It's beginning to look like Christmas! Holidays make our attentions short and our lists long. So we keep this issue short and sweet.
First stop is Christmasland where a beloved tenor meets his producer in the studio, remotely. This veteran duo turn up the volume for their new album playback in a Hollywood landmark. We drop in a private studio in LA where dolby atmos sounds are making waves. Learn how to reward your fans and prosper. Who's the most sought-after hip-hop mixer in NY? This foundation has a new director. This beloved session musician has a new book. And, on the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me: Two films, five honorees, an11X Grammy nominee, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!
Remain grateful to you, our valued sponsors and readers for supporting
music that lives and moves.
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Jonathan Antoine's ChristmasLand with Producer Gregg Field
New Single "Prayer" with A Platinum Edition of the Album released in November 2021
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Gregg Field (above) in his Studio City studio working remotely for Jonathan Antoine's ChristmasLand |
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Jonathan Antoine's glorious tenor voice was first heard on "Britain's Got Talent" when he was 17 years old.
"Antoine's voice has the power of Pavarotti," says Simon Cowell. His album ChristmasLand is made up of a selection of well-loved Christmas classics, including: Winter Wonderland and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, as well as his own rendition of, These Are The Special Times (originally recorded by Celine Dion), the track, re-written by the legendary American songwriter Diane Warren.
Eight-time Grammy (including Latin Grammy “Producer of the Year”) and Emmy winner Gregg Field is listed as the producer of ChristmasLand. Field is one of the most musically diverse and highly sought-after producers, musicians and educators in music. His credits list impressive collaborations to include Iconic artists: Michael Buble, Placido Domingo, Pharrell Williams, Josh Groban, Garth Brooks, Alejandro Sanz, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Barbara Streisand, and Frank Sinatra.
In 2018 Field received the Emmy Award for “Outstanding Music Direction” for PBS’ Library of Congress — Gershwin Prize, honoring Tony Bennett. Field also produced the Apollo Theater’s historic Ella 100: Live at the Apollo birthday celebration of Ella Fitzgerald, as well as the Apollo’s 2018 Nina Simone tribute Nina & Me, featuring Ledisi.
Among his recent recordings are: Seal’s Standards; Ella 100: Live at the Apollo; and Arturo Sandoval’s Ultimate Duets, featuring Pharrell, Ariana Grande, Stevie Wonder and Placido Domingo, among others. Currently he serves as chairman of the Board of Councilors at the USC Thornton School of Music, on the Library of Congress–“Gershwin Prize” Advisory Board, as board member of the University of Miami Frost School of Music, and as a governor for The Recording Academy.
Field produced ChristmasLand remotely from LA. The album features the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and was recorded in studio two at Abbey Road and The Gatehouse, with engineer Simon Rhodes, and assisted by Matt Jones and Christopher Parker. According to Field his team - engineer, Simon and orchestra conductor, Robert Ziegler - made his remote work run smoothly. We caught up with producer Field to learn more about Jonathan Antoine, his album and their collaborators. Enjoy!
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SE In 2020 you produced Jonathan Antoine's Christmasland -- standards + newly written version of "These Are The Special Times" by Diane Warren. Was this the first time you worked w Warren and what was the process like?
GF I’ve Known Diane for quite some time. The first time we collaborated was in 2019 on Jonathan's album "Going The Distance." I needed an auto-biographical song that would tell the story of Jonathan as an adult talking to his bullied teen self.
Jonathan survived a very difficult childhood and came through it with wisdom and confidence that he draws on now as an artist. Diane wrote the perfect song, "Compass (I Will Lead You Home)". It ties the entire album together. "These Are The Special times" was suggested by Diane for Jonathan's following album, "Christmasland" and she was kind enough to write special new lyrics for Jonathan.
Earlier this year Jonathan also recorded Dian's 2021 Oscar-nominated song "IO SI (Seen) with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road. The song debuted in April at #1 on the Classical charts. Very proud of that one. I worked with Joe Chiccarelli to create a very contemporary and unusual treatment for Jonathan's operatic tenor voice.
SE Fast forward Christmas 2021, JA has a new single, "The Prayer" out Nov 19. What else is on the Plantinum edition and who were your collaborators?
GF We added five new songs including “The Prayer”; again with the rpo for the“Christmasland” platinum addition.
I was initially hesitant to want to tackle “The Prayer” because it’s so closely associated with Bocelli and Celine Dion. Jonathan was persistent and described a way of making it personal and his own. He proposed singing both the English and Italian duet parts. Jonathan is a seriously trained tenor and hearing him sing the Italian parts in his full operatic voice was thrilling. Jonathan also uniquely has an authentic “pop” vocal voice that he used for the English lyric. Quite unusual for operatic singers, to live in both worlds. It was a fun challenge to create unique vocal chains for both his Italian and English performances.
For the orchestra tracking we used Abbey Road again. I really love studio 2 for a medium size orchestra , especially in a "pop” music situation. When ever possible I use engineer Simon Rhodes. Simon is a senior engineer at Abbey road and really knows the rooms. Having Simon, who is a also a trained musician on the session is like having a trusted co-producer with super ears. The team of Simon and our conductor Robert Ziegler makes my working remotely really smooth. The rpo loves working with those guys as well and playing Rob Mounsey’s great arrangements.
SE How did you meet Jonathan?
GF Jonathan had performed a concert in the UK with Placido Domingo around the time I was producing Placido back in 2018. Jonathan was planning his new album and it was Placido’s attorney Don Franzen who recommended me for the project.
SE Christmasland features The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. You've recorded at Abbey Road before, but this was done during the pandemic. What was the overall experience for everyone involved, what can you say about producing vocals remotely?
