From their Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/Nola-Recording-Studios-146720755384340/?fref=ts

Dated 1-9-2014

We've come to the end of an era.
After 75 years, Nola Recording Studios will no longer inhabit the penthouse
of 111 West 57th Street, as of February 1st, due to the sale of the
building and the impending construction of a 1,300 ft. tower attached to
the Steinway Building.

There will be more details to come, but we will continue to operate (both
on existing projects and new recordings) out of another studio in
Manhattan. We can be reached at the same phone number (212) 586-0040, and
the Hotmail address' for all 3 of us will be active ([email protected]__,
[email protected]__, [email protected]__) along with the Gmail address
[log in to unmask]

As we turn to the next chapter, we want to say thank you to the (literally)
thousands of musicians, artists and producers that have come into our
'living room' and created wonderful music and, more important, lasting
friendships. As iconic as the physical walls are, the legacy of this studio
will always be the people. The stories, the one liners, the handshakes, the
hugs; relationships have been the lifeblood of this business and will
continue no mater what 4 walls surround it.

"Take Two......"


Dave Lewis

Hamilton, OH

On Thu, Nov 26, 2015 at 1:22 PM, Dennis Rooney <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Dear Tom,
>
> I do not know anything of the current ownership of the facility.
>
> Happy Thanksgiving,
>
> DDR
>
> On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 2:20 PM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi Dennis:
> >
> > Does the Nola family still own that business? If so, it must be at least
> > 3rd generation by now.
> >
> > -- Tom Fine
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dennis Rooney" <
> > [log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2015 1:02 PM
> > Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating a Presto Recording Corp. Transcription
> Disc
> > Label
> >
> >
> > Apart from the venues so interestingly and entertainingly described by
> Tom
> >> Fine, Nola Studios at 250 W. 54th Street is a familiar venue for
> auditions
> >> for musical theatre, opera, acting and voice-over auditions. It occupies
> >> space in that building's 11th, 5th and 6th floors. One can rent a studio
> >> to
> >> make a recording, but apart from supplying a tuned piano (either upright
> >> or
> >> grand, depending on space) the rooms are either acoustically unsuitable
> or
> >> too noisy to to recording beyond a simple audition.
> >>
> >> DDR
> >>
> >> On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 10:18 AM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> OK, thanks Dave.
> >>>
> >>> So Google Maps put Steinway Hall at a different location than listed on
> >>> the Nola disk, which is par for the course.
> >>>
> >>> So it was STEINWAY HALL on 57th Street where Tommy Nola's Nola
> Penthouse
> >>> Studio was. The Broadway address was Tommy's father's original studio,
> >>> which I think was a rehearsal and demo studio, although I do think some
> >>> commercial recordings were made there.
> >>>
> >>> As for the PL7 number, that is indeed a phone number from the early
> days
> >>> of 3-number exchanges. In modern parliance, the phone number is
> >>> 212-757-0750. I agree with John Haley, you might as well dial it up
> and
> >>> see where that leads you.
