dave Koz DJ ETERNAL LOVE aka E. Love Pure Heat Entertainment White Plains, NY 10603 917-547-9886 E-mail: PureHeatBiz@gmail.com Web: www.PureHeatEnt.com Styles: Urban Pop, R&B, EDM, Rap Credits: 4 Billboard Top 100’s. Published songwriter (Member SESAC, AES, NARAS, National Mentoring Partnership) Notable Projects: Sex In The City, Waist Deep Soundtrack, Messiah, Roy DK, J Bless, Kenny Smoove (Spoiled Rotten Global Music), Joint venture with LA Reid & Russell Simmons, La Tha Darkman & Shotti Hefner (WuTang Clan), Lee Carr (Def Jam\Jive), Big Mike, Horace Brown, DJ Jay Faire, Fonda Rae, Ahmad Belvin (Clive Davis) THE DONMAN 818-831-8463 E-mail: donman@socal.rr.com Web: www.youtube.com/user/
Download at www.musicconnection.com/digital thedonmanband, www.myspace.com/thedonmanband Styles: rock, pop, country Notable Projects: pedal steel guitar sessions, music for film, TV commercials, sound design & effects for stage SAMUEL DRESS Sherman Oaks, CA 818-995-4642 E-mail: info@fridayentertainment.com Web: www.Fridayentertainment.com Styles: jazz, folk, film scores Notable Projects: Ron Anthony, Jim Hughart, Howlett Smith, Dolores Petersen, Richard Simon, Nancy Osborne, Dave McKay, Josh Nelson, Kurt Festinger *Call before submitting material SHAUN DREW (producer, composer, engineer) Sotto Voice Productions N. Hollywood, CA 91606 818-694-3052 E-mail: info@sottovocestudio.com Web: www.sottovocestudio.com Styles: producer, composer, engineer. Specializing in rock, ambient, orchestral, world, progressive, soundtrack Notable Projects: Single track recordings to full record production, feature film scoring. Clients include major advertising agencies, TV networks and A-list filmmakers. *Call before submitting material LES DUDEK Eflat Productions P.O. Box 726 Auburndale, FL 33823 Web: www.lesdudek.com Styles: Southern Rock Notable Projects: Steve Miller Band, Stevie Nicks, Cher, Dave Mason, Boz Scaggs, Maria Muldaur, The Allman Brothers Band, Bobby Whitlock CASEY DUNMORE plus4dBu 323-207-5411 E-mail: cd@plus4dbu.com Web: www.plus4dbu.com, www.schpilkas.com Styles: plus4dBu is a full-service music production entity created by Schpilkas, offering original music for TV, film, video games and other multimedia outlets where quality and fresh production music is needed. Music production, vocal production, mixing and songwriting services are also available for recording artists. Specializing in unpredictable, edgy orchestration, urban beats and electronic elements, compositions are not limited to a specific genre. Musical influences stem from classical, hip-hop, electronica, rock/alternative, trip/hop and jazz. Notable Projects: Production credits include the theme songs for reality TV show Tia & Tamera (Style Network) and the NBA Toronto Raptors. Some of Schpilkas’ featured placements include NIKE’s Vapen Sessions, the movie Our Family Wedding (Fox Searchlight Pictures), One Tree Hill (CW), The City (MTV), Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC), and video games Tap Tap Revenge 3 and Top Spin 4 (2K Sports) DUST BROTHERS, THE E-mail: mike@dustbrothers.com Web: www.dustbrothers.com Contact: Mike Simpson & John King Styles: rock, hip-hop Notable Projects: Beck, Beastie Boys, Korn, Hanson, Tone Loc, Linkin Park, They Might Be Giants, Rolling Stones ES AUDIO Donny Baker – Chief Engineer/Owner 1746 Victory Blvd, Glendale, CA 91201 818-505-1007, 800-880-9112 E-mail: studio@esaudio.com Web: www.esaudio.com Notable Projects: Crazy Town, Taylor Dayne (My Heart Can’t Change - Dance and Club Remixes), Shifty, Tino Coury, Sky Felix (producer), Alex Cantrall (producer), Rhona Bennett, Brandy, 40Gloc, Dina Rae. *We accept all types of music submissions **Please call for a studio tour and to meet with the producers JIM ERVIN L.A. Entertainment, Inc. 7095 Hollywood Blvd., Ste. 826
Hollywood, CA 90028 800-579-9157 ext. 707 Fax 323-924-1095 E-mail: jervin@laeg.net Web: www.warriorrecords.com/LA Styles: All *No unsolicited material BARRY “THE FOZ” FASMAN 7053 Rubio Ave. Van Nuys, CA 91406 818-989-9997 E-mail: foz@barryfasman.com Web: www.barryfasman.com Styles: All pop and orchestral styles Notable Projects: produced and arranged for Johnny Mathis, 6 albums for the hit TV series Fame, classic rock band Bluebeard, arranged for Melissa Manchester, Air Supply, Diana Ross. Wrote & produced Showtime at the Apollo NBC-TV “theme,” music for video games by Sony, Microsoft & Nintendo including: Roboteck/Battlecry, Dinotopia, Sponge Bob Square Pants, Spy vs. Spy, Star Trek. Currently music director/conductor for Dick and Dee Dee, The Cowpies, and The Lake Shrine Temple Singers. At his Van Nuys recording studio, Sanctuary Sound, he’s producing/engineering for Stephen Longfellow Fiske, Jeni Blue, DVA, Clive Kennedy, Dawn Jacobson, “Captain Al” Riva, Marcello Drago, Miss Plenty Goodstuff, Lucky 1, Laural Usher and Howard Seibel. Scoring films for Gene Massey and the filmmaker team of John Kersey and Jennifer Buttell.
ELA M 251E
RICHARD FINK IV P.O. Box 127 Bergen, NY 14416 646-233-3393 E-mail: contact@richardiv.com Web: www.richardiv.com Skype: richard.fink.iv Styles: pop, rock, alt., hard rock, metal, R&B, soundtracks Notable Projects: Carmireli, Meredith Haight, Scattered Ink, Paul Cummings, Krista Marie MIKE FRASER PRODUCTIONS c/o 1867 Draycott Rd. N. Vancouver, BC V7J 1W5 Canada 604-985-0679 cell 604-803-7400 Contact: Mimi Northcott Web: www.mikefrasermix.com E-mail: mimi@mikefrasermix.com Notable Projects: AC/DC (4 CDs incl Thunderstruck), Metallica, Franz Ferdinand, Enter Shikari, Aerosmith, Satriani, Zac Brown, Elvis Costello, Rush, Norah Jones, Kelly Rowland and Led Zeppelin. ASAF FULKS The OC Recording Company 3100 W. Warner Ave. Ste. 7 Santa Ana, CA 92704 323-244-9794 Web: www.ocrecording.com Contact: Asaf Fulks (engineer, producer) Format: Analog & Digital, Pro Tools HD 11, Sony C-800G, Neve 1073, Neumann, Avalon Styles: All music genres, ADR & Voice Overs Basic Rate: Please call for info. *World class recording, mixing, mastering & production MAURICE GAINEN PRODUCTIONS 4470 Sunset Blvd., Ste. 177 Hollywood, CA 90027 323-662-3642 E-mail: info@mauricegainen.com Web: www.mauricegainen.com Styles: Any and all musical styles, film, TV, etc. Notable Projects: Starbucks (Mastered 175 CDs), Disney, KCRW, Rita Coolidge, Rafael Moreira, Alex Skolnick, Andy McKee, Darek Oles w/Brad Mehldau, Jim Hershman w/ Lee Konitz, Patty Austin (Sound Design), The Hues Corporation, Angela Carole Brown, James Webber, Little Willie G, Orchestre Surreal. Other notables upon request. *No unsolicited material JIM GAINES Ardent Producer Management 2000 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 901-725-0855 E-mail: jimgaines@centurytel.net Web: www.bessieblues.com/jimhome.html, www.ardentstudios.com Contact: Jody Stephens
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers Styles: Rock, Blues Notable Projects: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Miller Band, Carlos Santana, John Lee Hooker, George Thorogood BRIAN GARCIA 626-487-0410 E-mail: record@wt.net Web: www.briangarcia.net Contact: Brian Garcia Styles: rock, indie, singer-songwriter, pop, metal, hardcore, Christian Notable Projects: Our Lady Peace, Earshot, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Until June, King’s X, Dizmas, Michelle Branch, Chantal Kreviazuk, Galactic Cowboys, The Daylights. ARNIE GEHER Producer/Mixer/Engineer Studio City, CA. 818-763-7225 E-mail: arno@Westworld.com Web: http://www.reverbnation.com/ arniegeher DAVID GIELAN c/o Melody Maker Productions 453 S. Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90013 213-283-7485 E-mail: info@melodymaker productions.com Web: www.melodymakerproductions.com Recording Academy Member Styles: all, pop, rock, alt, hiphop, electro, TV/film/video game composer, singer/songwriter, audio post-production, studio owner. Notable Projects/Clients: Joey Lawrence, Universal Music, EMI, Animal Planet, Poor Yorick, Wayne Stylez, Arturo G. Alvarez, Lorelei Carlson, Caviar Content, iQimedia, Vox Pop Films *E-mail for more information JON GILLESPIE P.O. Box 234 New Haven, IN 46774-0234 260-749-1981 E-mail: Jon_Gillespie@sweetwater.com Web: http://www.dreamrodeo.com Styles: All Notable Projects: Gucci Mane, “Zone Six,” Amanda Perez, “Candy Kisses,” Ace Diamond, Hoochie Mama GetDown, Joyce Lawson, Phat Squad Records, Ernie Johnson and much more. BRYCE GOGGIN Trout Studios Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 718-222-0946, 917-324-3856 E-mail: info@troutrecording.com, www.myspace.com/troutrecording Web: www.troutrecording.com Styles: rock, alt., jazz Notable Projects: Spacehog, The dig, Chess Smith and These Arches, Valley
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Young, So Brown, Black Host, Frank Bango, Pete Galub LARRY GOLD Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop, classical, urban, R&B, multiple Grammy-winning arranger. Notable Projects: Kanye West, Jay Z, The Roots, The Roots with John Legend, Lana Del Rey, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Kid Cudi, T.I., Ne-Yo, N.E.R.D., Musiq Soulchild among others BILLY GRAZIADEI (producer, engineer) Co-Founder of Biohazard.com Fire Water Studios 310-567-1280 E-mail: info@firewwaterstudios.com Web: www.firewaterstudios.com Notable Projects: Cypress Hill, Onyx, Hatebreed, Life of Agony, Pantera, Sick of it All, Slipknot, Type O Negative, Agnostic Front CARMEN GRILLO Big Surprise Music 16161 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 522 Encino, CA 91436 818-613-3984 E-mail: info@carmengrillo.com Web: www.carmengrillo.com Styles: R&B, pop, rock, jazz, blues, VO Notable Projects: Gloria Loring, Footloose, David Anderson, Kenny Nolan GROOVEWORKS 1446 W. 178th St. Gardena, CA 90248 310-403-5104 Web: grooveworksstudios.com Contact: Rodney or Johnny Styles: all Notable Projects: call for current roster *Unsolicited material accepted, call first, no walk-ins JEFF GROSS (producer, writer, engineer, programmer) E-mail: 144studios@gmail.com Web: www.jag144.com, myspace.com/ studio144 RYAN HADLOCK Bear Creek Studio 6313 Maltby Rd. Woodinville, WA 98072 425-481-4100 Fax 486-2718 E-mail: bearcreek@seanet.com Web: www.bearcreekstudio.com Styles: folk, indie rock, art rock Notable Projects: Ra Ra Riot, Soko, Johnny Flynn, Blonde Redhead, The Black Heart Procession, The Gossip, Islands
