Sear Sound Sessions: Donald Fagen, Classical Frank Zappa, Lulu Gainsbourg

Sear Sound has been a beehive for several highly intriguing projects this summer. Highlight sessions include:

NYC denizen Donald Fagen tracked in Studio A on the 8038 Neve with Michael Leonhart producing and Charlie Martinez engineering for Warner Bros. Records.

eONE Music was in Studio C, reportedly “classisizing” Frank Zappa songs for a new release.  His original songs were rescored for classical orchestral instruments and tracked on Sear Sound’s famed custom Avalon/Sear console.  The sessions were produced by Susan Del Giorno from eONE with GRAMMY-winning engineer Silas Brown working the board.

As he works on his upcoming new self-produced album, Lucien (Lulu) Gainsbourg continues to track in both Studio A and Studio C, depending on the orchestration. Jeremy Loucas is his engineer for his new upcoming album.  Lucien is the son of the internationally acclaimed French singer Serge Gainsbourg.

Engineer/producer Stewart Lerman tracked in Studio C for the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire”.

eONE MUSIC was at Sear Sound again tracking and mixing a new album with international artist Sophie Milman. The project was tracked in Studio C on the Avalon/Sear console and mixed in Studio A on the Neve  8038. In these intensive sessions, Milman began the recording sessions with an ensemble of 20 musicians and the vocalist all playing together, at the same time. Chris Allen was the tracking engineer and James Farber served as mix engineer. The project was produced by Matt Pierson.

Producer/engineer Gary Maurer tracked an ensemble of 22 musicians for his upcoming HEM album in Studio C. He will reportedly return to Sear Sound shortly to mix a 24 song double album.

And finally, Universal Classics of Japan tracked in Studio C for their international artist/pianist Makoto Ozone. The album was tracked by engineer James Farber and produced by Makoto Shinohara of Universal.

Hillsong United, “Boardwalk Empire” Recording at Shelter Island Sound

Australian Christian rock band Hillsong United was in NYC recently, recording at Shelter Island Sound with musician/producer Michael Guy Chislett, formerly of The Academy Is…

The band made use of the studio’s Hammond B-3, 1962 Vox AC-30, EMT 140 Plate, and Neumann U-47 microphone.

Shelter Island owner/producer Steve Addabbo finished mastering Deni Bonet‘s upcoming release It’s All Good, produced by Richard Barone, which features vocalist Fred Schneider of the B-52′s, REM guitarist Peter Buck and the legendary drummer Steve Holley

Boardwalk Empire was back at Shelter Island for more recording sessions on the Yamaha C5 acoustic piano with Stewart Lerman producing and Vince Giordano music supervising.

And NYC-based Internet Radio Station Breakthru Radio also recorded in-studio sessions with Sherlock’s Daughter and Chains of Love. Listen to Breakthru Radio at www.breakthruradio.com.

Avatar Studios Hosts James McCartney, Travis Barker, Regis Philbin, Roberta Flack

The rooms at Avatar Studios have been crowded this past month, with projects for everyone from global artists to talk show royalty. Top producers and engineers have been in on many of the sessions as well.

Studio A, with its legendary 2,496 sq. ft. live room, accommodated a duet by Tony Bennett and Sheryl Crow, produced by Phil Ramone, engineered by Dae Bennett, and assisted by Fernando Lodeiro. Elvis Costello was also in A, recording a song for an upcoming film with engineer Kevin Killen, assisted by Fernando Lodeiro.

Staying in Studio A, James McCartney recorded in Studio A with producer David Kahne, engineer Roy Hendrickson assisted by Fernando Lodeiro. Mark Ronson recorded music there for Warner Pictures’ Arthur, with engineer Vaughan Merrick, and assisted by Bob Mallory. On the drumming tip, Travis Barker recorded drums for an ad with producer James Covill, engineer James Ingram, and assisted by Bob Mallory.

Roberta Flack recorded in Studio A as well as well as the SSL 9000J-equipped Studio B with co-producer Sherrod Barnes, engineer Roy Hendrickson, and assisted by Bob Mallory.

In Studio C with its Neve VRP 72, Constantine Maroulis recorded with producers Phil Galdston and Marc Copely — engineer Lawrence Manchester was on hand, assisted by Bob Mallory. In addition Rebecca Arons recorded with Regis Philbin in Studio C with engineer Anthony Ruotolo, assisted by Bob Mallory. Also in C, Steve Reich / So Percussion recorded with producer Judith Sherman, engineer John Kilgore, and assisted by Charlie Kramsky.