> >>>
> >>> Back in 2005, TapeOp magazine interview Jim Czak, who I think was the
> >>> last
> >>> owner of Nola Studios:
> >>> http://tapeop.com/interviews/49/jim-czak/
> >>>
> >>> -- Tom Fine
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Lewis" <[log in to unmask]>
> >>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >>> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2015 9:21 AM
> >>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating a Presto Recording Corp. Transcription
> >>> Disc
> >>> Label
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Tom,
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Here are box.com links for the two images:
> >>>>
> >>>> https://app.box.com/s/a86fcmc2jafb83fjl4sb6filnvpz5f84
> >>>>
> >>>> https://app.box.com/s/7g830mxccty0ubhq4y9tepfu1dtxmff2
> >>>>
> >>>> Dave Lewis
> >>>>
> >>>> On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 7:27 AM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> Nola Studios -- as I understand the history, Tommy Nola's father
> started
> >>>>
> >>>>> the business, in a part of Carnegie Hall or in the area. The space
> was
> >>>>> originally a rehearsal studio, used by dance bands and then swing
> >>>>> bands,
> >>>>> among others. At some point in the disk-recording era, Nola Sr. put
> in
> >>>>> recording equipment, and many demos and some commercial recordings
> were
> >>>>> cut
> >>>>> there. Tommy Nola built Nola Penthouse Studio, maybe in that same
> part
> >>>>> of
> >>>>> Carnegie Hall. It was definitely in the immediate Carnegie Hall area,
> >>>>> because it was just down the block from Fine Recording (located in
> the
> >>>>> Great Northern Hotel, down 57th Street from Carnegie Hall). When Fine
> >>>>> Recording was under construction, my father arranged a deal with
> Tommy
> >>>>> Nola
> >>>>> where he could run sessions at Nola and feed the audio down the block
> >>>>> to
> >>>>> the control room at Fine Recording. I don't know why they didn't just
> >>>>> run
> >>>>> tape at Nola -- Bob Eberenz told me it had something to do with union
> >>>>> rules
> >>>>> -- but in any case, several jazz albums and many TV commercials were
> >>>>> made
> >>>>> this way during the several months it took to restore the Great
> >>>>> Northern's
> >>>>> Ballroom space and build a recording studio in it. My father built a
> >>>>> control room/mixing/mastering facility in the Great Northern's
> >>>>> penthouse
> >>>>> floor, and the feed from Nola came into that space. Tommy Nola ran a
> >>>>> successful studio throughout the 60's. A lot of excellent jazz was
> >>>>> recorded
> >>>>> there. His space was distinct because there were big gold-colored
> >>>>> drapes
> >>>>> all around, probably covering windows and also used to kill off
> >>>>> standing
> >>>>> waves. The ceilings were high and the space volume large enough that
> it
> >>>>> provided a very nice sound for small-ensemble jazz groups, but some
> >>>>> larger-group sessions were also held there. Among the albums recorded
> >>>>> at
> >>>>> Nola were the Jazztet albums made in NY, plus solo albums by Art
> Farmer
> >>>>> and
> >>>>> Benny Golson, also some Roland Kirk albums for Mercury. Jack Tracy,
> >>>>> Mercury's jazz producer in the 60's, liked working at Nola, and used
> it
> >>>>> often. He'd use Fine Recording, A&R or Capitol NYC for larger-group
> >>>>> sessions. I think Nola transitioned his business more to
> >>>>> sound-for-picture
> >>>>> and other commerical recordings, as did my father (music albums
> didn't
> >>>>> pay
> >>>>> as well, and ad agencies paid their bills on time as opposed to some
> >>>>> record
> >>>>> companies).
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I don't know when Nola moved into Steinway Hall, which is down near
> >>>>> 43rd
> >>>>> Street.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> -- Tom Fine
> >>>>>
> >>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Haley" <[log in to unmask]
> >
> >>>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2015 3:42 AM
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating a Presto Recording Corp. Transcription
> >>>>> Disc
> >>>>> Label
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Hi Dave, I know nothing about these records or Nola, but the number
> >>>>>
> >>>>> PL7-0750 looks like a phone number!  The "PL" has to be for "Plaza"
> (as
> >>>>>> I
> >>>>>> recall, that is "7-5").  In the 1950's, we had the two letters as
> the
> >>>>>> first
> >>>>>> two numbers, which were the "exchange," to help us remember the
> phone
> >>>>>> numbers.  The two "artists" probably put their phone number on the
> >>>>>> label
> >>>>>> in
> >>>>>> case someone fell in love with their song and wanted to contact
> >>>>>> them.  I
> >>>>>> guess you could always call the number and see who answers ... Or
> try
> >>>>>> googling it first, preceded by your choice of area codes.  But
> >>>>>> probably
> >>>>>> only if you fell in love with the song ...