RUDY HAEUSERMANN 126bpm Music 818-288-6626 E-mail: rudy@126bpm.com Web: www.126bpm.com Styles: pop, rock, singer-songwriter, urban Notable Projects: Ke$ha, Mitchel Musso, Kristina Antuna, Orange, Rob Zombie, Deborah Gibson, Kimberley Locke, Snoop Dogg and many others JOHN HAMPTON 2000 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 901-725-0855 E-mail: jstephens@ardentstudios.com Web: www.jhamptone.com Contact: Jody Stephens Styles: All Styles Notable Projects: The White Stripes, Gin Blossoms, The Cramps, John Kilzer, Robert Cray, DC Talk, Vaughan Brothers, Tommy Keene, Travis Tritt, Alex Chilton, The Replacements, Audio Adrenaline, All COL. DARRYL HARRELSON M.L.E. STUDIOS P. O. Box 93008 Hollywood, CA 90093-0008 866-246-8846 E-mail: mail@majorlabelmusic.com Web: www.mlestudios.com, www.twitter.com/mlestudios Styles: country, alt, alt country, blues, R&B, voice over, A.D.R., SFX, animation chars. Notable Projects: Bobie Covell (MI), Mike Davis (TN), The Tola Crusades “the light of day” (Video Game), BLUE (CA), The Stevie G Bank (CA), The Company Rep “Rosenstrasse” (8 part lead chorus vocals), Studio and Producer credit in film Asian Stories, Book III for Dwayne Ward’s “Shake That Thing.” Artist Development and per song/album flat rates are our specialties. *See Website for submission guidelines. TOMMY HAZERIAN Los Angeles, CA 818-632-1277 E-mail: THazerian@gmail.com Web: ghostnoteproductions.com/ composerth Styles: metal, hard rock, indie rock, ambient rock/trip hop ROSS HOGARTH Hoax Productions Web: www.hoaxproductions.com Contact: Ross Hogarth Notable Projects: Gov’t Mule, Roger Waters, The Black Crowes, Shawn Colvin, John Mellencamp, R.E.M, Jewel. Styles: all DANIELL HOLCOMB/ADVENTURES IN MODERN RECORDING West Los Angeles, CA 90064
323-375-4AMR E-mail: daniellh@ adventuresinmodernrecording.com Web: www.adventuresinmodern recording.com Contact: Daniell Holcomb Styles: hard rock-pop Notable Projects: Howard Stern Show, Sony Music Group, Bleeding Deacons HEATHER HOLLEY (producer, songwriter, artist development) E-mail: info@heatherholley.com Web: www.HeatherHolley.com Styles: Pop, Dance, Indie, All Notable Projects: Christina Aguilera, Katie Costello, Caitlin Moe, Richie Rich, Commercials for Mercedes, Pepsi, songs in Grey’s Anatomy, The Office, 90210, The Hills, Ugly Betty GAYLORD KALANI HOLOMALIA On The Beach Productions 377 Keahole St. D-03 Honolulu, HI 96825 808-393-2021 E-mail: info@islandsoundstudios.com Web: www.islandsoundstudios.com Notable Projects: Worked with all of Hawaii’s top artists. Kalapana member THOMAS HORNIG (freelance mixer, producer) Tomcat On The Prowl Productions Studio City, CA 818 533-8669 E-mail: studio@tomcatontheprowl.com Web: www.tomcatontheprowl.com Styles: singer-songwriter, pop, americana, country/folk, rock Notable Projects: Thomas Hornig-Every Single Day CD, Peter Elbling-Freddy Audio Book, Jennifer Quiroz EP CHRIS HORVATH Jamnation Music 310-391-1826 E-mail: info@jamnation.com Web: www.chrishorvath.com, www.jamnation.com Styles: pop, rock, R&B Notable Projects: Grey’s Anatomy, Rock Of Ages, Gigolo Aunts, Coolio, America’s Got Talent, A.N.T. Farm, FOX Sports, Unconscious (score), Jolly Good Fellow (score), Nat’l Lampoon’s Gold Diggers (score), Smiling Fish & Goat On Fire (score), Digimon (Theme), Alias, Scrubs, Erin Brockovich *No unsolicited material J.E. SOUND Hollywood, CA 323-850-0765 E-mail: jesound@jps.net Web: www.jesound.com Contact: John Styles: All Notable Projects: see website for client roster and samples of work.
Download at www.musicconnection.com/digital JIMMY HUNTER (producer, audio engineer, studio drummer, studio vocalist, vocal coach, composer, songwriter) See Cazador Recording MICHAEL HUTCHINSON Los Angeles, CA 818-489-1911 E-mail: studiopig@aol.com Web: www.thingsihear.com Contact: Michael “Hutch” Hutchinson Styles: rock, pop, R&B, jazz, funk, all post for movies/TV SIMON ILLA Atlanta, GA E-mail: info@simonilla.com Web: www.simonilla.com Styles: hip-hop, R&B, pop, folk, s/s, rock, gospel, emo Notable Projects: Vivian Green, Floetry, George Tisdale, Big Boi signee Vonnegutt, D. Woods (of Danity Kane), Nate Currin, Margie Chadburn, Manchester Orchestra and others, Film Soundtracks, Major League Baseball, The National Football League INSPIRED AMATEUR PRODUCTIONS STUDIO IMIRAGE SOUND LAB 3760 Vancouver Dr. Reno, NV 89502 775-358-7484 E-mail: tom@inspired-amateur.com Web: www.inspired-amateur.com INVISIBLE HAND PRODUCTIONS 24307 Magic Mountain Pkwy., Ste. 116 Valencia, CA 91355 818-789-7895 Cell 818-281-0141 E-mail: acebaker1234@yahoo.com Web: www.invisiblehandmusic.com Contact: Ace Baker Styles: pop, rock, ambient, contemporary jazz, ethnic-world music, chill-out, film and TV score Notable Projects: American Pie “Book of Love” - 6 songs, American Dragster - Composer *Available for composing and songwriting. *Please call first to submit material ERIK ISAACS West Hills, CA E-mail: music.erik@yahoo.com Styles: rock, pop, dance, AC, R&B, country, all Notable Projects: Warner/Reprise, MCA, Hollywood Records, Disney Records, Global Records, various TV/film work including Paramount Pictures, NBC, CBS, ABC, TBS, Disney Channel, etc. Worked with several Grammy winning/nominated No. 1 hit producers/songwriters. Services include songwriting, production and artist development.
JO-MUSIK Dallas, TX 972-226-1265 Web: www.joemilton.com, www.jo-musik.com Contact: Joe Milton Notable Projects: see website for roster QUINCY JONES PRODUCTIONS 323-874-2009 Fax 323-874-3364 Web: quincyjones.com Styles: all Notable Projects: Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sintara, Barbra Streisand, Tevin Campbell, James Ingram, Tamia, Siedah Garrett, Sarah Vaughan, Brian McKnight. *No phone calls. No unsolicited material. BRIAN JUDAH P.O. Box 515381 #33880 Los Angeles, CA 90051 888-571-6878, 310-928-7776 Web: www.studiopros.com Styles: All Genres-ProTools HD3-Pro Credits Notable Projects: Six-Time LA Music Awards Nominee CHRIS JULIAN 4872 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Ste. 406 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 310-924-7849 E-mail: chris@chrisjulian.com Web: www.ChrisJulian.com, www.ImaginePost.com Styles: rock, pop, AAA, alt., R&B, artist development, all budgets, 2006 Emmy Winner, Multiple Gold & Platinum Winner, Grammy noms *Unsolicited material accepted DAVID KAHNE E-mail: vincristin@mac.com Web: www.vincristin.com Styles: Rock, Pop Notable Projects: Paul McCartney, Sublime, Kelly Clarkson, Sugar Ray, The Strokes, Wilco, Tony Bennett, Bangles JEFF KANAN Web: www.kananrecords.com, http:// www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkanan Styles: rock, metal, pop, emo, punk, pop-punk. Basically any kind of band Notable Projects: No Doubt, Madonna, Sting, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Limp Bizkit, Mariah Carey, Liz Phair, Kingsley, Michael Tolcher, Finch and others JIM KAUFMAN Jim Kaufman Productions Web: www.jimkaufmanproductions.com E-mail: jim@jimkaufmanproductions.com (Mgmt) Andrew Brightman: 310-9633167 | (Legal) Eric German: 310-312-3214
Clients: E.G. Daily, The Black Moods, Elliot Collett, Govind Das and Radha, Telegraph, Opiate for the Masses, Model Turned Superstar, Jim Kaufman – A Party of One, Dead Money Massive TIM DAVID KELLY Los Angeles, CA 818-601-7047 E-mail: info@timdavidkelly.com Web: timdavidkelly.com Styles: alternative, metal, americana, rock, acoustic pop Notable Projects: Kicking Harold, Shiny Toy Guns, Dokken DAVID KERSHENBAUM Web: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ davidkershenbaum Notable Projects: Signed or worked with Janet Jackson, Bryan Adams, Joe Jackson, Tracy Chapman, Duran Duran, Supertramp, Cat Stevens, Tori Amos. BOB KETCHUM Cedar Crest Studio CR 830, Ste. 17 Henderson, AR 72544 870-488-5777 E-mail: cedarcrest@springfield.net Web: www.cedarcreststudio.com Styles: Rock Notable Projects: Freddy Fender, Krokus, Black Oak Arkansas, Trapeze SAMUR KHOUJA Seahorse Sound Studios 1334 S. Grand Ave 909-210-2317 E-mail: info@seahorsesoundstudios.com Web: https://www.facebook.com/ samurkhouja Contact: Samur Khouja KEVIN KILLEN Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com/ kevinkillen Styles: rock, pop, alternative Notable Projects: U2’s The Unforgettable Fire and Wide Awake In America, Peter Gabriel’s So, Bryan Ferry’s Bete Noir, Shakira’s Oral Fixation, Vol. 1, Sugarland’s Love On The Inside, Patti Smith’s Dream of Life, Kate Bush’s The Sensual World, Elvis Costello’s Mighty Like A Rose, The Juliet Letters and Kojak Variety, Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello’s Painted From Memory, Allen Toussaint’s The Bright Mississippi and Duncan Sheik’s White Limousine. STEVE KRAVAC Hollywood, CA E-mail: steve@stevekravac.com Web: www.stevekravac.com, www. facebook.com/steve.kravac Twitter: @ stevekravac