On the multimedia front, Cirque de Soleil recorded in Studio C with producer Phil Ramone and engineer Roy Hendrickson, assisted by Fernando Lodeiro. Music for HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” was recorded in Studio B with producers Stewart Lerman, Jim Dunbar, engineer Stewart Lerman, and assisted by Bob Mallory. Last but not least, music for Fox’s “Glee” was recorded in Studio G with producer Tommy Faragher and engineer Bryan Smith, assisted by Fernando Lodeiro.

“Boardwalk Empire,” Rufus Wainwright and Hal Willner, Robby Romero to NYC’s Shelter Island Sound

Producer/engineer Steve Addabbo’s Shelter Island Sound has hosted a number of recording and mixing sessions for TV, film and album projects recently including HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, and the upcoming music film, Who’s Gonna Save You, by Robby Romero.

NYC bandleader Vince Giordano and producer Stewart Lerman were in Shelter Island working on music for the upcoming season of Boardwalk Empire.

And for Who’s Gonna Save You — which will premiere on Earth Day at the U.N. as well as on MTV and at various film festivals — the studio hosted post production sound mixing and Final Cut Pro video editing.

Meanwhile, Rufus Wainwright was at Shelter Island recently with producer Hal Willner, working on an upcoming Macy Gray release. And artists Giovanna Moretti, Jodi Shaw and Steve Sutherland all finished recording and mixing album projects at the studio recently.

Shelter Island has also been hosting live in-studio sessions for the Internet radio station BreakThruRadio.com with recent bands The Beauties, Levek, Big Search, Junk Culture and Galia Arad.

For more on Shelter Island Sound, visit www.shelterislandsound.com.

Paul McCartney, Lou Reed, Bjork, Mark Ronson Recording at Avatar

We’ve got the latest on who’s been recording at NYC’s Avatar Studios most recently. Check it out:

In the legendary Studio A…Paul McCartney recorded a Buddy Holly tribute with producer David Kahne and engineer Roy Hendrickson, assisted by Fernando Lodeiro; Lou Reed recorded (and mixed) music for a TV commercial with producer Rob Mathes and engineer Elliot Scheiner, also assisted by Lodeiro;

Mark Ronson recorded music for Warner Brothers Pictures’ upcoming film Arthur, with engineer Vaughan Merrick, assisted by Bob Mallory; and Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks continued recorded music for HBO’s Mildred Pierce with producer/engineer Stewart Lerman, assisted by Rick Kwan.

James Carter Organ Trio also recorded an upcoming release in Studio A with producer Michael Cuscuna and engineer Jim Anderson assisted by Aki Nishimura, and an upcoming release for Kendrick Scott’s “Oracle” was recorded with Scott and Derrick Hodge producing and Joe Barbaria engineering, assisted by Charlie Kramsky.

Stanley Jordan was at Avatar recording an upcoming release with a “who’s who” of top jazz musicians that included Mike Stern, Christian McBride, Charnett Moffett, Nicholas Payton, Bucky Pizzarelli, Charlie Hunter, Russell Malone, Regina Carter and Kenwood Dennard. Al Pryor produced the session with engineer Todd Whitelock.

Meanwhile in the large, Motown-inspired and Neve-equipped Studio C, recorded for an upcoming release with engineer Damian Taylor; Kelli O’Hara recorded an upcoming release with producer Dan Lipton and engineer Lawrence Manchester; Louis C.K. and engineer Robert Smith worked on music for Season 2 of the FX show, Louie.

In the SSL 4000 G+ equipped Studio G, Hal Willner produced a “Sea Shanties” project that featured vocals by Sean Lennon, Michael Stipe and Courtney Love, all recorded and mixed by engineers Martin Brumbach and Roy Hendrickson, and more vocals for Fox’s Glee were recorded and mixed with producer Tommy Faragher and engineer Bryan Smith.

Finally, in Studio B, Isabella Rossellini recorded a voice over for an upcoming environmental documentary Home with producer Eva Ferrero and engineer Neil Dorfsman; and Renee Fleming was in for a video shoot for a Sydney Opera House performance. The session was produced by Alex Coletti and engineered by Aki Nishimura.

Lou Reed, Kurt Elling, Bobby McFerrin Recording at Avatar

Who’s been recording at Avatar Studios recently? Check it out:

Lou Reed recently recorded “Peggy Sue” for a Buddy Holly tribute project in Avatar’s Studio A with engineer Mark Urselli assisted by Fernando Lodeiro. And Bobby McFerrin recorded in Studio G with longtime producer and manager Linda Goldstein, engineer Bob Power assisted by Rick Kwan.

