june 2024

'Tis summer-time, and the livin' is easy...musicians are jumpin' near and far. We're thrilled to bring you a magical composer-owned studio tour where rare music toys take center stage. Come hear her pipes and watch her story! Audio pros gather in the city of angels and in the windy city to mix and talk sound. We have new gear, new releases, a photo exhibit, film and wine reviews, label promotion, and dates for your social calendar. We remain grateful to you, our valued creators, contributors and supporters. Grab an espresso and enjoy this month's serving!

Above and below: Emmy-Award winning composer Nathan Barr at Bandrika Studios with . photos: Bandrika & Nathan Barr

Emmy-winning Composer Nathan Barr (The Americans, True Blood) has a diverse roster of film and television credits that include Hulu's The Great, Amblin's The House With A Clock In Its Walls, FX's The Americans, HBO's True Blood, and most recently Netflix's The Diplomat and The Beanie Bubble on Apple TV Plus, and many more. Barr has become known for his unique, organic, and versatile approach to scoring film and television projects. His background as a multi-instrumentalist and fascination with unique musical instruments inspire his compositions, lending to each of his projects a distinct and evocative palette. Read more below and here

We met with Barr in June at his studio, Bandrika, now open to outside projects! Barr talks about his passion for music and sound in this exclusive interview with studioexpresso

SE: For this interview, I had to watch The Lady Vanishes!

Good story told by a master! You named your studio after this film directed by Hitchcock. Why?

NB: Because the film takes place in a fictitious country called Bandrika where music is a central part of that country's culture, just as it is the focal point of my studio. Further, I wanted visitors to my studio to feel as if they were visiting a far away country, like Bandrika in the film, unlike anything they have experienced before. To come to the studio is to step outside of Los Angeles into a creative cocoon unlike any other.

SE: Quite true! You say Bandrika is the expression of your obsessiveness as composer and musician to create the perfect home to record. When did this love for music and instruments begin? Your early education and/or mentors.

NB: My love of instruments from all over the world began in childhood. I grew up in a home with an old mandolin, a piano, a harpsichord, a shakuhachi, a koto, and quite a few non-Western instruments. So from an early age I was picking up instruments I didn’t know how to play and making music with them. I studied cello beginning at nine and picked up guitar around eleven years old. Music was magic and escape from my earliest years.

SE: I can think of many musicians who would feel like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory at Bandrika! What made you open your studio to others (initially built to serve as your private studio)?

NB: I wanted a couple years to explore what I had built before opening it to others. It’s intended to be a very welcoming environment, a creative oasis of sorts, and I had enough friends coming in and seeing and hearing the space saying “you’ve got to open this to others” that I finally relented. Also, I want the studio’s reputation to grow during my life and having many composers and musicians work and record at the studio will help that goal. 

SE: Besides the Wurlitzer organ, what were your must-have design features and what was the experience of working with studio designer, Jay Kaufman? 

NB: Jay brings a level or practical thinking and knowledge to studios that is unparalleled in my experience in the industry. He was central to making the studio what it is today. I wanted a stage with a sonic identity (as opposed to large space with no acoustic personality.) I wanted the main room to accommodate 40-50 orchestral players, and I wanted it completely sound-isolated from the exterior and other interior spaces. I also wanted it to be an aesthetically beautiful space to work in. I want it to be a room musicians enter and immediately want to make music in. I think all these goals have been accomplished. 

SE: Harry Risoleo books your studio and also engineers for you. how did you find him and does he assist clients when outside engineers or composers work here?

NB: Harry began working for me the very first week the studio opened in May of 2018. He went to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. A professor of our’s recommended him and I am so grateful he did because Harry has become a crucial part of the studio today. He is a brilliant engineer and mixer in his own right, but is also happy to assist outside engineers and always gets top marks from anyone who works with him. 

Right: Emmy and Grammy winning Diane Warren and composer Leslie Barber with composer Nathan Barr at Bandrika Studio

SE: What can you say about the scoring film/tv industry today. One thing you could change?

