Library
Feudal Records


Library's debut EP is due March 10th on Feudal Records. Catchy upbeat melodies with lush arrangements that call you on the dance floor coupled with raw vocals and trance-like grooves in "You don't need No doctor". The mixes are edgy and fresh similar to what's being spun at clubs in "No Mercy DJ..." with special effects from a siren to loop de loop vinalicious. And "It Ain't Over" until you hear the slap stick beat that shows off lead singer's throaty vocals. This coupled with a modern EP cover that hints the depth of colors and hues present in this solid production from Robert Shahnazarian Jr (Snow Patrol, Keane) and mixed by Mark Needham (The Killers, Fleetwood Mac) featuring remixes by DJ Skeet Skeet, DJ Skrillex, and The Library as well as performances by Court Alexander (vocalist), Steve Lopez (guitarist/synthesist), Matt Blackmar (keyboardist), Sean Krell (bassist/synthesist) and Dave Lewis (drummer),

Inhabiting the head-space where the philosophies of the Wu-Tang Clan, Radiohead, Ennio Morricone, Rush and Whitney Houston overlap, the five-piece metropolitan discotheque dancehall earthquake/earth-rape will perform in San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland and Seattle beginning January 30th. Catch Library on February 1, Camerata at Cinespace in Los Angeles.
perhaps blogger Seslersusmak describes the band best: "the situation is always strange-results can become pregnant… voice of God… [The Library] knows the future." Feudal Records, launched by former SonyBMG music producer Robert Shahnazarian, Jr., debuted in 2007 with the signing of pop music ensemble The Library and electronic artist Orka Veer.

OD Hunte K.O.
Back to the Hip Hop
MySpace

Producer OD Hunte (Ten Days Till featured in American Pie 6, EA Sports, Abdul's Hey Paula) and KO take us Back to the Hip Hop with four songs --Blow Up, The Art, Be Like This and Gotta Go -- 4-song EP was released digitally on December 1, 2008. OD Hunte now brings you the prodigal 18 year old Swiss rapper KO"Born and raised in the city of Geneva, Switzerland to French and British parents, KO possesses a vocal and lyrical maturity way beyond his stated years," says OD. Influences: Lupe Fiasco and Method Man. Back to the Hip Hop" is the EP prelude to the album by the duo set for release in 2009. Hunte runs Southern Cuba Records and Treasure Hunte Productions, the latter of which specializes in Hip Hop and RnB production, writing, remixing and mixing. OD is currently producing new artists and placing tracks internationally in film and TV on networks such as MTV, ESPN and Fuel TV in the America in additional to many international channels. Hunte is author of the eBook "How To Become A Hip Hop Producer" and owner of groovebiz.com which sells groove templates of the Ensoniq ASR-10 (as used by the Neptunes, Kanye West and the Alchemist) for digital audio workstations.

Erin McCarley
Universal Republic Records

Erin McCarley calls the music on her debut album, Love, Save the Empty,
a document of her search for authenticity in herself and in others. It's elegantly crafted, deeply melodic music that resounds with echoes of the Beatles, Aimee Mann and Amy Winehouse. 11 songs collected here ignited an industry-wide frenzy when McCarley performed them at SXSW earlier this year. McCarley currently calls Nashville home where she met producer/writer/keyboardist Jamie Kenney (the rare partner she felt 100 percent comfortable with), and the two began honing the songs that would make up Love, Save the Empty. Erin cut her musical teeth in San Diego, where during her undergraduate days she’d spend weekends singing with a country cover band, selling clothes in a boutique for extra cash and hanging out on the beach. “It’s hard for me to write about being happy,” McCarley admits. “I guess it comes down to the fact that I’m not afraid of being sad," she says. Love, Save the Empty arrives this fall on Universal Republic Records. McCarley will spend the summer laying the groundwork for the album’s release with a pair of tours. Her goal an artist is as simple—and as profound—as they come. “When I’m on-stage,” she says, “I’m trying to communicate with every single person out there.”

Production Powerhouse
Relies on the AWS SuperAnalogue™ Sound

Mega-producer Tricky Stewart, over the course of the last several years, has emerged as one of the top writer/producers in the R&B/hip-hop world.
Stewart discovered and signed Blu Cantrell to RedZone and wrote and produced several songs for her platinum Arista debut album. Stewart has
also written and produced material for Mya, J.T. Money, and Sole.

More recently, Triangle Sound Studios, Tricky's home base to and his highly successful RedZone Entertainment company, has undergone a major renovation around two Solid State Logic AWS 900+ SE consoles. Producing hits for superstars like Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Usher, Jesse McCartney, Janet Jackson, Rihanna and Beyoncé with the current hit “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Stewart relies on SSL’s sterling SuperAnalogue™ sound to create the hits. "From a producer standpoint, the AWS gives me that rich sound that you associate with SSL at a very reasonable price point. Just the name Solid State Logic immediately legitimizes your studio. You can't put a dollar value on what that does because now you're working with the standard and all artists recognize this," says Tricky

New Toys At Cookie Jar Studios
A Note From Malouf's Desk

Cookie Jar in Studio City is updating most of his arsenal including the great East West software. "This month, we added the interface PLAY along with the sample library GOLIATH. The unique feature that makes PLAY so invaluable is that it will play the Kontakt and Colossus Libraries, and change its appearance and functionality to accommodate the user controls inherent to those libraries. Very cool," says mixer/engineer Malouf.

Also this month, they added the Sonnox Limiter, Dynamics and Inflator plug-ins. "These early designs have stood the test of time and are popular for a reason -- they sound great. Happy recording and have an Oreo," says Malouf (Everclear, Big City Rock, David Usher).