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> There is an easier way, assuming you wanted to find these guys (I
> take
> >>>>>> it
> >>>>>> Steve Lewis is not a cousin of yours).  Look in the ASCAP database
> for
> >>>>>> that
> >>>>>> song title.  It might not be there, but it's an idea.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Best,
> >>>>>> John
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 12:51 AM, David Lewis <[log in to unmask]>
> >>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Since we're on the subject, I could use similar help with these two.
> >>>>>> They
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> arrived as someone used them as packing material for a Homer
> >>>>>>> Rodeheaver
> >>>>>>> record that I ordered. From the sound and style of the 'music' I
> >>>>>>> would
> >>>>>>> place them about 1958, but is there something here that can date
> them
> >>>>>>> more
> >>>>>>> definitely?
> >>>>>>> I had thought that the "1657 Broadway" address given for Nola
> >>>>>>> Recording
> >>>>>>> Studios -- which moved out of the Steinway Bldg. just last year --
> >>>>>>> might
> >>>>>>> be
> >>>>>>> a clue,
> >>>>>>> but that is still Steinway Hall where it always was. With the other
> >>>>>>> disc,
> >>>>>>> does the number "PL-7-0570" mean anything to anyone?
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> By the way, the designation "BAD" on the Nola disc certainly fits;
> >>>>>>> it's a
> >>>>>>> sentimental 50s pop song, with a piano that does not obey the
> harmony
> >>>>>>> implied by the
> >>>>>>> melody line and amateurish sax breaks.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1OUF9sGAJwvSGk1MjRxTGtnX00
> >>>>>>> https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1OUF9sGAJwvUVpnSjR0TnQzTWM
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> best,
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Dave Lewis
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 11:30 AM, John Haley <[log in to unmask]>
> >>>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> > That's great, Matthew.  That looks like very useful info.  Maybe
> >>>>>>> there
> >>>>>>> is
> >>>>>>> > some way Jesse could compare what he has (the sound file) to the
> >>>>>>> > Jackson/Lomax tapes, if they have ever been made available in
> some
> >>>>>>> format,
> >>>>>>> > from which he could make a definite conclusion.
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> > Jesse, the paper labels were always glued on, in my experience,
> and
> >>>>>>> they
> >>>>>>> > often do come off (bits of the one on your disc are still there).
> >>>>>>> I
> >>>>>>> don't
> >>>>>>> > know if the paper labels had glue already affixed that just
> needing
> >>>>>>> > wetting, but I have always assumed so.  We find acetate discs
> with
> >>>>>>> many
> >>>>>>> > kinds of paper labels on them, many bearing logos (just look up
> >>>>>>> > "transcription disc" on Ebay), which is what I was referring to.
> >>>>>>> The
> >>>>>>> > Presto logo here is embossed into the blank disc that was used.
> If
> >>>>>>> what
> >>>>>>> > Matthew is suggesting were correct, the disc copy could have been
> >>>>>>> made
> >>>>>>> at
> >>>>>>> > any point in time after the original recording was made, so
> dating
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> > blank itself would not be very useful.  If you knew that the disc
> >>>>>>> itself
> >>>>>>> > was a live recording, that would be different, but as Matt
> >>>>>>> suggests,
> >>>>>>> it
> >>>>>>> may
> >>>>>>> > be a copy of the original recording.
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> > That is a common disappointment with instantaneous records, when
> >>>>>>> you
> >>>>>>> think
> >>>>>>> > you have found something really important, only to discover that
> >>>>>>> what
> >>>>>>> you
> >>>>>>> > have is a copy of a recording that is already "out there" and
> >>>>>>> sometimes
> >>>>>>> > even a commercial recording.  You often can't tell that until you
> >>>>>>> have
> >>>>>>> > dubbed the record and compared it.  I recently went thru exactly
> >>>>>>> that
> >>>>>>> > exercise myself, finding that the rare looking two-sided acetate
> >>>>>>> was
> >>>>>>> just a
> >>>>>>> > copy of readily available commercial records.  But like I always
> >>>>>>> say,
> >>>>>>> if
> >>>>>>> > you don't look, you don't find.