NB: The industry is undergoing an enormous change right now between AI and streaming platforms, among other things. Overall it feels like music as an occupation is under attack by those who want to maximize profit at the expense of the musicians who create it. If I could change one thing it would be to back off from the growing trend I see of studios and platforms going after the royalties of younger composers who are just starting out, because they are far more vulnerable than I and the established composers are. 

SE: You have a fascination with technology reflected in your collection of instruments and recording gear from periods ranging from 1700s to today. Name two instruments that are extra special to you and explain why? 

NB: The Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ is special to me because it represents the height of technology and imagination going to work in service of the earliest days of movie-making. I also invented a Sympathetic Drone Cello, expertly built by Fred and Suzy Carlson, which represents the way I think about music. It has a mechanical drone with four strings, 10 sympathetic strings, and 5 main strings with an E on top. 

SE: Your beverage of choice?

NB: A latte made with a combination of heavy cream and whole milk - very decadent.

SE: Ah, my order exactly with a request to book Bandrika next!

Special Thanks to Paula Salvatore for accompanying me on this magical tour and reminding us that Bandrika is now available for your booking requests!

Experience The Joy of Recording at Bandrika 

Enter The Creative Cocoon For Musicians Created By Composer Nathan Barr

Emmy-winning Composer Nathan Barr (The Americans, True Blood ) is a preservationist at heart, building on the legacy of Hollywood TV and Film. So, when it came time to design his own studio, it was natural to fill the modern space with historically significant musical instruments.

Barr composed the main title theme for Amazon's Carnival Row on the Barr-Fox Wurlitzer 3-manual, 19-rank Theater Organ with 1,366 pipes that takes center-stage in Bandrika studio's scoring room. The organ formerly lived at Newman scoring stage from 1928-1997, and can be heard in dozens of scores by legendary composers such as Bernard Herrmann, Alex North, Jerry Goldsmith, and John Williams.

Taking its name from the fictitious country in which Alfred Hitchcock's "The Lady Vanishes" is set, Bandrika has been — much like its namesake — a hidden corner of the music world in Los Angeles, until now! In its short history, Bandrika has welcomed scores of top composers, musicians, and engineers, through its doors, carrying forward the tradition of recording live music in Los Angeles. Since its inception in 2018, Bandrika has helped birth countless elaborate, rich and emotional soundtracks for film or TV. Past sessions include: John Powell recording choir, or Danny Elfman conjuring a mystical, haunting backdrop for The Grinch, or Kris Bowers creating a spooky world for The Haunted Mansion.

The original building was a 2-story commercial structure. The ceiling was removed at the stage location to allow for full height. According to Designer Jay Kaufman, this project had lots of twists and turns. "It’s not often that you need to find a building that will work well for a pipe organ and scoring stage. Nate had me look at many buildings for acceptable height, square footage, exterior noise, parking, etc," says Kaufman. Barr found a good fit in Tarzana that met both Kaufman's and the organ restorer and installer Ken Chrome's required sizes and specifications. The organ underwent a comprehensive 5-year restoration, during which time its home. The 3 organ chamber sizes were initially specified based on the Fox chambers. According to Kuafman, one of the challenges for the space was the required width of the stage to house the organ equipment. "Typically, pipe organs produce lots of extraneous noise from the huge blower to the regulators, tremulants, etc. But since this was being used in a scoring stage, noise levels were critical. The design produced an extremely low noise floor. I designed the entire facility. Soler Architecture was responsible for all things permit-related and finishes, plus the awesome upstairs lounge with a full kitchen. The acoustics in the stage is quite extraordinary, and works beautifully for organ or orchestra performances, and for scoring," adds Kaufman of Kaufman & Associates. 

Below: Alan Steinberger at Bandrika with the harpsichord built by Keith Hill, circa 1988. Right: Engineer Jason LaRocca at Bandrika. Left: Among Bandrika Hollywood history memorabilia, a drum head autographed by notable film stars!

"This studio is an expression of my obsessiveness as a musician and composer to create the perfect home for recording music," says Barr. Hailed by legendary scoring mixer Peter Cobbin as "The best room of its size in the world to record in right now." Bandrika is recognized by top composers and engineers as a generous and brilliant acoustic space. The studio can accommodate up to a mid-size orchestra. A collection of rare and unusual musical instruments, including the Wurlitzer pipe organ, are available for use.

