Sugarhill studio

**Nano** · October 15th, 2002, 03:50 PM

Well, I started the week with good news and bad news. The good news is that Ray Coniff died

The bad news (good for some, though) is that the Sugarhill Studio building in Englewood (Inglewood?), NJ, burned to the ground. Apparently all masters by the label were destroyed.
I didn't know the studio still existed. Guess there was not many business these days. I read there was no apparent cause for the fire. Maybe someone trying to receive insurance indemnity? :roll:
Just being nasty, my friends. Any info?

**DanceMan** · October 15th, 2002, 09:09 PM

On 2002-10-15 16:50, Nano wrote:
Well, I started the week with good news and bad news. The good news is that Ray Coniff died

The bad news (good for some, though) is that the Sugarhill Studio building in Englewood (Inglewood?), NJ, burned to the ground. Apparently all masters by the label were destroyed.
I didn't know the studio still existed. Guess there was not many business these days. I read there was no apparent cause for the fire. Maybe someone trying to receive insurance indemnity? :roll:
Just being nasty, my friends. Any info?

No info....but I am curious as to why you think it is good news that someone has died, in this case Ray Coniff....is it because you didn't appreciate the music he made?

I don't think anyone's passing is cause to smile unless he is a world terrorist, mass murderer/serial killer.

**HustleBaby** · October 15th, 2002, 10:39 PM

Who was Ray Coniff????

The reason why the SugarHill Studio burned down is because someone forgot to turn off/ pull out the plugs of one of the keyboards thus causing a electrical fire. Fire marshals called the fire an accident not foul play. I heard this on NY1 news.

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**Voyage** · October 15th, 2002, 10:43 PM

Ray Conniff died this Saturday, he was 85. I think his death was a sad one because all of his music was so cool. He was a genius and had his splendor in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Voyage

**markydefad** · October 15th, 2002, 11:50 PM

Ray Conniff was a trombonist/arranger who later started producing his own easy-listening LP's featuring the Ray Conniff Singers on Columbia Records in 1957. He arranged for artists such as Johnny Mathis, Guy Mitchell, Marty Robbins, and others while at Columbia. His own group had a #9 song with "Somewhere, My Love" (Lara's Theme from "Dr. Zhivago") in the summer of 1966.

A long string of easy listening LP's ensued.

Not my taste, but there were those who liked this stuff--maybe even the lounge conniosseurs??? Did Ray Conniff hang around long enough to go from "square" to "hip"????

_________________
Make My Feet Wanna Dance!

Markydefad

[ This Message was edited by: markydefad on 2002-10-16 00:52 ]

Marcio** · October 16th, 2002, 12:29 AM

In the midi 70's I listened to a nice song (I think) on the brazilian radio but I never knew who played it. About two months ago I discover, it's "The Most Beautiful Girl"/Ray Coniff.

.

**markydefad** · October 16th, 2002, 12:38 AM

Uh-oh....Ray Conniff covers Charlie Rich!!!!

"Hey, didja happen to see the most beautiful girl in the world--and if ya did, was she crying???")

Charlie Rich's version went to #1 Pop, Country, and Adult Contemporary in the fall of 1973.

And, who said we only know inane Disco songs here???!!! :lol:

**Voyage** · October 16th, 2002, 09:12 AM

Well I've listened to almost all of Ray's material since his band days with "The Continental" and other songs till his late 70s works which include "How Deep Is Your Love/Emotion", "Just The Way You Are", and others. I don't believe he did anything new in the 80s or 90s, maybe just re-release his old stuff on CD.

BTW Marky you mentioned lounge, now I think I have an idea of what lounge is but don't have a good definition of it. What is lounge?

I think Ray's version of "The Most Beautiful Girl" is better than Charlie's. Oh he also did "If You Could Read My Mind" too in 1972. His and Viola's are my favorites. In my house we have all of Ray's LPs.

Voyage

P.S. I'm not 60 yrs old lol. Probably I'm the youngest in the forum :razz:

**NickNack** · October 16th, 2002, 09:53 AM

On 2002-10-16 10:12, Voyage wrote:
BTW Marky you mentioned lounge, now I think I have an idea of what lounge is but don't have a good definition of it. What is lounge?