GF I really love working at Abbey Road. This past year and a half due to the Covid restrictions I’ve had to work remotely from my place. We also have had to track the orchestra in sections, limiting the number of players to 25 per session. In total, the orchestra was around 50 players and we did the strings, harp and Jonathan the first two days, then brought the brass and woodwinds in for the last day. That created some unique challenges. Because the conductor and the orchestra follow Jonathan’s timing, a variable tempo click map was created after the initial tracking for all of the overdubbing musicians to sync to.
The players also had to set up two meters apart which I thought could be a problem, especially for the violins and violas. Again Simon Rhodes was a master at compensating for the new setup and the orchestra tracks sounded great. Another challenge was working remotely with Jonathan. I often sit in the studio with the artist, a few feet away just to give a little support and love so that they aren’t in a room by themselves and singing to no one. I had the studio set up a large video monitor in the booth with and we had visual contact using zoom. For the audio, Abbey Road uses “audiomovers” which I really love for its simplicity and sound quality. It was a good work around but I would always prefer to be at the session in person, especially in London...great restaurants you know.
SE What's your advise to up and coming artists when it comes to recording their debut and/or choosing a producer?
GF It’s important that an artist collaborates with a producer that understands and supports their vision;
And is able to build on that. Trust and creating a confident environment for an artist to be creative is everything.
I learned much of this working with Phil Ramone from the other side of the glass.
I’m an artist’s biggest fan in the studio. No matter how crazy I think an idea they might have, I’ll try everything to make it work. Most of the time if something isn’t working the artist is the first to know. The other side of that is I’ve lost track of how many times I thought some idea was massively bad only to be completely wrong.
SE You have eight (8) Grammys and an Emmy-- where do you keep your trophies?
GF I wanted to wear them as a necklace but that didn’t work out too well. At this point they’re in my living room waiting for a better option. My father in law Henry Mancini received 20 Grammys and I keep two of them, for “Moon River” and “The Days of Wine and Roses”, in the studio to give us something to shoot for.
SE How would you describe your personal studio?
GF My studio is connected to my home in Studio City and was designed by Peter Gruneisen of studio bau:ton , it was designed to be Concord Records' studio. That was after we purchased the label in 1998. It’s a live room and a control room that is used mainly for overdubbing and mixing. After we sold concord in 2013, ,the studio is now used predominantly for my projects. Very excited that we’re currently upgrading and installing a new Avid s series console and likely adding PMC ib2’s as well. Really love those speakers!
SE Your involvement with Concord - Is that why wearing an A&R hat comes as 2nd nature? What have you learned from your label days and does that experience influence your Production style?
GF I actually go back longer than anyone at Concord Records. Concord was started by Carl Jefferson who was a car dealer in Concord, California. He used to sell my dad cars when I was a teenager. Carl gave me my first opportunities to produce back in the late 80’s. A few years later the opportunity to buy Concord came up in late 1997 and my pals Hal Gaga, Norman Lear and I bought the label and moved it to LA around 2003. We made a deal with Starbucks to create content for their stores and our first album out of the box was Ray Charles’ “Genius Loves Company” which sold millions. That was a game changer. Suddenly we were signing Paul McCartney, JamesTaylor and Paul Simon. We were a little jazz label that suddenly had some serious growing pains.
I learned a tremendous amount about the business side of making records at a particularly difficult period for the record business. We all had to learn how to function within shrinking budgets and sales while never sacrificing the artistic integrity of an album.
There was an accidental budget situation that came up that really started my career as a mixing engineer. I was producing an album for Arturo Sandoval and I hired my long time friend and regular engineer Don Murray to record. We had finished tracking when Arturo asked to add strings to two additional songs. I had to explain to him that we didn’t have any more money in the budget for the additional expense. John Burk, who was the executive producer on the project, called and asked why don’t I mix it myself. In other words, by not having to pay Don to mix we would have the budget for the additional strings.
I had spent years tweaking mixes in my studio but had never mixed an album from scratch. It took forever but I finished the mixes, sent t to Paul Blakemore for mastering and the album “A Time for Love” was released.
I had produced albums that had been nominated, but I had never won a Grammy. To my complete amazement, in addition to winning the Latin Grammy for “producer of the year”, I was nominated for “Best Engineered album” (my pal Al Schmitt wasn’t happy). A couple of years later I was nominated again for “Best Engineered album” and this time I won. That gave me the confidence to jump in and I’ve mixed all of my projects since.
I love the whole mixing process and I have another tool to be creative and help shape the direction of an album.
SE You started as a musician performing (Yamaha artist) live with Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra and have played with Symphony orchestras. Can you share any good stories from those days working with such iconic artists.
GF Oh there are lot’s of great stories. I loved those days touring but now it seems 10 lifetimes ago!
SE What's on your wish list for Christmas, including artists you'd enjoy working with?
GF There are a number of artists I would love to work with, Tina Turner being #1.
I’m currently producing a new album for Taylor Dayne which has been an amazing experience. I’m using almost all new musicians and engineers by choice that I've never previously worked with and it has been mind-blowing discovering what else is out there.
I’ve also just finished a “global" genre album for the Spanish artist Germán López We recorded mostly in Madrid and the Canary Islands with the best Flamenco and African musicians.
As to my Christmas wish? Keep expanding and reinventing and Pappy Van Winkle under the tree (not necessarily in that order).
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ATC Monitoring For JAM & LEWIS' VOL. 1
Mixed at Flyte Tyme And Showcased at Capitol Studio A
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Playback of Jam & Lewis' new album V1 at Capitol Studio A, Hollywood with ATC speakers
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After nearly four decades in the industry, the Grammy Award-winning legendary songwriting/production duo, recently turned artists, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, released their debut album, Jam & Lewis Volume One (V1) on BMG Records.