The control room features an expansive, flexible producer's desk that can be configured to suit the needs of anyone working at it. It features a pull-out keyboard, sit-stand functionality, and modular screens to maximize productivity and comfort. An Avid S3 is placed on the desk for Pro Tools monitoring and mixing during sessions. The listening experience is courtesy of a thunderous 5.1 Bowers and Wilkins 800-series Diamond loudspeaker system driven by Rotel amplifiers and a grace m906 monitor controller.

"At present, all of the microphones in the studio's collection are newly made - we find it easier during fast-paced sessions to know that our equipment will be working properly every time we turn it on. That said, we have relationships with rental companies throughout LA and can source vintage mics when necessary. And, engineers who come to work at the studio are always welcome to bring their own mics to use and experiment. One of our favorites in the Bandrika locker is the Chandler REDD microphone - our matched trio of REDDs gets used on just about every session! They compliment the sound of the room beautifully," says studio manager, Harry Risoleo.

Sample of Available Instruments at Bandrika

Replica of a glass Armonica invented by Benjamin Franklin, built by G. Finkenbeiner in Waltham, MA

A Nyckelharpa (bowed chordophone) from Sweden built by Esbjörn Hogmark.

A mechanical Clock Organ from 1790, maker unknown.

Euphonicon Upright Piano, built by F. Beale and Co. (1843)

Steinway Model D grand piano

An extensive assortment of percussion and guitars

Wurlitzer pipe organ 3-manual, 19-rank Theater Organ with 1,366 pipes!

East West's legendary Studio One (Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones) is booked for variety of sessions from single voice to 70-piece symphonic orchestra. Brent Fischer Orchestra recorded in one with a 56-piece ensemble.

Spanning over 61,000 cubic feet with a vibrant sound, the iconic studio comes complete with a spacious isolation booth and a beautiful Bechstein D-280 Concert Grand Piano. The control room features an 80-channel Neve 8078 Console, the largest in the world (originally commissioned for Michael Jackson's best-selling album, Thriller).

Each room at East West is equipped with a DB Technologies db4496 A/D-D/A Converter and ATC SCM25 Pro Mk2 house monitors along with NS10/ProAc speakers and are set up with Pro tools HD.

RIght: Grammy-winner producers Brent Fischer and Dave Reitzas in studio one control room during a VIP event hosted by Source Connect

photos: by the C

Housed in 1920s Medinah Temple, the historic landmark studios, for almost six decades, The Village has recorded hundreds of legendary Grammy Award-winning albums and Academy Award-winning movie soundtracks. One of the studio's Grammy-winning, staff engineers, Alex Williams, used ATC 25s on the Jon Batiste We Are sessions, as well as the award-winning Odessa sessions. He also worked with Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Regina Spektor, Perry Farrell and many more. Noted Williams, “The quality of ATC’s design and construction is apparent upon opening the box. From recording to mixing, the ATCs perform flawlessly on rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz, or orchestral. I know what I’m hearing is what I’m getting. I’m thrilled that The Village is outfitting three studios with the new ATC SCM25A Pro Mk2s.”

“Choosing ATC SCM25A Pro Mk2s for Village's main studios is an incredible validation of this product’s excellence,” says Brad Lunde, president and founder of TransAudio Group.

Top Right: Jeff Greenberg, owner and CEO with Snoop Dogg at The Village

Who am I? What’s my purpose? What will I leave behind? The film features extraordinary access to the artist, Linda Perry, and her most intimate ways to cope and create. The film, premiering at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival in June, features artists such as Christina Aguilera, Dolly Parton, and Brandi Carlile. They discuss the songwriting process and explain their experiences working with Perry. Perry also gives the audience a glimpse of the production work she does for film scores. Her massive hit single What’s Up with her band 4 Non-Blondes made her an icon. She went on to reinvent herself as a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer, penning hit-after-hit for artists like Dolly Parton, Christina  Aguilera, Celine Dion, Pink, Adele, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Weezer, Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys, The Chicks, and others.

