Mooka's notes:

The Prairie Sun vintage guitar collection had until recently been severely lacking of one key instrument, but not anymore: we now have a refinished 1967 Fender Telecaster with Bigsby. I've already had the chance to try it out with our Two-Rock amplifier, and it's a rocker! In other gear acquisition news, we are continuing to outfit our new API sidecar with additional modules, including upping the number of 525 compressors to four. And in case anyone was concerned that Studios B and C were going to miss out on the API love, we also have purchased an 11-space API 500-series rack from Dale Epperson at Old School Audio (who reconditioned the PSR sidecar), complete with a couple OSA MP-1 mic pre-amps, that will allow us to take our API EQ's and compressors anywhere. Finally, on the reccomendations of a number of engineers, we decided to try a pair of the ProAc Studio 100 loudspeakers as nearfield monitors. Our staff quickly became enamoured with them, and so they are now serving duty in Studio A with my McIntosh 2500 power amp.

On the subject of gear and instruments, I have another exciting announcement. As you may be aware, Studio B is home to a gorgeous 1960's Baldwin 9ft concert grand, which since its arrival at PSR has recorded beautifully for countless projects. However, like any vintage instrument, this piano requires love and care, and so in recent months we contracted Robert Yambert, piano tuner and tech to the stars, to work his magic. And so, after he carefully worked the action to the point where he and I felt it should be, Robert undertook the arduous task of restringing the entire piano and reconditioning the dampers. The result is absolutely marvelous to hear.

And finally, the latest addition to Prairie Sun's drum locker has arrived thanks to our relationship with DW. Designed to be our compact kit for jazz, funk, or fusion, the set features a 20" kick drum, 10", 12", 14", and 16" toms, a matching 14" snare, and the impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail that are a hallmark of DW's instruments. It joins the roster alongside our Pearl, Sonor, and larger DW kits.

Before closing, I wanted to offer my congratulations to a couple of Prairie Sun clients on their recent record releases. Just last week VH1 Classic Records released the Jack Blades-Tommy Shaw collaboration "Influence," which features tracks mixed here at Prairie Sun by Michael Lardie with Jason D'Ottavio assisting. And in the last few weeks Tom Waits' much anticipated new Anti release, "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards," has been receiving much critical acclaim and topped the recent Rolling Stone college radio chart. "Orphans" gathers together three CD's worth of unreleased songs and film-soundtrack material, a large portion of which was recorded in the live chambers in Studio C during Waits' 10-year stay at Prairie Sun.