Lounge, at least to me, is that 'Easy Listening' music that doesn't really bore you to tears like 'muzak'. It's the Burt Bacharach, Sergio Mendes type stuff --- soft, pretty, easy on the mind. It's the music you want in the early part of the evening with some good food, good wine and your lady/man by your side. Softer than Smooth Jazz but edgier than Ray Coniff.

Our Goddess Boodikka and Jussi are 'Lounge Lizards'. Perhaps they can elaborate better than my lame explanation.

**NickNack** · October 16th, 2002, 09:57 AM

Sugar Hill studios burning down doesn't exactly tear my heart out but I'll admit it's a shame to lose all the master tapes. Although I never got into the rapping, a lot of the instrumental B-sides were pretty cool.

No one wants their history, and I guess they were the first 'rap' label, going up in flames like that.

BTW --- Nano,

I don't think you were intending to be mean, just facetious because of Coniff's legendary ultra-light music. Hope I'm right.

_________________
If It Don't Mean a Thing, Would You Dance to My Music
Nicky

[ This Message was edited by: NickNack on 2002-10-16 10:58 ]

**SandraDee** · October 16th, 2002, 12:48 PM

It should be the other way round, good news that Sigarhill burnt down & bad news that Ray Coniff died IMHO.

**QUINNY** · October 16th, 2002, 05:21 PM

Neither event is good news!!!!!!! Although, surely Sugarhill would have had some back up clones somewhere of all of the essential material?
Keyboard caught fire eh???????

**HustleBaby** · October 16th, 2002, 11:18 PM

Steely, how can you call the burning of SugarHill's studio "good news"?????? What if someone was in that studio OR what if a fireman trying to put out the fire died from toxic smoke inhalation or burned to death????? I'm no fan of rap music either but I would NEVER gloat or enjoy the burning of its studios or any other business!!! Do you or anyone in your family own a business? If so, how would you like it if someone enjoyed the burning of your/their business?!?!?????

Nano, how can you say that its GOOD that someone died?!?!? Ray was a record producer/song writer NOT Osama Bin Laden! Now it wouldn't be funny if someone found some sort of satisfaction over your death. IF you are joking, this is a bad joke!

I can't believe that the both of you have these WICKED thoughts!

*DISCO DELIGHT*

[ This Message was edited by: HustleBaby on 2002-10-17 00:34 ]

**ladyboygrimsby** · October 17th, 2002, 01:56 AM

I don't think it was 'good' Sugarhill's studio burnt down, but some would argue it's karma for the business practices they've used over the years (for more read Stiffed by William Knoedelseder and The Hit Men by Frederic Dannen). There are plenty of their former artists who won't be shedding many tears. And I'm sceptical that their masters were lost, mainly because they sold their entire catalogue to Rhino some years ago and I'm sure they would have demanded the masters then.

**Robbie** · October 17th, 2002, 10:07 AM

What would happen (just a thought) if Salsoul had a studio where all of their masters were, and it was burnt to the ground, and let's say this happened in 1988 perhaps, before they started to reissue their 70's/80's stuff in the early 90's. I for one would be stunned and shocked out of my mind. Think of all of those reisuues that maybe couldn't have been...

Granted, I'm not a fan of rap music either but if this had happened to a label/studio known for its disco I'm sure many of us would be saddened/shocked/stunned/surprised by it.

**BrunoRepublic** · October 17th, 2002, 11:13 AM

On 2002-10-17 11:07, Robbie wrote:
What would happen (just a thought) if Salsoul had a studio where all of their masters were, and it was burnt to the ground, and let's say this happened in 1988 perhaps, before they started to reissue their 70's/80's stuff in the early 90's.

Hey, maybe that did actually happen! Most Salsoul reissues and compilations that I've come across were done from vinyl transfers. This includes the Canadian Unidisc releases as well as the UK ones on Charly. They've been cleaned up pretty well, but the Unidisc ones have the tell-tale turntable rumble, and lack the detail that you can hear on the original pressings. I guess they used some DJ cartridge to play them with. The Charly ones could almost fool you, but they have the CEDAR logo on them (CEDAR is a very expensive denoising system).

**QUINNY** · October 17th, 2002, 12:14 PM

Of course CEDAR could be used to just get rid if the tape hiss. I'm amazed that any have been transferred from disc, but must add that I bought a compilation CD recently for 1 track and guess what?. It was the ONLY one from vinyl on the entire CD.