Styles: rock, pop punk, indie rock, power pop, Americana, roots rock Notable Projects: RIAA Gold Accredited Producer, Engineer, Mixer, Composer. Blink 182, M.X.P.X., Less Than Jake, Pepper, Bad Religion Tommy Stinson. Label Credits Include: Epitaph, Capitol, Atlantic, Side OneDummy, Fat Wreck chords, A&M, Tooth & Nail. *Contact through website BOB KULICK PRODUCTIONS Bob Kulick / Brett Chassen Have a 1,500 sq. ft recording studio with great gear List upon request (SSL AWS 900) E-mail: officestudios@yahoo.com Styles: Metal/RockPop Notable Projects: 2004 Grammy winner for producing Motorhead’s version of “Whiplash” - “Best Metal Performance,” SIN-ATRA with Devin Townsend, Dee Snider, Glenn Hughes, Joey BellaDonna, Geoff Tate, Ronnie James Dio’s final band recording (Elektra), “We Wish You A Metal Xmas” + A Head Banging New Year, (CD with Ronnie Dio, Dave Grohl etc.) Michael Schenker, Paul Stanley, WWE Triple HHH’s Theme, the Game, Dee Snider, Meldrum, The Iron Maidens, Spongebob “Bandgeeks” “Sweet Victory” various All-Star tribute CDs including “Butchering The Beatles” with Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Steve Vai and Billy Gibbons. Tim Ripper Owens, solo CD Play my Game, Metal Michael Jackson Tribute KEVIN LACY Valley Cottage, NY 845-623-0252 E-mail: studio@freudiansliprecording.com Web: www.freudiansliprecording.com Styles: indie/rock, folk, pop, country, jazz Notable Projects: Johnny Bravo, Jackie Tohn, Meghan Cary, Jewtopia, Say Goodnight, Gracie LEW LAING c/o Jordan/Balter Music P.O. Box 27673 Los Angeles, CA 90027-0673 E-mail: jobamusic@gmail.com Contact: Van Jordan, 213-605-1300 Robert Balter, 323-804-7071 Web: Facebook.com/lewlaing, twitter.com/lewlaing Styles: hip-hop, R&B, pop, rap, gospel Notable Projects: B2K (Pandemonium! and B2k, SONY), 4th Elament, AJ, 4MULA1 (SoBe/Warner Bros.), Jackiem Joyner (ARTizen Music Group) Jeanette Harris, Loyiso (South Africa), Galatia (South Africa), IMx, TG4, Neeta-S, Gospel Gangstaz, Coolio, Epicenter, Jesse Powell, Chante Moore, Lariland, Pro2Call (jazz), Sekou Bunch, Carmichael Musiclover, Dee Lucas,
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers Judith Nicholas, DW3, Soulcrush and EMG. GEORGE LANDRESS Emily’s Basement recordings 323-462-3220, 213-509-3678 E-mail: george@emilysbasement.com Web: www.emilysbasement.com Styles: alt, acoustic, retro, contemporary Notable Projects: No Doubt, Gary Wright, Jon B, Laura Nyro, Jimmy Cliff, Art Garfunkel LAUREN INTERNATIONAL INC. Reseda, CA E-mail: slydoggieproductions@gmail.com Web: www.slydoggie.com Contact: Christian Davis Stalnecker Styles: All PHILIP LAWRENCE The Creed Company Los Angeles, CA 310-651-5300 Email: info@thecreedco.com | info@ thesmeezingtons.com Notable Projects: Bruno Mars, Brandy, Flo Rida, Cee-Lo Green, Bad Meets Evil, Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa, B.o.B., Travie McCoy, Mike Posner, Far*East Movement, Kid Cudi, Shontelle, K’naan, Matisyahu, Sean Kingston SCOTT LEADER Brick Road Studios 7944 E. Beck Ln., Ste. 160 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 480-788-3573 E-mail: scott@brickroadstudio.com Web: www.brickroadstudio.com Styles: All Notable Projects: Taylor Jane, Ross M. Levy, Peter and Ellen Allard, Abby Gostein, Todd Herzog, Bryan Zive, Emily Aronoff JOHN LOWSON UROCK Studioz 18101 Von Karman Ave., Ste. 140-144 Irvine, CA. 92612 888 876-2501 E-mail: jlowson@urockstudioz.com Notable Projects: John Fogerty ( Best Rock Album-Grammy winner ), Best Engineered Album Grammy Nomination, Brian Wilson ( Beach Boys ), Roger Waters ( Pink Floyd ), Ricky Martin ( Vuelve -Grammy Winner ), T-Bone Burnett, many more... BOB LUNA (composer, arranger, conductor, producer, keyboardist) Hollywood, CA 310-508-1356 E-mail: bobluna@earthlink.net Web: www.boblunamusic.net Styles: all styles, Film/TV, and New Media, live and midi orchestration, last
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minute emergencies. Specialize in singer/songwriter demos, including composition, arrangement, production, evaluation DUNCAN MACFARLANE 3780 Selby Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90034 310-280-0175 Fax 310-280-0176 E-mail: duncan@racehorsestudios.com Web: www.racehorsestudios.com Styles: electronic/industrial, alt.-rock, punk, pure pop, feature films Notable Projects: Goldfinger, Ten Foot Pole, Showoff, Holly Knight, The Los Angeles Kings *Unsolicited material accepted MIKLOS MALEK (producer, songwriter, mixing engineer, European X-Factor judge) Los Angeles, CA 818-450-3729 Web: www.miklosmalek.com E-mail: katarina@miklosmalek.com Styles: pop, R&B, electronica, world, new age, classical-crossover. Notable Projects: Miklos’ work has been featured on over 15 million records. Anastacia, Astraea, Ayaka Hirahara (Japan), David Phelps, Dream, Faith Evans, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Andrews, Kat Graham, LMNT, M2M, Pixie Lott (UK), Plus One, Savannah Phillips, Sylvia Tosun, Sylwia Grzeszczak (Poland), TRF (Japan), Yanni PETER MALICK Los Angeles, CA 419-827-8411 E-mail: petermalick@gmail.com Web: www.petermalick.com and twitter. com/silvertone Styles: indie rock, roots, americana, singer-songwriter Notable Projects: Over 200 in studio live sessions for luxurywafers.net in the past year. Also Norah Jones, Hope Waits, Jason Diaz, The Shivers. Available for production services. *No solicitation, please. SCOTTY MANZO 661-510-6408 E-mail: Scotty@rrrprod.com Web: www.rrrprod.com Contact: Scotty Manzo Styles: all GUY MARSHALL c/o Tutt & Babe Music 6506 Penfield Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-621-3181 Fax 323-585-0011 E-mail: guymarshallmusic@hotmail.com Styles: All, rock, alt, TV/film composer, singer-songwriter broadcast quality masters, studio owner/consultant Notable Projects: Pat Benatar, the
Tuesdays, Baywatch, Lionheart, Cobra, Venus & Mars, Erotic TV Network, The Playboy Network, Happy Planet Childs CD, Dr. Laura, LA Kings *E-mail before sending material MARIO J. McNULTY (produce, engineer, mix) Grammy-winner Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop Notable Projects: Produce, engineer and mix Semi-Precious Weapons, Vagina Panther, N.E.D., engineer and mixed David Bowie, Laurie Anderson and Nolan Neal. Mixing upcoming Laurie Anderson release, Anti-Flag, Alejandro Escovedo and Sune (from Raveonettes). MELROSE MUSIC STUDIOS 5254 Melrose Blvd., Ste. 108 Hollywood, CA 90038 On the Raleigh Pictures Lot 818-216-5409 E-mail: melrosemusic@mac.com Web: www.melrosemusicstudios.com Styles: All styles Notable Projects: George Clinton, Taylor Dane, MTV and American Idol Artists, Pointer Sisters, Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard), Barry Goldberg, Brian Holland, Carmine Appice, Carla Olson, Howard Leese (Heart) BILL METOYER (producer, engineer) 16209 Victory Blvd., Ste. 132 Lake Balboa, CA 91406 818-780-5394 E-mail: bill@skullseven.com Web: www.billmetoyer.com, www. skullseven.com, http://www.fb.com/bill. metoyer Notable Projects: Slayer, Fates Warning, Armored Saint, D.R.I., C.O.C. Company: Skull Seven Productions. MIKE MILCHNER 818-269-7087 Fax 818-352-9307 E-mail: info@sonicvisionmastering. com, mike@sonicvisionmastering.com Web: www.sonicvisionmastering.com Styles: all THOM MONAHAN Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop, folk, electronic, produce/engineer/mix Notable Projects: produce, engineer and mix Little Joy, Vetiver, Beachwood Sparks, Fujiya and Miyagi, Devendra Banhart, Fruit Bats, Neal Casal, Jonathan Wilson, Papercuts, Gary Louris, Tussle Johnny Irion and Sarah Lee Guthrie and others
BRUCE MONICAL 10907 Magnolia Blvd., Ste. 222 N. Hollywood, CA 91601 818-994-4849 E-mail: brucemoni@yahoo.com Styles: rock, funk, pop, R&B, soul, country, jazz, classical, scoring, etc. Notable Projects: Please call for credits GILLI MOON Warrior Girl Music 925-892-6735 E-mail: info@warriorgirlmusic.com Web: www.warriorgirlmusic.com Notable Projects: International recording artists - Gilli Moon, Paulina Logan, Holly Light, Dina Gathe, Rhonda Stisi, Ari Inkilainen, Jessica Christ, Deborah Bishop, Shamballa, Nocy, J. Walker, Songsalive! and Females On Fire CD compilations PHILIP MOORE It Philz Good Productions P.O. Box 431874 Houston, TX 77243 281-408-3403, 713-816-5114 E-mail: noiserus@gmail.com Styles: R&B, gospel, hip-hop, neo-soul, jazz, rap, Pop, country, contemporary DAVID MORSE Master Groove Studios Northridge, CA Nashville, TN 818-830-3822, 615-927-0603 E-mail: davejavumorse@msn.com Web: www.mastergroovestudios.com Styles: rock, pop, country and R&B. Notable Projects: R.E.M., Commodores, Warrant, Incubus, LA Guns, Bowie, Rose Royce, Earth, Wind & Fire, Quiet Riot, Motley Crue, YES, Badfinger, Alice In Chains, Gene Loves Jezebel. *32-year veteran of mixing and mastering ADAM MOSELEY (producer, engineer, mixer) Music and Film Los Angeles, CA 323-316-4932 (cell) E-mail: adammoseley@mac.com Web: www.adammoseley.com, www.accidentalmuzik.com Styles: rock, alternative, eclectic, acoustic, Latin. film, documentary and soundtrack mixing Notable Projects: Inc., Claudio Valenzuela, Lisbeth Scott, Wolfmother, Nikka Costa, Abandoned Pools, John Cale, AJ Croce, Lucybell, The Cure, KISS, Rush, Roxette, Maxi Priest ROB MOUNSEY (producer, engineer, mixer, arranger, composer, musician, film composer) Grammy Nominated Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc.
