Does anyone know a source for details on Richard Bock's Pacific Records' recording studio? There are
many session photos scattered around Mosaic Records reissue books, so I assume Blue Note/UMG must
have at least photographic details in their files. The sound Bock got was usually much cleaner, and
he was working with more realistic stereo earlier, compared to, for instance, Van Gelder and Radio
Recorders. I'm interested in the design of the studio, what equipment was in the control room, etc.
The studio also went to 4-track and 8-track quickly when those technologies came along. An
interesting evolution is seen in photos in the Gerald Wilson box set book. The studio was heavily
damped with blankets by the late 60s, and more mics were closer-in, indicating to me that the method
had changed from a "live in the room" mix to multi-track recording and remixing with echo and EQ
added then.
I'm hoping Blue Note head Don Was has success with his 75th Anniversary series and then turns
attention to the Pacific Jazz material, much of which is badly in need of remastering and reissue.
-- Tom Fine
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