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September and October 2009 News |
 Snow Patrol kept Studio A rockin’ this September with Grammy winning producer Garrett “Jacknife”
Lee (U2, R.E.M, Weezer), engineer Vanessa Parr and assistant Chris Owens. The band’s “delicately
refined” brand of pop/punk is still topping charts and intriguing listeners to go out and buy “Up To
Now”, their latest album.
As if Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson were not extraordinary enough on their own, they decided to
team up and perform live with KCRW in Studio A. With Ghian Wright engineering, the talented two-
some serenaded us with hits like “Relator”, “Blackie’s Dead”, and “Search Your Heart” from the
“Break Up” album. They may be two very different stars, but they share a similar passion. Yorn and
Johansson treated us to a morning of delightful new music, and gave us a glimpse of what the future
holds for this new musical match-up.
After leaving Berklee College of Music to forge headlong into his music career, John Mayer has made
a solid yet swift climb to the top that won’t let up. This September, he worked in his studio with
Steve Jordan, Chad Franscoviak and Ghian Wright. Now, with tons of awards to his name, an
organization to help raise money for education, health care and the arts, and a quirky sense of humor
to boot, we have nothing but “belief” that his star will continue to shine brighter each year.
Jakob Dylan is no stranger to The Village, and we were thrilled to welcome him back this past
October with the legendary T Bone Burnett, engineer Mike Piersante and Ghian Wright assisting.
“Seeing Things” is his latest work of art, and we can also expect “Collected: 1996-2005”, a
Wallflowers album, due out this June. You’ll never be disappointed when working with Dylan as his
reflective style continues to speak to the hearts of listeners everywhere. |
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Some may know Katharine McPhee from her fame as American Idol runner up. Some may know her from her theatre training, and stage performing she has participated in since a young age. But everyone should know her for the unbelievable voice and flawless stage presence she possesses. She has been in Studio J working on her new album with producer John Alagia, engineer Brian Scheuble and assistant Nolan Sipe. It is expected to be out sometime this year, and we look forward to the final result!
If you are a gamer, you know that Sony Playstation is one of the heavy hitters when it comes to creating exciting new products and achieving top sales. This June, The Village was lucky enough to be a part of their next big thing with the percussion scoring for “Uncharted 2” in Studio D with Vanessa Parr assisting. The original installment of “Uncharted” follows an explorer, hot on a trail of clues to find El Dorado’s treasure. The sequel is sure to dazzle players with just as much aesthetic appeal and musical mystery as the first!
Right off the bat, you can’t help but like The Eels. Founded by singer/songwriter, “E”, their feel is as earnest and melodic as a Sunday swaying in your hammock. The music on the latest album sounds like haunting lullabies and refreshingly innovative rock songs rolled into one classic collection. MySpace Music brought this band that is known for doing covers of old favorites, into Studio A with engineer Chris Owens. The Eels played some old tunes, some new tunes, and some somber blue tunes, but all of it was fantastic. The session was followed by an interview, and in their quirky vintage style, it will be released on vinyl.
Ghost Brothers, an upcoming musical set to open this year at The Alliance Theater in Atlanta, was laying down the score by John Mellenkamp in Studio B, D, F and M. The book, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, was written by Stephen King and is now being recorded as a CD/Book package with the songs and text included. The talented team was lead by Grammy winning producer/musician T Bone Burnett, and engineered by industry giant Ed Cherney, with Jason Wormer and Vanessa Parr. Assistants Chris Owens and Scott Smith also had the extreme honor of working on this session that enlisted the talents of celebrities such as Kris Kristofferson, Elvis Costello and Sheryl Crow.
Peter Himmelman, also nicknamed, “rock troubadour”, visited Studio D to do a video shoot for a children’s online show. From the moment Peter got his first electric guitar at age 12 and started a band, he knew he had something musically that he needed to share. Bit by bit, Peter made his mark playing for bands, acting in television shows and all the while writing his own music in his own terms. Seeing him live is a full sensory experience, and we were thrilled to have such a unique artist in our midst. The session was produced by George Verschoor, engineered by Ghian Wright and assisted by Chris Owens. |
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Forget about Sarah Marshall, here comes Get Him to the Greek, the sequel to the film centering around Russell Brand’s character. Universal Pictures along with engineer Lyle Workman and assistant Shin Miyazawa have been recording in several Village rooms to the tune of hilarious original songs and dialogue. After having company like these guys around, we will be sad to see the likes of Russell Brand, Seth Rogan and other comic stars from the upcoming film make their way home.