**BrunoRepublic** · October 17th, 2002, 12:32 PM

Could be... I'll have to take another listen, but I didn't detect any of the artifacting or pumping that one inevitably gets from single-ended hiss reduction. I'd like to think hiss reduction wouldn't be needed on these records, as they really don't have such a wide dynamic range that it would really be an issue.

Wish I could say that for the CD reissue of Shirley Bassey's "I, Capricorn". A perfect example of crappy hiss reduction; it sounds like it's being played underwater. Surprisingly, the liner notes boast of how it was digitally remastered at Abbey Road. I can't believe anyone would brag about what they did to that album.

**QUINNY** · October 17th, 2002, 03:34 PM

Graham: Getting a bit technical.
I'll often put even new digital masters through single ended noise reduction if there's unacceptable hiss. This is particularly relevant if the tracks have to be compressed and levels brought up to hit 0dB, when the original has been recorded fairly low, level wise.
What I do is put it through the expander on my TC finalizer. The trick is to have the threshold at 0dB and the ratio of expansion at 1.12:1, 1.25:1 or even higher sometimes and set the crossover points of the 3 bands carefully so it takes out the hiss and noise without dulling the sound (too much). In my 20 years experience, most CDs and certainly old analogue recordings have too much top end, so lopping of a bit of top end does no real damage. The amazing thing is that getting rid of the hiss and general noise actually cleans the stereo image up and makes some tracks really come back to life, especially spoken word.

**Nano** · October 17th, 2002, 06:16 PM

Hey guys! I put a smily when I said that about Mr. Coniff, remember?

I'm sorry! Sometimes it just gets tiring to be always polite

Don't worry, I didn't throw a party... now, if Ray had died in 1980, when all radios in Argentina were playing his music to death... Who knows! :lol:
Just don't fret. I don't want no one to die. This is just casual conversation in a pub, and maybe I have a beer too many.

**Nano** · October 17th, 2002, 06:19 PM

BTW: thanks Hustle for the info.

**jim** · October 17th, 2002, 06:40 PM

On 2002-10-16 10:57, NickNack wrote:
Sugar Hill studios burning down doesn't exactly tear my heart out but I'll admit it's a shame to lose all the master tapes. Although I never got into the rapping, a lot of the instrumental B-sides were pretty cool.

I THOUGHT RHINO HAD THE MASTERS.

**jim** · October 17th, 2002, 06:44 PM

On 2002-10-17 12:13, Graham Start wrote:

On 2002-10-17 11:07, Robbie wrote:
What would happen (just a thought) if Salsoul had a studio where all of their masters were, and it was burnt to the ground, and let's say this happened in 1988 perhaps, before they started to reissue their 70's/80's stuff in the early 90's.

Hey, maybe that did actually happen! Most Salsoul reissues and compilations that I've come across were done from vinyl transfers. This includes the Canadian Unidisc releases as well as the UK ones on Charly. They've been cleaned up pretty well, but the Unidisc ones have the tell-tale turntable rumble, and lack the detail that you can hear on the original pressings. I guess they used some DJ cartridge to play them with. The Charly ones could almost fool you, but they have the CEDAR logo on them (CEDAR is a very expensive denoising system).

I thought the two US two disc sets ON SALSOUL itself were remastered by Tom M. from the FIRST GENERATION MASTERS (Magic Bird of fire used a second generation master)

**BrunoRepublic** · October 17th, 2002, 07:20 PM

I would assume so then... I haven't yet heard this reissue. But Unidisc's are definitely from vinyl.

**NickNack** · October 17th, 2002, 08:35 PM

On 2002-10-17 19:40, jim wrote:

On 2002-10-16 10:57, NickNack wrote:
Sugar Hill studios burning down doesn't exactly tear my heart out but I'll admit it's a shame to lose all the master tapes. Although I never got into the rapping, a lot of the instrumental B-sides were pretty cool.

I THOUGHT RHINO HAD THE MASTERS.

Until Barry mentioned that Rhino had bought the rights to the music I had no idea. So, you and he are probably right that the masters are safe. No one in their right mind would shell out that kind of money and leave the masters with someone else.