Download at www.musicconnection.com/digital 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: All genres, Grammy-nominated Notable Projects: Produced Jackie Evancho’s 2011 Christmas album, arranged Celtic Woman’s 2011 Christmas show, MD\Arranger for Idina Menzel live shows, Steely Dan, Madonna, Elton John, Rihanna, Usher, Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, George Michael, Aaron Neville, Deborah Cox, k.d. lang, Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Trisha Yearwood, Toni Braxton, James Taylor and scores of others RONAN CHRIS MURPHY Veneto West 4712 Admiralty Way, Ste. 536 Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 310-200-9010 E-mail: rcm@venetowest.com, lliz@lizredwing.com Web: www.venetowest.com Contact: Redwing Management 818-415-7674 Styles: all Notable Projects: King Crimson, Steve Morse, Chucho Valdes, Terry Bozzio, Steve Stevens, Martin Sexton, Jamie Walters, Ulver, Pete Teo *Call before submitting material NASH-ANGELES P.O. Box 363 Hendersonville, TN 37077 615-347-8258, 310-882-0392 E-mail: NaFilm1@aol.com Notable Projects: Eddie Reasoner, Gerry Dewey ZAVE NATE Tehachapi Ca 93561 661-839-6370 Fax: 661-750-4734 E-mail: zave2004@yahoo.com Web: www.zavemusic.net Styles: rock, blues, new country (guitar based music) Notable Projects: Headsandwich, Sahaloop, The Joy House, Dan Bern, Edouardo Torres, Indya, Impulse, Kamleon Fil, Lori Chako, Meredith Marshall, Zave AERON K. NERSOYA 411 E. Huntington Dr. #170-372 Arcadia, CA 91006 866-575-0275 Web: www.abetmusic.com Contact: Aeron K. Nersoya Styles: producing, recording, mastering, arranging, concept and packaging Notable Projects: effusion, 5th Element, Chanson du Soir, Pirates of New Providence, Cherly D. Barnes JAY NEWLAND (producer, engineer, mixer) 9x Grammy winner Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677
E-mail: joe@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop, soul, standards Notable Projects: produced, engineered and mixed Norah Jones’ first two albums (32 million sales), Ayo two #1 debut releases, Missy Higgins smash debut release, recorded Esperanza Spaulding’s Grammywinning debut release, Etta James, Lizz Wright, Richie Havens, Charlie Haden, Linda Thompson. CARLA OLSON E-mail: contactcarla2@aol.com Web: www.carlaolson.com Notable Projects: Jake Andrews, Barry Goldberg, Phil Upchurch, Joe Louis Walker, Mare Winningham, And individual tracks by: Walter Trout, Charlie Musselwhite, Denny Freeman, Sugar Blue, Tommy Castro, Roy Gaines, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Taj Mahal, Otis Rush, Son Seals, Ernie Watts, Kim Wilson HUGH PADGHAM (producer, engineer, mixer) four-time Grammy Winner Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop Notable Projects: Produce, engineer and mix The Police, Sting, Genesis, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Melissa Etheridge, Julia Fordham, XTC, Yes, Paul McCartney and David Bowie among many others. JOHN ANDREW PARKS Los Angeles, CA 310-455-3672 E-mail: johnandrewparks@ PlanetTexasEntertainment.com Web: johnandrewparks.com Styles: pop, rock, country Contact: Bryan Lloyd 512-591-8130 Notable Projects: call for current roster DAVE “HARD DRIVE” PENSADO c/o Larrabee Studios 4162 Lankershim Blvd. Universal City, CA 91602 818-753-0717 Web: http://www.pensadosplace.tv, http://facebook.com/pensadosplace E-mail: info[at]pensadosplace.tv Notable Projects: Mary J. Blige (“Be Without You”), Pink (“Get The Party Started”), Brian McKnight, Destiny’s Child (“Emotion”), K-Ci & Jo Jo (“All My Life”), Christina Aguilera (“Beautiful,” “Car Wash” & “Lady Marmalade”), Keyshia Cole (The Way It Is), Ice Cube, Kelly Rowland (“Simply Deep”), Beyonce Knowles, Michelle Williams, Will Smith, the Pussycat Dolls, Mya (“My Love Is Like...Wo”), Coolio,
Esthero, Black Eyed Peas, Sisqo, Mystic, Sticky Fingaz, Kelly Clarkson (“Ms. Independent”), Dru Hill & Warren G PETTING:ZOO MUSIC, INC. Topanga, CA 90290 310-455-4551 Web: https://facebook.com/ PettingZooMusicInc E-mail: bernhardpenzias@mac.com Contact: Bernhard Penzias Styles: rock, pop, neo-folk Notable Projects: Sarah Bettens, Louise Fraser, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, SOCADia, Sonoton, Sugarplum Fairies, IMPROMP2, HBO PLATINUM STUDIOS 818-994-5368 E-mail: paulhilton123@sbcglobal.net Web: www.paulhiltonmusic.com Contact: Paul Hilton Styles: Latino (all), rock, blues Notable Projects: Society 1, Los Neighbors, Kanary, Bob Moss, The Dogs, Janet Klein, ‘Lectric Chairs, Marshall O Boy. *Call for approval before sending material KC PRICE Price Productions New York City - Los Angeles 917-865-1731 Contact: sera@priceproductionsnyc.com Web: http://priceproductionsnyc.com Styles: pop, rock, R&B, urban, singersongwriter, soul, dance MICHAEL RAPHAEL 26030 Franklin Ln. Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381 661-312-1616 E-mail mraphael68@Gmail.com Web: www.youtube.com/earthtone Contact: Michael Styles: rock, pop, metal, R&B Notable Projects: Hannah Montana (Disney Records), Ana Maria Perez De Tagle (Camp Rock, Fame, Jonas Tour), The Faculty Soundtrack (Columbia Records), George Lynch (Dokken), Jani Lane (Warrant), Busted (Universal Records), Social Code (Interscope Records), Nelson (Geffen Records), Demo deals for Columbia Records, Randy Jackson, ESPN Television, Paramount Pictures, Fox Television, Hollywood Records, Capital Records. Worked with American Idol and American Jr’s and I was called “the song doctor” by members of the Sony staff. *Unsolicited material accepted. WILL RAY P.O. Box 9222 Asheville, NC 28815 828-296-0107
E-mail: will@willray.biz Web: www.willray.biz Styles: country, folk, blues Notable Projects: the Buzzards, Hellecasters, Solomon Burke, Kacey Jones, Wylie and the Wild West Show *Unsolicited material accepted PAUL RISER c/o IMC Entertainment Group Inc. 19360 Rinaldi St., Ste. 217 Porter Ranch, CA 91326 818-700-9655 E-mail: sr@imcentertainment.com Web: imcentertainment.com Contact: Sylvester Rivers Notable Projects: Motown Records, Dennis Edwards (the Temptations) *No unsolicited material ERIC ROBINSON Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop, producer-engineermixer Notable Projects: Natasha Bedingfield, Rachael Yamagata, Brooke Fraser, Matt Nathanson, Aqualung, William Fitzsmimmons, The Silent Comedy, Kimberly Caldwell RICHARD P. ROBINSON P.O.Box 26457 Echo Park, CA 90026 323-839-7293 E-mail: Rich@richmixmusic.com Web: www.richmixmusic.com, www.linkedin.com/in/richmix Contact: Richard P. Robinson Styles: rock, blues, reggae, jazz. Notable Projects: Aggrolites, Sandollar Sound, Dee Dee O’ Malley, Fleetwood Mac, Izzy Chait, Ryan Eglash, Rivers Cuomo/Weezer, Jenny Lewis, Pinetop Perkins, Eddie Kirkland, Nelsen Adelard, Andrew Loog Oldham, Ana Victoria, Diego Verdauger, Amanda Miguel, John O’Kennedy, Oosten. SYLVESTER RIVERS c/o IMC Entertainment Group, Inc. 19360 Rinaldi St., Ste. 217 Porter Ranch, CA 91326 818-700-9655 E-mail: sr@imcentertainment.com Web: http://sylvesterrivers.com/Home_ Page.html, imcentertainment.com Contact: Sylvester Rivers Notable Projects: Warner Bros., Wanett McKee, Legend *No unsolicited material ROBO RECORDS & FONOGENIC STUDIOS Producers: Rob Christie & Ran Pink E-mail: rob@roborecords.net Web: www.RoboRecords.net Styles: All Styles
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers Notable Projects: Micky Dolenz, Orlanthi, Sass Jordan & S.U.N., The Bangles, The Beach Boys, John Waite, Shella E & The E Family, Snoop Doog, Charlie Sheen & Rob Paterson, Brian Ray ROCKZION RECORDS 673 Valley Dr. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-379-6477 E-mail: rockzionrecords@rockzion.com Web: rockzion.com/productionco.html Contact: Dennis TODD ROSENBERG (producer, composer, engineer, mixer) Los Angeles, CA 310-926-5059 E-mail: todd@toddrosenberg.net Web: www.toddrosenberg.net Styles: rock/indie rock, Americana/ country, ska, punk, solo artist Notable Projects: Pressure 45, Devil Driver, Mad Caddies, Motograter, Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Panasonic, Gillette, Fox, Megatrax, APM, Grooveworks. BARRY RUDOLPH c/o Music Connection 3441 Ocean View Blvd. Glendale, CA 91208 E-mail: barry@barryrudolph.com Web: www.barryrudolph.com Notable Projects: Pat Benatar, Hall and Oates, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rod Stewart *No unsolicited material MARK SAUNDERS Beat 360 Studios 630 9th Ave., Ste. 710 New York, NY 10036 212 -262-4932 E-mail: ollie@rocketmusic.com Web: www.marksaunders.com Contact: Ollie Hammett Styles: Electronic, Rock Notable Projects: The Cure, Tricky, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Marilyn Manson, David Byrne, Shiny Toy Guns, Neneh Cherry, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Human League, Gravity Kills, Femi Kuti, The Mission, Yaz, Madness, Robert Plant, Lisa Stansfield, The Sugarcubes SKIP SAYLOR P.O. Box 280010 Northridge, CA 91328 818-300-0400 E-mail: skipsaylor@gmail.com Web: www.skipsaylor.com *See HITMIXERS MANAGEMENT Notable Projects: Production Bootstraps (Amazon Top Pick of 2013), Ronnie Hudson w/ Snoop, Too Short and E40, Candyman 187 w/ Snoop Dogg, Sardar, Ceasefire, California