The album boasts star-studded featured guests including Mariah Carey, Babyface, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Toni Braxton, Usher & more.
On their most recent Billboard Top 10 R&B single, “Somewhat Loved (There You Go Breakin’ My Heart),” Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis teamed up with the multi-platinum, multiple Grammy award-winning, New York Times #1 Best Selling author and global superstar Mariah Carey. Together, they delivered an anthem punctuated by Carey’s legendary soaring vocals and the pair’s inimitable musicality.
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (above) have had an unprecedented career as producers, with five Grammy Awards, over 100 Platinum certifications, and 16 Billboard Hot 100 Number Ones. They’ve worked with legendary artists including Elton John, Lionel Richie, and Patti LaBelle, composed music for TBS and TNT networks’ NBA basketball broadcasts, as well as the theme to the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The duo has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, received an NAACP Image Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and were recently nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in “Outstanding Music Direction.”
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“We’re always looking for a good mix with lots of detail that adds up to an effective whole. The ATCs are great for that; they’re very true." --- Jimmy Jam |
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“We’ve been wanting to release our own album for a long time,” Jam said.
“It goes all the way back to 1985. We played one of the tracks for our album for Janet Jackson while we were working with her on Control and she asked, ‘who’s that for?’. We said, ‘you if you want it’ and Janet said, ‘oh I want it!’ That song evolved into “What Have You Done For Me Lately.” which basically launched her recording career – and pretty much ended ours… as artists! Over the years, we kept attempting to restart our album, but whenever we finished a song slated for the project with one of the artists, they always said, ‘oh no, I gotta keep that song for myself.’ “The only reason we finally have an album now is because we finally got selfish and started keeping songs for ourselves!”
Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1 is a collection of entirely new songs written by the duo and recorded with the help of their many industry friends. Jam noted, “You can look at our track record of the people we’ve connected with over the years. There are people we’ve connected with not just musically, but also on a personal level. People like Mariah Carey, Babyface, Usher, Boyz II Men, Mary J Blige… those are the kind of people involved in Vol. 1.” The songs on Vol. 1 were recorded with their collaborators at numerous different studios in both analog and digital across many years, which made the process of mixing them all into a cohesive whole more difficult.
“We wanted to mix the entire album in an immersive format, but we had never mixed for surround in our studio, Flyte Tyme,” Lewis noted. “We had been impressed by ATC monitors in the past, and the array of different ATC models and sizes made it possible to outfit our Flyte Tyme control room with the right boxes for an immersive system.”
Three ATC SCM45A Pro monitors serve as left/center/right; two slightly smaller ATC SCM25A Pro monitors serve as rear channels; and six smaller-still ATC SCM12 Pro monitors serve as side channels and four ATC SCM12i Pro overhead channels.
“We’re always looking for a good mix with lots of detail that adds up to an effective whole,” Jam said. “The ATCs are great for that; they’re very true. They sound warm and pleasant and are easy to work on, but they aren’t hyped. They won’t make a bad mix sound good, so they make us work! But once we have things sounding good on the ATCs, we can be confident that they will translate everywhere else – from other surround sound systems, to cars, to computer speakers, to ear buds.”
Understandably, anticipation for Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1 was at a fever pitch, so the duo arranged for a sneak preview showcase listening event to reveal their work to their industry friends and colleagues. The historic event took place at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. They took over the massive live room in Studio A, and TransAudio Group, who were instrumental in outfitting Flyte Tyme with our ATC monitors, worked out the logistics to get an even bigger ATC system in place – enough to wash over the two-hundred-plus people who were invited to the event.
The showcase ATC system consisted of ATC SCM50ASL Pro monitors for left/right, ATC SCM45A monitors for center/sides/rears, and ATC SCM12 Pro monitors for overheads. “The customer service with ATC and TransAudio Group was magnificent,” Lewis said. “They went out of their way to get us what we needed as quickly as we needed it.”
“The event was great,” Jam said. “We set up couches and carpets and arranged the monitors to create a nice, big, sweet spot. People settled in and then stayed put while we played a lot of tracks in progress off the album. I think the experience was doubly cool because they were hearing music they had never heard before, but they were also hearing it in a way they had never heard before!”
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ATC 7.1.4 Monitoring at
Dweezil Zappa's Dolby Atmos Hikari Studios
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Above: Zappa at Hikari Studio with ATC 7.14 Monitoring
Photo Credit: Timothy Kuratek
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Guitar hero, and son of elder Frank, Dweezil Zappa designed and built Hikari Studios from the ground up “in a secret location” in Los Angeles. Hikari is equipped with a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos monitoring system composed entirely of ATC monitors: three ATC SCM45A monitors at LCR; eight ATC SCM12 Pro monitors at sides, back, and height; and five ATC SCM0.1/15ASL subwoofers (three across the front and two in back).
Giant racks of the world’s most coveted analog gear interface with the DAW via a 512 I/O analog router with instant digital recall, and the live room layout and acoustics are a dream come true. Integrated video production facilities make it easy to create professional documentaries on the magic behind the music creation process.
You could say Zappa is at the vanguard of the immersive audio movement, recognizing it both for its limitless creative possibilities and for its ability to generate revenue streams for independent musicians outside of the current rent-a-song paradigm. He is using Hikari Studios for all manner of music production, in part for the sheer joy of creating immersive audio and in part to push boundaries and demonstrate the possibilities for immersive audio.