9 Lives and Grammy Noms For Avatar
Plus "Pitch Correcting To Avatar Limits" On NPR

Nine projects recorded or mixed at Avatar Studios were nominated for the 51st Grammy Awards. The list includes John Mayer's "Say" and
My Morning Jacket's "Evil Urges" which also got Joe Chiccarelli a Grammy noms for Best Alternative Album (Category 22) -- he also has noms for Best Engineered Album non-Classical (Category 92) - for The Raconteurs and "Consolers of the Lonely" Best Rock Album (Category 21) - congrats Joe!
The Rumble Strips sessions (right) in Studio C at New York's Avatar with producer Mark Ronson, engineer Richard Woodcraft assisted by Justin Gerrish. Studio also got attention from Liane Hansen of NPR who did a story demonstrating the Antares' Autotune plug-in called Taking Pitch Correction To The Limit at Avatar Studios. Some of the session was videotaped so you can listen to the before & after recordings. Guster recording in Studio B with producer David Kahne, engineer Brian Montgomery assisted by Aki Nishimura

Kamran V Takes The Driver Seat
Entrepreneur Studying "Producing Music with Logic" at Berklee.com

Music and video producer KamranV has enrolled for Berkleemusic.com's new online course: "Producing Music with Logic." He is currently president of Spaceland Recordings, the premiere on-demand, globally distributed, live audio and video recording record label. Berkleemusic.com is the online continuing education division of Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music. Their winter online term began January 12. He has served as producer of many DVD-Audio releases, including albums from Sting, Snow Patrol, Keane, Nine Inch Nails, and Beck during his tenure at Interscope Geffen A&M and later co-founded Universal Music's mobile division. KamranV currently serves on the Producers & Engineers Wing of the Recording Academy's L.A. Chapter Committee. He is an executive strategist for multinational clients and recently co-created the Campus Music Festival. "I feel like I've got this supercharged sportscar and now I can get my driver's license!" he remarks.

LeMobile Clients In Rolling Stone's Top 100

Released more than forty years ago, Astral Weeks has endured as perhaps the most visionary and emotionally evocative masterwork of
Van Morrison's astonishingly prolific career. Curiously, Morrison had never performed all songs from the album in concert until this past November, at which time he reinterpreted Astral Weeks in its entirety to mesmerized audiences during his two shows at the Hollywood Bowl. The concerts were recorded for a forthcoming CD and DVD release, with audio tracks captured for posterity by Guy Charbonneau's legendary remote truck, Le Mobile.

For more than three decades, Le Mobile has been recording live concerts and film scoring sessions across North America. Both the truck and owner/engineer Guy Charbonneau have received numerous industry awards, including an Emmy Award and dozens of gold and platinum albums. Le Mobile's stock of fastidiously maintained equipment includes the best of the analog and digital domains, comprising a classic Neve 8068 console (with outboard modules for 112 total channels of Neve preamplifiers), 96 channels of Pro Tools HD, and a pair of mint-condition Studer A800 analog recorders. Originally launched in Montreal, Le Mobile is now headquartered in the Southern California community of Carlsbad.

NAACP Awards For Esperanza & Take 6

Bassist/vocalist/composer Esperanza Spalding’s Heads Up debut, Esperanza (HUCD 3140), was released on May 20, 2008. Armed with uncanny instrumental chops, a siren voice that spans three languages, and composing and arranging skills that weave together the best elements of the old-school with the progressive, this 23-year-old has crafted a debut album that takes a completely fresh and refreshing approach to jazz by borrowing from the rich traditions of soul, pop, world music and so much more.

Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, announced that Esperanza Spalding and Take 6 have been nominated for three NAACP Image Awards. Spalding was nominated in the categories of Outstanding Jazz Artist and Outstanding World Music Album. Take 6 was nominated in the category of Outstanding Gospel Artist. The 40th NAACP Image Awards will be broadcast on Thursday, February 12 on FOX.

King's Men
Solomon King Sessions with Rik Pekkonen

Pekkonen (left) with Solomon King at Sound City

Rik Pekkonen (Jamie Cullum, Dr. John, BB King) was a big factor in actually pulling all of this off. His professionalism in working with both the technical and creative aspects of the recording was flawless," adds the King. "Several of Solomon King's 'scratch' vocals recorded live (he also played guitar) wounded up as 'keepers' for the soon to be released album," says Pekkonen.

l-r:Top Row: Matt Wheeler (drums), Henry Clark (piano, trumpet), Charlie Waller (vocals, guitar), Justin Gerrish (assistant engineer) Bottom Row: Sam Mansbridge (bass), Richard Woodcraft (engineer), Tom Gorbutt (guitar, sax)

When Guy Charbonneau first read Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, it almost looked like a My Space Friends List for his Le Mobile remote recording truck.

"I did a quick count and realized that Le Mobile has recorded forty-one of them," says Charbonneau. Among them: Aretha Franklin (1), Ray Charles (2), Bob Dylan (7), Stevie Wonder (9), Paul McCartney (11), Roy Orbison (13), Robert Plant (15), Mick Jagger (16) and Tina Turner (17). "They're all great, but I've recorded some amazing performances by singers like Gwen Stefani and Peter Gabriel, who didn't make it. Why not? Maybe it's good that I don't have to decide, or it would be a very long list."

Bringing together Ray Parker Jr., Ollie Brown, Reggie McBride and Solomon King in one room is no easy feat. Last November these musicians gathered at Hollywood's Sound Factory to record a live album of seven songs for bluesman, Solomon King.

"Everyone had crazy schedules and we had only one day to make this recording happen. The pressure was really on the engineer. We wanted to get as much of a live sound as possible without overdubs," says King.

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Cheering For Music & The Kids at LeChateau!
A Wine Tasting To Support Symphonic Adventures in Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks & Oxnard

On January 13 some of LA's top music makers gathered to benefit New West Symphony and its youth music programs.
VIP guests (some of whom worked at the historical Bill Putnum studios, now EastWest Studios) include (l-r: top): Bob Loftus, Dave Rosen of Absolute Rentals, Krista Mclean, Joe Schiff with wife Jan, studio designer and consultant Jay Kaufman of Kaufman & Associates, 11-time-Grammy winner Rafa Sardina , Claris Sayadian-Dodge, publisher/founder studioexpresso and mixer/engineer and songwriter, Eddie Miller with wife Samantha; New West Symphony board member and MC, Ramsey Jay Jr., New West Symphony violinist, Lisa Dondlinger, cellist, Giovanna Moraga and Kevin Clayton on violin (bios below).
Close to 75 guests enjoyed wines from Malibu's Rosenthal vineyards at LeChateau at the Beverly Hilton. The event to benefit Symphony's youth music programs which include the famous Symphonic Adventures for 3rd to 5th graders that take place each January in Oxnard, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and Santa Monica at Barnum Hall.

Ramsey Jay Jr. spoke eloquently about the life altering value of supporting the arts and culture in our communities. Following are BIOS of the musicians who entertained the guests at LeChateau (above).

