Gabriela Ortiz waiting for Latin Grammy…
The Latin Grammy week started last night. When I found out about the nomination in Hanoi, Vietnam, I knew I’d be in for some serious contrast from Southeast Asia to the Nevada desert. The parties started last night with En La Mezcla!, the first event for producers and engineers at the Palms Casino.
Jan and I arrived yesterday morning. Breakfast at Peggy Sue’s in Yermo CA breaks up the trip nicely from LA. But Vegas is its own world.
Disneyland with Booze…
The Las Vegas Strip from our room at Mandalay Bay.
But Las Vegas is not a foreign concept for my Asian friends. Macau takes in a lot more money than this Nevada fever dream. Chance is the backbone of Asian philosophy. Gambling might be a disease for some, but for me I enjoy observing it from time to time.
And Las Vegas is a great place for a big party!
Jan and I started with a few vodkas at Red Square. Her Grandma Karlin was a Communist Party member and Jan is a near double image of her. We were just in Vietnam where so many of our friends studied in Russia that a vodka shot seemed like a good idea.
Jan channeling her inner Communist grandmother at Red Square.
We then went to the En La Mezcla party celebrating producers and engineers, the first time this event has kicked off Latin Grammy week. Maureen Droney, the senior director of the Producers and Engineers wing of Grammy put on a great reception at the Palm Casino.
At the En La Mezcla reception.
We’ve made over 30 CDs with a genius engineer, Matt Snyder. This Latin Grammy reception discussed the important and indispensable role producers and engineers have on the end result of a great recording. Take a look at the microphone setup for our session for Gabriela’s Elegia, nominated for a Latin Grammy.
A bird’s eye view of the microphone set-up for Elegia.
To take this much sonic information, blend it, balance it to four other pieces of very differing orchestration needs the work of an artist, a person with a great pair of ears. Here’s another view from the stage.
Stage view of the set-up.
9 Grammy nominations, 2 wins thus far and 30 CDs don’t fall fully formed from the sky. Jan is our production muse making it all happen. And Matt is our extraordinary engineer, a joy to work with. If your plane was going down, he’d be the best pilot to save the ship..
The great Matt Snyder, the engineering ear behind our Grammy success
Gabriel Abaroa, the head of Latin Grammy, addressed the audience. Aware of the importance of togetherness, we felt that this event is the catalyst for building an important network internationally. The vast geography of Latin America was apparent, helped in no small part by my Southeast Asian jet lag…
Gabriel Abaroa talking at En La Mezcla party.
Gabriela Ortiz arrives soon and the Nominees Party is tonight. Time to get into my tuxedo!
Partying in Las Vegas….wish you were here!
Best, best, best, Jeff
Sound Travels with Jeff von der Schmidt 