Dreamers, End of Ever, The Ex-HangUps, TJ Gibson, Oh My Stars, Spacifix, Brandon James, Riley Bray, Lynn Carey Saylor w/Brian May Mixing/Engineering - Jonathan Butler (No. 1 Contemporary Jazz Album, No. 9 Gospel on Billboard), Booker T. Jones, Vintage Trouble, Bobby Brown, Distortion Music, Brainpower featuring W.C. Ralph Tresvant, Jonathan Lashever, Mohammad Molaei, The Lost Boys, Dominique & Darius, Will Smith, Notorious, Iron Man 2, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Nashville Film Festival Award-Top Music, Parenthood, Cherie Currie, Layla Hathaway, Hung, Twentieth Century Fox Films, HBO Film/TV, The Day the Earth Stood Still, X-Men, Obama Documentary, Mumtaz Morris, Phoebe Snow, Gospel Artist Karima Kibble, The Reddings, Gary Taylor, Vesta Williams, Linda Clifford, Con Funk Shun, Damion Hall, Whispers and many more ELLIOT SCHEINER Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop, world-renowned 5.1/ live mixer. multiple Grammy winning producer-engineer-mixer Notable Projects: O.A.R., Beck, Foo Fighters, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Sting, Queen, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Buffett, Dan Fogelberg and scores of others. ANDY R. SEAGLE Phoenix, AZ 85020 602-371-8992 E-mail: cca@amug.org Web: www.andyseagle.com Styles: All Styles Notable Projects: Paul McCartney, Lyle Lovett, Placido Domingo, Yo Yo Ma, Hall and Oates, George Strait, Phil Ramone, HBO SIMONE SELLO RedRum Productions Los Angeles, CA 310-428-6209 E-mail: simone@redrum productions.com Web: www.redrumproductions.net Styles: rock, pop, electronica Notable Projects: Mishavonna, Hannah Montana-Hits Remixed, Bad Apples, Christina Aguilera JOHN SEYMOUR P.O. Box 358 Greendell, NJ 07839 908-684-9400 Web: Media51.com
Notable Projects: U2, Dave Matthews, Santana, Vertical Horizon, Bruce Hornsby, Bouncing Souls, Thursday IAN SHAW Warmfuzz Key West 001 (305) 923-8944 Web: http://warmfuzz.com/music_ recording_key_west.htm E-mail: ian.shaw@warmfuzz.com Notable Projects: ABC, Agnes, Animals That Swim, The Answer, Matt Backer, Bahareque, Edward Ball, Belouis Some, The Bicycle Thieves... see web for complete list F. REID SHIPPEN 310-876-2689 Robot Lemon PO Box 23108 Nashville, TN 37215 Web: http://www.robotlemon.com/ indexa.html Email: reid@robotlemon.com Notable Projects: Accident Experiment, A Fine Frenzy, Aron Wright, Atticus Fault, Christa Black, Danyew, Death Cab For Cutie, Eric Benet, Eric Church, Flyleaf, India Arie, Jonas Brothers, Jonny Lang, Low Millions, Made Avail, Marc Broussard, Mat Kearney, Matt Wertz, Mercyme, Plubm, Robert Randolph, Son of a Bird Man, Steven Curtis Chapman, The Afters, Toby Mac, Trent Dabbs JON SINCLAIR Singclear.com P.O. Box 4694 Valley Village, CA 91617 800-231-6135, 818-433-8803, 805-669-8614 E-mail: js@singclear.com Web: www.singclear.com Styles: British Rock producer, vocal coach & artist development alt., pop, country, alt rock and gospel Notable Projects: E-mail or check website for testimonials & discography *No Unsolicited Material. JEREMY SKALLER Primary Wave Music 116 E. 16th St. 9th Fl. New York, NY 10003 E-mail: awatkins@primarywavemusic.com Notable Projects: Jay Sean, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Seal, Usher, Bridman, Blue Cantrell, Backstreet Boys, Alanis Morissette, Annie Lennox, Fabolous, Janet Jackson, Shakira SKYLAB SOUND / ELECTRODYNE MUSIC Please see website for phone number E-mail: skyko@skylabsound.net Web: www.skylabsound.net Contact: SKYKO Styles: electronic, rock, industrial,
dance, classical, pop Notable Projects: Sting, Madonna, Boyz II Men, Paul Oakenfold, Ton T.B., Jan Johnston, etc. *Unsolicited material encouraged DAVID SNOW Little Hipster Music Van Nuys, CA 818-731-1043 E-mail: contact@littlehipstermusic.com Web: www.littlehipstermusic.com Styles: All styles. Truly versatle, multiinstrumentalist. Notable Projects: Faith Hill, Arista, EMI, Sony, BMG, singer-songwriters and indie artists. RO SMITH Def Ro Inc. 33 Prospect St., Ste. 1R Bloomfield, NJ 07003 973-200-8247 E-mail: defronic@msn.com Web: www.members.tripod. com/~sirRO/index.html Styles: R&B, hip-hop, pop Notable Projects: Mary J. Blige Accepts unsolicited material - NO CALLS JOE SOLO PRODUCTIONS, INC. E-mail: joe@joesolo.com Web: www.joesolo.com Styles: pop, rock, alt., hip-hop Notable Projects: Famous Music, Macy Gray, Quincy Jones Publishing, Myka Nyne, Luminaries, FOX Sports *No unsolicited material. SOUND MATRIX STUDIOS 18060 Newhope St. Fountain Valley, CA 92708 714-437-9585 Fax 714-437-9877 E-mail: info@soundmatrix.com Web: www.soundmatrix.com Contact: Chris Whiting Styles: all, Digidesign Certified Pro Tools Operators Music Notable Projects: Sugar Ray, “Day n’ Night,” The Track “Stand by Me,” with Dave Lombardo of Slayer SCOTT SPELBRING 571-249-4667 E-mail: info@dragonflyeast.com Web: www.spelbring.com Styles: pop, rock, hard rock Notable Projects: Sr-71, The Speaks, Chris Kirkpatrick (N’Sync), Evenout, Webilt, Field of Grey, Superbeing, Andy Zipf CHRIS STAMEY Modern Recording Chapel Hill, NC 919-929-5008 E-mail: info@chrisstamey.com Web: www.chrisstamey.com Styles: rock, singer-songwriter
BOUTIQUE INSERT STAGE Green Screen, Lighting Grid and Gear Rentals FULL SERVICE VIDEO PRODUCTION
Intelligent Entertainment and Gear Design
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Download at www.musicconnection.com/digital Notable Projects: Alejandro Escovedo, Patrick Park, Jeremy Larson, Chatham County Line, Holsapple & Stamey, Sarah Dessen STARK RAVING RECORDS P.O. Box 1451 Beverly Hills, CA 90213 805-701-4890 Fax 818-981-9121 E-mail: weberworks@earthlink.net, clarkwworks@earthlink.net Contact: Michael Clark: 323-485-4722 Styles: R&B, jazz, pop, latin, rock *Unsolicited material accepted SHELDON STEIGER Major Who Media 440 W 41st St., B-2 New York, NY 10036 917 312-9574 E-mail: sheldon@sheldonsteiger.com Web: Sheldonsteiger.com Styles: indie, rock, pop, contemporary classical Notable Projects: Joe Jackson, David Sanborn, Diane Birch, Care Bears On Fire, Paula Valstein, Eric Hutchinson, Kathleen Supove. ABBEY STJOHN P.O. Box 12746 Lahaina, HI 96761 808-214-6910 E-mail: mail@thesongwriter.net Web: www.abbeystjohn.com. http://www.facebook.com/abbeystjohn Notable Projects: Chris Squire STUDIO 5109 1110 N. Western Ave., Rm. 206 Hollywood, CA 90029 213-369-7094 E-mail: info@studio5109.com Web: www.studio5109.com Contact: Mike Wolf Styles: hip-hop, R&B, rock, pop, all BRIAN TARQUIN (producer-engineer) Two-time Emmy Winner MusicBox/Ole Music Publishing 9000 W. Sunset Blvd., Ste. 806 W. Hollywood, CA 90069 310-402-0308 Contact: Aaron K. Davis E-mail: info@tvfilmtrax.com, bhpmusic@gmail.com Web: www.bohemianproductions.net Styles: guitar virtuoso instrumental Notable Projects: Asphalt Jungle, Steve Morse, Billy Sheehan, Hal Lindes. Creator of Guitar Master Series featuring Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Stanley Clarke, Zakk Wylde DEVIN THOMAS Southwest Sound 49 S. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, CA 91024 626-355-1367 Web: southwestsound.com
E-mail: swsrecording@earthlink.net Styles: All TOM THOMAS Granada Hills, CA 818-366-5588 Styles: all Notable Projects: call for current roster RANDALL MICHAEL TOBIN Theta Sound Studio 2219 W. Olive Ave., Ste. 226 Burbank, CA 91506 818-955-5888 E-mail: rmt@rmtobin.com Web: www.rmtobin.com, www.thetasound.com Styles: solo and group vocals, pop, rock, R&B, jazz, alternative and country Notable Projects: “The Heart & Soul of Mel Carter” - Mel Carter; “A Magical Time of Year” - Bettie Ross; “Across the Waters” - Isla St. Clair, Cabar Feidh Pipe Band; “BARK! - the musical” - Original Cast Album; “My Favorite Gentlemen” - Susan Kohler; “Rain on the Roof” - Margaret MacDonald, “Vocalessence” by Amy, “At the Corner of God and Broadway” - Katheryne Levin; “The Snow Queen - ballet redefined” - RM Tobin. DAVE TOUGH 5801 Tee Pee Tr. Nashville, TN 37013 615-554-6693 E-mail: dave@davetough.com Web: www.davetough.com Styles: country, pop Notable Projects: Come & Go, Cindy Alter, Matt Heinecke, Craig Winquist ALEXANDER TRACK (producer, engineer) Track Entertainment Studios Sherman Oaks, CA 818-259-7244 E-mail: trackentertainment@yahoo.com Web: www.facebook.com/ trackentertainmentstudios Contact: Alexander Track Styles: all, Pro Tools recording, mixing, mastering, music videos, post production sound, scoring for film/ television/radio. Grammy winning producer-engineer *Please see web for more info and pics TRAIN TRAX STUDIO 213 Agostino Rd. San Gabriel, CA 91776 626-291-5100 E-mail: Info@TrainTraxStudios.Com Web: www.traintraxstudios.com Contact: Alex Truberg Styles: rock, electronic, indie, experimental, singer-songwriter TRIPOPS MUSIC PRODUCTION 1700 S Main St., PMB 188 Las Vegas, NV 89104
E-mail: tripops@poppermost.com Web: http://www.tripops.com Contact: Alex Oliver (702-9852278), Roy Rendahl (702-340-6748) Styles: indie, singer-songwriter, folk, pop rock, rock, vocal, and instrumental music TTAM TROLL 55 Pebble Beach Ln. Pottstown, PA 19464-7200 610-326-2664 E-mail: troll@floatingfish.com, Web: www.floatingfish.com, www.floatingfish.com/Studios/contacts.htm Styles: electronic Notable Projects: Any Questions?, Punch Drunk, Obomatic, Imbued Vagary CHRISTOPHER TROY TRAHAN MUSIC PO Box 451762 Los Angeles, CA 90045 818-694-9057 Fax 818-782-1499 E-mail: troy_trio@yahoo.com Web: www.fb.com/ChristopherTroyproducer Styles: R&B, blues, jazz, pop & zydeco Notable Projects: Gold and Platinum credits: Grady Champion (blues), Zac Harmon (blues), Jazz In Pink (smooth jazz), BLU (R&B/hip-hop), Gail Jhonson (jazz) Wendy Brune (jazz/R&B), Techeeta Lopez (Latin), K-Ci & Jo Jo, Kevonne Edmonds, Karyn White, Troop, Black Uhuru, Whispers, Ojays; Film & TV: Songs featured in The First Family, Mr Box Office, Comedian Kevin Hart/ Blockwood “Save The Last Dance,” “Deep Cover,” “White Men Can’t Jump,” Sister Sister, Family Ties, 90210, Jag, BET Comic View, Byron Allen *Looking to record and develop self contained bands with styles from Mint Condition, Earth, Wind & Fire to Maroon 5. Also interested in confident solo acts and creative songwriter collaborations. JOHN TYREE PRODUCTIONS And ABAO Records Hollywood – New Orleans – New York 504-914-2736 E-mail: john@johntyree.com Web: www.johntyree.com Syles: All Notable Projects: Jay Z, Project X, Evolve Thru Scars, Rancid, Dr. Dre, Eve, Garrison Starr, No Doubt, Eminem, No Mercy, KISS, Dave Koz, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, Stone Temple Pilots, Fiona Apple, Johnny Rivers, Mista Love Jones, Slash, Filter, Slayer, “The Water Boy,” “Ants” and other major label and motion pictures. Mixing, mastering, production, songwriting, music videos and photography. Development deals available for artist’s and bands. *Unsolicited material accepted, call ahead.
