Ken Rich
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ken Rich (born 1967) is an Grammy-nominated[1] American recording studio owner, producer,[2][3] engineer,[4] composer and musician living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Rich has worked with world-renowned artists such as Tracy Bonham[5], Angus & Julia Stone[6], Big Yuki, Ingrid Michaelson[7], Dar Williams[8], Joseph Arthur[9], Morley[10], Valerie June, Sophie B. Hawkins, Toshi Reagon, Lizz Wright, Brian Blade, and Cory Henry. In 2008 he won the Ovation Award for Intimate Theater[11] and the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Sound Design[12].
Early life and education
Rich was born in Seattle, Washington, United States and then moved to Brookline, Massachusetts where he began playing violin at age five. He started playing tuba at age nine and also picked up the electric bass at 15, which became his main instrument. While pursuing a major in philosophy and minor in religion at Oberlin College[13] Rich studied intensive jazz with Wendell Logan and Donald Byrd. He also played with local bands such as The Sky Monks, Recipe for Noise and Hagfish before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1989.
Career
After college, Rich returned to Boston, Massachusetts where he studied with Bruce Bartlett and played bass on albums such as Myanna's debut in 1990. He also played gigs with Bob Moses, Peter Calo, Stan Strickland, and Ed Friedland.
Rich moved to New York City in 1991 and quickly ensconced himself in the session and live music scene. He played blues gigs with Pat Ciserano, Bill Sims and Irving Louis Lattin and contributed to original bands such as Blue Leaves (1994), Pull My Daisy (1995), Julia Darling and The Miami Relatives (2001). His session work playing bass included David Byrne's "It Goes Back"[14], "Offbeat - a Red Hot Soundtrip", Shabba Ranks' 1993 Grammy Award-winning album X-tra Naked[15], and Laurie Anderson's "In Our Sleep"[16] with Lou Reed. Rich was a member of Babatunde Olatunji's New York-based band[17] from 1994 until Olatunji's death in 2004. Those early sessions inspired Rich to develop his own home recording studio, first in the East Village, and later in Brooklyn where he produced Joseph Arthur’s album Our Shadows Will Remain[18], which was voted Entertainment Weekly's Album of the Year in 2004 and Chris Rubin (Rolling Stone) listed it as #1 album of 2004. He also co-produced Mr. Arthur's "You're so True"[19] which appeared on the Shrek 2 soundtrack. From those home studios, Rich also produced Tracy Bonham's "Blink The Brightest" [20](Zoe Records), Rene Lopez's "One Man's Year", and Morley's "Days Like These"[21] (Universal France).
In 2007, Ken Rich opened Grand Street Recording in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where his credits include Ani DiFranco "“Red Letter Year" (Righteous Babe Records, 2008), The Gutter Twins "Saturnalia" (Sub-Pop, 2008),[22] Lucinda Black Bear "Capo My Heart and Other Bear Songs" (2008), Noe Venable The Summer Storm Journals (2008), Fionnn O'Lochlainn Spawn of the Beast (2008), The Compulsions EPs Laughter From Below (2004), Demon Love-2008, and High as Hell (2009), William Hart Strecker Smoke and Clouds (2005) and All This Dreaming (2007), Ward White Pulling Out (2008), Greg Tannen Rocket (2008), The Key Party's Hit or Miss, named CMJ album of the day (CMJ 2007)[23] and the SF Chronicle's Download of the Week in 2007.[24] and My Blacks Don't Match (2009), and the Brooklyn Boogaloo Blowout's 7" EP featuring Leah Siegel (2009).
Awards
In 2008, Rich's score and sound design for Alex Lyras's play The Common Air were nominated for 2008 Garland Awards[25] and won the 2008 Ovation Award for Intimate Theater and the 2008 L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Sound Design.
Ken Rich continues to produce, engineer, mix, master and still plays an occasional bass gig.
