Pictured with the API 1608 (l-r): Oscar Gimenez, manager of Fort Music; Leopoldo Federico, who played in many tango orchestras during the Piazzolla heyday; and noted recording engineer Jorge “El Portugues” Da Silva.
Buenos Aires, Argentina (January 17, 2013)—An upgrade of the API 1608 at Fort Music in Buenos Aires to 32 channels helped deliver a Latin Grammy win to Arturo Sandoval.
“Lots of now-famous Argentinean records in the jazz, pop, rock, and tango traditions have been recorded on Fort Music’s API 1608,” said Daniel Paracha, who, together with Sergio Levinsonas, is on staff at SL Audio, API’s distributor in Argentina, and assisted with the original purchase, as well as the more recent purchase of the 16-channel expander.
Jorge Fort, Argentinean businessman and trumpet player, built Fort Music seven years ago with the help of Buenos Aires recording engineer Oscar Gimenez. Advised by SL Audio, Fort Music upgraded its existing 16-channel API 1608 to 32 channels with full automation. The new arrangement helped propel trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval’s recent release, Tango, Como Yo Te Siento, to popular success and a Latin Grammy win for Best Tango Album. Sandoval and Fort produced and engineered the album.
Many of the recording sessions involved multi-mic setups that were made possible by the 32-channel API 1608. Its 500 series expansion slots are loaded with API processors and other VPR-approved units. Outboard gear includes an API 2500 Stereo Buss Compressor, and Pro Tools|HD serves as the recording and editing platform.
“The recording sessions for Sandoval’s Grammy-winner consisted of renowned artists from many different genres,” expanded Paracha. “Indeed, there were as many as sixty-four musicians on any given song. Some moments feature 50 string players! The location is huge, and this is a recording without precedent in Argentina. A-list vocalists, such as Valeria Lynch, Patricia Sosa and Raul Lavie, among others, also contributed to the project.”
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