URBAN UNDERGROUND 2530 Berryessa Rd., Ste. 311 San Jose, CA 95132 408-382-1557 Fax 408-272-4984 E-mail: urbanunderground@gmail.com Web: www.myspace.com/ urbanunderground, www.cdbaby.com/ cd/urbanunderground1 Styles: hip-hip, neosoul, acid jazz, funk Notable Projects: Urban Underground the Hip-Hop Unknown and Apocalypse, Keith Martin, Kofy Brown, PARIS (the black panther of hiphop), G-Musik, Young Life, JDR Quartet, Last Call, Maranatha Christian Center, Word of Faith Christian Center, Emmanuel Baptist Church, too many more to mention. TONY VISCONTI (mixer, arranger) Grammy-winner Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com/ Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop Notable Projects: David Bowie, Morrissey, Razorlight, Dashboard Confessional, Fall Out Boy, Anti-Flag, Angelique Kidjo, Alejandro Escovedo, T. Rex, The Moody Blues, Thin Lizzy, Strawbs, Gentle Giant, Sparks and countless others BIL VORNDICK 6090 Fire Tower Rd. Nashville, TN 37221 615-352-1227 E-mail: bilinstudio@comcast.net Web: www.bilvorndick.com Styles: Acoustic Music Notable Projects: Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Jim Lauderdale, Ralph Stanley, Lynn Anderson, Charlie Hayden with Pat Metheny, Bob Dylan, John Oates, Mark O’Connor DICK WAGNER Desert Dreams Productions 10645 N. Tatum Blvd., Ste. 200-463 Phoenix, AZ 85028 888-458-7900 E-mail: wagnerrocks@gmail.com, suzy@desertdreamsllc.com Web: www.wagnermusic.com, www.desertdreamsllc.com Styles: rock, s/s, pop, modern country, spiritual Notable Projects: Wensday, Robert Wagner, Chris De Marco, Bleedstreet, Janis Leigh, Matt Besey, Darin Scott, Skinner Rat, Gwen Goodman, Adam Smith DUSTY WAKEMAN Mojave Audio 2711 Empire Ave Burbank, CA 91504 Web: www.mojaveaudio.com
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers Styles: americana, rock, country, world, jazz E-mail: dusty@mojaveaudio.com Notable Projects: Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale, Anne McCue, Buck Owens JAMES WALSH Threshold Recording Studios NYC 440 W 41st St., B-2 New York, NY 10036 212-244-1871 E-mail: majorwho@gmail.com, James@majorwho.com Web: www.majorwho.com Styles: rock, s/s, blues Notable Projects: Paul Simon, Ricky Martin, Todd Alsup, Paula Valstein, Wes Hutchinson, Shayna Zaid, Alec Gross DAVE WATERBURY Magnolia & Laurel Canyon Valley Village, CA 818-505-8080 E-mail: davewaterbury91607@yahoo.com Web: davewaterbury.net Styles: rock, dance, electronica, electro Notable Projects: The XOTX, Robbie Krieger of the Doors, Pink, Mark Kendal of Great White, Spirit, David Eagle of Tina Turner and Rick Springfield, Terri Nunn of Berlin, Irv Kramer of Ray Charles Band CHARLIE WATTS Hollywood, CA 818-613-7363 E-mail: charliewatts57@gmail.com Web: www.technovoice.com Styles: rock, pop, R&B, country & hip-hop Notable Projects: Sting, The Who, Kiss, Usher, Jose Feliciano BOB WAYNE Sunburst Recording 10313 W. Jefferson Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232 310-204-2222 E-mail: bob@sunburstrecording.com, info@sunburstrecording.com Web: www.sunburstrecording.com Contact: Bob Wayne, Director of Sunburst Recording Styles: All...We Specialize in acoustic based instruments and voice Notable Projects: George Carlin (Grammy Winner), Hepcat, Doug MacLeod, Adam Sandler, Plas Johnson, Ernie Andrews, Micky Dolenz, Tim Robbins & Gabriel Roth TOM WEIR 4412 Whitsett Ave. Studio City, CA 91604 818-505-9368 E-mail: eharrison@studiocitysound.com Web: www.studiocitysound.com Contact: Estelle Harrison Styles: all Notable Projects: Rod Stewart, Scott
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Weiland, Heather Youmans, Josh Freese, Phantom Planet, Michael Damian, Eric Clapton, PBS World Cafe, Nightmare & The Cat, Juke Kartel, Shaggy, Light: Celebrate Hanukkah Live In Concert (PBS), Brian O’Neal, Warren G, Biffy Clyro, Vertical Horizon, Weezer, Tom Morello, Runner Runner, Chris Cornell, No Doubt, Neil Peart, Chuck Negron. TERRY WENDT PRODUCTIONS 2719 Donna Hill Dr. Nashville, TN 37214-1411 615-573-0162 E-mail: wmi1@wminashville.com Web: www.myspace.com/ terrywendtproductions Contact: Terry Wendt - producer/ musician Notable Projects: Shania Twain, the Lynns, Chace Roberts, Jeannie C Riley, the Wendt Brothers, Bliss Bujard, River County, Corrina Ann, WMI Nashville WESTBOUND STUDIOS Hollywood, CA 310-985-5509, 323-933-3251 E-mail: gelowphotos@gmail.com Web: www.westboundstudios.com Contact: Gelow Styles: hip-hop/rap, pop, R&B MICHAEL WOODRUM 818-848-3393 E-mail: michael@woodrum productions.com Web: www.woodrumproductions.com Styles: all Notable Projects: Prince, Eric Clapton, Joss Stone, Snoop Dogg, Wayne Kramer, the Neptunes WOODY Allied Post Audio 310-392-8280 E-mail: info@alliedpost.com Web: www.alliedpost.com Styles: rock, jazz, remixes, hip through trip-hop, sample friendly *No unsolicited material WYMAN RECORDS 1908 W Burbank Blvd. Burbank, CA 818-845-8787 E-mail: studio@wymanrecords.com Web: http://wymanrecords.com/site Styles: All styles Contact: Tip Wyman Notable Projects: Mansions on the Moon, Ledisi, Three 6 Mafia, Kem, Billy Wes, Wonder Girls, Surf Club Contact: Tip Wyman SAUL ZONANA E-mail: zonana@comcast.net Web: www.saulzonana.com Contact: Nicole Poveromo Notable Projects: Crash Test
Dummies, Adrian Belew, Nicole McKenna, Ace Frehley, Taylor Dayne
ENGINEERS ROBERT SCOTT ADAMS Director of Job Placement & Student Services Omega Studios’ School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences 5609 Fishers Ln. Rockville, MD 20852 301-230-9100 E-mail: info@OmegaStudios.com Web: Omegastudios.com ELTON AHI Rusk Sound Studios 1556 N. La Brea Ave. Hollywood, CA 90028 323-462-6477 Styles: pop, dance, film scoring & mixer; general audio FABIO BOI ANGELINI RedRum Productions Los Angeles, CA 323-556-1172 E-mail: boi@redrumproductions.net Web: www.redrumproductions.net Styles: rock, pop, country TIM ANDERSEN (engineer, producer) 651-271-0515 (cell) E-mail: tandersen2005@yahoo.com Web: timandersenrecordingengineer.com Styles: rock, R&B, hip-hop, rap, acoustic Notable Projects: House of Pain, Shaq, Judgement Night SDTRK, Set It Off SDTRK, Def Jef, Patti LaBelle, Temptations, Hiroshima, Krazy Bone, Snoop. Producers I have engineered for: John Shanks, Richard Perry, Warryn Campbell, Carey Gordy, Louil Silas, MC Hammer, Rodney Jerkins, Quincy Jones, D.J. Rectangle, Wron G. Latest Project: Silverseed from Minneapolis, produced a single with each of the Band from broadway plays Rock of Ages featuring Mig Ayesa and American Idiot featuring Dan Grennes. Mix Instructor: Minneapolis Media Institute KIM ARMSTRONG KC’s Independent Sound 4333 E. Second St., Ste. 307 Long Beach, CA 90803 562-438-9699 Styles: all MAOR APPELBAUM (mastering engineer) Woodland Hills, CA 818-564-9276, 818-745-6412 E-mail: mappelbaum@gmail.com Web: www.maorappelbaum.com Contact: Maor Appelbaum Notable Projects: William Shatner, Sepultura, Walter Trout, Fates Warning,
Rob Halford, Yngwie Malmsteen, Fates Warning, Lita Ford, Anvil, Cynic, Adrenaline Mob, Therion, Biohazard, Smile Empty Soul,The Prog Collective. Connie Lim, Fight, Toby Wright, Justin Gray, Roy Z, Sylvia Massy, Gilby Clark, Warren Riker, Ryan Greene, Fabrizio Grossi, Thomas Lang, Billy Sherwood and mor DONNY BAKER ES Audio Services Glendale / Burbank, CA E-mail: studio@esaudio.com 818-505-1007, 800-880-9112 Web: www.esaudio.com Styles: all including rock, pop, R&B, rap, hip-hop, etc. *Now accepting submissions via Social Media link EVAN BEIGEL Jojo Ocean Music 818-321-5472 E-mail: mail@evanjbeigel.com Web: www.evanjbeigel.com Styles: ALL *No Unsolicited Material LENISE BENT (producer, engineer) Los Angeles, CA E-mail: soundflo@aol.com Styles: Americana, Blues, World, Rock, Pop, Jazz Notable Projects: Blondie, The Knack, Suzi Quatro, Robert Fleischman, The Barrelhouse Kings, Rich DelGrosso, Gary Allegretto, Lance Baker Fent, Steely Dan, Supertramp, Janiva Magness RICHARD “Ric” BOWLS It’s Only Plastic Music Nashville, TN 818-848-5059 E-mail: ricbowls@gmail.com Styles: all, co-producing with Carmine Appice *Call for complete listing CLIFF BRODSKY (producer, writer) Brodsky Entertainment LLC E-mail: cliff@brodskyentertainment.com Web: www.brodskyentertainment.com Styles: all forms of modern and classic rock/pop Notable Projects: Rose Rossi, Jason Kirk, Warner Brothers, Universal, Sony, MCA, Virgin, Interscope *Unsolicited material accepted-but please, no rap, hip-hop or Urban, R&B ANDREW BUSH Grandma’s Warehouse 355 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 213-484-8844 Styles: all GABE CHIESA (producer, mixer, engineer)
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The Rising Act
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers E-mail: gabechiesa@yahoo.com Web: www.myspace.com/gabechiesa Styles: R&B, rap, hip-hop, jazz, rock, orchestral, TV, film and animation Notable Projects: Rize (Documentary), Tupac Shakur, Eve, Eminem, DMX, Xzibit, Coolio, E-40, Bone Thugs, tha Alkaholics, Wu Tang Clan, Bobby Digital, Ashanti, Chico DeBarge, Nikka Costa, Aaliyah, Tony Braxton, Pharcyde, Salt N Peppa, Herbie Hancock, El DeBarge, Goo Goo Dolls, Simple Plan, W.B. Animation (Batman, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Tazmania). STEVE BARRI COHEN c/o Lake Transfer Artist Management 12400 Ventura Blvd. Ste. 346 Studio City, CA 91604 818-508-7158 Fax 818-505-1811 Email: info@laketransfer.com, Web: www.laketransfer.com Recent Projects: Patrice Rushen & Sheree Brown (Hidden Beach / UMG), Candyboy featuring Mari Y. (Hip Pop Intl Records), Jacky Cheung (Hong Kong / Univ Music Grp), Sylvia St. James (House of Blues Gospel Program), UNIV/NBC (“Let It Grow” film), “13” (The Band - Rock), Taylor Dayne (Arista/ BMG), Friends of Distinction (RCA/ BMG), El Chicano Project (The Brown Sound / SOLA Label), “Fair Game” (Film score) Shanice Wilson (Motown/UMG) Sam Salter (LaFace/Sony) Evelyn Champagne King (RCA/BMG) ERIC CORNE (engineer, producer, mixer, composer) Los Angeles, CA 310-500-8831 E-mail: ericcorne@gmail.com Web: www.ericcornemusic.com Styles: rock/indie rock, Americana/ country, blues/jazz, folk/singersongwriter Notable Projects: Glen Campbell, Michelle Shocked, DeVotchKa, Instant Karma Darfur, Anne McCue, Lucinda Williams, Nancy Wilson, John Doe, Tsar, Walter Trout/John Mayall, Joanna Wang, PF Sloan, Tim Easton JIM DECICCO Pyram-Axis Music Redondo Beach, CA 90278 310-802-3376 E-mail: music@pyramaxis.com Web: www.pyramaxis.com Styles: pop, rock, electronic, film/video scores, voice over Notable Projects: Currently producing tracks for top Universal artists. Artist Consulting, Development, Coaching Hollywood Music in Media Association, HMMA’s *Call before submitting JULIAN DAVID (engineer, mixer, producer) Los Angeles, CA & Germany/Europe 626-233-2927 E-mail: jd@juliandavid.org Web: www.juliandavid.org Notable Projects: aVid*, Andy Gillmann, Any of Both, Biohazard, Bud Shank, Fraunhofer IIS, Larry Goldings Trio, Pacific Symphony, Patrick K, The Spyderz, Trenchtown, UCLA Bruins Band, Walter Trout. HANS DEKLINE Culver City, CA 310-621-1896 E-mail: hdekline@gmail.com Web: www.soundbitesdog.com Styles: Mastering for all genres Notable Projects: Tim Finn, Morcheeba, The Von Bondies, Diplo, The Shore, DJ AM, etc MARC DESISTO Sherman Oaks, CA 818-259-4235 E-mail: marcdmix@gmail.com
