June 2008

April saw the completion of Preternatural, the second CD Genre Peak has done at Blue Seven Audio. CSC tracked, mixed, produced, and played guitars on the CD along with drum programmer, vocalist Martin Birke, and vocalist Tara Taylor. Guest musicians on the project included bassist Mick Karn (of Japan and Polytown fame), bassist Gus Fjelstrom (Maximum Indifference), and guitarist Steve Sullivan.
The CD is set for release June 27th. 
http://www.genrepeak.net

April also saw CSC providing live sound for the Obama Campaign at a private fundraiser in San Francisco. This is the 5th time B7A has provided audio services for Senator Obama. since October 2007. 
http://www.BarackObama.com

Celtic fiddler Kathy Buys was at B7A in May tracking 5 new traditional Irish and Scottish tunes for a future project. She has also been busy with Druid Sister’s Tea Party playing festivals and shows throughout California.
http://www.dragonsdance.net/

Singer songwriter Michael Lusk has been in at B7A quite a bit over the last three months tracking and mixing his compositions. Drummer Jeff Hanson has provided the backbeat for most of the tunes. No word yet when any of the material will be available for release.

Premier Retail Networks in San Francisco has tapped CSC for post-production audio mixing services in an on call basis. PRN provides all the COTV content for Walmart, Sams Club. Circuit City, and Costco. If you have walked into any of these stores and seen the material playing on the TV screens, you have heard some of his recent work.

Pianist Nina Paulsen tracked a new solo piano CD with CSC at The Annex in Menlo Park in May. This will be her 6th release and 4th with CSC behind the desk.

June has seen CSC at the famed Plant recording studios in Sausalito California tracking a new project with Doug Ellington. Doug is producing a debut jazz CD for singer Izzy Lazano. Many of the best Bay Area jazz musicians have been tapped for this recording, which is being done in the famous Studio B. CSC is being assisted by Brandon Hunt
The Ellington track Mind in Meditation (mixed by CSC in January) was placed in the film Mixtress Online, which debuted at the Portland Film Festival this past May.
http://www.myspace.com/dougellington

New Sun (CSC-guitars/vocals/keys; Chris Trujillo-drums/vocals; Alex Kley-bass) has been deep in rehearsal land prepping for recording a fourth CD at B7A. No release date has been set but four songs are ready and many more await pondering and work to get ready for tracking.
http://www.new-sun.com

March 2008

Drummer Kelly Child ,of The Tomorrows and Hobbyhorse, was in B7A tracking drums, keys, guitar, and vocals for the song Reasons & Rituals. A collaborative effort started by Steve Nardelli of The Syn (bassist Chris Squires first band before Yes) that involves musicians all around the country. The song is forwarded to the next artist after the current artist has laid down their tracks. Welcome to the modern world of recording.

Genre Peak was in tracking and mixing the song Different Dangers with Tara Taylor on vocals and CSC on guitars. This month will see the last song mixed for the forthcoming CD Preternatural. Different Dangers will be the single released for the CD this Summer. This has been an exciting project to work on and will definitely attract attention in the Electronic Music crowd.

Design Works has been in at B7A a lot over the last 2 months recording voiceovers for various flash and webcontent material for companies such as Genesys, TriNet, and Mentor Graphics. Voice talents in have included Gary Williams and John Crump.

The Berkeley landmark club Ashkenaz asked CSC to master their 35th anniversary CD for their upcoming party this coming Saturday March 15th. This is a collection of live performances by various artist at the venue over the last year compiled and mixed by house engineer Joe Balestreri. Look for the CD at the show.
We always encourage folks make an effort to support local venues, and bands, by attending shows and making your presence known!

CSC was asked by a label in LA to do an instrumental electronic cover version of the Bob Dylan song Knocking on Heavens Door for a meditation CD. Not sure of the release date at this point, but a sample can be found on the New Sun website if you are curious. A very different sound for CSC who was helped out on bass by Gus Fjelstrom of Maximum Indifference.

The band Zanzibar will be in this month mastering their debut CD with CSC. It should be available at their show next month at the Devils Canyon Brewery in San Carlos. If you like funk, African grooves and danceable music, check them out. Long time B7A friend and collaborator Tim Hilborn plays drums for Zanzibar.

CSC has been very busy with his other band Mind Furniture rehearsing for shows this coming Summer. Their sophmore CD Hoop of Flame, released on MUSEA in France, has been getting excellent reviews and is starting to draw excited attention. If you are interested in a special song not released on the CD, just email and request DMFD, and a link will be provided. This song has garnered much attention for it’s emotive and raw edge. Definitely not for the faint of heart!

January 2008

A new year and it’s off to a good start.
CSC has been busy working on New Sun material and getting in practice with Mind Furniture.

Jazz artist Doug Ellington was in with CSC recording horns and vocals on three new songs. 2 pop oriented vocal tunes and one 9 minute instrumental called Mind in Meditation. Not sure when this will be available, but well worth the wait. Doug is one very talented trumpet player and composer. Must run in the family!

CSC has been doing contract work with Premier Retail Networks over the last 2 months, primarily in the form of audio for TV/Feature spots for broadcast in various retail stores.

Guitarist Phil Campbell and vocalist Lissy Abraham will be recording a cover of the Motorhead song Damage Case at Blue Seven Audio this January. Tim Hilborn will play drums.

