Blue Rock Studio

Blue Rock Studio was an independent 16- and 24-track recording facility located in Manhattan's SoHo district. Founded by owner Eddie Korvin, it opened in 1970 and was sold in 1986.^[1][2]

After meeting John Storyk, a recent architecture graduate, at the Electric Circus and Cerebrum, a club Storyk designed, Korvin hired Storyk to design the new studio located in a three-level, standalone cast iron building on Greene Street. Storyk, whose first two studio jobs were Electric Lady Studios and Blue Rock, designed the recording room, control room and reception space on the street-level floor.^[3] Tom Dwyer and Ken Robertson, electronic designers and builders at one of New York's major labels, worked nights and weekends building a custom solid state console, installing all additional equipment including Scully 16-, 4-, and 2-track tape machines. Seeking additional help, Korvin invited long-time friend Joe Schick to return to New York and become a partner in the studio. Upon opening to clients, Schick served primarily as studio manager for about four years before departing Blue Rock. Korvin handled the majority of engineering duties and became chief engineer. Blue Rock was also one of the first New York studios to employ a female engineer, Jan Rathbun.^[4]

Musically diverse, the first two 1971 sessions at Blue Rock for start-up Perception Records were an American remix of the 45 rpm hit single "Dancing in the Moonlight" by King Harvest and a mixdown of a live club recording by jazz saxophonist James Moody. One of the attractions of Blue Rock was privacy and discretion. "I like it. I’ll be back", said Bob Dylan after checking out the studio one afternoon.^[5] A three-day booking was arranged for March 1971 where Dylan, backed by Leon Russell and band, jammed and recorded "Watching the River Flow" and "When I Paint My Masterpiece". Both songs were subsequently released on CBS Records and Dylan returned to Blue Rock on two other occasions later in 1971.^[6]

Around 1975, Korvin decided a partial remodel and equipment upgrade were necessary. Estelle Lazarus was hired as studio manager and public relations person. Around the same time, Michael Ewasko joined the studio as assistant engineer to Eddie Korvin.^[7] Later, Ewasko was promoted to chief engineer, a position he kept until the closing of the studio in 1986. Architect Storyk designed the control room remodel and the studio upgraded to Studer 24- and 2-track tape machines and a Neve 8058 console. Original audio designers Dwyer and Robertson oversaw the installation of the new equipment. Notable clients in the later years were The Kinks (2 albums and 1 soundtrack), The Spinners' single "Working My Way Back to You", Keith Richards and Screamin' Jay Hawkins 1979 version "I Put a Spell on You" and the Joe Jackson platinum-selling album, Night and Day, including the song "Steppin' Out", Grammy-nominated for 1983 Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.^[8]

It is of interest to highlight the concentration of jazz composers and players who recorded at Blue Rock throughout its working years. Korvin had a business relationship with Mike Mantler and Carla Bley (Jazz Composers Orchestra) that produced many recording sessions and resulting albums. Later, the studio had a close working relationship with Manhattan-based Muse Records. This jazz-oriented company, headed by Joe Fields, was specifically interested in recording the diverse, vibrant and often experimental music that pervaded New York City. In fact, Eddie Korvin once recorded a visiting group of Swiss-German yodelers accompanied by 13-foot-long alphorns. In this pre-digital era, Blue Rock welcomed an eclectic group of clients and performers in the fields of rock, pop, jazz, folk, classical, dance, TV and radio commercials, film and TV scores, and sounds without category. Music, from the traditional to the interstellar, was played and recorded at Blue Rock Studio.