MEET THE ENGINEER.

DAVE KOWALSKI.

How did you get started in the music business and how come you found your home on the producer’s side of the glass? Was sound and production something that always interested you?
I was a working musician before I started getting serious with audio and production but always managed to have a way to record, and at the earliest, that would be tape. While the band would be out partying, I’d be tinkering with the recordings I made of the gig! It was as much a passion as was playing and I developed my skills the same way as a guitarist…practice, make mistakes, learn from those mistakes, do better next time! I got started the business end of it when my bandmates and I opened our own studio and began dealing with other artists. We were known for working with many of the seminal hip-hop and R&B acts of the ‘80s and ‘90s, like Rob Base, Salt-N-Pepa, Guy, Blackstreet, Naughty by Nature and many others. Lots of jazz as well since we had a great Bösendorfer piano.

You have been making records since the early 1980s. Looking back on the entire journey up until now, what are some of your personal milestones?
Well, the first major project that I recorded and mixed was “It Takes Two” by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock. Having my nose to the grindstone in those days, I didn’t even know it had gone big until it was brought to my attention by others. That one went on to multi-platinum status and is still popular today. I have been honored to receive a few Grammy Awards for two Spanish Harlem Orchestra albums and an Emmy nomination for a Billy Strayhorn documentary. Through the years, I’ve worked with artists of all genres, everything from Tony Bennett, Ruben Blades, Paquito D’Rivera, Bruce Hornsby to Freddie Hubbard, Duke Narvaez, Paul Simon and many others. There have been many milestones but, more importantly, just to have the opportunity to work with these greats and others and make a living at it is all I could ever ask for.

You’ve recorded anything from hip-hop to pop and rock but become somewhat specialized in jazz and Latin. How come, you think, and do you have a different approach to a Latin as opposed to, say, a rock project?
Absolutely, there are differences in approach and they come as much from traditional placement in a mix as well as the sonic considerations as, for instance, in the blend of a three-person salsa rhythm section (congas, timbales and bongo/bell) vs. a single Latin jazz drummer.

You’re active in all fields of production: engineering, producing, mixing, writing and mastering. Is there one you prefer over the other?
Sorry for the short answer, but no, I love it all!

In a mix, where do you usually start: the drums, guitars, vocals or something else?
Actually, before doing any intricate adjustments I prefer to bring the whole band up, no EQ or reverb, and get a general balance. I find that if I start trying to make each instrument sound perfect by itself, the result is that there can be lots of redundant overlapping frequencies that in a mix are unnecessary in the big picture. Sometimes it’s just one little characteristic that makes an instrument speak in a mix, and that’s why I go for the full overview to start.

Is there any instrument you generally struggle with more than any other in a mix?
Probably the low end as there are so many listening environments these days. You want to try your best to get something to speak with as much clarity and range on speakers as you would on earbuds.

Do you have any mix “trick” you generally fall back on?
No, not really a “trick” per se, but I will often trigger a drum and mix it with a natural acoustic recorded sound if needed, mostly to enhance a poor recording.

If you had to describe your philosophy of sound, how would you put it? What is the most important thing according to you that makes or breaks a production?
A good song or composition can shine even through a poor recording or mix, but no amount of production can make a lousy tune any better.

You just started working with Latin Drums and Latin Percussion EZX sounds for the presets. Listening back to what you recorded and putting the sounds to use, what are your thoughts?
I am extremely happy with the sound quality. Besides having all those classic microphones and that great Neve console at Sear Sound, it also reinforces the saying that “the way to get great drum sounds is to have a great drummer.” You cannot get any better than Robby and Richie, and their expert touch is the overall major contributor to the sound. The Toontrack products have such a natural “velocity to multi-level sample timbre“ algorithm that it keeps their incredible dynamics intact.

What did you try to cover with the presets you engineered?
I tried to get as much of a range of sound as would fit the genre and then a few others that go outside the “traditional.”

You are a user of Toontrack products in your daily work, how do you see yourself using these sounds that you recorded with Robby and Richie?
For anything and everything! Actually, I have been using EZkeys quite a bit. Since guitar is my main instrument, it helps me get my keyboard ideas across to a player very quickly. Looking forward to the upcoming bass version too!

SELECT DISCOGRAPHY.

Salt-N-Pepa “Very Neccessary” (1993)
Ray Anderson “Where Home is” (1999)
Phoebe Snow “Natural Wonder” (2003)
Don Friedman “Hot House” (2004)
John Beasley “Positootly!” (2009)
Tom Harrell “Roman Nights” (2010)
Spanish Harlem Orchestra “Viva La Tradición” (2010)
Spanish Harlem Orchestra “Viva La Tradición” (2004)
Andy Bey “American Song” (2004)
Terri Lyne Carrington “Waiting Game” (2019)

THE LATIN KIT.

Brand: Pearl*
Model: Masters Custom
Material: Wood (Maple)
Finish: Emerald Mist

*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.

THE CUBAN KIT.

Brand: Pearl*
Model: Reference
Material: Wood (Birch, Maple, Mahogany)
Finish: Black Silver Fade

*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.