November 2007

Following-up on the widespread critical and fan acclaim of their first two CDs, Starfooted and Entertaining Thanatos, San Francisco-Area band Metaphor announced the release of its much-anticipated third effort, entitled, The Sparrow. It is a rock opera about the first Jesuit mission to another planet, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by celebrated author Mary Doria Russell. Recorded entirely at Blue Seven Audio with Christopher Scott Cooper engineering and co-producing. CSC also worked with metaphor on their second CD Entertaining Thanatos

Consisting of guitarist Malcolm Smith, keyboardist Marc Spooner, bassist Jim Anderson, vocalist/lyricist John Mabry, and percussionist Greg Miller, Metaphor has crafted another unique and exceptional piece of music. With its interesting poly-rhythms, thoughtful and exciting vocal excursions, and depth of harmonic ideas, the band continues to explore its evolving musical identity.

Metaphor, with permission of the author (John found the heart of things but expressed them more telegraphically and economically than I could.), has taken this story and created music, in its own inimitable style, bringing a new dimension to the suspenseful, and challenging tale. Visit Mary Doria Russell official website at: http://users.adelphia.net/~druss44121/

A note of interest: astronomers reported earlier this decade that the lowest note calculated to be vibrating in the universe is a B-flat (Bb), fifty seven octaves below middle C and far below the range of human hearing. It is emanating from a black hole in the Perseus galaxy cluster, some 250 million light-years away. The Bb drone at 30.87 Hz represents the universal vibrating frequency. And so the drone heard at the beginning and end of The Sparrow is a Bb to represent both the distance in time and space of the story, as well as the universal nature of music.

More information about this CD and the band is available at http://www.metaphor.org. Distribution and retailer inquiries are welcome, by contacting malcolm@metaphor.org

Another B7A client, Mind Furniture, has finally released their sophmore effort Hoop of Flame.
Four years in the making, this was first client at Blue Seven Audio in 2003.
The CD consists of 2 sections, or suites. The first being The Trial of God, where man places God on trial for neglect. The second, Hoop of Flame revolves around the Hindu God Shiva and life in general. With beautiful and haunting lyrics by John Mabry (also of the band Metaphor), wide ranging guitar craft by Bill Estes, keyboard cinema by Brett Barnett, and chugging rhythm by Greg Miller on drums and Paul Harrison on bass. This CD is distributed worldwide by MUSEA Records in France.

More information can be obtained at: http://www.mindfurniture.com and http://www.musearecords.com/

CSC recently worked with web design firm Design Reactor, mixing voiceover audio and doing sound design for the new HP Blades website.

Long time client John Ferrell, of patent law firm Carr & Ferrell LLP, was also in B7A recently to record a voiceover demo of his current book and firm services. CSC has worked with John on several of his books on CD publications over the last 5 years.

Celtic fiddle player Kathy Buys was in recording some demo material and creating a DVD of her performances for Cirque du Soleil. CSC produced and engineered her debut CD Mapless Journey in 2003. She is also a member of the band Bracken.
More information can be found here: http://www.dragonsdance.net

CSC has announced that he has joined Mind Furniture as their guitarist and is currently recording his own band New Sun for their fourth CD, slated for release in early 2008
More info: http://www.new-sun.com

Engineer Robert Iriartborde ( who worked with CSC at Music Annex) has been in B7A recording and mixing Mariachi Tapatio for their new upcoming CD. Robert is also chief engineer at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church where CSC runs live sound for Sunday services at their North campus in Aragon High School

July 2007

Janet Lee Myatt has been at Blue Seven Audio recording and mixing her 7 song EP. CSC plays guitar on the track “Fear”. Janet is a fine singer/songwriter and her CD should be available in August.

Genre Peak was also in B7A with guest Tara C Taylor from Canada on vocals and Gus Fjelstrom of Maximum Indifference playing bass on the new song “Blue Filter”. CSC also makes an appearance on that song playing acoustic and electric guitar. Both “Blue Filter” and a new ambient piece called “Amena” were tracked and mixed in 2 very full days. The CD “Preternatural” will be released late in 2007.

3 Lunas, the Lunas brothers heavy metal group, were also in having their debut release mastered by CSC. This should be available by August. This is good heavy tunage with vocals in both English and Spanish.

Songwriter Michael Lusk will be in B7A in late July to record Jeff Hanson on drums in continuing sessions to get 6 songs Michael has written recorded, mixed and mastered for release. 

May 15

Blue Seven Audio and Jungle/Open Eye Records

Proudly Present An Evening of Local Artists
With Music from Around The World

Saturday May 26th 7:30 PM
Jungle Digital Imaging
542 High Street
Palo Alto, CA

Featuring

Peter Daldry
Traditional and original Celtic music by a fine Scottish singer/guitar player
http://www.peterdaldry.com

Francois Didier Bouvet
Flamenco flavoured rock instrumentals with both acoustic and electric guitar.
http://www.francoisdidierbouvet.com

Fontains M.U.S.E.
Psychedelic, eclectic grooves, world tribe, rockin raga, sensuous dance beats, vocals in many tongues~~sitars, guitars, percussion
http://www.beatmagic.org
Art & Ransom
Literary Indie Rock
http://www.artandransom.com

Blue Seven Audio has put this show on to promote our roster of clients, to help in their endeavor to be heard and seen by a wider audience. This show is free to all ages.
We humbly ask that you buy the artists CDs to keep them, and all independent music, alive.

For more information please contact: csc@bluesevenaudio.com

Singer/songwriter Janet Myatt is currently working with CSC on her new CD at B7A. Tim Hilborn (Zanzibar) will be playing drums.
http://www.janetleemyatt.com/

Also in for Mastering of their debut release are the heavy metal band 3Lunas. The three Luna brothers play hard and fast metal and are out performing around the SF Bay Area.
http://www.myspace.com/3lunas3

Reggae group The Sauce were also in having their debut CD mastered by CSC. They will be having a CD release party at The Blank Club
44 S Almaden Avenue, San Jose, CA on June 2, 9:00pm.
http://www.myspace.com/thesaucejams