Son of lyrical genius Bob Dylan and lead singer for The Wallflowers, Jakob Dylan laid down some beautiful tracks in Studio D this May. Jakob enlisted the help of producer T-Bone Burnett, Engineer Mike Piersante and assistant Jason Wormer to aide him in the creation of his next project. Awhile back, The Wallflowers performed live at The Village for KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, and with a now thriving solo career, Jakob is following in the successful footsteps of his father.
 The Village was honored to have multi platinum mixing engineer, Tony Maserati in the auditorium to introduce his line of Waves plug ins. Tony was able to demonstrate in person the plug ins that megastars such as Beyonce, Usher, Sting and Jason Mraz have all benefited from. At one time aspiring to be a lawyer, I think we are all glad that he decided to go the other direction and become the star engineer that he is, known for his “New York sound”. We hope to see him and his genius ideas again soon. KCRW with producer Ariana Morgenstern was back in Studio A this month with The Horrors and the amazing Ms. Tori Amos. Thanks to their first popular single, “Sheena is a Parasite” the British born Horrors have steadily gained notoriety in the U.S and are currently on tour. Tori Amos is one of the few musicians responsible for leading the female singer/songwriter boom in the 90’s. Her way with language and haunting voice have attracted fans from all over the world, as she is also actively touring this summer. |
 Up and comer Grace Potter with Disney Music Group, wowed us with her deeply soulful voice full of the husky sentiment that could only come from a seasoned rocker. Even at the age of 24, when Grace opens her mouth, you hear the truth of an old soul disguised in the body of a young woman. Her band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have been described as, "One of the most soulful new bands around", by Bonnie Raitt herself, and she could not be more right. T Bone Burnett produced while Mike Piersante engineered and Jason Wormer assisted.
"Hills" star turned singer, Heidi Montag worked in Studio F alongside husband Spencer Pratt, engineer Ariel, and assistants Shin Miyazawa and Nate Alford. After the overnight success of the MTV show "The Hills", Heidi had no problem parlaying her talent into a career in music. We were happy to help her perfect her project and come along for the ride towards pop stardom.
"Who’s Your Daddy?" was the question of the month as this new MTV animated series began work on their pilot. From auditions to voiceovers, the cast and crew of this comedy spent many hours in Studio J rehearsing and laying down lines to what is sure to be an edgy new way to watch "cartoons". Paul D’ Arci produced while Jared Nugent engineered.
In Studio F, One Republic joins us with producer, engineer and lead singer Ryan Tedder, and assistant Chris Owens. From humble beginnings as a Pottery Barn employee, Ryan was offered a recording contract after being seen on a TV show. Since then, this front man and his band have been nominated for a VMA, written up in Rollingstone and toured the globe. We are lucky enough to add them to our lists of great artists who have recorded at the Village. |
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2009 Sci Fi blockbuster "Star Trek" gave us the extreme honor of being one of their mixing and editing homes this month. Producer and Engineer team Jeff Pfeifer and brother Rob Pfeifer worked in Studio B to help create the powerful soundscape that blew us away in theatres. Not only are the Pfeifer’s a blast to have around, but their reputation precedes them with an impressive list of musical credits to their names. Legendary producer and musician T Bone Burnett was back at The Village along with the original "Dude" himself, Jeff Bridges, to work on "Crazy Heart". Engineer Mike Piersante and assistant Jason Wormer collaborated with several of the music and film industry’s finest to begin this epic project with a storytellers voice as rich as the music itself. Based on a novel by Thomas Cobb , "Crazy Heart" tells the story of a country singer who has been in the shadows for too long. With an original score by T Bone himself and a glowing roster of stars, we were delighted to have them and anxiously await the premiere.
Famed drummer and songwriter Ringo Starr joined forces with the multi talented Ben Harper to bring down the house in Studio D. Together, they worked on a revamped rendition of Yellow Submarine with engineer Danny Kalb and assistant Chris Owens. It is not often that one gets the opportunity to hear a Beatle playing such an iconic tune just down the hall, and it is especially rare when that Beatle is paired with a new age star like Ben Harper. Quite a treat for the Village.
