It is always a momentous experience when a legendary artist comes spend time with us in the studio. We were lucky enough to have Jorma Kaukonen in last week recording tracks for a new project.
He was joined by Justin Guip, who is producing and engineering the record, Ross Garren, Larry Campbell and Cindy Cashdollar.
As if Jorma’s signature style of playing wasn’t captivating enough, hearing his tales from the last 60+ years and learning about his life through a gracious and curious narrative was a bonus.
You know it’s a good session when it ends and you miss having everyone around.
We were thrilled to have Producer Philip Weinrobe (Adrianne Lenker, Alanis Morisette, Marc Ribot) spent a week or so recording the new Sarah Julia record. We can’t wait for you to hear it.
“Sarah Julia’s music is an exercise in tenderness, bound by sisterhood and defined by a haunting, piercing vulnerability. Their deeply introspective brand of indie folk is forged from a shared childhood: the product of overlapping memories and a communal formative soundtrack that presents itself in the pure vocals that cradle each other in harmony as they delicately address love, heartache and family.”
Renowned producer David Baron spent a day in the studio with the one and only Felice Brothers working on an upcoming project.
Fantastic to have them here!
Esteemed producer Marlan Barry was recently at The Woods with soprano Adriana Zabala and pianist JJ Pena. They recorded five songs that are included on this beautiful compilation album.
Adriana is one of the most beautiful mezzo-sopranos working today. She’s also head of the vocal department at Yale.
A few notes about the session from Marlan:
The room mics were Todd‘s ships 221’s
We put the piano in the big room, but with the lid facing the glass, iso booth where it usually resides and I had Audrey Anna facing the piano from the other side singing to the back of the lid so that we could have isolation between the two, but you still capture the sound of both instruments with the room mics
Adriana‘s vocal mics were Todd’s M 49’s going through a Neve preamp for gain.
The room Mike also went to the GML’s
The piano mics were 2U 67’s and one Cole’s 4038 ribbon Mics going through that crazy tape machine analog mic pre that Todd has but I can’t remember the name of it.
You can check out the gorgeous “”Who Could Have Known?” from Cabaret Songs here:
Singer/Songwriter Lucie Lozinski was recently at The Woods, recording tracks for a new project with Producer Phil Weinrobe. Lucie records and performs under the name Ski Team.
Phil has worked on countless projects, including recent work with Adrianne Lenker, Cass McCombs, Deerhoof, Alanis Morisette, and Lake Street Drive.
Catskills folk-rockers Two Dark Birds were at the studio recently, recording live in the big room, with Todd Adelman producing. The critically-acclaimed band is finishing their fifth album, tentatively titled “Dreamers of the Golden Dream.” Look for a 2025 release on Vfib Records.
The sessions featured singer-songwriter Steve Koester alongside Jason Mills on drums, Tyler Wood on keys, Josh Roy Brown on lap steel, Mark Lerner on bass, Judd Counsell on percussion, Jeff Hill on bass, and Iris Koester on harmonies.
Read more about Two Dark Birds.
Our good buddy Reed Foehl was in for four days recently, cutting seven songs with Jeff Berlin on drums and Putnam Murdock on bass and other various instruments.
Matthew Cullen engineered the session. They cut live to 2 inch tape.
Beautiful batch of songs, stunning recordings.
More about Reed: “Born in a small country town in New England and into a musical family, Grammy-nominated songwriter Reed Foehl writes stories of the human condition with a lyric and voice which push boundaries while paying homage to tradition. Dusty and patient, his music is genuine Folk/Americana.”
Visit his website here.
John Powell was joined by Audio by the Bay at our studio recently to record a Celtic ensemble for an upcoming project.
John Powell is an English composer best known for his film scores. He has been based in Los Angeles since 1997 and has composed the scores to over 70 feature films. He is best known for composing score for films, including Face/Off, the Bourne film series, the Happy Feet films, United 93, X-Men: The Last Stand, Evolution, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Migration, Drumline, Hancock, The Call of the Wild, Bolt, eight Blue Sky Studios films, and nine DreamWorks Animation films.
Audio By The Bay has a 30 year legacy of creating award winning soundtracks & sound design for theme park shows/parades, Location based entertainment and live theater.
Singer-songwriter Meir Levine was recently at The Woods with Gillian Pelkonen engineering and Producer Andrew Freedman.
Raised in the Hudson Valley and currently based in Brooklyn, Meir Levine blends his folk rock nostalgia for the 1970’s with a modern indie sensibility. He recorded his upcoming EP with acclaimed engineer D. James Goodwin (The Hold Steady, Bonny Light Horseman, Bob Weir, Kevin Morby, Watchhouse), with producer Andrew Freedman (Henry Jamison, Michael Mayo), and acclaimed players including Josh Kaufman, (Bonny Light Horseman, Bon Iver, The National, Anais Mitchell), Jordan Rose (Theo Katzman, Charlie Hunter), Mike Robinson (Sarah Jarosz, Railroad Earth), and Jeremy McDonald (Mason Jar Music, Louis Cato) among others; more details to be announced. With past projects, Meir has played stages from the iconic Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg, and Bowery Ballroom to the renowned
Carnegie Hall.
Gillian has worked with artists like Shawn Mendes, Norah Jones, Laufey, Amos Lee, Goose, Bonny Light Horseman, Jenny Owen Youngs, Charlotte Cornfield, Sammy Rae & The Friends and Amy Helm + has assisted for engineers such as Elliot Scheiner, D. James Goodwin, Ariel Shafir and more.
Andrew Freedman is a pianist, multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer traversing the realms of improvised music, pop, indie rock and electronic music. He has toured worldwide on keys with jazz/r&b vocalist Michael Mayo, Ground UP artist Sirintip, indie/folk songwriters Henry Jamison and Haux, hasidic folk/soul band Zusha and others.
Jazz guitarist Ryan Blotnick was recently in the studio with a quartet making a live recording of original compositions.
The sessions were produced by Tyler Wood, and featured Tyler on keys as well as bassist Adam Chilenski and drummer Otto Hauser.