His artist-centered music platform, www.rewardmusic.com – which gives 100% of every sale to any artist who chooses to use it – is set up to handle multi-channel immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Ambisonics. Artists stand to benefit from immersive audio both as a way to repackage legacy material and as a way to create entirely new songs in a format that sells directly to fans. Hikari Studios is set up for both of those modalities.
“In terms of remixing existing material for immersive audio, artists can provide an entirely new format to fans,” Zappa said. “There are lifetimes worth of work out there, so many songs to be remixed in this new format! Whoever can get good at the process will have work piled up for years to come. From a technical standpoint, the big difference in mixing immersive is that you don’t have to make all the compromises that stereo mixing requires. In stereo, there’s so much carving and compression that has to happen to make things fit. Sometimes that’s cool, but sometimes it’s not. In Atmos, the extra speakers take the burden away from the front speakers.”
Although a growing number of studios will allow users to mix in immersive audio, Hikari Studios is one of the few that is set up to allow musicians to record in immersive audio from the very beginning. “You can plan the immersive experience for the listener and hear how it’s developing as you create it,” Zappa said. “It’s like an audio movie. You can choose the way something builds, where it’s supposed to go, where it’s supposed to take you. It’s a spatial drama, and you can plan for phrases and movements of a song. They can have themes, like certain instruments enter at certain places at certain times or move in certain ways. From the start, it sounds natural and purposeful because it was only ever designed to be that way. It’s not just a re-imagining of a stereo reference.” The live room and tracking spaces at Hikari Studios were purpose-built for immersive audio. Microphones in the ceiling allow a very convincing three-dimensional recreation of a live session in Atmos.
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Zappa chose to outfit Hikari Studios with ATC monitors based on his previous experiences with ATC at other studios. “I always found ATCs to be accurate without being over the top,” he said. “I could work on them all day long. Now that I’ve become familiar with ATCs in my own studio, I have discovered that anything that was done very well sounds correct and natural and full-range and smooth. But any flaw in the recording pokes out.
I can even hear flaws in some of my favorite records. That gives me confidence that everything I do going forward will translate. With five ATC subwoofers, this room can feel like a thrill ride at Universal Studios! It shakes in such a good way!”
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"With five ATC subwoofers, this room can feel like a thrill ride at Universal Studios!
It shakes in such a good way!” -- Dweezle Zappa
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Although surround sound has been around for a while, Zappa notes that Dolby Atmos and the other modern immersive audio platforms are fundamentally different. “The issue with all previous surround sound approaches has always been playback,” he said. “The average person didn’t have the right equipment. But with Atmos and other formats, the average person can get an immersive experience even on headphones! The delivery system is the big difference.” Indeed, Atmos recordings can scale up or down to match the system specifications at playback, which is a fundamental break with the fixed-format approach of older surround sound technologies.
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ATC models:
"ATC monitors are something you have to experience to really grasp how different they are from everything else. Lets just say that you can hear details you’ve never heard before, leading you to faster, more accurate decisions in your creative process," says Brad Lunde, President of Trans Audio Group.
The models range from $5,000 to $50,000 per pair and all share a very similar sound. For larger rooms and midfield, applications check out the SEM45 with dual 6.5-inch drivers and the fantastic SEM150 with a 15-inch woofer and 350 Watts of power. Choose the size that works for your space. More info here
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Trans Audio Group -- The Recording Studio Equipment Experts. Call to order from their trusted brands:
A-Designs (USA), ATC Loudspeakers (UK), Auratone, Bettermaker, Daking Audio, Drawmer, Hakan, Latch Lake, Mojave Audio, Mutec, Pete's Place Audio, Sabra-Som, Subwoofer Pros, and Tube-Tech
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Reward Music
Reward Your Fans & Prosper!
How would you like to have a platform where
everything you need to operate your business, build your brand and engage your audience is all bundled in one place. For fans, it's a place where they can learn everything about you and they feel like a special fan who is getting recognized and rewarded for their loyalty.
The platform allows you to design your web site, have it hosted, manage your fan communication, manage your store and Merch, stream audio and video, do podcast, crowd source funding, schedule concert, monitor your stats and more, all under one roof.
Rewardmusic.com is the platform that does this and more. It helps develop the artist-fan relationship, and the artists get 100% of every sale. "No other platform does that," says the founder, Dweezil Zappa who elaborates on the advantages of immersive audio for independent musicians: “Music has been so devalued these days. The industry just takes music and doles it out to people via memberships to Spotify or Apple Music. They’re renting music from these gigantic companies rather than buying directly from the artists. Immersive audio recordings automatically add value for artists through a direct purchase. Artists can upsell their existing catalog and create a new direct relationship with their fan base.
Fan Points
At the core of Reward Music, is the Reward system. Every fan interaction on a Reward Music powered artist site is rewarded with points. The more love your fans show, the more their points will grow. The point system allows fans to benefit by unlocking new songs or videos and gaining access to better pricing for everything an artist has to offer. Fan support and enthusiasm also earns them higher status which continues to increase their benefits. Reward Music enables artists to recognize their biggest supporters, making it easier than ever for them to show their gratitude. Artists can’t do what they do without their fans and Reward Music allows artists to grow their reciprocal Eco-System organically.
Fan Communication
Your fans want to hear from you personally. Reward Music makes it easy for you to manage all your fan communication. Each one of your fans is automatically added to your e-mail list as they join your site and you can contact them anytime. Reward Music combines the features of an expensive stand alone e-mail system and a team of assistants. With total calendar and event integration, Reward Music can automatically locate your closest fans and remind them of your scheduled concert dates anywhere in the world, as soon as you add them to your calendar. Every time you add an event or concert date, your Reward Music powered artist site knows how to reach all fans within the 150 mile radius of your venue and will email the pertinent details of the event, including location and weather forecast!