Giovanna Moraga Clayton, Cello (right above) who played one of her original and soulful compositions titled "Music" at the recent MySymphony benefit at LeChateau in Beverly Hills has won various competitions and scholarships. At the age of fourteen she made her solo debut in Santa Barbara, California. Giovanna received her BA and MM from the University of California in Los Angeles where she studied with Barry Gold, Colin Carr, Andrew Shulman and John Walz. She has also had the opportunity to work with renowned cellists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Janos Starker and Ron Leonard. In 2003 Giovanna was awarded a fellowship through the Chicago Symphony Orchestra where she had the opportunity to work under the direction of conductors Daniel Baremboim, Pinkas Zuckerman and Pierre Boulez among others. At home in Los Angeles, Giovanna keeps a busy performance schedule as a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the New West Symphony and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra as well as frequent chamber music performances and countless appearances with various pop artists and on movie scores and records . In addition to her dedication to music, Giovanna has a strong sense of commitment to her community. She has been recognized as a leader for her time and effort spent tutoring at-risk youth, and volunteering many free performances. Lisa Dondlinger, Violin (left above) Since serving as the 50th Miss Iowa for the Miss America Organization, Ms Dondlinger has quickly become one of the most sought after young musicians in the entertainment industry. Lisa moved to Los Angeles in the fall of 2000 and has performed and recorded with such diverse artists as: Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Snoop Dogg, Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Earth Wind and Fire, Sara Bareilles, Mary J. Blige, Fergie, Carrie Underwood, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Josh Groban, Annie Lennox, Pearl Jam, Barry Manilow, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Luciano Pavarotti, John Williams, Quincy Jones, Alejandro Sanz, Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, Martina McBride, and Diane Reeves to name a few. She has performed on the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, American Idol, Idol Gives Back, Dancing with the Stars, America’s Got Talent, Grease: You’re the one That I Want, The American Music Awards, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Association of Country Music Awards, The NAACP Image Awards, VH-1 Honors The Who, Home For The Holidays, in music videos, the Oscar-winning movie Ray, and the JCPenny Jam. Lisa can also be heard on many movie soundtracks and commercials. Her performance venues range from the Los Angeles Staples Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl, and the Kodak Theater to the Mandalay Bay Events Center and the Forum at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Lisa’s live engagements also include symphonic, chamber music, and opera performances. She is a member of the New West Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, LA Master Chorale, to name a few. Lisa currently serves as Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at Pepperdine University.

Symphonic Adventures For Kids

"Learning is fun," say most of the 3rd to 5th graders from Roosevelt, Roy Rogers and Curtis elementary schools who attended this week's Symphonic adventure concerts in Santa Monica sponsored by the New West Symphony. Kids heard and learned about Beethoven, Mozart along with other familiar tunes like Star Wars and Simposon's theme played by 50 professional musicians! Kimberlea Daggy, mother of Celia says "She (Ceilia) was thrilled to get a chance to conduct the orchestra!"
Celia who's been playing violin for two years must have raised her hand really high or it may have been her pink sweater that got the music conductor's attention! She was picked from 1000 kids in the audience to conduct the John P. Souza - The Stars and Stripes forever march on January 25th at Barnum Hall in Santa Monica. She even got to take home Maestro Brott's baton as souvenir! To learn more about this and other music educational programs offered by the New West Symphony, contact Anne Lazo, education director of NWS at (805) 390-5124.

Celia Daggy (above) at Barnum Hall in Santa Monica shows off her souvenir baton given to her by New West Symphony's Maestro Boris Brott; kids get to play with instruments from the New West Symphony music van.

Watch Video Interviews with Top producers from Legendary Studios
studioexpresso in alliance with Record Production & Babblefish is pleased to bring you these interviews. Watch the video interviews by clicking on the producer names below.
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Matt Wallace Interviewed At his Delux Studios in LA for Record Production
L-R: Producer Matt Wallace, studioexpresso's Claris Dodge
Photo: Johnny Jaskot

Ken Allardyce - Sarm West, UK
Lenise Bent - Village Studios. LA, CA
Niko Bolas - Watersound Studios, Studio CIty, CA
Pete Byrne - Glenwood Place, CA
Andre Fischer - Village Studios, Los Angels, CA
Chris Fogel - Fig, Glendale, CA
Brad Gilderman - Little Big Room, Burbank, CA
Greg Ladanyi - Maple Jam Productions, Studio City, CA
Joseph Magee - O'Henry Studios, Burbank, CA
Scott Mathews - Tiki Town Studios
Oscar Paul - Roundhouse Studios, London
Greg Penny - Sphere Studios, London
Steve Parr - Hear No Evil Studios
Michael C Ross - Royaltone Studios, North Hollywood, CA
Rafa Sardina - Abbey Road, UK
Elliot Scheiner - Presense studios, CT NEW!
Al Schmitt Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA
Toby Scott -- coming soon!
Robert Shahnazarian Jr.-- Sony Music Studios, Santa Monica
Tolbert & Sutton - Studio Atlantis, Hollywood, CA
Matt Wallace - Delux Studios, Van Nuys, CA
John Wooler - Village Studios, Los Angels, CA

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TRUE P-SOLO Delivers Big Studio Fidelity

No one wants to hire the world's best guitarist if all he has to record is outrageous solos with a Radio Shack mic and a boom box! So, big studio fidelity is still the goal with online collaborators like eSession. As part of a project with ASCAP dubbed, "Digital Songwriter," founder, Gina Fant-Saez travels the country helping musicians and songwriters bone up on their technical chops so that they can comfortably exchange material with other professionals. Although still in its infancy, eSession boasts over 9,000 active members who can view online profiles of other members to hire and collaborate, and the site takes care of details of arranging bids and billing. "Apart from the mic, the mic pre is the most important link in the chain, and True Systems's P-SOLO makes professional sound affordable. To my knowledge, it is the least expensive high-end preamp you can get and makes a big difference in the sound of any microphone," says Fant-Saez, a previous studio owner.

True Systems is distributed TransAudio Group the premier US importer and distributor for high-end recording gear. Phone (702) 307-2700 or email Brad Lunde More info at www.transaudiogroup.com

Dream A Drawmer
25% saving passed on to US customers of Trans Audio Group For A Limited Time

Although news of the world economy appears to be written with a somewhat dour pen these days, with markets swinging wildly, promoting some uncertainty, TransAudio Group, Drawmer's U.S. distributor has some happy news for its customers. The price of all new Drawmer equipment has been dropped by 25% in the States. As there is no telling how long the economic conditions that are serving to underwrite this blowout will remain. Now is the time to buy Drawmer!

"It's a point of pride that Drawmer still manufactures all of its equipment in the UK, as it always has," said Brad Lunde, president of TransAudio Group, Drawmer's longtime US distributor. "But now it's also a point of leverage for US customers! The effective price to manufacture, say, a 1960 tube compressor, has come down by approximately 25% due to the relative strength of the dollar to the British pound, we are passing this savings on to all of our customers as long as these favorable currency ratios remains stable."