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Web: www.marcdesisto.com Styles: modern recording Notable Projects: U2, Pink Floyd, Melissa Etheridge, Michele Branch, Ingram Hill, Warren Zevon, Robin Trower, DVD mixing of the WHO 5.1 PETER DOELL Universal Mastering Studio 3400 Cahuenga Blvd. Bldg. C Los Angeles, CA 90068 818-286-6233 E-mail: nick.d@umusic.com Styles: any and all styles - particularly strong in R n’ R and jazz Notable Projects: R.E.M., Otmaro Ruiz, Celine Dion, Miles Davis, The Replacements, Tommy Conwell & the Young Rumblers, Brian Setzer, Toby Keith, Roger Cairns, Wynton Marsalis JAMES DUNKLEY 615-662-1616 169-B Belle Forest Circle Nashville, TN 37221 Web: www.clynemedia.com E-mail: info@clynemedia.com | Robert@clynemedia.com Notable Projects: Anthrax, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Amon Amarth LUCAS FACKLER E-mail: lukefackler@gmail.com Web: www.lucasfackler.com Styles: rock, indie, folk, jazz, hip-hop JOHN FALZARANO L.A., Nashville, Atlanta 818-419-0323 E-mail: recordingtruck@aol.com Web: www.recordingtruck.com Styles: All Notable Projects: call for details MAURICE GAINEN PRODUCTIONS 4470 Sunset Blvd., Ste. 177 Hollywood, CA 90027 323-662-3642 E-mail: info@mauricegainen.com Web: www.mauricegainen.com Styles: Any and all musical styles, film, TV, etc. Notable Projects: Starbucks (Mastered 175 CD’s), Disney, KCRW, Rita Coolidge, Rafael Moreira, Alex Skolnick, Andy McKee, Darek Oles w/ Brad Mehldau, Jim Hershman w/ Lee Konitz, Patty Austin (Sound Design), The Hues Corporation, Angela Carole Brown, James Webber, Little Willie G, Orchestre Surreal. Other notables upon request. *No unsolicited material ARNIE GEHER (producer, mixer, engineer) Studio City, CA 818-763-7225 E-mail: arno@westworld.com Web: http://www.reverbnation.com/ arniegeher DAN GERBARG Howie Weinberg Mastering, Inc. 8331 Lookout Mountain Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046 Studio - 323-524-8776, 917-455-1570 E-mail: dan@howieweinberg mastering.com Web: howieweinbergmastering.com Notable Projects: Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (Grammy Nominated) DAVID GIELAN c/o Melody Maker Productions 453 S. Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90013 310-266-9506 E-mail: info@melodymaker productions.com Web: www.melodymakerproductions.com Recording Academy Member
Styles: all, pop, rock, alt, hiphop, electro, TV/Film/video game composer, singer-songwriter, audio post-production, studio owner. Notable Projects/Clients: Joey Lawrence, Universal Music, EMI, Animal Planet, Poor Yorick, Wayne Stylez, Arturo G. Alvarez, Lorelei Carlson, Caviar Content, iQimedia, Vox Pop Films *E-mail for more information JASON GOLDSTEIN (mixer, engineer) Cell: 917-475-6957 Web: www.jasongoldsteinmixer.com Notable Projects: Beyonce - “B-Day” (mixer); The Lonely Island - “Turtleneck & Chain”, “The Wack Album” (mixer); The Roots “Undun”, “Game Theory”, “How I Got Over”, “Rising Down” (mixer; Jay Z “The Blueprint” (mixing) *10 Grammy nominations including “Record Of The Year” for mixing Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable.” Grammy Win For mixing Beyonce’s “B-Day” BILLY GRAZIADEI (producer, engineer) Co-Founder of Biohazard.com Fire Water Studios 310-567-1280 E-mail: info@firewaterstudios.com Web: www.firewaterstudios.com Notable Projects: 9 Biohazard Records, Cypress Hill, Onyx, Hate Breed, Life of Agony, Pantera, Sick of it All, SlipKnot Sid # 9, Type O Negative, Agnostic Front ROSS HOGARTH Hoax Productions E-mail: contact@hoaxproductions.com Web: www.hoaxproductions.com Contact: Ross Hogarth Styles: all J.E. SOUND Hollywood, CA 323-850-0765 E-mail: jesound@jps.net Web: www.jesound.com Contact: John Styles: all Notable Projects: see website for client roster and samples of my work JIMMY HUNTER (Top L.A. Producer, Audio Engineer, Studio Drummer, Studio Vocalist, In-Studio Vocal Coach, Composer, Songwriter) Owner of Cazador Recording (ProTools10 HD6) Hollywood, CA 323-655-0615 E-mail: cazador.jimmy@gmail.com Web: www.jimmyhunter.com Original Music: www.reverbnation. com/jimmyhunter, www.jimmyhunter. com/jimbo.html Styles: Rock, pop, R&B, most styles, live drumming or programming, Hunter has produced over 4000 songs since 1986. Notable Projects: Wes Williams, Todd Stanford, Ivy Lite Rocway, Savannah Phillips, Mr. Smoove 1, Tim Fleming’s Selective Amnesia, Mark R. Kent, Dr. Alias, The West Hollywood Cheerleaders, Francis Schulte, Crimson Crout, Dre Charles, Steve Warnick, Lisa Gold, Thorn, Tom Powers, Jeff Rients’ Prairie Land Band, The Della Reese Ministry MICHAEL HUTCHINSON Los Angeles, CA 818-489-1911 E-mail: studiopig@aol.com Web: www.thingsihear.com Contact: Michael “Hutch” Hutchinson Styles: rock, pop, R&B, jazz, funk, all post for movies/TV CHRIS JULIAN 4872 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Ste. 406
Woodland Hills, CA 91364 310-924-7849 E-mail: chris@chrisjulian.com Web: www.ChrisJulian.com, www.ImaginePost.com Styles: rock, pop, AAA, alt., R&B, artist development, all budgets, 2006 Emmy Winner, Multiple Gold & Platinum winner, Grammy noms *Unsolicited material accepted KEVIN KILLEN Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-422-0022 E-mail: joe@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com/ kevinkillen Styles: rock, pop, alternative Notable Projects: U2’s The Unforgettable Fire and Wide Awake In America, Peter Gabriel’s So, Bryan Ferry’s Bete Noir, Patti Smith Dream of Life, Kate Bush’s The Sensual World, Elvis Costello’s Mighty Like A Rose, The Juliet Letters and Kojak Variety, Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello’s Painted From Memory and Duncan Sheik’s Phantom Moon STEVE KRAVAC Hollywood, CA. E-mail: steve@stevekravac.com Web: www.stevekravac.com, www.facebook.com/steve.kravac Twitter: @stevekravac Styles: rock, pop punk, indie rock, power pop, Americana, roots rock Notable Projects: RIAA Gold Accredited Producer, Engineer, Mixer, Composer. Blink 182, M.X.P.X., Less Than Jake, Pepper, Bad Religion Tommy Stinson. Label Credits Include: Epitaph, Capitol, Atlantic, Side OneDummy, Fat Wreck Chords, A&M, Tooth & Nail. *Contact through website LAUREN INTERNATIONAL INC. Reseda, CA 310-770-8108 E-mail: tvfilmandmusic@gmail.com Web: www.slydoggie.com Contact: Christian Davis Stalnecker Styles: All BRIAN LEVI Clear Lake Audio 10520 Burbank Blvd. N. Hollywood, CA 91601 818-762-0707 E-mail: cla@clearlakeaudio.com Web: www.clearlakeaudio.com Contact: Brian Levi Notable Projects: Asia, No Doubt, Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin, Steve Stevens, Melissa Etheridge, Crosby & Nash *Please call for complete roster & credits JOHN LOWSON UROCK Studioz 18101 Von Karman Ave., Ste. 140-144 Irvine, CA. 92612 888 876-2501 E-mail: jlowson@urockstudioz.com Notable Projects: John Fogerty (Best Rock Album-Grammy winner), Best Engineered Album Grammy Nomination, Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), Ricky Martin (Vuelve-Grammy Winner), T-Bone Burnett, many more... HOWARD (HOWIE) LINDEMAN 164 Trinidad St. Naples, FL 34113 239-269-3277 E-mail: howardlindeman@gmail.com Styles: All Styles Notable Projects: Natalie Cole, The Elvis Concert Tour, Colors of Christmas, Morgan Li, Father Jerry Keywell, Midas XL8 System Support, Aerosmith U.S
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Annual Directory of Producers and Engineers Tour, Roberta Flack, Midas XL8 System Support, REM U.S Tour, Melissa Manchester, Seg Productions, Oleta Adams, Peabo Bryson, James Ingram, Producer Engineer Naples Jazz Orchestra, CD/On a Misty Night” *FOH touring & Full Pro Tools HD mixing at “Howie’s Mixing Suite” with All Avid Plug-ins and WAVES Plug-ins (WAVE endorsed) feel free to contact me at the number above. **Accepts demo tapes.
Web: www.sonicvisionmastering.com Styles: all
DUNCAN MACFARLANE 3780 Selby Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90034 310-280-0175 Fax 310-280-0176 E-mail: duncan@racehorsestudios.com Web: www.racehorsestudios.com Styles: electronic/industrial, alt.-rock, punk, pure pop, feature films. Notable Projects: Goldfinger, Ten Foot Pole, V12, D’Lovely, Los Angeles Kings *Unsolicited material accepted
ROB MOUNSEY (producer, engineer, mix, arranger, composer, musician and film composer) Grammy Nominated Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: joe@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com/ robmounsey Styles: All genres Notable Projects: Produced Jackie Evancho’s 2011 Christmas album, arranged Celtic Woman’s 2011 Christmas show, MD\Arranger for Idina Menzel live shows, Steely Dan, Madonna, Elton John, Rihanna, Usher, Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, George Michael, Aaron Neville, Deborah Cox, k.d. lang, Michael jackson, Mary J. Blige, Trisha Yearwood, Toni Braxton, James Taylor and scores of others.
MIKLOS MALEK (producer, songwriter, mixing engineer, European X-Factor judge) Los Angeles, CA 818-450-3729 Web: www.miklosmalek.com E-mail: katarina@miklosmalek.com Styles: pop, R&B, electronica, world, new age, classical-crossover. Notable Projects: Miklos’ work has been featured on over 15 million records. Anastacia, Astraea, Ayaka Hirahara (Japan), David Phelps, Dream, Faith Evans, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Andrews, Kat Graham, LMNT, M2M, Pixie Lott (UK), Plus One, Savannah Phillips, Sylvia Tosun, Sylwia Grzeszczak (Poland), TRF (Japan), Yanni SCOTTY MANZO 661-510-6408 E-mail: Scotty@rrrprod.com Web: www.rrrprod.com Contact: Scotty Manzo Styles: all MARIO J. MCNULTY (producer, engineer, mixer) Grammy Winner Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop, alternative Notable Projects: Prince 2011 tour (live recording), David Bowie, Lou Reed, Imelda May, Laurie Anderson, Anti-Flag, The Raveonettes, Angelique Kidjo, Neal and Tim Finn, Manic Street Preachers, Julian Lennon and Semi-Precious Weapons’ debut release. DANIEL MENDEZ (mixer, engineer, producer) E-mail: danielmendez@mac.com Web: www.danielmendez.com Notable Projects: Noah Gundersen, Dashboard Confessional, Lit, Almost Famous, Amy Lee (Evanescence), Heart, Bob Schneider, Meg & Dia, Duran Duran... see website for more BILL METOYER (engineer, producer) 818-780-5394 16209 Victory Blvd., Ste. 132 Lake Balboa, CA 91406 E-mail: bill@skullseven.com Web: www.billmetoyer.com, www.skullseven.com, fb.com/bill. metoyer Notable Projects: Slayer, WASP, Fates Warning, Armored Saint, D.R.I., C.O.C. Company: Skull Seven Productions. MIKE MILCHNER 818-269-7087 Fax 818-352-9307 E-mail: info@sonicvisionmastering. com, mike@sonicvisionmastering.com
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BRUCE MONICAL 10907 Magnolia Blvd., Ste. 222 N. Hollywood, CA 91601 818-994-4849 E-mail: brucemoni@yahoo.com Styles: rock, funk, pop, R&B, soul, country, jazz, classical, scoring, etc. Notable Projects: Please call for credits
JAY NEWLAND (producer, engineer, mixer) nine-time Grammy winner Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: joe@jdmanagement.com/ jaynewland Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: Rock, Pop, Soul, Standards Notable Projects: produce, engineer and mix Norah Jones first two albums (32 million sales), Ayo two #1 debut releases, Missy Higgins smash debut release, recorded Esperanza Spaulding’s Grammy-winning debut release, Rob Thomas, Etta James, Lizz Wright, Richie Havens, Charlie Haden, The Little Willies, Linda Thompson, Herbie Hancock/Michael Brecker/Roy Hargrove, Clarence “Gatemouth” Bowen HUGH PADGHAM (producer, engineer, mixer) four-time Grammy winner Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: joe@jdmanagement.com/ hughpadgham Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: Rock, Pop Notable Projects: The Police, Sting, Genesis, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Melissa Etheridge, Paula Cole, Julia Fordham, XTC, Yes, Paul McCartney and David Bowie among many others. CHRISTOPHER J. ROBERTS Dba Signal Flow Productions 818-915-4557 E-mail: cjreq@earthlink.net Styles: Everything but polka. *Studio and live sound production and engineering RICHARD P. ROBINSON 1628 Morton Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90026 323-839-7293 E-mail: richmix8@gmail.com Web: www.richmixmusic.com, www.linkedin.com/in/richmix Contact: Richard P. Robinson Styles: rock, blues, reggae, jazz. Notable Projects: Aggrolites, Sandollar Sound, Dee Dee O’ Malley, Fleetwood Mac, Izzy Chait, Ryan Eglash, Rivers Cuomo/Weezer, Jenny Lewis, Pinetop Perkins, Eddie Kirkland, Nelsen Adelard, Andrew Loog Oldham, Ana Victoria, Diego Verdauger, Amanda Miguel, John O’Kennedy, Oosten.