Crowd Source Funding
Reward Music enables artists to offer their fans the opportunity to be a fly on the wall, get in on the ground floor and have access to exclusive content, such as sneak peaks inside studio sessions, sales of memorabilia or musical instruments and rare performances or demos. Artists can offer private concert engagements, music lessons and other incentives as they prepare to launch their next project.
And best of all, Reward Music can fulfill your orders and help you sell your Merch.
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Streaming Audio & Video
If you'd like your high resolution files to be priced higher or change audio pricing based on song length you can do that too! Audio Streaming is integrated into our reporting system which means you can see, in real time, which tracks are being listened to and purchased the most. Your music can finally be accounted for based on the actual source of interaction. Your audio content is describable as well. Do you have a podcast? You can host it on Reward Music, enabling your fans to subscribe to you directly without any third party interference. Here's samples of Running With Dweezle podcast on Reward Music.
How much will it Cost?
Pricing starts at $20 per month. You maybe paying more for hosting or other services already. Your invoices are calculated in proportion to the number of members in your community and the amount of streaming, uploading and downloading they initiate while engaging with your content.
All artist communities have the ability to post photos, and videos within Reward Music powered sites as well as capabilities for downloading / streaming artist audio, and video content.
As fan communities interact with artist content they earn reward points and artists earn money.
As artists communities grow and bandwidth for artists' content grows, Reward Music will automatically adjust the reflected costs with proportional fractional increases.
How do I get started?
All you need to get started is a valid email and credit card. Enjoy instant access to all of the features of Reward Music.
After your free 30 day trial, Reward Music will begin billing your credit card. Review the pricing guidelines to see how the aforementioned fractional increases may apply to your account here
Reward music integrates with Stripe merchant service account, Tax Jar, and Quickbooks to streamline your accounting operation.
More questions? Simply ask support@rewardmusic.com
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When in Maui, take your party to Fleetwood's On Front St. In the heart of Lahaina, it's the only rooftop dining experience that overlooks the beautiful Pacific Ocean as well as the majestic West Maui Mountains. The Main Dining Level features Mick Fleetwood memorabilia and is graced with warmth and charm, just like the restaurant's beloved owner. And for this New Year's Eve, the legend (left dressed as Santa) will be your host. Reserve today!
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Enjoy a Chef Executive Chef Eric Morrissette-inspired pre-fixe menu including Fleetwood's famous Beef Wellington
4-9pm, $120pp
Reservations are limited
NYE 2021 - DREAMS
A night to remember, hosted by Mick Fleetwood himself!
TICKETS GO ON SALE MONDAY DEC. 6TH, AT 9AM
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Producer CARRTOONS ReMixes Butcher Brown's Track "Frontline" |
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Individually, they are: producer/keyboardist DJ Harrison; drummer Corey Fonville; bassist Andrew Randazzo; trumpeter/saxophonist/MC Marcus “Tennishu” Tenney; and guitarist Morgan Burrs.
Starting in 2013, Butcher Brown began to release a series of recordings on their own imprint, and other independent labels as well, helping to spread the word of the group’s groove driven consistency. On September 18, 2020, Butcher Brown released their full album #KingButch, a major label debut on Concord Jazz. Their eighth album was the culmination of twelve years of dedicated focus and commitment. Listen to Butcher Brown’s new single “Frontline” CARRTOONS REMIX here KingButch European Tour ended in October.
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The Richmond, Virginia-based Butcher Brown is five groove merchants delivering a heady home-brew of jams and jazz, rhymes and beats, a hybrid moniker “jazz/hip-hop.”
"Butcher Brown is one of the great bands of my generation,” says CARRTOONS. “The remix is my tribute to their new classic, ‘Frontline,’ trying to capture Butcher Brown's feeling while adding my own spin.
I heard this arrangement instantly when they sent me the track and recorded and mixed my version by the end of the same day.”
A fixture in the New York music scene, CARRTOONS is one of the most sought-after producers in the hip-hop and soul scene through his attention-grabbing Instagram videos and a catalog of creative originals and co-productions.
“We’re very excited for CARRTOONS to put his signature sound on this reimagination of the Randazzo new classic FRONTLINE,” says Butcher Brown.
It’s been a busy year for Butcher Brown. Hot on the heels of their August run at the Blue Note NY, the September 30 release of a new single, Patrice Rushen's “Remind Me” featuring vocalist Alex Isley, on the GRAMMY-winning composer's birthday, and a successful 3 ½-week European tour in October – which included stops at the Mondriaan Jazz Festival, the Stockholm Jazz Festival and Ronnie Scott’s in the UK. #KingButch, their 2020 debut album on Concord Jazz..
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L-R in Studio B at United Recording are producer, pianist, songwriter Kevin Flournoy; recording engineer David Rideau; steel drummer and percussionist Leon Alexander, Jr.; and singer/songwriter Amanda Cole. Photo by David Goggin.
Flournoy is presently producing and co-writing Amanda Cole's first solo record at United Recording in Hollywood Cole was previously a member of the Grammy-winning group En Vogue. "We starting working together about five years ago after discovering our mutual affection for the big pop arrangements," says Flournoy. "We both love songs and production you would hear from Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand. We're working together to create something solid, both lyrically and musically.
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Amanda Cole & Producer Kevin Flournoy Record at United
Songwriter, arranger and keyboardist Kevin Flournoy has produced, written, performed, and recorded with artists such as Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Teena Marie, Jeffrey Osborne, The Pointer Sisters, Jennifer Hudson, The Jazz Crusaders, and Harvey Mason, to name a few. He has also performed and provided music for prominent TV projects such as "American Idol" and Roseanne Barr's CBS talk show.