All of Drawmer's celebrated lines, including, the MX Series, the legendary '60s series, the workhorse Pro Series, the modern Digital Series, and the no-compromise Signature Series, are affected. If you've ever dreamed of owning your own Drawmer (or if you simply want to add more to your racks), now is the time to buy!

Call or e-mail your order today! Drawmer is distributed TransAudio Group the premier US importer and distributor for high-end recording gear. Phone (702) 307-2700 or email Brad Lunde More info at www.transaudiogroup.com

ATC Speakers at San Francisco's Dustpan Studios
Clio and Addy Award-winner Smith's Secret to a Great Mix


A pair of active ATC SCM 20 ASL monitors is the finishing touch to the redesign of Zack Smith's Dustpan Studio in San Francisco

Zack Smith is one of those rare individuals who seemingly erases the line with undeniable authority and inspired authenticity.
For those in the industry, his name precedes him. For those requiring some proof, a wall loaded with Clio and Addy awards and Platinum records should suffice. Smith started his career as the founder of the 1980s band Scandal (fronted by Patty Smyth)
and wrote most of the band's hits (most notably, "Goodbye To You"). He earned an Emmy for NBC's "Henson Rain Forest" special and is the creator of Cotton's "Fabric of Our Lives," ASCAP's most-played advertising theme. Clearly, he's got the chops, he's got the intuition, and he's even got the gear. A walk through his San Francisco studio, ironically named "Dustpan,"would stir feelings of envy in many pro audio geeks. Surprisingly, it was only recently that Zack gained full confidence in the translation of his mixes and freed his workflow from the logistical constraints of hired engineers. In the end, proper acoustic treatment and a pair of active ATC SCM 20 ASL loudspeakers made all the difference. Smith hired friend and renowned acoustician Manny Lacarruba - a partner at Sausalito Audio and the moving force behind the original design of The Plant- to reinvent the control room at Dustpan. The two made a plan and then proceeded to gut the existing 24' x 20' x 9' structure. They did everything right.
They reframed a double wall, floated speaker towers on shock absorbers, and basically decoupled everything from everything else. They added absorption to the walls and ceiling where appropriate and installed refractors elsewhere. Bass traps removed dominant room modes. The result was a vast improvement. "Over the past 20 years, I've always had fairly ambient control rooms in my New York and San Francisco studios," said Smith. "But several months ago I spent three weeks listening to my mixes at Skywalker and various other high-end studios around California. I didn't like what I was hearing. There were things happening with ambiences, EQ, and especially bass that were completely hidden at my studio and more than a little disappointing." With the ATC SCM 20 ASLs in the near-field position, Smith bumped his existing Dynaudio BM15s with twelve-inch sub to mid-field position. Although he considered getting a subwoofer for the near-fields as well, the crossover gradient on the ATCs allowed him to generate ample and appropriate bass without it. In the first month with everything up and running, Smith has turned to the mid-fields mainly for drum tracking and for situations where sheer volume is all that's needed. "When I need something more 'hype-y' or when I'm need to blow people's hair back, I use the midfields," he explained. "But I don't consider them nearly as accurate as the ATCs. The midfields are basically for entertainment. The ATCs are for serious mixing." As an aside, Smith admitted that he has yet to clip the ATCs. "They push much, much harder than anything their size and are fatigue-free even after marathon, sixteen-hour sessions!" "I've been in this business for a long time," he says, "and I've always wondered how all these really world-class mix guys do it. How do they build such consistently awesome mixes that sound amazing no matter what system they're played on? It seemed like magic. But now I'm learning that the truth lies, to a large degree, in great speakers and great rooms. The key is simply having a system that lets you hear it." Recent spots completed for Honda and Barbie's 50th Birthday were mixed on the ATCs

ATC's drivers are manufactured in-house to exacting tolerances and are legendary for their many design innovations, such as the innovative SL magnet system and the company's renowned Soft Dome mid-range driver, which achieves exceptionally broad and even dispersion to produce a flat response anywhere in the room. Situated in Aston Down in rural Gloucestershire, England, ATC was established in London in 1974 by acoustics engineer and musician, Bill Woodman.

ATC Loudspeakers is distributed TransAudio Group the premier US importer and distributor for high-end recording gear. Phone (702) 307-2700 or email Brad Lunde More info at www.transaudiogroup.com

TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier US importer/distributor and/or US 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. TAG product line includes Accusound, A-Designs (USA) AEA ribbon microphones (USA), ADT Toolkit, AEA, ATC Loudspeakers (UK), Brauner microphones(Germany), Drawmer (UK), Geoffrey Daking & Co. (USA), Enhanced Audio (Ireland), George Massenburg Labs (GML) (USA), Heil Sound (USA); Mercury Audio (USA) Mission Audio (UK) Phoenix Audio (UK), PAULY Superscreens(Germany), SABRA SOM(Brazil), Soundelux (USA), SoundField Microphones (UK), Z-Systems (USA), Sonodore Microphones (Holland), Tonelux,
True Systems, Tube Tech-Sound Engineering and Weiss Engineering (Switzerland) and Z Systems (USA)

LasVegasProAudio.com, LasVegasProAudio.com, a division of TransAudio Group, is the launch pad for the brands of tomorrow. The goal of LasVegasProAudio.com is to provide unique equipment, useful information and long-term support to their clients.

Expresso Walk And Talk...

Sign O' Times Los Angeles Times Magazine has tapped Nic Harcourt as Editor at Large, Music & Culture. Beginning February 8, 2009, in LA's January/February double Oscar issue, Harcourt will contribute a monthly column "Listen Up" will feature a hand-selected playlist, his picks for upcoming local concerts, shows and/or events and Q&As with emerging artists.
Harcourt most recently served as Music Director at Los Angeles radio station KCRW. For more than 10 years, he hosted the programs Morning Becomes Eclectic and Sounds Eclectic which helped to break numerous artists, including Coldplay, Dido, Moby, Interpol, Alanis Morissette, Death Cab for Cutie, Damien Rice, the Ting Tings, David Gray and Norah Jones.

Sony is slashing 8,000 jobs, or 4 percent of its global work force, aiming to cut costs by $1.1 billion a year as an economic downturn and a stronger yen batter profits at the Japanese electronics maker. The cost of the job cuts and plant shutdowns will be disclosed next year when the company updates its forecast for the fiscal year, the company said. Sources say Sony will reduce investment in electronics by 30 percent for the following fiscal year ending March 2010, though specific numbers and details are not decided. The announcement came shortly after trading ended in Tokyo, where Sony shares rose 3.9 percent to 1,896 yen ($20).