Songwriter and producer Paul Brill booked Studio C to record new material with engineer Robert Smith assisted by Charlie Kramsky.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp was held at Avatar recently, with producers Mark Hudson, Rudy Sarzo; engineers Steve Greenwell, Robert Smith assisted by Bob Mallory and Charlie Kramsky. Roger Daltrey came in to record with the campers.

A performance by Kurt Elling was recorded in front of a live audience in Avatar Studio A for broadcast on WFUV. The session was produced by Dave Einstein and engineered by Brian Montgomery assisted by Aki Nishimura and Charlie Kramsky.

The Christian McBride Big Band recorded and mixed at Avatar with engineer Joe Ferla assisted by Rick Kwan, Michel Camilo recorded with engineer Phil Magnotti and Fly recorded and mixed with producer Manfred Eicher and engineer Aya Takemura.

Music for Fox’s Glee continues to be recorded and mixed at Avatar with producer Tommy Faragher, engineer Bryan Smith assisted by Charlie Kramsky. And Carter Burwell continued recording his score for HBO’s mini-series Mildred Pierce with engineer Todd Whitelock. Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks also recorded for the show in Studio A with producer and music supervisor Randy Poster and engineer Stewart Lerman.

Visit www.avatarstudios.net for more information, and booking.

“Mildred Pierce” Score, Jazz, Big Band, Pop & Soul Sessions at Avatar

Music for HBO’s upcoming five-part miniseries Mildred Pierce has been recorded at NYC’s Avatar Studios.

Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks supplied the period music for the show, recording in Studio A with producer and music supervisor Randy Poster and engineer Stewart Lerman, assisted by Charlie Kramsky.  And NYC-based film composer Carter Burwell (True Grit, Twilight, The Kids Are Alright) recorded the score in Studio C with engineer Todd Whitelock, assisted by Rick Kwan.

Recording sessions with Ricky Martin continued in Avatar’s Studio B, with Desmond Child producing and Kevin Killen engineering. The Linda Eder Big Band also recorded at Avatar with producers Frank Wildhorn and Jeremy Roberts, engineered by Todd Whitelock.

And in other recent Avatar sessions: jazz artist Charnett Moffett recorded with engineer Anthony Ruotolo, Fox’s Glee was back recording and mixing with producer Tommy Faragher and engineer Robert Smith, and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds recorded with producers Patrick Ermlich and Eshy Gazit for Modern Vintage Recordings, with engineering by Anthony Ruotolo.

Clara Lofaro also recorded at Avatar with engineer Robert Smith. And Erin Barra worked in Studio W with engineer Ari Raskin. The Young People’s Chorus recorded in Studio C with producer Nancy Bloom and engineer Bryan Smith, assisted by Aki Nishimura. Jessye Norman and Lynn Harrell recorded in Studio C with producer Allan Abrams, engineer Fred Vogler. And Grammy Awards nominee Chandrika Tandon was recording in Studio B and G with producer/engineer Jeffrey Lesser.

For more on Avatar Studios, visit http://www.avatarstudios.net

Avatar Studios Hosts Paul Simon, Moby, O.A.R. and More

Paul Simon recently spent time recording at NYC’s Avatar Studios, working with producer Phil Ramone, engineer Andy Smith and assistant engineer Justin Gerrish.

Moby‘s also recently recorded in Studio A, with engineer Scott Norton and assistant engineer Rick Kwan.

Meanwhile, roots rock quintet O.A.R. recorded in Studio C with producer Matt Wallace and engineer Mike Landolt. Other acts that recorded in March include Teddy Thompson, Proud Simon, and The Script.

From the jazz world, the Christian McBride Big Band recorded in Studio A with engineer Joe Ferla, while woodwind specialist James Carter recorded in Studio B with producer Michael Cuscuna and engineer Jim Anderson, assisted by Fernando Lodeiro. Other notables were Michel Portal and The Don Friedman Trio, both of whom recorded in Studio C with their producer/engineer teams.

Studio A recently hosted several TV and theater projects as well. Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks recorded music for the upcoming HBO series Boardwalk Empire with producer Jim Dunbar and engineer Stewart Lerman. Also, the cast of Broadway’s Million Dollar Quartet recorded with producer Hank Neuberger and engineer Chris Steinmetz.

And finally, the music for Life Begins At 8:40, a 1934 Harold Arlen / Ira Gershwin / Yip Harburg musical revue, was recorded in Studio A with producer Tommy Krasker and engineer Bart Migal.

For more information on Avatar Studios, visit their website at avatarstudios.net.