BARRY RUDOLPH c/o Music Connection 3441 Ocean View Blvd. Glendale, CA 91208 E-mail: barry@barryrudolph.com Notable Projects: Pat Benatar, Hall and Oates, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rod Stewart *No unsolicited material SKIP SAYLOR P.O. Box 280010 Northridge, CA 91328 818-300-0400 E-mail: skipsaylor@gmail.com Web: www.skipsaylor.com *See HITMIXERS MANAGEMENT ELLIOT SCHEINER (producer, engineer, mixer) Multiple Grammy winner Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: rock, pop, World-renowned 5.1/ live mixer. Notable Projects: O.A.R., Beck, Foo Fighters, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Sting, Queen, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Buffett, Dan Fogelberg and scores of others. SKIE MUSIC GROUP Dana Point. CA 714-313-0589 E-mail: scott@skiemusic.com Contact: Scott Ragotskie (producerengineer) Web: www.skiemusic.com Styles: alt rock, singer songwriter, hip hop, pop, hard rock SLYDOGGIE PRODUCTIONS Reseda, CA 310-77-8108 E-mail: slydoggieproductions@ gmail.com Web: www.slydoggie.com Contact: Christian, Head of Production Notable Projects: Courtney Argue, Chad Brown, N3W ERA ABBEY STJOHN P.O. Box 12746 Lahaina, HI 96761 808-214-6910 E-mail: mail@abbeystjohn.com Web: www.abbeystjohn.com Notable Projects: Chris Squire DAVE TOUGH 5801 Tee Pee Tr. Nashville, TN 37013 615-554-6693 E-mail: dave@davetough.com Web: www.davetough.com Styles: country, pop Notable Projects: Come & Go, Cindy Alter, Matt Heinecke, Craig Winquist JOHN TYREE PRODUCTIONS And ABAO RECORD Hollywood – New Orleans – New York 504-914-2736 E-mail: john@johntyree.com Web: www.johntyree.com Syles: All Notable Projects: Jay Z, Project X, Evolve Thru Scars, Rancid, Dr Dre, Eve, Garrison Starr, No Doubt, Eminem, No Mercy, KISS, Dave Koz, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, Stone Temple Pilots, Fiona Apple, Johnny Rivers, Mista Love Jones, Slash, Filter, Slayer, “The Water Boy,” “Ants” and other major label and motion pictures. Mixing, mastering, production, songwriting, music videos and photography. Development deals available for artists and bands.
*Unsolicited material accepted, call ahead before sending materials. DUSTY WAKEMAN Mojave Audio 2711 Empire Ave. Burbank, CA 91504 Web: www.mojaveaudio.com E-mail: dusty@mojaveaudio.com Styles: americana, rock, country, world, jazz Notable Projects: Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale, Anne McCue, Buck Owens BOB WAYNE Sunburst Recording 10313 W. Jefferson Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232 310-204-2222 E-mail: bob@sunburstrecording.com Web: www.sunburstrecording.com Contact: Bob Wayne, Director of Sunburst Recording Styles: All… we specialize in acoustic based instruments and voice Notable Projects: George Carlin (Grammy Winner), Hepcat, Doug MacLeod, Adam Sandler, Plas Johnson, Ernie Andrews, Micky Dolenz JEFF VAUGHN 818-731-5799 E-mail: ears4rent@verizon.net Styles: scoring mixer/recording engineer/Film/Television/Games. *Call for current roster TOM WEIR 4412 Whitsett Ave. Studio City, CA 91604 818-505-9368 E-mail: eharrison@studiocity sound.com Web: www.studiocitysound.com Contact: Estelle Harrison Styles: all Notable Projects: Rod Stewart, Scott Weiland, Heather Youmans, Josh Freese, Phantom Planet, Michael Damian, Eric Clapton, PBS World Cafe, Nightmare & The Cat, Juke Kartel, Shaggy, Light: Celebrate Hanukkah Live In Concert (PBS), Brian O’Neal, Warren G, Biffy Clyro, Vertical Horizon, Weezer, Tom Morello, Runner Runner, Chris Cornell, No Doubt, Neil Peart, Chuck Negron. MIKE WELLS (mastering engineer) Mike Wells Mastering Hollywood, CA 323-363-2339 E-mail: mike@mikewellsmastering.com Notable Clients: Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, The Mother Hips, Jello Biafra, Google, MTV, Viacom, STS9, Gridlock, Tony Sly, Swingin’ Utters MICHAEL WOODRUM 818-848-3393 Fax 818-848-3344 E-mail: michael@woodrum productions.com Web: www.woodrumproductions.com Styles: all Notable Projects: Prince, Eric Clapton, Joss Stone, Snoop Dogg, Wayne Kramer, the Neptunes JOE ZOOK Joe D’Ambrosio Management, Inc. 914-777-7677 E-mail: info@jdmanagement.com Web: www.jdmanagement.com Styles: Rock, Pop, Grammy-nominated Engineer/Mixer Notable Projects: Katy Perry, OneRepublic, pink, Dashboard Confessional, Modest Mouse, Plain White T’s, Kelly Clarkson, Brooke Fraser, Sinead O’Connor and Mary J. Blige, The Hives, Goo Goo Dolls.
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– MICK
10 Ways To Be a Real DJ W
hat does it really take to get results at the decks? What can you do to better ingratiate yourself to potential fans and clients? Whether you’re an experienced spinner or someone who’s thinking of taking the plunge, read on as world-class spinner Mick lays it all out for you. 1. Learn to actually DJ. This one isn’t a Biblical level revelation. If you say you’re a DJ, you should actually do just that. There are thousands of YouTube tutorials, as well as affordable classes at places like Scratch Academy, that can definitely help you out. If you already are on the path to being a real DJ and understand the technical aspects, there is nothing better than old-fashion practice. And practice can mean two things: technical (which you can practice at home) and sonically (which you can practice at home, but you can also absorb by going out and listening to “how” your favorite DJs spin). 2. Make sure you love music. That’s why you got into this, right? Well, it should be. After the dancing and girls and alcohol wears off, you have to create a connection with the artform of music. This is done much better when you love what you are playing. Which leads to my next point… 3. Play music that you really enjoy. Now, every DJ in the world—from the guy doing your uncle’s lame wedding to Tiësto—occasionally has to play some songs they don’t like. However, finding a way to remix those songs, or sandwich them between songs you do like that make sense sonically—that’s how you really create your identity as a DJ. Just make sure you keep people dancing or vibing—whatever the mood calls for.
media, we DJs exist in a rare but exciting space. We can let the world know what we are doing—while we are doing it—and use it to create buzz and excitement around our next gigs. We can even adjust how we tweet and Instagram a bad event to make it look awesome. It’s all in the editing. Use this to your advantage, and build a strong social media message to enhance your brand, and ultimately, your bottom line. 7. Embrace technology. I’m a guy who started by collecting vinyl, but then happily moved to the digital era. Whatever you use, whether it’s turntables, CDJ’s, or controllers—own it and embrace it. Find a way to maximize every ounce of creativity out of the medium you choose. Remember, the less work that goes into the actual art of mixing (i.e., when you choose press-play controllers over turntables), the more time you have to be more creative with the actual mix (effects, echos, live mashups). Let technology be your friend—not a crutch. 8. Vary your set lists. A few months ago, a megapopular DJ got “busted” in a national magazine for admitting he just plays the same songs in the same order every night. This isn’t fun, nor is it cool. Find new ways to play the same songs. If they are your own personally produced songs, remix them to add something new for the people who paid money to see you perform. This just isn’t good for your audience—it’s good for you and your mind. I feel super refreshed when I go into a gig with a crate of new awesomeness. New music is like a weapon, so sharpen your sword.
“One person telling people you’re an arrogant diva holds way more weight than 50 people saying you’re a nice guy.”
4. Treat your hobby as a real job, and it just might become one. DJing for me was a collegiate hobby that allowed me to express myself musically. Years later, this “hobby” has taken me around the world multiple times and given me a successful career beyond even my wildest dreams. I credit this to me applying the rules of a successful start-up to my DJing career. Some key things I do include: get up early—it’s true that that early bird is more productive and catches the worm. Send thank you’s: music industry people are still people, and should be treated as such. Deliver what you promise, no matter how “big” you think you are: words mean things. 5. Recognize that song selection is way more important than DJBattle skills. Not every basketball player is going to be LeBron James— but they have to understand the rules before they step on the court. That said, I’d much rather hear a DJ with amazing selection and up-andcoming mixing skills than a guy who can scratch with his left testicle and plays horrible music all night. 6. Be “socially” aware. In this era of everything being publicized on social 78 February 2014
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9. Be respectful to everyone you meet in nightlife. From the doorman to the bartender, and all the way up the food chain to the club owner. You never know where that person will end up next, and how they can help (or hurt) your career. One person telling people you’re an arrogant diva holds way more weight than 50 people saying you’re a nice guy. However, that guy pouring you drinks could be the Director of Marketing next year, so tip him if he is good, and be nice even if he isn’t. 10. Have fun and enjoy your gigs. Smile. Interact with fans. Be confident. Enjoy finding new music. Enjoy the people you meet, and the travels you’ll have. This is an amazing, super-blessed way to make a living. My dad put in bathroom tile for 50 years. I fly on airplanes to entertain people by playing songs. Yes, we all have bad days, but you simply must put life in perspective. Making a dollar (whether it is one or one million) in the music industry is a dream job. MICK is a versatile and universally known DJ, producer and lifestyle brand who spins regularly in Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York City. MICK has worked with Grey Goose, Heineken, Instagram, Twitter, Bally, Neiman Marcus, LeBron James and Red Bull. He’s produced countless mixes of every kind such as open format mixes (mixing genres such as indie, nu disco, rock, etc.) for leading fashion websites such as Stylecaster.com, brand-specific mixes for clients such as Adidas and HBO’s hit show How To Make It In America and artistic/creative mixes (including his highly publicized Jay Z/Coldplay mash-up, “Viva La Hova”). He has curated the soundtrack for EA Sports’ best-selling game NBA LIVE 14 and also appeared in major national commercials for Adidas, Microsoft Bing and others. See http://iammick.com, @IAMMICK.
November December 2013 2013
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easoned Music Connection readers make their own listening decisions. So attempting to tell you how our Sceptre™ 6 and 8 monitors sound is an exercise in futility. Yes, we can wax poetic about how our CoActual™ transducer design and Fulcrum AcousticŽ’s Temporal EQ™ DSP voodoo solves the inherent problems of coaxial design — while retaining its overwhelming benefits. But it all comes down to a critical listening session with Sceptre (and whatever brand you previously thought was the best 2-way monitor). Visit your Southern California PreSonus dealer today. Š2014, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Sceptre and CoActual are trademarks of PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. Fulcrum Acoustic is a registered trademark of, well, Fulcrum Acoustic. Temporal EQ and TQ are trademarks of Fulcrum Acoustic. Some of the most common side effects of using good monitors include trouble sleeping, as well as vivid, unusual or increased dreaming.
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