Learning To Ride the Wave MidemNet music conference in Cannes focused on Attention-Based Revenue as wave of "the future". Legal peer-to-peer trial in the Isle of Man that permits broadband subscribers to pay a small tax in exchange for the right to share copyrighted music was the topic of a study. The Recording Industry Association of America, which represents US labels, has traditionally been the most aggressive in chasing file-sharers. But it has just announced that it will no longer sue suspected offenders. Now Apple is removing DRM from iTunes, the leading download store, marking a resounding defeat in that particular battle. Howie Singer from Warner Music said his company wanted to see "compensation and not simply control. The issue is finding a way to get paid for it." That view was echoed by Marcel Engh from Sony Music Europe. " Keyboard player Mark Kelly said e-mail addresses were "the new
currency". Some singers offer fans an annual subscription fee, in return for which they get live and rare songs. Josh Rouse, for example, charges $30 (£20.50) a year and has so far sent out more than 100 songs in nine months. Kanye West, meanwhile, makes money from his prolific blogging activities, the conference heard, with his website turning a profit thanks to advertising and sponsorship. Research from Sweden indicates that 70% of illegal file-sharers are willing to pay for it. “There are two aspects. One is the collaboration between all the players who have a stake in the pie… we’re not there to destruct, we’re there to construct.
A series of interim steps as opposed to a big bang may be the way forward," says Gary Churgin from Harry Fox Agency.

A Victory For Song Sharing
The group representing the US recording industry said late December it has abandoned its policy of suing people for sharing songs protected by copyright and will work with Internet service providers to cut abusers' access if they ignore repeated warnings. The move ends a controversial program that saw the Recording Industry Association of America sue about 35,000 people since 2003 for swapping songs online. Because of high legal costs for defenders, virtually all of those hit with lawsuits settled, on average for around $3,500. The association's legal costs, in the meantime, exceeded the settlement money it brought in.
Brian Toder, a lawyer with Chestnut & Cambronne in Minneapolis, who defended single mother Jammie Thomas in a copyright suit filed by the RIAA, said he is also set to retry the case March 9 after a judge threw out a $222,000 decision against her. "I think it's a good thing that they've ended this campaign of going after people," Toder said. "But they need to change how people spend money on records," he said. "People like to share music. The Internet makes it so easy. They have to do something to change this business model of theirs." Legitimate sales of digital music tracks soared for the first time past the 1 billion mark, up 28 percent over all of last year, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

Reach For The Hits!
The Internet was set to re-shape our music-buying ways - opening up a vast market for sellers and buyers where obscure tracks would drive sales. A study has found that more than 10 million of the 13 million tracks available on the Internet failed to find a single buyer last year. The '80/20' rule in retailing suggests the most popular 20 per cent of products is the way to make a profit as they will account for 80 per cent of the sales. The initial hope was that due to cheapness and accessibility of searching for products on online, retailers would be able to make money from more obscure products because they would find an audience. The new study by Will Page, chief economist of the MCPS-PRS Alliance, suggests the success of online sales still depends on big hits! The not-for-profit royalty collection society found that, for the online singles market, 80 per cent of all revenue came from 52,000 tracks. For albums, the figures were even less encouraging. Of the 1.23 million available, only 173,000 were ever bought, meaning 85 per cent did not sell a single copy all year. The study found that online music sales followed a sales distribution laid out by Robert Goodell Brown, an American economist, in 1956. Brown outlined the theory in Statistical Forecasting For Inventory Control that focused on the sales of industrial items such as rivets and widgets.'There is a an eerie similarity between digital and high-street retailer in terms of what constitutes an efficient inventory and the shape of their respective demand curves,' said Page. 'I think there's something more going on there: a case of new school meets old rules,' he added.

Enter The Historic EastWest Recording Studios
A "Starckingly" Beautiful Makeover that Respects & Inspires Music Making

When you hear the name Philippe Starck, images of radically modern and imaginative hotels or objects come to mind.
6000 Sunset conjures up the image of "Temple of Sound." Now, put the two together and enter EASTWEST Studios
When owner and producer Doug Rogers took over the building in 2006 (formerly Cello and before that Bill Putnum's legendary Western Recorders), he needed to find a designer who shared his vision. Rogers enlisted famed designer Philippe Starck to help bring the Studios into the 21st century while still preserving the original sound of the rooms. Starck and Rogers are known for using words like "Respect and Quality" to describe the multi-million dollar renovation of the iconic Hollywood studios' public spaces. "I listen to music while I design and I feel that my inspiration comes from the quality of the artist's music, so sound is very important to me," says Starck.

l-r: East West owner and producer, Doug Rogers, Designer Phillipe Starck, Frank Sinatra, Bill Putnam Sr. with Bing Crosby at the legendary Western Recorders (now EastWest)

All three studios, including the massive Studio One (above), remain untouched in their original glory. The exterior of the rooms are surrounded by heavy red curtains - a metaphor for honoring and preserving the "audio jewels" within. Call it Starck's poetry of design. From the moment one steps into the 21,000-square-foot facility, you get the feeling of preparing to "go on stage" and perform!

For further inspiration and relaxation between studio sessions, Starck adds a VIP suite upstairs, complete with personal entrance, large terrace, cabana, fireplace, lounge area with pool table and a private restroom and shower. In addition, three more artists lounges are created on the ground floor in separate structures. Musicians will relate to Starck's sense of fun and humor and can witness the love that's present in every corner of the space that's designed for creating and living music.

Modern lounge and kitchen spaces surrounding the vintage studios

EASTWEST Studios will serve as the new headquarters for the leading virtual instrument software development company as well as an inspirational recording complex for some of music industry's top talent. It will be the only studio in the world to offer, recording, editing, software development, marketing and distribution - all under one roof. Since its foundation in 1961, the studios have hosted musical royalty to include: Frank Sinatra ("My Way", "It Was A Very Good Year," "That's Life"), The Beach Boys ("Pet Sounds"), Ray Charles who sang"I Can't Stop Loving You", Mamas and Papas ("California Dreamin'", "Monday Monday"), to current superstars such as Madonna, The Rolling Stones, U2, to name a few. During its tenure as United/Western, under the rein of Bill Putnam who was involved in many recording firsts, the studio was developed to incorporate some of the most cutting-edge recording technologies of that time. With this latest transformation, EASTWEST founder and producer, Doug Rogers, is looking to breathe new life into this "temple of sound" for the next generation of recording artists.

Guest included: Producer and engineers Mark Linett with wife & Claris, Putnum brothers Jim and Bill with Rogers and mixer/producer Clark Germain

Guests at the opening party were treated to a fully catered affair that included theatrical music of Lucent Dossier, costumed entertainers who truly set the stage for the good times to roll at EastWest Studios!