One of her methods of activism is to encourage more women in the tech space within the music industry. Her experiences as a mother and as a breast cancer survivor are documented in the film. Award-winning filmmaker Don Hardy explores the life of pioneering songwriter and producer Linda Perry in this intimate and revealing journey in 93 minutes, distributed by Mercury Studios + Utopia. Watch the trailer here



Above: EARS Chicago Presentation of Immersive Audio Experience featuring ATC speakers at Philharmonic Studios. Left: Brian Culberton (next to ATC speaker and console) is among numerous high-profile musicians like Nathan East who record at Philharmonic Studios.

Nestled in an idyllic wooded setting just thirty miles north of Chicago, Philharmonic Studios™ offers a comprehensive array of services to a diverse, discerning clientele, including producing orchestral and choral music.

Studio's Gregory Miner hosted this event in their world-class studio presented by EARS (Engineering and Recording Society), Chicago on May 28.

David Seal from ATC was on hand to show and tell the popular speakers.

With over twenty five years experience as a producer, recording artist and touring musician, Greg Miner brings a wealth of knowledge to his clients. Studio A is a spacious Live Room with three isolation booths for maximum flexibility. The control room has a 40-Channel API 2448 all-discrete console. Studio B is one of the finest Dolby ATMOS environments available featuring an ATC Loudspeakers 7.1.4 configuration. This exciting multichannel format brings new possibilities in recording and performance. It is also a superb studio for stereo mastering, 5.1 mixing and binaural deliverables including an Avid S6 Controller and Dolby ATMOS Renderer. Studio C is eminently suited to modern production workflows in Pop, R&B, EDM and other genres. Here you'll find a 24-Channel SSL AWS Console, a spacious isolation booth adds further flexibility for overdubbing, voice-over work and composition. The ability to patch into Studio A’s Live Room and isolation booths offers significant creative possibilities for the most demanding projects.

There's a premier selection of outboard from Pultec, Neve, Fairchild and many others in this Russ Berger Design Group facility.

Philharmonic Studios, 800 Forest Edge Drive, Vernon Hills (Chicago)

Starstruck Entertainment, the parent company of Starstruck Studios was founded in 1988 by Narvel Blackstock. Located on Music Row, Starstruck Studios is considered one of the top iconic Nashville recording facilities, and recently chose an ATC 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos configuration and paired it with their SSL System TS-500 console for their Dolby Atmos room.

"ATC 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos system is cited as the speaker system of choice for the growing number of multichannel immersive sound studios.

Manufactured and designed in the UK to the highest engineering standards, it was only natural ATC could develop this solid niche," says Brad Lunde of Trans Audio Group.

Invest in Good Speaker Stands. Why? While looks can be deceiving, you must have seen concrete blocks and other DIY configurations used in some project studios. Speaker stands may not be on top of your purchasing list, but this 19-minute video by Colt Capperrune @ColtCapperrune may change your mind. $20 block stands are compared with professional stands ranging from $140 Gators to $1,200 Sound Anchor stands. Can you guess which one performs the best? check it out here Adjust-ability is also important for Speakers. For optimum sound quality the speaker’s acoustical axis should be at approximately ear level for the most consistent and best sound.

Sound Anchor adjustable monitor stands allow you to adjust the position of the monitors (height, angle and tilt) so you can place the monitors where they need to be for the highest quality sound.

Sound Anchors and Redmount products are designed and manufactured in Palm Bay, Florida U.S.A. using American parts and skilled American labor. click here for Sound Anchor dealers in USA

ATC models:

SCM25As

SCM45As,

SCM50ASLs

SCM100ASLs

"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

ABOUT TRANSAUDIO GROUP

TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier U.S. importer/distributor and/or U.S. sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. Success hinges on TransAudio providing dealers and end users with a higher standard of product expertise and support far beyond the norm.

