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wishing you and yours
A Healthy, Rewarding and Musical New Year
Mark Your Calendar: Jan 21, 2017 

  Fischer Album Release Celebration at East West Studios, Sept 2016
 
Spotlight on Featured Speakers @ NAMM 2017
studioexpresso & Trans Audio Group Present 
Saturday January 21, 2 - 4 PM
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
TecTracks, The afternoon of the Tec Awards

CJ Vanston (Toto, Steve Lukather, Spinal Tap, Def Leppard)

CJ Vanston is a Hollywood based composer, producer, arranger, songwriter and engineer who has worked with artists such as Toto, Joe Cocker, Def Leppard, Prince, Ringo Starr, Dolly Parton, Celine Dion, 'NSync, B.B. King, Barbra Streisand and Bob Seger among many others. CJ has composed music for Christopher Guest's projects ("Waiting For Guffman," "Best In Show," "Almost Heroes," "For Your Consideration," the HBO Series "Family Tree," and the latest one,"Mascots" (Netflix). He has also been musical director/keyboardist on world tours in 33 countries with Tears For Fears, Joe Cocker, Tina Turner and Spinal Tap.
Over the last year CJ has written and performed pieces for the Dalai Lama and Muhammad Ali. He recently worked with Al Pacino in the recent release "Danny Collins." CJ also mixed and produced Toto's last album, Toto XIV, along with their live DVD. He has also produced Steve Lukather's last two albums. CJ just finished a solo album with Jeff "Skunk" Baxter with guest artists/co-writers Michael McDonald, Jonny Lang & Clint Black.     
   

 Manny Marroquin (John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Kanye West) 

Eight-time Grammy award-winning Mix Engineer Manny Marroquin's first studio gig was as a runner for Enterprise studios. Today Manny's credits appear on millions of albums worldwide. His ear for sound has helped earn him over forty #1 albums and one hundred Top 10 albums on The Billboard 200.  He received Best Engineered Album for John Mayer's "Battle Studies" in 2011.

Gregg Field (right) is a seven-time Grammy winner and one of the most musically diverse and highly sought-after producers, musicians and educators in music. Mr Field's credits include a veritable who's who of the music world including Michael Buble, Pharrell, Barbara Streisand, Alejandro Sanz, Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Placido Domingo, Garth Brooks, Christina Aguilera,  Josh Groban,  Jason Mraz, Ray Charles,  Gloria Estefan, Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, Count Basie, Natalie Cole, Ella Fitzgerald,  LeAnn Rimes, John Williams, Steve Miller, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Koz,  Vince Gill, to name a few.

Dave Schiffman (below)  is among an impressive group of engineers and mixers this year who worked on 25, Adel's latest release, nominated for Grammy Album of The Year. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, LimpBizkit, Nine Inch Nails,  System of a Down, Weezer and Johnny Cash have all benefited from the production and engineering skills of Schiffman.  
 
  2:00 - 3: PM 
  
Dave Schiffman (The Strumbellas, PUP, Adele, Limp Bizkit)


Engineers' Forum: Mixing for Immersive Environments
A panel of top studio engineers will discuss the issues around adding another dimension to the sonic experiences they are now creating. How are mixing techniques different in 3-D? How do you train your ears to lead you to the result you are going for? Lots of fun things will be discussed!

3:00 - 4:00 PM
  
brentfischer Brent Fischer (D'Angelo, Clare
Fischer, Sheila E, Elvis Costello &
 The Roots) 
 
Producers' Forum: Producing for World Audiences		music is truly an international language. Producers must understand the subtleties and complexities of the music as well as do their best to dial in the receptivity of an international audience. Several top producers will discuss their tips and techniques for world-wide success. 
Rafa Sardina ( Lady Gaga, Dr. Dre, Beyonce, Calle 13)

