The Nick Jr. children’s animated television series The Backyardigans hit the airwaves this month in its CBS Saturday morning prime-time slot. The show received high ratings and plans for season two are already in the works. Dubway Studio’s owner/engineer Mike Crehore and engineer Jason Marcucci tracked all aspects of audio for the show.

Dubway’s own Mike Presta has been quite busy this month with back-to-back sessions. His schedule so far has included a new film from The Press & The Public entitled Empire Falls. Producers Libby Handros and John Kirby were on hand in Dubway’s Yellow Room tracking a portion of the film’s score. Renowned Brazilian jazz artist Eumir Deodoto was in producing artist Nina Belanger, pop artist Deni Bonet tracked a portion of her new release with John Wesley Harding on backing vocals, and producer/songwriter Kevin Salem (named one of the “best songwriters of the year” by Rolling Stone.) Recording artist/producer Richard Barone of The Bongos fame brought in Terre Roche to track a song for his long awaited new album.

Well-known recording artist Smokey Hormel (Johnny Cash, The Blasters, Beck, Sam Phillips) began tracking songs for his new album with Dubway Studio’s owner/engineer Mike Crehore in Dubway’s Yellow Room. Mike Crehore also began tracking composer Evan Lurie’s score with Steve Buscemi for his new film starring Liv Tyler and Casey Affleck, entitled Lonesome Jim. Buscemi is directing.

Finally, on the VH1 set this month, Dubway Studios continued audio production with recording artists Wilco, G Love, Hanson, Paul Weller, Bowling For Soup, Dashboard Confessional, Interpol, De La Soul, Jimmy Eat World, Sum 41 and The Used. Dubway Studio’s Jason Marcucci engineered and Clint Collins assisted.


The Used flank Dubway engineer Jason Marcucci and Dubway assistant engineer Clint Collins (center)

The Showtime hit television show The L Word is in full production for it’s second season and music composer Elizabeth Ziff along with the shows creator/writer/executive producer Ilene Chaiken and actress Alyson Palmer were in Dubway Studios' Yellow Room recently tracking underscore. Engineer Julian McBrowne recorded the session and Dubway’s own Mike Presta assisted.

A new film from Twentieth Century Fox titled Because Of Winn Dixie is in post-production and composer/producer Sheldon Steiger and director Wayne Wang (Maid In Manhattan, Smoke, The Joy Luck Club) were in Dubway Studios' Yellow Room tracking a song with the singing group The Beu Sisters to be used in the film. The film stars Jeff Daniels, Cicely Tyson, and pop music star Dave Matthews in his acting debut.

Recording artist/producer Richard Barone of The Bongos fame completed production on two new projects this month. Newly signed artist Johnny Rodgers on PS Classics, and soon to be signed artist Tracy Stark, both worked with Barone over the last year on their albums. Dubway Studios owner/engineer Al Houghton tracked both projects. Messenger Records recording artist Dan Bern was back at Dubway tracking his new album with Dubway engineer Jason Marcucci. The very stripped down album was recorded live in Dubway’s Yellow Room with one microphone, an acoustic guitar and vocal. Newly signed to the Secretly Canadian label, Antony and The Johnsons were back at Dubway putting the finishing touches on their new release, I Am A Bird Now. Dubway’s own Al Houghton engineered.

Finally, on the VH1 set this month, Dubway Studios continued audio production with recording artists Good Charlotte, Taking Back Sunday, Alter Bridge, and Rachel Yamagata. Dubway engineer Jason Marcucci engineered and Kevin Van Genechten and Clint Collins assisted.

Antony

The month of August is starting off with a bang for Dubway Studios. CBS has announced it is picking up the animated kids television show The Backyardigans. The Nick Jr. show has been in production at Dubway for more than a year and is slated to premiere on October 11th at 11AM on Nick Jr. and in prime-time Saturday October 16th on CBS. The digitally animated show features five little animal-like characters that sing and dance to a variety of live music and go on imaginary adventures in their backyard. The show is getting a mega push with a CD give away of more than two million copies of music from the show as well as a national publicity campaign with TV spots and print ads. Dubway Studios owner/engineer Mike Crehore and Dubway engineer Jason Marcucci have tracked all the shows.

Live At VH1.com continues production at Dubway Studios with Original Media & VH1/MTV Networks. This month’s artists’ have included Keane, The Killers, Ricky Fante, Chronic Future, and Death Cab For Cutie. Dubway Studios engineer Jason Marcucci handled the tracking and Clint Collins and Kevin Van Genechten assisted.

Richard Barone was in wrapping up the new Tracy Stark album in Dubways’ Yellow Room. Tracy was joined by none other than Phoebe Snow for backing vocals on one track. Dubway Studios owner/engineer Al Houghton engineered the album.