Mellow island folk/pop could be used to describe the music of songstress Colbie Caillat. With her soothing melodies and soaring harmony lines, Colbie chilled out the Village for the month of March as she worked on her new album with producer and father Ken Caillat, and engineer Ghian Wright. After her first hit sailed into the top of the pop charts, we think she’ll have no trouble gaining another few hits with this new project. |
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California formed rock band Weezer joined us this month in Studio B with well known producer Garrett “Jacknife” Lee, Engineer Tom McFall, and 2nd, Vanessa Parr. We were happy to have them around for a bit, while they worked on their newest album, sure to be a hit.
The Village was delighted to welcome Charlize Theron, Latanya Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Forrest Whittaker, and Parminder Nagra, into Studio J. They were recording to support and promote Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA) in Studio J. Produced by the lovely and talented Alfre Woodard and Sharon Gelman, ANSA is a program designed to assist diseased children in South Africa and combat AIDS/HIV. We were honored to have them here, and Scott Smith engineered.
Spinal Tap, the epically hilarious mock band, rocked out in Studio D with Producer CJ Vanston and Engineer Ed Cherney with Chris Owens Assisting. Co-fronted by actor and comedian Christopher Guest, the guys recorded a self tribute album including the rebirth of such favorites as, “Stonehenge” and “Big Bottom”. The Village also got a sneak peak into a private photo shoot with the band staged in multiple rooms of the Village.
Chris Cornell is considered a rock god and one of the trailblazers for the 90’s grunge movement. The Village was lucky enough to host Mr. Cornell in Studio F with producer Howard Benson, Engineer Jeremy Underwood, and assistant Ghian Wright. As always, the result of the session was an innovative and exciting recording, and our staff was more than excited to have this multi Grammy winning singer/songwriter added to the list of greats that have walked through our green door. |
 The legendary Smokey Robinson, recipient of multi platinum album fame, gave us the pleasure of his presence in several of our studios, working on various projects accompanied by skilled Producer and Engineer Gary Gold, and assisted by Jared Nugent. His iconic sound is like no other, and having him here was a true gift.
Public Enemies, a newly released film from Universal Pictures about the birth of the FBI, and starring Johnny Depp, spent many hours at The Village mixing and recording their chilling soundtrack in Studio B. Producer Teese Gohl was in attendance along with Engineers Joel Iwataki and Frank Wolf and Shinnosuke Miyazawa assisting.
As we have many times before, The Village had the privilege of hosting KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic featuring the talented Franz Ferdinand in Studio A. The band performed flawlessly, making the job easy for engineer Ghian Wright and assistant Nolan Sipe. Keb’ Mo’, three time Grammy winner, laid down an original tribute track in Studio A with Producer Mark Johnson and assistant Ghian Wright. This quintessential Delta Blues singer/songwriter and close friend to the Village made us his first choice for the recording of “Brand New America”, a song for President Barrack Obama. |
 Much to our excitement, the cast of Entourage chose Studio A for their latest installment of DVD Commentaries. With engineer Chris Owens, the all star cast including Adrian Grenier, Jeremy Piven, Kevin Connelly, Kevin Dillon and Jerry Ferrara cracked us up with the witty asides and astute observations of their work. This contemporary show so appropriate to the struggling actors in Los Angeles has made The Village home several times, and we hope to have them back in the future. Classic star and memorable song writer Burt Bacharach was also hard at work in Studio A. Acting as his own producer and recruiting Noel Zancanella to engineer and Nathan Alford to assist, Mr. Bacharach awed us with his skillful piano playing and nostalgic lyrics. Having a legend like Mr. Bacharach was amazing, and maybe next time he will bring along Dionne Warwick!
Alternative pop/rock band Snow Patrol, commonly known for their hit song “Chasing Cars”, came to the Village to do a live set for the new radio station The Sound in Studio A. Coming all the way from Northern Ireland, they have attracted sudden notoriety, and an increasing interest from their fans as to their background and musical influences. In answer to this curiosity, they were asked to do an interview in our auditorium. Chris Owens engineered while Nathan Alford assisted. |
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