New York, NY (September 2, 2021)—As a multi-platinum producer/engineer and recording artist, Gordon Bahary has worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Ramsey Lewis, as well as had a Billboard R&B Top 10 hit with the single “Electric Kingdom.” Now he’s opened a new “modern analog” studio by the same name, just north of Manhattan in Westchester, NY.
The centerpiece of the facility is a new Rupert Neve 5088 32-channel console. One of less than a dozen of this configuration in existence worldwide, it includes a 32-channel SwiftMix motorized fader system for complex mixes, working with Pro Tools and other DAWs. “The incredible 5052 EQ/mic preamps are my favorite ever, with the classic Neve sound we all love and more,” said Bahary. “You can dial-in the harmonics and textures of the 60s, 70s or 80s. The 5051 EQ/compressors are more of the same. The console runs on 96 volts which is high voltage, allowing for incredible dynamics and low distortion. The great Mr. Rupert Neve made this console a ‘greatest hits’ of all his lifetime’s work. It’s all about tone and beauty.”
Also in the facility are two spacious live rooms, a balanced Yamaha C7 Conservatory grand piano in impeccable condition, ATC 45A Studio Reference monitors, numerous FET and tube microphones, a rebuilt MCI / Mara 24-track 2” analog tape machine and even a new Moog One analog synthesizer.
“Analog recording sounds warm,” he mused. “I think it reminds us of the great classic recordings, as it adds more harmonics and emotion to the music. During the pandemic, music equipment manufacturers had one of their biggest years, as people were cooped up and compelled to create music at home. But the challenge with the classic home studio consisting of a laptop and a converter is it usually has little character; it’s often flat. I take those multi-tracks from artists and mix them through this magnificent facility, and it sounds like they recorded it here from the start. That’s what I’m offering in addition to the artist who wants to create an album here.”
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That’s certainly part of the game plan with the new studio, as he will be involved with any project that comes through the private facility. “This studio is for rent only with me as the engineer,” he noted. That means projects get the benefit of his history, however. His time working on two albums with Stevie Wonder led to the artist asking Bahray to be his staff producer for Wondirection/Motown Records. Bahary has also produced and engineered numerous recordings by a wide range of artists, and is currently scoring music for film and TV.
While the facility is far from a home studio, that’s not to say it is an antiseptic space. “We’ve made Electric Kingdom homey—Persian rugs, pianos, and warm, earthy colors—and there’s the convenience versus the city,” he said. “Musicians have said ‘I can’t believe I can park in the driveway and put my guitar on my back and walk in and record.’ They see a hundred acres of adjoining woods. That’s the vibe. I made this studio for creativity.
“The final result,” he said, “is the rich musicality that comes out of the older equipment designs but with new components. We’re bringing back the old, but with today’s clarity and dependability. It’s the purest reproduction of audio available, but with the soul intact.”