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> > Even if your disc is a copy, that does not mean it is
> worthless.  I
> >>>>>>> have
> >>>>>>> > found an instance where the original source had deteriorated to
> the
> >>>>>>> extent
> >>>>>>> > that an old copy of it made way back there was a good thing to
> >>>>>>> have.
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> > Back to your label for a minute, the small clues that can be got
> >>>>>>> from
> >>>>>>> what
> >>>>>>> > is left there are two typed word fragments, the first being
> "dier"
> >>>>>>> and
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> > second being "ulation" or "olation."  These match two of the song
> >>>>>>> titles,
> >>>>>>> > "Christian Soldier" and "The Church's Desolation," but I am sure
> >>>>>>> you
> >>>>>>> have
> >>>>>>> > already figured that out, and this doesn't help.
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> > Good luck with this.
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> > Best,
> >>>>>>> > John Haley
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> > On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 10:50 AM, Barton, Matthew <
> [log in to unmask]
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>> > > Hello Jesse,
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > This disc may have been copied from the field recordings of
> >>>>>>> Sacred
> >>>>>>> Harp
> >>>>>>> > > Singers made by George Pullen Jackson and Alan Lomax in the
> >>>>>>> summer
> >>>>>>> of
> >>>>>>> > 1942
> >>>>>>> > > in Birmingham, AL. By this time, the Library of Congress had
> the
> >>>>>>> means
> >>>>>>> to
> >>>>>>> > > make disc copies of original field recordings for artists and
> the
> >>>>>>> public.
> >>>>>>> > > Given that this is an aluminum based-disc, the copy may have
> been
> >>>>>>> made
> >>>>>>> > > after the war, or the Library's sound lab might still have had
> a
> >>>>>>> supply
> >>>>>>> > of
> >>>>>>> > > aluminum-based lacquers. I checked, and all four of the titles
> >>>>>>> you
> >>>>>>> > provided
> >>>>>>> > > were recorded by Jackson and Lomax in Birmingham. One of them,
> >>>>>>> Christian
> >>>>>>> > > Solider, was recorded twice with different leaders. As you
> >>>>>>> probably
> >>>>>>> know,
> >>>>>>> > > there was an album release of 18 songs from these sessions, but
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> > titles
> >>>>>>> > > you provided are not on it.
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > As you point out, these were popular hymns and all might have
> >>>>>>> been
> >>>>>>> sung
> >>>>>>> > at
> >>>>>>> > > any given Sacred Harp gathering, but I thought I'd put this
> >>>>>>> theory
> >>>>>>> > forward.
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > I hope this helps.
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > Matthew Barton
> >>>>>>> > > Library of Congress
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > -----Original Message-----
> >>>>>>> > > From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:
> >>>>>>> > > [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jesse P. Karlsberg
> >>>>>>> > > Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2015 10:01 AM
> >>>>>>> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> >>>>>>> > > Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dating a Presto Recording Corp.
> >>>>>>> Transcription
> >>>>>>> > Disc
> >>>>>>> > > Label
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > Dear Tom, Franz, John, Steve, and others,
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > Thanks to all for sharing insights and resources in response to
> >>>>>>> my
> >>>>>>> > > question yesterday about dating a Presto transcription disc
> >>>>>>> label.
> >>>>>>> To
> >>>>>>> > add a
> >>>>>>> > > bit more information:
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > 1. From examining the disc my impression was that the paper
> label
> >>>>>>> was
> >>>>>>> > > home-made and pasted over the Presto logo and has since largely
> >>>>>>> been
> >>>>>>> torn
> >>>>>>> > > off. The Presto logo underneath is blue-green and appears to be
> >>>>>>> stamped
> >>>>>>> > or
> >>>>>>> > > printed directly on the acetate.
