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My name is Stephen Blanton, and I am proud to be the sole proprietor of this operation. After plying the public performance side of music for a great many years (be sure to check out a couple band reviews further down the page), I've moved more into studio pursuits in large part, though plans are underway to take another group out to venues, festivals, and private functions in the Southeast in the near future. In the work I've been fortunate to do, I'm thankful to have developed meaningful relationships with people through these pursuits... around the corner, around the block...around the world.
33'S, 45'S, 78'S, TAPES OF ALL KINDS TRANSFERRED TO CD
AUDIO RESTORATION AVAILABLE
EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH QUALITY
(right) Soul Recovery...man, I enjoyed this band...though it was crazy at times (aren't they all?)...to your right: Larry Johnson, Dan Keylon, and Steve Stewart.
I've been fortunate to be involved in some rewarding musical projects over the years. My 30+ years of professional music making experience include leading and fronting the bands Blues Advocate, Soul Recovery, and The Incontinentals featuring The High ‘N’ Dry Horns; and continuing as a W. C. Handy-Award-nominated, 18 year producer/host of 88.7FM WNCW’s Saturday Night House Party. These last several years have been more consumed with the audio engineering end of this business, and it's been most rewarding in many respects.
THE STUDIO
After 20 years of dreaming, working, waiting, and saving, it's finally here! I've built 1600 square feet of studio space for tracking, mixing, and mastering on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Asheville, NC. Construction is double layer resilient channel 5/8inch sheetrock on 2"x 6" framing, hardwood maple flooring, solid core doors, double-paned "control tower" windows, Mogami cabling throughout, and acoustic treatment from Auralex and RPG. Click the thumbnails to see a larger, more detailed version of the photos.
(below right) A thoughtful moment at home...
The View
The AMEK/TAC Console
Rack 'Em Up
Iso Booth# 1
Tracking Room #1
Iso Booth #2
Tracking Room #2
Control Room:
Ah, The Incontinentals, may they rest in peace...not quite the stuff of VH1's Behind The Music, but certainly a band beset with the classic and potentially volatile pairing of talent and ego...as Strother Martin said in Cool Hand Luke, "What we have here is a failure to communicate"...
Here are a couple reviews of the band:
FROM DR. CREO'S MUSIC REVIEW:
On Friday night, February 26th, at the McDowell Tech Community College in Marion, N.C., my wife and I saw one of the best performing rhythm and blues bands on this planet! As part of McDowell Tech's celebration of Black History Month, The Incontinentals performed their arrangements of fantastic rhythm and blues songs scanning several decades.
From the first drumbeat of Jeff Rudolph (no relation to Eric, yet local) to the last resonance of Steve Blanton's Fender guitar, this seven man band jams and pulls out all the stops! Ben Parham's work on Hammond B-3 organ along with his vocals, combines Jimmy Smith style keyboard with a voice that can run the gamut from David Clayton Thomas (Blood, Sweat, and Tears), to the sound of Wilson Pickett. On electric bass, not only does Darrell Griffin support the bottom, but he also boogies right on out to the higher octaves with vocals that Al Green would probably be a little jealous of. This man can play an electric bass the way it is supposed to be played! When it comes to a guitar player who can cover rhythm and lead, AND change between the two so smoothly that you would swear there was another guitar on stage, Steve is your man.
Before I praise the horn section, dubbed "The High 'N' Dry Horns", I'll mention the range of all these great musicians. In a wonderfully, well-thought-out tribute to the monumental gift black Americans have given the world of music in the rhythm and blues genre, these well seasoned players did songs from James Brown, B.B. King, Junior Wells, Willie Dixon, and many others. They made for a great 2 hours of live music.
Now back to the horn section...These three gentlemen are right on time. Russ Sena's trumpet playing is true to the note and he can hit that note, too! The trombone is an instrument that to me is confusing to hold, much less get the kind of range and subtlety that seems like a piece of cake to Walton Davis. And, last but not least, I have to tell you that Frank Southecorvo's sax playing just blew me away, especially his fine work on the baritone sax.
Keeping the beat, Jeff Rudolph is a drummer with a tone and control like Ginger Baker or Gene Krupa. He can sing a song or two also. If you think I like this group, you are right on! Don't think of these guys as a cover band. With Steve Blanton's numbers like "Hole In My Shoes" and "Can't Get There From Here", these men are going places.
If you get a chance to catch them in the Carolinas any time soon, by all means, don't miss 'em.
...and this from Creative Loafing:
..."this seven piece brassy collection from Asheville has chops to spare, but never allow their individual talents to veer outside their stalwart soul pocket...a concentrated dose of sonic purity...impressive instrumental skills and tight soul squeeze"... (Todd Bowman, CREATIVE LOAFING )