Lucent Dossier entertained at EastWest; EASTWEST featured the latest collection by leading producer Chris Hein, Chris Hein Horns Vol. 2 – Section Horns, at NAMM 2009. The perfect companion to Chris Hein Horns Vol. 1 (version 1.5) the new library looks to expand on the previous solo collections and offers 10 section combinations in addition to 17 solo instruments, perfect for a variety of musical genres including pop, jazz, funk and big-band.

The red carpet party followed a press conference conducted by Rogers who introduced Phillipe Starck and Universal Audio's Bill Putnum Jr. with a video presentation about the astonishing music history of EastWest Studios.

EASTWEST has equipped the Studios with vintage analog equipment that was utilized on the company's MIPA Award-winning Fab Four Virtual Instrument collection, including a very rare EMI REDD tube desk and EMI REDD47 preamps . A rare original Trident A Range desk was purchased for the famous Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" control room, Studio 3. Rogers also purchased other rare audio equipment so the range of audio "colors" available to EASTWEST and outside recording engineers is unparalleled. All studios have been equipped with ATC300 monitors.

Brad Lunde of Trans Audio Group and Las Vegas ProAudio with studioexpresso's Claris; Designer Phillipe Starck with guests at the EastWest Studios Jan 09 party in Hollywood

"With EASTEST studios, we are really looking to bring both our users' as well as outside artists' projects to the next level," Rogers continues. "Having our own studios will allow us more time to experiment with sounds for our future collections, helping us to further expand our product offerings. Combining our expertise in creating and distributing software virtual instruments with my previous experiences as an engineer/producer and former studio owner, EASTWEST Studios is able to provide artists with a truly "state of the art" recording environment as well as distribution support, all in an atmosphere that is truly inspiring."
Gary Myerberg ("Mix This!" Royaltone & A&M Studios) is chief engineer and director of technical operations.

Opening of EastWest Studios in 2009 is indeed music to the ears of many producers and engineers who found the sound integrity of the three legendary studios simply unmatched. "It was important to us to keep the studios themselves as they were originally, as the acoustics in these spaces have proven themselves over a 50 year period with more engineering awards than any other studios," says Rogers who worked closely with Starck to achieve the stunning outcome. Indeed it was this careful balance of vintage and new and collaboration between studio owner and designer that gives the space an inspired and magical quality. Like Starck's timeless icons EastWest brings a new dimension to the international studio landscape and is on the map of major recording studios again. In fact, Rogers is setting new standards for what a full-service modern studio can offer to discriminating artists and producers.

Four years ago, when Cello was about to close its doors, an article by Claris (managed the facility during years 87-99) appeared in studioexpresso (February of 2005 issue) comparing the 6000 building to the fallen angel, Clarence in the Christmas classic film It's A Beautiful Life with Jimmy Stewart. "What the 6000 Sunset needs is a visionary like Bill Putnam or Paul Allen who can combine profitable business models with traditional studio operation (referring to Seattle' Experience Music Project)," she wrote.
Doug Rogers is truly that visionary who saved 6000 Sunset from becoming a parking lot or condominium. With 30 years experience in the audio field, EASTWEST Studios' founder and producer Rogers is the recipient of many recording industry awards including "Recording Engineer of the Year." In 2005, "The Art of Digital Music" named him one of "56 Visionary Artists & Insiders" in the book of the same name. Thank you, Doug for giving Clarence his wings!

Bill O'Reilly staged his latest attack on hip-hop by showing clips bashing Young Jeezy and Jay-Z for their song, "My President Is Black." Young Jeezy has now agreed to appear on the O'Reilly Factor to explain his position.

It's NAMM... Happy Days Are Here Again with Las Vegas Pro Audio!
Trans Audio Group booth featuring ATC, A Designs, Daking, Drawmer and Tube-Tech

The TransAudio booth 6849 in Hall A featured gear heroes like Geoff Daking, Tim Spencer of True Systems, Paul Wolff of Tonelux, and Jesper Nielsen and John Petersen of TAG's newest line: Tube-Tech where seasoned engineers like Barry Rudolph (far left under the ADesigns sign below) gathered. Many were on hand checking the newest in high end gear from around the world and talking to toy inventors present.

President of TransAudio Group, Brad Lunde was on hand raving about the gear like the gain structure of Class A, fully-discrete transistor circuitry design of the popular Daking Mic-Pre IV, the Mic-Pre One. "It features a unique variable high-pass filter and ships in a freestanding 'DI-style' steel enclosure, ensuring both strength and noise immunity," notes Lunde. "This Mic-Pre One is the very definition of value - a Daking-designed high-end mic pre for those who only need one channel. It's ideal for pros on tour and studios that seek to locate the mic pre in the vocal booth for short cable runs. Small project studios on a limited budget can now use the same high-end sounding gear as the pros," adds Lunde who knows about studios and people who make it work.
Made in the USA, Daking Mic-Pre One MSRP: $850.00

Geoffrey Daking & Co. is distributed TransAudio Group the premier US importer and distributor for high-end recording gear.
Phone (702) 307-2700 or email Brad Lunde More info at www.transaudiogroup.com

TAG product line includes Accusound, A-Designs (USA) AEA ribbon microphones (USA), ADT Toolkit, AEA, ATC Loudspeakers (UK), Brauner microphones(Germany), Drawmer (UK), Geoffrey Daking & Co. (USA), Enhanced Audio (Ireland), George Massenburg Labs (GML) (USA), Heil Sound (USA); Mercury Audio (USA) Mission Audio (UK) Phoenix Audio (UK), PAULY Superscreens(Germany), SABRA SOM(Brazil), Soundelux (USA), SoundField Microphones (UK), Z-Systems (USA), Sonodore Microphones (Holland), Tonelux, True Systems, Tube Tech-Sound Engineering and Weiss Engineering (Switzerland) and Z Systems (USA)

LasVegasProAudio.com, LasVegasProAudio.com, a division of TransAudio Group, is the launch pad for the brands of tomorrow. The goal of LasVegasProAudio.com is to provide unique equipment, useful information and long-term support to their clients.

NAMM With Guru and BFD
The halls at the Anneheim convention center were once again brimming with shiny instruments and eager musicians showing off licks. This year was no exception for new product releases from your favorite brands and some new comers too!
studioexpresso made few stops to include fxpansion booth where we were greeted by none other than engineer/mixer Rail Rogut, sporting the Sound City Studio T (pictured with Claris below). BFD2 has won EM magazine's "Best Drum Software" award for 2009, continuing the family pedigree following BFD1's "Best Drum Software" award in 2004. Founded by musicians, FXpansion says staying connected to top engineers, producers and musicians is vital in creating the most useful and intuitive software.