Flournoy is also composing and producing the first of his two solo instrumental albums. "The first record will focus on my production and writing and will feature several well known and up and coming artists. Caribbean Blue, is a song I co-wrote with Gary Benson and Quino McWhinney, the lead singer of the reggae group Big Mountain. And for my contemporary jazz record, we recorded legendary jazz saxophonist Ronnie Laws as well as guitarist Ramon Stagnaro, both of whom will be featured players on my first single."
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NAMM Moves to June 3-5, 2022
The world's largest annual musical instrument and equipment trade event, The NAMM Show, is postponing its winter edition at the Anaheim Convention Center from Jan. 20-23 to
June 3-5, 2022 The move was prompted by continuing health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
studioexpresso @ NAMM feat producers, musicians from its community
Curt Bisquera (Sarah McLachlan, Elton John), Kenny Aronoff (Smashing Pumpkins, John Mellencamp, Sting), Greg Penny (Elton John, KD Lang), Rafa Sardina (Lady Gaga, John Legend), Niko Bolas (Neil Young, LeAnn Rimes), Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hedrix, Kiss), Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Faith No More), Cheche Alara (Christina Aguilera), Kim Bullard (Elton John, Kelly Clarkson), Cristina Abaroa (Celine Dion, Enrique Iglasias), Brady Leffler (Hot Chelle Rae, Justin Beieber), Al Schmitt (Diana Krall, Paul McCartney), Alex Acuna (LA Phil, Beck), Teddy Campbell (American idol, The Tonight Show w Leno), Ellis Hall (Ray Charles, Tower of Power), Jacob Armen (Prince), Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt), Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Melody Gardot), Manny Marroquin (Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys), Dave Schiffman (Adele, Limp Bizkit), Gregg Field (Sinatra, Pharell), Sylvia Massy (Tool, Johnny Cash), CJ Vanston (Toto, spinal Tap), Dame Gail Dorsey (David Bowie, Gwen Stefani), Jenny Mason (The Mrs), Neal Pogue (Outkast, Andre 3000), Leland Sklar (Phil Collins, James Taylor), Moogie Canazio (Sergio Mendes, Sarah Vaughan), Laura Dickinson (Frozen II, Lady and the Tramp), Daniel Seeff (KJazz, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz), James Torme, and Brent Fischer (D'Angelo, Elvis Costello and The Roots).
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Making Most of The Dizzying Low Streaming Rates |
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There are many streaming charts circulating online from different sources with varying payoff rates. Most show artists are not rewarded properly for their work.
Like Dr. Wenowdis (Kate McKinnon from SNL) says: Wenowdis! Before you get stream happy, consider this. Not all streams are created equal. Content pool and user engagement still makes Napster the highest paying streaming platform. Amazon Music pays the most of any streaming service at $0.00402 or per stream. However, you can expect that a total stream count on these platforms will be minuscule compared to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or Pandora. Leverage your audience on Youtube with mostly non-paying users, they are the gorilla in the jungle! Youtube is a multi-sided platform in terms of payout. There are at least three separate payouts under the brands’ umbrella: per YouTube Premium/YouTube Music stream ($0.008), per video-stream on the official artist’s channels ($0.00164) and videos monetized through Content ID ($0.00087)
Then there's the fact that the streaming services use different subscription models, renders the average per stream payout, a faulty metric. If you're thinking promotion value, that's relative too. It's like the old adage: You want to be a small fish in a big pond or big fish in a small pond. What to do?
- Learn about and support pending laws that promote fairness for creators.
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Learn about musician-owned services like https://www.rewardmusic.com/ (D Zappa) and https://www.patreon.com/ (Jack Conte) where fans and artists gather.
- Stay informed and active with your marketing and distribution choices. Read and understand contracts or have someone you trust do it for you.
- Get your music on taste maker playlists
- Above all, communicate w your fans direct - send them to the best source for your music, merch, concert. etc. Grow your email list and social network. Educate your fans - The best way to support musicians you care about is to buy their albums on CD, vinyl, cassette or digitally from their official site.
Review this chart provided by legal firm Manatt in 2016
How Artists get paid from U.S. Music Streaming Royalties Explained here
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source: Producerhive
Ever wonder how many streams equals one sale?
The RIAA sets the magic number at 1,500 streams = one sale, for the purposes of tracking gold, platinum, etc.
The vast majority of musicians are not making enough to live on from streaming, but they shouldn’t expect to.
As with radio plays, their best hope is to attract an audience. They can do that on a music service like Spotify – Justin Bieber did it on YouTube, Billie Eilish on SoundCloud – without having to go via record labels, DJs and other gatekeepers. Other services promise the same exposure but take a good portion of your publishing. Also, streaming music services may have limited appeal for classical music or jazz fans who are album or even box set oriented. Know your audience!
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The Guitar Center Music Foundation Names Myka Miller
as New Executive Director
Miller to help take The Guitar Center Music Foundation to expand its philanthropic efforts
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The Guitar Center Music Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on granting instruments and other musician services to various music education organizations, announces the appointment of Myka Miller (left) as the non-profit’s new Executive Director.
The announcement was made by the Foundation’s Board of Directors and reflects the organization’s goal of growing its charitable initiatives in 2021 and beyond.