ATC SCM 25a pro mk2 has been upgraded with ATC’s hand made proprietary SH25-76S Dual Suspension Tweeter, extending the high-frequency response with a reduction in distortion. " Like the original SCM25A, the new upgraded Mk2 is a compact 3-way high-performance active studio monitor loudspeaker, based around the hand made proprietary ATC 3”/75mm soft mid-dome driver and 6.5”/164mm bass driver loaded in a 25-litre vented cabinet," adds Brad Lunde, President of Trans Audio Group. The monitor’s combination of exceptional mid-range clarity, high-output, extended bass response and modest size make it ideal for nearfield monitoring across a wide range of critical applications. ATC of England is the insider’s studio monitor, demanded by the very top level of the music recording community. ATC designs and manufactures nearly all their proprietary components, drivers, and electronics in-house to the absolute highest quality standards. The best of the best rely on ATC monitoring as their main solution for tracking, mixing and mastering. 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

TransAudio Group, U.S. distributer of the finest professional recording equipment in the world, is pleased to announce the new ATC SCS70 Pro, a compact, ultra-high performance subwoofer using ATC’s first, in-house-designed and built sub driver.

Designed by Billy Woodman and his team of engineers, this new 12-inch sub driver delivers the kind of honest and detailed low-frequency information that professionals have come to expect from ATC.  “Subwoofers can be a source of distortion, making the mixing or mastering process a guessing game. Now an ATC system, complete with the one or two SCS70 subs, can deliver full bandwidth audio for any genre, enabling superior translation on any system it gets played on, from ear buds to home hi-fi to clubs and everything in-between. Other subwoofers rely on EQ and poorly implemented ports, transmission lines or passive radiators to boost low end and make their subs sound impressive," says Brad Lunde

USA List Price: $5,490.00 USA MAP: $4,990.00

FISCHER LATIN JAZZ + SINGERS

@ LACMA

5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Sat June 29, 5-7 pm

FREE Concert

Latin Sounds at LACMA features world-renowned artists. Fischer West Coast sounds return to LACMA by popular demand on Saturday June 29, 5-7 pm with band leader, Grammy®-winning producer, arranger, and multi instrumentalist, Brent Fischer.

studioexpresso community is invited to this 2024 Salsa picante Reunion & celebration!

studioexpresso and Trans Audio Group have featured many producers, and musicians over the past ten years of TEC Track's history at NAMM

Curt Bisquera (Sarah McLachlan, Elton John), Kenny Aronoff (Smashing Pumpkins, John Mellencamp, Sting), Greg Penny (Elton John, KD Lang), Rafa Sardina (Lady Gaga, John Legend), Niko Bolas (Neil Young, LeAnn Rimes), Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hedrix, Kiss), Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Faith No More), Cheche Alara (Christina Aguilera), Kim Bullard (Elton John, Kelly Clarkson), Cristina Abaroa (Celine Dion, Enrique Iglasias), Brady Leffler (Hot Chelle Rae, Justin Beieber), Al Schmitt (Diana Krall, Paul McCartney), Alex Acuna (LA Phil, Beck), Teddy Campbell (American idol, The Tonight Show w Leno), Ellis Hall (Ray Charles, Tower of Power), Jacob Armen (Prince), Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt), Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Melody Gardot), Manny Marroquin (Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys), Dave Schiffman (Adele, Limp Bizkit), Gregg Field (Sinatra, Pharell), Sylvia Massy (Tool, Johnny Cash), CJ Vanston (Toto, spinal Tap), Dame Gail Dorsey (David Bowie, Gwen Stefani), Jenny Mason (The Mrs), Neal Pogue (Outkast, Andre 3000), Leland Sklar (Phil Collins, James Taylor), Moogie Canazio (Sergio Mendes, Sarah Vaughan), Daniel Seeff (KJazz, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz), James Torme, Zev Feldman of Resonance Records (Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Nat King Cole), John Wooler of Mood Media (Flying Lotus, Elton John, Miles Davis), David Benoit, Matt Wong, Ryan Ulyate (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), Ian Charbonneau (Mana, Neil Young, Jake Owen) and Grammy^®-winning Brent Fischer (Usher, Elvis Costello, Symphonic Prince).