Chip Taylor was back continuing production of his solo album with Anton Fig of The Late Show With David Letterman on drums and John Platania on electric guitar. Dubway Studios engineer Mike Presta tracked the session.

Anton Fig

SESSIONS AT DUBWAY STUDIOS

After a brief hiatus at VH1, Dubway Studios is busy again with the audio production of “Live At VH1.com” with Original Media & VH1/MTV Networks. On this month’s live set promoting their new releases and tours were, PJ Harvey and The Story Of The Year. Dubway Studios engineer Jason Marcucci handled the tracking and Clint Collins, also from Dubway, assisted. Nick Jr. continued production this month at Dubway with composer Evan Lurie, (known for his work with the famed jazz group The Lounge Lizards) and Dubway Studios owner/engineer Mike Crehore, for the children's television show The Backyardigans. The show continues to draw the best musicians in New York. Nick Jr. has gotten behind the show full force and is launching a national campaign with TV spots, print ads, and a CD give away of more than two million copies of music from the show.

Jai Rodriguez from the hit television show Queer Eye For The Straight Guy was back in Dubway’s Yellow Room with producer Chad Richardson and Dubway engineer Jason Marcucci cutting more tracks for his upcoming release. Peter Calo from the hit Broadway show Hairspray was recently in Dubway’s Yellow Room with owner/engineer Al Houghton producing Broadway singer Ingrid Saxon for her upcoming release. American Icon Hardy Rawls, better known as The Maytag Repair Man spent a day in Dubway’s Green Room, with engineer Mike Presta tracking voice-overs for some upcoming radio promos.

Roc-A-Fella Record’s first ever folk artist Samantha Ronson was in Dubway’s Yellow Room tracking acoustic promos for iTunes with engineer Matt Wilcox. Dubway Studios engineer Mike Presta assisted. And finally, Brioche/Indigent Films tracked a portion of the film score for Boutique, a short film slated for release later this year. Dubway Studios owner/engineer Al Houghton engineered the project.


Samantha Ronson

This month Dubway Studios continued audio production of “Live At VH1.com” with Original Media & VH1/MTV Networks. This time around, Alanis Morissette, N.E.R.D. , Snow Patrol, and Yellowcard, were on the set with Dubway Studios engineer Jason Marcucci.

Show Time Films was recently in Dubway's Green Room tracking the commentary track for the upcoming DVD release of Just Another Story, a new film starring brother rappers GQ & JAQ. Dubway Studios co-owner Mike Crehore engineered.

Nick Jr. hosted a celebration party with Dubway Studios for the completion and delivery of the first episode of The Backyardigans. The new children’s show, which is heavily based around music, has been in production for the last year and has had a who’s who of “A list” musicians. On hand at the private affair was Brown Johnson, Janis Burgess, Robert Scull, Johnny Belt, and Ellen Martin, of Nick Jr. Evan Lurie, who composed the music for every episode was there, and from Dubway Studios, Mike Crehore, Al Houghton, Steven Alvarado, Jason Marcucci, and Keith Rigling. Episode one is slated to air in October.

Grammy Award winning singer B.J. Crosby was in Dubway’s Yellow Room recording a new track called “Lucky Star.” Producer Mike Yionoulis is releasing a dance mix version of the cut for the club circuit. Dubway Studios engineer Mike Presta engineered the session.

Dubway Studio's head engineer Jason Marcucci has been busy with some of the biggest names in music over the last few weeks. Dubway is tracking all of the audio for the hugely successful "Live At VH1.com" on the VH1 set. Some of the artists that have appeared on the show over the last few weeks include Dave Matthews, Nelly Furtado, Avril Lavigne, Hootie & the Blowfish, Fountains of Wayne, Ben Kweller, Finger 11, Trapt, 3 Days Grace, Jet, Everlast, and The Get Up Kids, to name a few.

Ben Arthur was back to track vocals for his new single with Dubway engineer/co-owner Mike Crehore. Ben's debut album Edible Darling on Bardic Records/Sony has received warm welcome by radio and continues to gain more adds each week. Well-known jazz group Urban Survival featuring renowned bassist/composer Jim Donica, classical pianist/composer Eric Olsen, drummer Chris Bowman, and trumpet player Jeff Pierce, mixed their new release Storry Hill in Dubway's Green Room with Mike Crehore. The group recorded the album in Chris Bowman's upstate New York recording studio with Crehore, and then brought the tracks to Dubway for mixing. Indie artist Dan Bern tracked several acoustic songs in Dubway's Yellow Room for his upcoming release on Messenger Records. Jason Marcucci engineered.


Everlast


Urban Survival


Dan Bern