High-quality Percussion Samples from around the World and around the House is what you get. "We've recorded a few drum kits in our studio," says Rogut, programmer/engineer/producer. Imgaine. Own sounds recorded by Steve Duda of Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle. Priced from mid $200 to $400. It's like saying you can add the sound of seven vintage and modern kits and $50,000 worth of classic microphones to your library. Cool.

NAMM With Solid State Music, Music Smarts and TELEFUNKEN

Quinton Nixon, partnership manager was on hand at the Solid State Logic booth 6907. In December, SSL's VIP guests were invited to Burbank's LA Sound Gallery which opened its doors on a new room that can handle orchestral recording for up to 65 pieces. The centerpiece of the studio is a 72-channel Solid State Logic Duality console that delivers the sound quality and signal processing of the legendary 9000 K Series while providing the integrated control of a DAW.

SSL December party guests at the LA Sound Gallery included legendary producer Eddie Kramer (above).

Academy Award nominated engineer Dan Wallin experienced a flawless performance by the Duality for the hit TV series “Fringe” in the studio’s first session. The world’s leading manufacturer of analogue and digital audio consoles and provider of creative tools for music, broadcast and post production professionals, featured its Matrix SuperAnalogue™ 16 channel, 40 input mixing console with inbuilt signal router and multi-layer digital workstation control and newly upgraded AWS 900+ mixing console, the AWS 900+ SE.

Get Smart! Berklee Press, the publishing division of Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music, announces the release of the book Music Smarts (available from Amazon banner to your left here)- the Inside Truth and Road-Tested Wisdom from the Brightest Minds in the Music Business by Mr. Bonzai. Designed as a handy illustrated pocket guidebook, Music Smarts is an inspirational and entertaining compilation of profound observations, humor, and wisdom from top names in the music world Drawn from 25 years of feature interviews by notorious studio insider, Mr. Bonzai, and edited by Mix magazine creator, David Schwartz, Music Smarts features razor-sharp insights from the music industry's savants artists, producers, technicians, and business execs including George Martin, Tom Petty, Phil Ramone, Brian Wilson, Jack Johnson, k.d. Lang, David Foster, and Carlos Santana and more...

Text Telefunken. Each day, vintage microphone expert like Dan Alexander conducted microphone comparisons at the TELEFUNKEN USA booth where participants entered to win M 80 microphones by texting the word TELEFUNKEN and dropped by the booth to pick up their prizes. One of eight winners was Jeri Palumbo, Broadcast Audio Engineer/Field and RF Tech for ESPN/FoxSports/CBS Numerous international dealers in recording equipment, as well as musicians, engineers, and producers offered their opinion of how the company's Historic Reissue microphones compare to excellent, original examples of the classic European microphones.

NAMM On Legends Lane With Michelle Moog & Herbie Hancock

NAMM 09 with musician/composer, Dave Gross, Michelle Moog-Koussa and Herbie Hancock.

Michelle Moog-Koussa has a mission. To document, teach and celebrate the innovative thinking of her late father, Bob Moog in electronic music. "A team of Bob Moog Foundation volunteers spent many hours cataloging Bob’s archives, finding innumerable treasures. There is still more left to discover," says Michelle who has had support from musicians like Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins and Symphonic rocker Erik Norlander composer of "The Princely Hours," an original all-Moog composition available exclusively through the Bob Moog Memorial Foundation. You can purchase the track for $0.99. All profits go to support the Bob Moog Memorial Foundation. Simply put, the foundation's goal is to make sound waves with Moog instruments. "To create a “ripple effect” of opportunity for electronic musicians and engineers; and to inspire people around the world to be innovators," says Michelle who has plans for a Bob Moog Museum and other Outreach Programs. To donate or learn more contact [email protected] Famous Moogees? Keith Emerson, Wendy Carlos, Rick Wakeman, Stevie Wonder, and everybody else who's ever played a synthesizer. studioexpresso caught up with walking legend, Herbie Hancock at the www.Korg.com booth. Hancock who performed earlier this month at the Obama Inaugural Celebration In Washington, DC. is a true icon of modern music. Herbie can indeed bring musical exploration to uncharted territory. A pianist since age seven, Herbie admits to being a “gadget freak,” and has simultaneously embraced jazz, funk, and avant-garde electronic music creation while still fulfilling the inclination to make an acoustic journey in between. At 65, Hancock says he enjoys what he's doing today as much as his film scores and work we've come to love with Miles Davis. What does he go for? "Music that doesn’t automatically fit into this category or that category. I want something that just works for the heart," says Hancock. His latest studio project, Possibilities, released in August 2005 is aptly named, as it consists of an even wider-ranging collection of sounds and styles than his previous collaborative works. For Possibilities, Herbie teamed with established artists such as Sting, Annie Lennox, John Mayer, Christina Aguilera, Paul Simon and Carlos Santana, as well as serious up-and-comers like Joss Stone and Damien Rice.

NAMM FANS!

A fan writes on his blog: "Now I am neither a musician nor a vendor. I'm just a huge fan of music so I just walked around star struck all day long not minding the long lines for the chance to snap a pic and get an autograph." Ah, doing the NAMM thing. Here's to being a kid in a candy store!

Tournee To Award Shows, KMD Spells Events


l-r: MIX Open at Malibu Country Club with mixer/engineer, Ed Cherney and friends; Tec Awards photos by: Paul Lester & Eric Slomanson

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, KMD Productions offers full-service event coordination, management and photography for businesses and individuals. Founded by Karen Margroff Dunn, whose experience managing high profile music awards shows and golf tournaments like the MIX Open spans 20 years, KMD can handle all the details of your fundraiser, corporate function, or life-celebration. Contact KMD today for a complimentary consultation. Visit www.kmdpro.com today to find out how Karen can make your next event noteworthy on a nominal budget.

A December Celebration!

Artists and musicians gathered at AfterHours studio to celebrate Rafa Sardina's birthday in December. Guests included Cheche Alara, songsmith, Christina Abaroa and more...