Marek Walaszek, inventor and founder of Bettermaker, enjoys a glowing reputation of creating award-winning, professional grade mixing and mastering hardware and software. The new Bettermaker Valve Stereo Passive Equalizer (VSPE) is the first Bettermaker product featuring original tube technology along with new company designed and manufactured transformers.

"The vacuum tubes selected for the VSPE are military grade with very strict requirements for extremely low levels of noise and distortion," says Brad Lunde of TransAudio Group, the distributor of world-class audio equipment.

A breakthrough in audio engineering, the VSPE combines the warmth of a vacuum tube stereo EQ, with the precision of digital control and recall.

Bettermaker’s VSPE includes a DAW plugin that allows you to control and recall all settings of the analog hardware via USB. Along with standard parameter control, it provides high-quality digital HPF and LPF spectrum analyzer session snapshots, dual mono operation, audio level metering, and quantize (step) mode for all hardware knobs. VSPE filters are also adjustable by dragging handles on the EQ curve graph.

“The vintage analog sound of passive EQ’s so loved by engineers is replicated in the new Bettermaker Valve Stereo Passive Equalizer. The VSPE easily captures the musicality and tone of a performance with digital precision,” adds Lunde.

For technical specifications, go to the VSPE Product Page.

Units are Now Available. Price: $2999.00

Bettermaker Mastering Limiter 2.0 Convenient, easy-to-use plug-in control and instant recall.

“From Grammy-award winners, to top international recording artists, home and free-standing recording studios, the original Mastering Limiter is that piece of go-to gear that adds that particular dynamic edge and significant touch towards the end of the recording process.

The Bettermaker Mastering Limiter 2.0 has faster release time, a lowered noise floor and the same 100% analog signal path with the ease of digital plug-in control and recall. This one is a superstar product,” adds Brad Lunde, president, and founder of TransAudio Group

Watch Vlog review by DJ, Producer, Jon Sine of the new Bettermaker Mastering 2.0 here

The Bettermaker Mastering Limiter 2.0 is priced at $3,500 in USA and is now available for shipping.

"The Daking Mic Pre 4T, nominated for a TEC Award 2023, will elevate any recording offering unique solutions to common problems," say Brad Lunde (click top left image for a video presentation by Brad Lunde). The “low-distortion” Jensen input and output transformers offer more linear low-end performance under super dynamic conditions. Daking’s own variable high-pass filter dials out the low-frequency mud that can be subsonic and will decrease available headroom. Built in the USA, Daking uses only high-end parts like Jensen input and output transformers in a high-end design using all-discrete transistor Class A circuitry. Unusually high 24dB of headroom and easy to read twenty segment meters make proper gain staging easy and forgiving under a wider array of conditions.

Auratone Celebrates its 50th anniversary, Auratone and its US distributor, TransAudio Group, introduced the first-ever Active 5C, nominated for TEC Awards at NAMM 2023.

A careful R&D process has been implemented to maintain the original characteristics of the 5C, utilizing the same amplifier design from the NAMM TEC Award winning A2-30 amplifier.

“We were happy to get boutique Polish manufacturer Bettermaker together with Alex Jacobsen, owner, and grandson of founder Jack Wilson, for the perfectly matched A2-30 amplifier. Now, the two companies have collaborated to get a mono amplifier that contains the guts and soul of the A2-30 into each chassis for the active version,” says Brad Lunde, founder, and president of TransAudio Group.

The Auratone Active 5C is now shipping • MAP: $749/pair

Like the other 5C variants, the Auratone ACTIVE 5C is made in the USA.



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 

Questions- pricing, availability and dealer locations please email sales@transaudiogroup.com

TransAudio Group, the U.S. distributor of world-class audio recording gear, announces the

Drawmer 1977 – the company’s most versatile channel strip to date.

“For over 45 years, Drawmer has been on the forefront of creating and manufacturing beautiful sounding analog gear,” noted Brad Lunde, president, and founder of TransAudio Group. “With the Drawmer 1977, they combined the richness of analog sound with the functionally needed in today’s recording environments. The concept is legendary. The implementation is difficult. Yet somehow Ivor Drawmer and his team made it happen with the creation of the 1977 Channel Strip. I’m excited to bring this product to market. It’s going to meet the almost eternal quest to bring more of that ‘70s analog sound to today’s recordings.”