In her new role, Miller will be responsible for the successful operation and performance of The Guitar Center Music Foundation. Additional responsibilities will include working closely with the Board to sustain and grow existing funding while establishing new relationships and partnerships with prospective donors, fundraising networks, and the music industry at large, while actively seeking to expand the scope and reach of the Foundation. Miller is an award-winning and accomplished non-profit executive with more than 19 years of prior experience in entrepreneurship, program design, board development, fundraising, performance management, and cost management analysis. Most recently, Miller served as Executive Director/CEO at Harmony Project, a music education organization in Los Angeles. While there, she increased the program size from 250 students at one community site to over 3,500 participants in sixteen underrepresented communities and seven other cities nationwide.Under her leadership at the Harmony Project, Miller also launched new initiatives and nurtured cost-sharing partnerships with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Unified School District, LA City College, California Arts Council, the Sheriff’s Foundation and many other community organizations and school districts.
As a musician, Miller is uniquely aware of the needs and challenges of musicians today as well. “I am pleased to welcome Myka to The Guitar Center Music Foundation team. She truly believes in the power of music to transform lives and has the energy, drive and ability to make a difference on a larger scale with the Foundation and its amazing initiatives,” said David A. Helfant, Chairman of the Board for The Guitar Center Music Foundation. “I look forward to working closely with her and our Board with the goal of putting more instruments in the hands of many people and school districts in need.”
Miller has a master’s degree in Music and Business Administration from the University of Southern California. She is also a member of the El Sistema USA Board of Directors and sits on the founding board of the Compton Youth Activities League and Extera Public Schools in Boyle Heights.
The Guitar Center Music Foundation’s mission is to offer as many individuals as possible the invaluable experience of learning and playing a musical instrument. Since its original formation in 2005, the Foundation‘s charitable efforts have put instruments in the hands of over 300,000 persons nationwide during its rich history of supporting musicians through music education, music therapy programs and other music-centric non-profits.
To learn more, visit www.GuitarCenterFoundation.org and follow @GuitarCenterFoundation for more news or discover ways to support The Guitar Center Music Foundation.
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Memes have been circulating featuring Lady Gaga's espresso demitasse sip. That may be just the tip of the coffee iceberg for Ridley Scott's 'House of Gucci."
The Italian coffee company Costadoro is featured prominently in the ski-slopes scenes of Gucci trailer.
The star-studded cast - Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Salma Hayek and our favorite, Laday Gaga- may not be able to save the film from critics. LG plays Patrizia with her usual gusto. She is a girl of modest means who meets rich Gucci heir Maurizio (Adam Driver) at a party. They get married and she goes from innocent to a savvy businesswoman with a thirst for power. Sure, she pulls off sweet, seductive, fashionable. But, the murderous biopic, 'House of Gucci,' appears contrived. Aside from the critics not liking the actors' Italian accents, the writing and acting comes across cliché - pacing, make up, and script. How to miss the grandeur of a European fashion house on the silver screen. Lady Gaga has said she did her best to make it "a story about women and survival."
Maybe the lure of beautiful outfits and the Italian Alps will push audiences to the theaters, in this post-Covid era.
Some will wait for it to come to their home screen via Amazon Prime or Netflex.
Fashion designer Tom Ford who knew the family said this: “I was deeply sad for several days after watching ‘House of Gucci,’ a reaction that I think only those of us who knew the players and the play will feel.”
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The Soundtrack takes advantage of the film's $75 million budget with songs to include: Heart of Glass by Blondie, Ashes to Ashes by David Bowie, Here Comes the Rain Again by the Eurythmics -Annie Lennox, David Stewart and a lot of Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby, I Feel Love, On The Radio. The original score music is by Harry Gregson-Williams (The Chronicles of Narnia, Shrek, Mulan, The Equalizer). I guess, just glad to see the songs working. Actors too!
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"Above all, in music: the only medium, aside from fashion, more reactive to the times that mutate and mark the new, the today, the now.”
-- Alessandro Michele, Gucci's creative director
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The Gospel According to André
Story of André Leon Talley and his Passion for Fashion
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When it comes to fashion biopics this documentary is a heart warming and intimate portrait of André Leon Talley, a fixture in the world of fashion.
The Gospel According to André is directed and produced by Kate Novack with appearances by Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Valentino, and Manolo Blahnik.
His story is long before the BLM movement. It's the story of a young gay man reaching his dream by focusing on the prize and by rejecting distractions. At one point, Talley, in tears, shares how a Saint Laurent employee used to call him "Queen Kong" referring to his color and towering presence. He admits to the shame he felt at never having told her to stop saying it, believing success would be his best revenge. Check!
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André's passion for fashion lead him to some of his idols to include his mentor Diana Vreeland (left), former boss, a mother figure he affectionately, insistently refers to as “Mrs Vreeland."
His first move was to volunteer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. Mrs Vreeland spotted his meticulous work and asked him to be by her side for the rest of the '74 show dubbed "Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design."
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The film takes viewers on a journey from André's roots in Durham, North Carolina, growing up with his conservative, and fashionable grandmother.
"After all, Church Sunday is basically a fashion show, where everyone turns up in their finely pressed best," says Talley who moves to NY in the 70s and begins work at Interview Magazine. First, he's answering phones and getting lunch for Andy Warhol. Soon he friended likes of Warhol and Karl Lagerfeld. These friendships made him a regular at Studio 54 in the 80s, but he strenuously insists that he never partook in the drugs and casual sex scene. Again, having his eye on the prize: His career in Fashion.
This is Talley's journey from the segregated Jim Crow South to become one of the most influential taste makers of our times, including fashion maven with Vogue, Women's Wear Daily, Andy Warhol's Factory and America's Next Top Model. Deeply loving and inspiring.
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"Luxury is in your mind. Just Do it."