Pope John Paul II's Poems Reborn Tenor Placido Domingo released a new album of songs based on the poems of Pope John Paul II on December 23 on Deutsche Grammophon and said he was certain the late pontiff was a saintly man. In "Infinite Love," a CD he presented at the Vatican, the Spanish-born Domingo sings duets with Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Vanessa Williams and Katherine Jenkins as well as with his son, Placido Domingo Jr. The songs in English, Spanish and Italian are based on poems the Polish pope wrote before his election in 1978. The songs on the CD include titles such as "A Mother's Wonderment," "Palabras," (Words), and "Canto Del Sole Inesaurible" (Song of an Inexhaustible Sun). They were translated from the original Polish and put to music by various composers. The CD was arranged/CO-produced by Jorge Calandrelli (Barbra Streissand, Josh Groban) and includes music by the London Symphony Orchestra recorded at Abbey Road studios. "My son Plácido wrote a lovely song that was perfect for Vanessa Williams," says Plácido who sings in beautiful high-baritone voice a song that he wrote with Jorge Calandrelli, the musician who has been central to this project

COME TOGETHER!

Artist/location: Jerome Flood II
Major Milestone: On Saturday, January 10th, in front of a star-studded capacity crowd at the historic Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, one aspiring drummer's dreams came true, as Guitar Center crowned
Jerome Flood II the winner of Guitar Center's 20th Annual Guitar Center Drum-Off championships. Sharing the stage with such drumming greats and artists such as Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall), Thomas Pridgen (The Mars Volta), Thomas Lang and Papa Roach, the winner was chosen by a panel of today's most iconic and influential drummers, including Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Kenny Aronoff, The Rev (Avenged Sevenfold), Danny Carey (Tool), Trevor Lawrence Jr. (Snoop Dogg), Drew Hester (Foo Fighters/Joe Walsh), Atom Willard (Angels & Airwaves), Alan White (Yes) and Frank Zummo (Street Drum Corps).

RIP

EARTHA KITT
Jan. 17, 1927 - Dec. 25, 2008

Eartha Mae Kitt was ostracized at an early age because of her mixed-race heritage. In 1967, Miss Kitt made an indelible mark on pop culture as the infamous CATWOMAN in the television series, BATMAN. Singing in ten different languages, Miss Kitt has performed in over 100 countries and was honored with a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. In 1966, she was nominated for an Emmy for her role in the series, I SPY. In 1968, Miss Kitt's career took a sudden turn when, at a White House luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Johnson, she spoke out against the Vietnam War. In December 2006 she returned to Washington and lit the National Christmas Tree alongside President and Mrs. George W. Bush.

"She wanted to leave this earth as she had arrived, with no fanfare. The life she lived is tribute itself."
--Kitt Shapirom EARTHA KITT's daughter

A musician, concert goer, donor, board member, staff, volunteer, and dear friend to so many at the New West Symphony passed away Sunday January 25 in her home. Antonia Boehm retired from her performing career as violonist with Conejo Symphony and continued serving NWS as a volunteer librarian, helping prepare the music for concerts and marking bowings for the string players. She is survived by her husband Helmut, a sister in Pisa, Italy, and a daughter Suzy of Rome, Italy.

Ode to Antonia Boehm -1.25.09

Gentle lady with a smile Walks in her quiet style Silver hair of strings Pearls run up and down her wings My soul, she notes Wisdom, passion untold Bows in rows Noise, a Rose Now a Symphony 8, 10 and 12 For a single Peony Bows for her, bows for him Behold, she’s bold with her gentle smile Walks out with music in her heart Boehm, a gentle lady with a smile -C Dodge

William Claxton
10.22.14-10.11.08


l-r: Chet Baker photograph, Drummer Elvin Jones outside Birdland, Manhattan, New York City, Miles Davis, Ray Charles and Marty Paich, Hollywood, 1962 by William Claxton

William Claxton passed away October 11th in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife Peggy Moffitt and his son Christopher.
In 1952, while a student at UCLA, Claxton began to photograph a young and unknown trumpet player named Chet Baker. The resulting collection of images from these sessions has become known throughout the world of jazz music. Shooting for Life, Paris Match, and Vogue, among other magazines – Claxton worked with and become friends with many Hollywood luminaries, including Frank Sinatra and Steve McQueen. A Claxton-directed film from the era, Basic Black, is considered by many to be the first "fashion video" and is now part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. "I'm honored to have met Clax on several occasions and treasure the book of photographs he autographed for me," says Claris Sayadian-Dodge. His work is collected in an array of spectacular books, including “Jazz: William Claxton,” “Young Chet,” “Claxography,” “Steve McQueen” and “Jazzlife.” He commented on his nickname and its connection to Miles Davis: “He had that raspy, funny voice: ‘Hiya, Clax.’ Allen Eager introduced me to him on the street in New York one night after the theater — you know how the theaters break and the streets are just full of people in the West 40s? We were walking and coming toward us was Miles Davis with a beautiful fashion model on each arm and Eager, a tenor saxophone player — a bebopper — said, ‘Here comes Miles Davis. You wanna meet him?’ We walked up to him and said, ‘Hi, hi, hi.’ Allen called me Clax and Miles said, ‘Clax? Man, it sounds like a household cleanser.’ [Laughs] Clax your sink, Clax your toilet, Clax your car. Later on Miles wasn’t much fun,” said Claxton in an interview.


Claxton also photographed fashion and a myriad of models of the era, most notably his wife of 49 years Peggy Moffitt (who was the chief model and muse of fashion designer Rudi Gernreich), his son Christopher; sister Colleen Lewis of Eagle Rock; and several nieces and nephews.

Make Fuel Not War...Go See the Fuel Film!


Image courtesy of Fields of Fuel

This year another environmental doc, Fields of Fuel (90 minute film), turned out to be a huge hit with audiences at Sundance in Utah, winning the audience award for documentary. Directed by environmental activist Josh Tickell, Fields of Fuel is a film about biodiesel -- fuel made from organic products. It can be made from corn or soybeans, but can also be made from agricultural product less impactful on the environment, like switch grass and algae. Director has been driving the vegie van cross hte country and stopping at fast food stores to fule up! Robert Redford personally invited Tickell to screen the film on Wednesday, the first day of Sundance festival. Tickell's journey of creation begins in Australia, where his American mother fills his head with bucolic images of the Louisiana of her childhood. He shares her pain of discovering the remembered treasures of that environment replaced with cancer corridors from rampant oil refining. It's not that hard to do something to improve the environment. In fact, SUV-lovers rejoice - even you need not feel your lifestyle is being threatened. Any diesel engine can make the switch cold turkey.
Documentary includes appearances by: Larry Hagman, Woody Harrelson, Willie Nelson, Julia Roberts and Neil Young.
Fuel opens in Santa Monica on February 13.

"We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around. When yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."
--From Reverend Joseph Lowery's Inaugural Benediction of President Barack Obama on January 2009


"It’s really not about the technology. It’s about honesty. It’s really about creating from your heart. Creating from the standpoint of wanting to provide a service for humanity, because you care."
--Herbie Hancock

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