The 12-time Grammy-winner is a LA based producer/mixer/engineer Rafa Sardina has built an eclectic and impressive client list in the recent years to include: pop, rock and R&B as well as recorded and mixed orchestral recordings, big band, dance, gospel, soul, rap, choral, film/TV soundtracks and movies to include work with iconic artists like: Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello & The Roots, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Placido Domingo, Celine Dion, Harry Conick Jr, Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Shakira, Dr. Dre, Luis Miguel, Paco de Lucía, Chris Botti, Susan Boyle, Beyonce, Calle 13, Illya Kuriaki & The Valderramas, blues legends Al Blake & Fred Kaplan, Michael Buble, Juan Gabriel, Jumaane Smith, Jackie Evancho, Clare Fischer Big Band, D'Angelo, Alejandro Sanz and Macy Gray among many others. He has received 35 Grammy Nominations, both American and Latin, for his work with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Luis Miguel, Clare Fischer Big Band, Illya Kuriaki & The Valderramas, and Alejandro Sanz. Sardina landed an engineering position at the legendary Ocean Way Recording Studios in Hollywood and Record One Studios where he worked with Natalie Cole to the Black Crows, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, to name a few. Sardina founded Fishbone Productions in 2001. He built "After Hours Studios" from the ground up with artists' needs in mind. 

This week Sardina received two Grammy noms
 for DiegoTorres "Buena Vida" & Illya Kuriaki 
 & The Valderramas "L.H.O.N."  Hearty studioexpresso congrats to all Grammy nominees!
 

Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down, Johnny Cash)

Sylvia Massy  has been Producing, Engineering and Mixing popular music for decades.  She's received over 25 gold and platinum records including awards for her work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Tom Petty. She's also an accomplished fine artist, a published columnist, in-demand educator and relentless entrepreneur. Her new book,
Recording Unhinged is a creative and unconventional book on recording Techniques dares you to "unlearn" safe record-making.
 
Gregg Field (Michael Buble, Pharrell, Frank Sinatra)
 
 


TecTracks 2017 @ NAMM  January 21, 2- 4 pm

 


Grammy®-winning composer, arranger and producer Brent Fischer (left) credits his late father, Dr Clare Fischer, for creating a family tradition of writing with a rich harmonic and orchestral palette that has become the Fischer brand. A multi-instrumentalist (vibes, keys, bass, drums), Brent Fischer's  arranging credits for pop and jazz royalty include:  Michael Jackson, Usher,  Elvis Costello and The Roots, Sheila E (2016 single and tribute to Prince: Girl Meets Boy) and D'Angelo and The Vanguards - their single "Really Love"  (winner of 2016 Grammy Record of the Year and  Best R&B Song from their album Black Messiah). 

Brent Fischer directs all the Clare Fischer ensembles and produced the last eight Clare Fischer albums, including the 2016 release '¡Intenso!' featuring Sheila E.,  Roberta Gambarini, Luis Conte and more... Enjoy the Fischer Jazz Group at  Vitello's ESpot Lounge on January 11 at 8pm. Tix click here 
 

 ''tis the season. We hope you're making time to catch the holiday waves. On my playlist this month... Vivaldi
Bach, Brubeck, Beyoncé,  Coltrane and Cohen.
Music like all the arts is where we take refuge for healing and for inspiration. We believe in this quote by Plato: The soul which has seen most of truth shall come to birth as a philosopher, or beauty lover, or fervent musician. Music lifts the spirits, expresses and moves us to positive directions. We remain grateful to our artists and musicians for their gifts.  And when you make a difference in someone's life, it's worth celebrating any day of the year. Express yourselves today more than ever!
Enjoy Crosby and Bowie's version of Little Drummer Boy.  Possibly one of the greatest Christmas duets of all time.  Dedicating this one to all the lives worthy of celebrating, including our friend/drummer Enzo Todesco,  whose beat will go on in our hearts and recordings.  Peace on Earth, indeed. See you in 2017!

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