The Drawmer 1977 is priced at $1749 and is now available.

The new Drawmer 1971 4-band parametric EQ, available in the U.S. from TransAudio Group.

Trans Audio Group (TAG) has made its mission to deliver creative, problem-solving, and bulletproof products to recording studios around the world. This month, the U.S. Distributor for Drawmer, TAG, is introducing the all new Drawmer 1971 4-Band Parametric EQ. This new edition to the Drawmer 70s series of FET-based gear offers two channels of fully featured 4-band parametric EQ and a new CRUSH button with the ability to deliver a myriad of unique musical applications on each bandwidth.

Noted Brad Lunde, president and founder of TransAudio Group, “Widely popular, the Drawmer 70’s series has received many industry awards, and this new EQ is sure to follow. The features embodied in the 1971, plus the amazing new CRUSH button, allow for fine-tuned tactile tone sculpting. CRUSH is a dramatic tool. Engineers and producers will love the diverse and subtle creative options. Drawmer gear is designed and handmade by Drawmer in the UK – no small feat for a pro audio manufacturer.”

Units are Now Available. Price: $1799.00 Details here

KellyBolton_JessicaAmersonPhotography



Kelly Bolton has joined Warner Records as VP of A&R. Working out of Nashville, she will collaborate closely with Co-Chairman & CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck on signing, developing, and cultivating country artists for the Los Angeles-based label. She reports directly to EVP/Head of A&R, Karen Kwak.

Warner Records has firmly committed to building a new vanguard of country-leaning superstars. Guided by Bay-Schuck’s visionary A&R expertise in conjunction with Co-Chairman & COO Tom Corson, the label has broken some of the genre’s hottest acts, dominating the charts and generating billions of streams with marquee releases from Zach Bryan, Warren Zeiders, Dasha, and more. 

Bay-Schuck said: “I’ve known Kelly for years, and her ear for talent is impeccable. She’s widely admired not only in the Nashville artist and songwriter community, but throughout the industry. Her addition to the team enables us to have boots on the ground in Music City with the advantage to actively engage, sign, and develop new artists hands-on. The potential to make a major impact is limitless.”

Bolton added: “I’m excited for this new role, and I’m honored to have the ability and latitude to take these artists to a mainstream label. It’s a unique position. Living and working in Nashville and helping artists reach a global platform is the best of both worlds. I’d like to thank Aaron, Tom, Karen, and the entire team for this incredible opportunity.”

Bolton most recently served a five-year stint at Ashley Gorley’s Tape Room Music, where she grew from VP of Creative to SVP, A&R. She built out a roster of 15 songwriters, overseeing creative and artist strategy for the company. Throughout her tenure at Tape Room Music, the roster earned 25 country No. 1s, while Gorley personally notched a staggering 40 No. 1s. Prior stops include Big Deal Music, where she signed and developed talent both in Nashville and Los Angeles, as well as Black River Entertainment where Bolton launched her career in publishing over a decade ago. She spent three years there and proved instrumental to the careers of Kelsea Ballerini and others.

An all-star cast lent their talents to Sugaray Rayford's new album, Human Decency released on Forty Below Zero records in June. Guest artists include: Guitarist Rick Holmstrom and singer Saundra Williams who are both from Mavis Staples’s band, along with bassist Taras Prodaniuk (Lucinda Williams, Merle Haggard).

Working with producer, songwriter Eric Corne for the past 3 albums,Rayford combines classic soul melodies and funky R&B grooves with raw blues power on Human Decency.

A simple reminder that our similarities are stronger than our differences. "I’m gonna tell it to you straight but with love in my heart. I always bring some suga with the salt!” says Sugaray, bellowing with laughter.