> >>>>>>> > > Franz: is that what you're referring to when you mention a
> "green
> >>>>>>> stamped
> >>>>>>> > > Presto," and what leads you to associate such a label with the
> >>>>>>> late
> >>>>>>> > 1930s?
> >>>>>>> > > John: what is a "logo label"? In this case it doesn't look like
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> label
> >>>>>>> > > was stuck onto the disc, but rather, that it was printed
> directly
> >>>>>>> onto
> >>>>>>> > the
> >>>>>>> > > acetate if that's possible.
> >>>>>>> > > 2. As John speculates, the disc is aluminum and is covered by
> >>>>>>> acetate
> >>>>>>> or
> >>>>>>> > > some similar substance. Although the disc is indeed
> delaminating
> >>>>>>> we
> >>>>>>> > > fortunately were able to have it digitized by Michael Graves of
> >>>>>>> Osiris
> >>>>>>> > > Studio before any serious damage was done to playability.
> >>>>>>> > > 3. The material on the recording itself doesn't help us date
> the
> >>>>>>> item.
> >>>>>>> > The
> >>>>>>> > > disc contains four songs sung by a medium-sized group of Sacred
> >>>>>>> Harp
> >>>>>>> > > singers. The sound is more consistent with a live singing
> >>>>>>> convention
> >>>>>>> than
> >>>>>>> > > with a studio setting. For those interested, the songs are
> >>>>>>> "Raymond"
> >>>>>>> (p.
> >>>>>>> > > 441 in The Sacred Harp) and "Cowper" (p. 168) on side A and
> "The
> >>>>>>> Church's
> >>>>>>> > > Desolation" (p. 89) and "Christian Soldier" (p. 57) on side B.
> >>>>>>> All
> >>>>>>> are
> >>>>>>> > > relatively common songs that have been in active use over the
> >>>>>>> entire
> >>>>>>> > period
> >>>>>>> > > when the disc could have been recorded. The person from whom
> the
> >>>>>>> Sacred
> >>>>>>> > > Harp Museum purchased the disc believed that the recording had
> >>>>>>> been
> >>>>>>> made
> >>>>>>> > > some time in the 1940s in East Central Alabama but had no
> >>>>>>> specific
> >>>>>>> > > information.
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > What I am hoping is that others may have encountered
> identically
> >>>>>>> designed
> >>>>>>> > > stamped Presto labels. I recognize that the disc might have sat
> >>>>>>> around
> >>>>>>> > for
> >>>>>>> > > a while before it was used, but am hopeful that if any other
> such
> >>>>>>> discs
> >>>>>>> > > have been dated it might at least help us approximate the
> >>>>>>> earliest
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> > > recording could have been made, and may offer other clues as
> >>>>>>> well.
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > One last question: in the 1940 Presto catalog linked from the
> >>>>>>> > Preservation
> >>>>>>> > > Sound blog, the final page in the second file lists various
> discs
> >>>>>>> for
> >>>>>>> > sale.
> >>>>>>> > > (http://www.preservationsound.com/wp-
> >>>>>>> > > content/uploads/2011/09/Presto_1940_cat_2.pdf) All but one, the
> >>>>>>> > "monogram"
> >>>>>>> > > disc, mention a colored seal, yet the monogram disc has a
> >>>>>>> "composition
> >>>>>>> > > base." Is the stamped label on the disc in question a
> "monogram"?
> >>>>>>> What
> >>>>>>> > is a
> >>>>>>> > > composition base?
> >>>>>>> > > Does anyone have access to earlier or later Presto Recording
> >>>>>>> Corp.
> >>>>>>> > > catalogs with different listings of available Presto discs?
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > Thanks again for all your help. I appreciate it.
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> > > Best,
> >>>>>>> > > Jesse
> >>>>>>> > >
> >>>>>>> >
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>
> >> --
> >> 1006 Langer Way
> >> Delray Beach, FL 33483
> >> 212.874.9626
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
> --
> 1006 Langer Way
> Delray Beach, FL 33483
> 212.874.9626
>