What's New?
April 2008
Jay worked on his 8th Grammy nominated project (including 1 winning project in 2004) this past year. It's an eclectic record titled "Polka Freak Out" from a Tejano band with a European accordian player, but with a pop rock aesthetic. It is fronted by Bass player/singer Bubba Hernandez, himself a two time Grammy winner, formerly with Brave Combo on Rounder Records.
The Metro remote truck went out with Ben and Pete to Buffalo NY where Ani DiFranco has restored a beautiful church encompassing a live music venue called "Babeville". There was shot a multi-camera hi-def recording for her new DVD. She sent her engineer back to the SSL room to work with Pete on the mix, and Jay took care of 5.1 and stereo mastering of the concert, and many DVD extras.
Original Boston singer Brad Delp had written and recorded a full set of vocal tracks for a new song entitled "Rockin' Away" shortly before his tragic death. Other original Boston members Barry Goudreau and Sib Hashian also joined him, and it's no surprise that it sounds like it could be another hit off the original landmark album. Pete re-recorded many of the band tracks next door, mixing was handled in L.A. by wunderkind Chris Lord-Alge, and mastering came back to Jay here at Mastersuite. You can hear it currently on classic rock radio and buy it on iTunes.
Jay also produced a live concert video DVD for Vancouver pop rock singing duo, Carmen and Camille. Their music can be heard featured on MTV, and they can be seen in Billboard.com feature video, and there's a possible VH-1 show in the works. We just shipped it off to replication and it should arrive in stores in a month or two. Jay took this one all the way from conception to finish, overseeing everything from renting a theater, specifying production, arranging with Ben (who served as production coordinator) to hire a director and crew, to all the audio and video post and DVD authoring. It was a big job. Pete manned the truck on recording night since Jay's hands were full, and Jay did the mix in the SSL room and later mastering next door. Pete did most of the video editing, and Mark Grassia handled motion menus, a cool credits animation, and final authoring.
Other recording and mixing projects have included an ongoing 14 song album project from Called and Careless nearing completion. The songs are based on the 7 deadly sins and 7 holy virtues. Jay's roles on this project include co-production, recording, and mixing. Singer/songwriter AJ Edwards tracked an album's worth of material earlier this year, and is returning for mixing later this month. Pre-production and songwriting continues with rock singer Janna. Washington D.C. area rockers, AlonA, sent up a three song project for mixing and mastering. A classical piano/flute album from the Sterbrooke duo is finished recording, and nearing completion in edit, mix, and mastering. Other artists recently tapping Jay's services include Oz Knozz, Lissa Schneckenburger, Dave Hunter, Fools & Horses, Christian Cuff, Howard Ray, Roots of Creation, and Soak, among others.
On deck: mastering for Good Charlotte HDTV concert in 5.1 surround.
January 2007
We were out at Lupo's at the Strand Theater in Providence on Halloween with the Metro Remote truck doing a 13 camera hi-def video shoot of the Alice in Chains show for a future DVD release. The guys really gave it their all and the band rocked! They were a great group of people to work with.
I hit the SSL a couple weeks after the show and finished six initial mixes, including Man in the Box, Would, and the acoustic version of No Excuses. The band has them, along with the first rough video cut to make comments and determine a direction for the project now that this leg of the tour is coming to an end. Can't wait to see the finished show!
September 2006
Gary Hoey's latest CD, American Made, has been released on Surf Dog Records. Gary burst on the
scene in 1993 with his Warner Bros. debut, "Animal Instinct," scoring a hit with his cover of Hocus Pocus.
Subsequent releases on Virgin and Hollywood Records, including his popular Ho, Ho, Hoey series of
Christmas albums, solidified his reputation as a guitar hero. Gary, along with Drummer Matt Scurfield and
bassist Erik Kondziolka, tracked the new album with Jay.
Former MCA Nashville recording artist, The Roys, have finished their new album for Aspirion Records
Nashville. An October release is planned. This brother and sister act comprised of Lee and Elaine Roy
tracked and mixed their new 12 song album with Jay, who also co-produced.
Jay manned the Metro Remote truck to record a live performence of Foriegner frontman, Lou Gramm,
along with a 5 camera hi-def video shoot. Every song he plays is a hit that you've heard a million times.
In older remote news, late last year Jay manned the truck with Ben Chandler and Pete Peloquin to capture
Killswitch Engage at the Worcester Palladium for their World Ablaze DVD for Roadrunner Records.
Guitarist/singer/songrwriter, Chris McDermott, has finished mixing his new album with Jay. This amazingly
musical album pays tribute to the classic 70's Philly soul sounds of The O'Jays and other Sigma Sound artists.
Holding down the rhythm section is none other than Longtime James Brown drummer, Clyde Stubblefield.
Clyde is the original Funky Drummer, and is the most sampled drummer of all time. Just cue up the classic
70's James Brown hit of the same name to see for yourself!
Seacoast rockers, The Screen, were in tracking their latest release with Jay. They'll be back to mix next
month. A Les Paul into a Diezel amp through a Bogner speaker sure sounds good...
...and talking about guitar amps that sound good... Jay has hooked up with Randall Amplifiers and now has
the new RM1000 tube amplifier designed by Bruce Egnater. The flexibility and tone of this amp is amazing!
The removeable preamp modules offer a range of possibilities unequaled in other amplifiers. Other amps we
have kicking around the studio include the Mesa Dual Rectifier Tremoverb 2X12 combo, a Vox Pathfinder,
a Fender Deluxe, a Roland Jazz Chorus 120, and a couple others that tend to come and go.