-- André Leon Talley
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Kennedy Center Honors Back with The Stars |
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This year's Kennedy Center Honorees are Joni Mitchell, Bette Mider, Berry Gordy, Lorne Michaels and Justino Díaz were celebrated this weekend with a reception at The White House, a medallion ceremony at The Library of Congress and a splashy, black-tie event at the performing arts center's Opera House. Stevie Wonder sang and played from the Kennedy Center stage, including "You are the Sunshine of My Life" and "Superstition." The tributes and performances were filmed for a special broadcast to air on CBS on Dec. 22 |
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Grammy Controversy With Nominees |
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The 2022 Grammys arrived amid a cloud of controversy, again.
Drake is easily one of the most influential rappers in the world — and his impact certainly goes beyond rap. Last year, after the Weeknd received zero noms Drake wrote: “I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards.”
This year Drake rejected his two Grammy nominations for 2022 and requested them to be withdrawn. South Korean boy band BTS, who recently made headlines for winning three awards at the American Music Awards 2021, has received just one nomination. Thier hit song, Butter, that spent 10 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart, was not nominated for the Best Song category. Butter sold a whopping 2,490,969 copies in July. The band is loving the extra attention, thanks to their angry fans on Twitter.
Meantime, Jon Batiste and Justin Bieber take the lead for top nominations in 2022. Bandleader, pianist and composer Batiste received nominations in 11 categories, including Album of the Year for Batist's We Are, Record of the Year (song "Freedom"), Best R&B Album (also for We Are), Best Jazz Instrumental Album (for his album of music from and inspired by the Disney/Pixar film Soul), Best American Roots Song ("Cry") and Best Contemporary Classical Composition, for his piece Movement 11'.
Prince would tell you controversy is good. In this case good for both the show and the stars.
The ceremony, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards will take place on Mon, Jan. 31, 2022.
Congrats to all you successful artists, nominees or not.
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We Love Him For Playing Bass And Flipping the Bird
New Book from Lee Sklar, Everybody Loves Me
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You may not know his name, but you have heard the sound of his bass in stores, hotels, schools, planes, trains...everywhere!
He was the bass player for the band Toto in 2007 and 2008, filling in for Mike Porcaro. He has over 2,000 albums to his credit. That's not the only reason why everybody loves Lee Sklar. In his new book, "Everybody Loves Me" Sklar explains.
Perhaps it's collaborations with James Taylor, Phil Collins, and Jackson Browne, Dolly Parton, Randy Newman, Michael Jackson...Perhaps it's his attitude,
his philosophy of life. Perhaps it's how he flips the bird?!
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In 2004, Phil Collins hired him for his farewell tour. Lee brought a camera to make a photo album of everyone who made the tour happen, from the caterers to the drivers to the security guards. His first shot was of his bass tech, Steve “Chinner” Winstead. Chinner flipped him the bird, which delighted Lee. Over the course of 16 years, Lee has amassed 11,000 photos of middle fingers from all over the world. Fans, collaborators, and colleagues; movie stars and rock legends alongside hundreds of the forgotten faces that populate life on the road. People that share a moment, or an evening, and then disappear forever. But something about flipping the bird made the interactions less anonymous. In a sea of anonymity, humor always connects us. It's a reminder not to take ourselves so seriously. Thank you for your humility, sense of humor and thank you for all the great music Lee Sklar! Makes a fun book addition for you coffee table at home or studio. Order it here at Amazon
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Maximize Your Streaming Potential with Diurnal Fluctuations |
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In a study published this week by The Royal Society, researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark analyzed streaming data for nearly 4 million songs on Spotify to see if there was a pattern to the types of music we listen to over a 24-hour period.
"We found that we could categorize it into five distinct time blocks throughout the day," says lead researcher Ole Adrian Heggli. It comes down to "diurnal fluctuations" and how the "rhythm of human life is governed by diurnal cycles." So what is a song with musical qualities that would allow it to drift through all five time blocks? You guessed it: "Every Breath You Take" by The Police.
Sting wrote the song in 1982, and it was later included on the band's fifth and final album Synchronicity, released a year later. Sting later said: "I woke up in the middle of the night with that line in my head, sat down at the piano and had written it in half an hour...It sounds like a comforting love song. I didn't realize at the time how sinister it is. I think I was thinking of Big Brother, surveillance and control."
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Eggnog Cocktail
This creamy cocktail will be the hit at your party!
Ingredients
- .5 oz Brandy
- .5 oz dark rum
- 3 oz store bought eggnog
- Dash nutmeg
- Dash cinnamon
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Until next year,
Walk the walk with a song in your heart.
We will be back in 2022!
Music Lives and Moves!
Claris Sayadian-Dodge founder/editor
claris@studioexpresso.com
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With Thanksgiving and Holidays, we think of people who make a difference in our lives. There are many among you to thank.
Last week I was fortunate to reconnect with a dear music colleague of mine. He successfully promoted many top LA musicians internationally. Then he disappeared for a decade. We all missed him but didn't realize that his misfortune in business kept him away. During our zoom call, he tipped me on a meditative practice that has helped him recover and bounce back. He said it's from a book by an ancient Japanese monk.
Walk and meditate half hour a day, every day. For the first 15 minutes, think of everyone you want to say "I'm Sorry." For the next 15 minutes, think of everyone you want to say "Thank you." He insists "You have to walk and recite names while you say I'm sorry and Thank you."
He also shared how he was happy to be listening to his large collection of music again - Freddy Mercury, John Lennon, Allan Holdsworth, The Beatles. I remembered why I like my colleague in the first place. It's good to have him back in my life. It's good to have all of you dear readers.
Thank you. Happy Holidays!
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818-990-3031 fn
800.717.Keys Toll Free
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