Forty Below Records is an independent record label and production company founded by producer and musician, Eric Corne. Forty Below Records has released music by John Mayall, Sugaray Rayford, Sam Morrow, Freedy Johnston, Joe Louis Walker, Jaime Wyatt, Tony Holiday, The Bacon Brothers, to name a few. Corne has produced multiple Billboard Blues #1 albums and his resume includes recording the likes of Glen Campbell, Lucinda Williams, John Mayall, DeVotchKa, Walter Trout, Joe Bonamassa, Beth Hart, Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Nancy Wilson (Heart), Joe Walsh, to name a few.

Songs like Time After Time, and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun dominated the 80s. Pop music icon Cyndi Lauper, 70, pressed her hands and shoes into the cement outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood earlier in June 2024. She sold more than 50 million records and earned Grammy, Tony and Emmy awards. Lauper was introduced to the ceremony by longtime friend Cher, who complimented her voice. "I'm a pretty good singer," Cher said. "Cyndi is a great singer." "She's always used her platform to fight for the underdog, especially women, people living with HIV/AIDS and the entire LGBTQ + community," said singer Bebe Rexha.

Directed by Emmy® Award-winning documentary maker Alison Ellwood, Let the Canary Sing made its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival. Produced by Fine Point Films and Sony Music Entertainment in association with Concord Originals, the film chronicles Lauper’s ascent to stardom and her profound impact on generations through her music, ever-evolving punk style, unwavering feminism, and tireless advocacy.

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, has released a companion product to the documentary of the same name. The Let the Canary Sing companion album is a career-spanning collection that follows Lauper’s career. The album is available now on vinyl and as a digitally expanded edition.

Lauper's honor came one day after she announced a farewell tour, which will have one stop at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on November 23. GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN FAREWELL TOUR starts on Fri Oct 18 | Montreal, QC | Bell Centre.

"I'm honored...All those times bowing in front of my shower curtain when I was nine. And here I am. Thank you," Lauper said at the Hollywood ceremony.

Music legend Dolly Parton announced from the stage of the CMA Fest in Nashville that she will partner with ATG Productions to bring a new musical inspired by her life and trailblazing career, titled Hello, I’m Dolly, to Broadway in 2026. "I’ve written many original songs for the show and included all your favorites in it as well. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll clap, you’ll stomp, it truly is a Grand Ol’ Opera. Pun and fun intended. Don’t miss it!” said Parton.

"Dolly is a magical blend of talent, hard work, intelligence, charm, wit, and a gigantically big heart. I’m thrilled we’re going to bring her inspiring story to Broadway,” said Adam Speers. Produced by Dolly, Speers for ATG Productions, and Danny Nozell for CTK Enterprises, the new musical borrows its title from the name of Dolly’s first studio album released in 1967. There's also a book by Dolly and Maria S. Schlatter in the works

Also this month, U.S. consumers who pre-order Dolly Wines California Chardonnay 2023 through Vivino can take advantage of the limited time ‘$1 Dolly Days.’ For $1 at checkout they can sign-up for a month of Vivino Plus, to receive free shipping on their order. The pre-sale orders will start shipping on June 25, 2024 and will go on sale in the United States to leading retailers in July 2024.

At her press conference from Fan Fair X at CMA Fest on June 6, Dolly kicked off her Dolly! In a deal brokered by IMG, the initial Dolly Wines range features three varietals including Chardonnay, Rosé and Prosecco, with a fourth varietal, Sparkling, launching in Australia in September 2024 under the Dolly Parton label. The Rosé and Prosecco will be released in Fall 2024 to retailers across the United Kingdom. Dolly Cheers!

L-R: Included in the John & Furnish Collection at V&A: Elton John: Egg On His Face, New York, David LaChapelle, 1999; Simply Fragile, Tyler Mitchell, 2022; Elton John with Top Hat Herb Rits, 1989

With Paula Salvatore at Bandrika studio

Happy belated Father's Day to all you good Dads who raise families and spirits and do it artfully!

Express your creativity and truth at all cost, and make our world a beautiful place.

Tell us about your new release, event, or reach out for music production support.

Sparkle like it's 4th of July (a week from today!) and stay well and in touch, until next month,

Music Lives and Moves!



Claris Sayadian-Dodge, founder/editor

claris@studioexpresso.com