JAM: June/July 2005 Issue: Q&A with Ron Ubel

RON UBEL of SOUNDTREK STUDIOS

Have you ever been listening to a great CD in the car or at home on the stereo and wondered where and how it was recorded? We have so many talented performers in the Kansas City area that record their CDs locally. When I first moved to KC almost two years ago, I was not only impressed with the level of playing but was equally impressed with the quality of production demonstrated on these recordings. One of the most established studios in town where the jazz magic takes place, so to speak, is Soundtrek.

I had the chance to catch up with Ron Ubel, owner of Soundtrek, just the other day at his studio located on Broadway. Soundtrek is one of the places to record jazz in KC. Over the past 30-odd years, many of the top players in town have recorded several excellent sessions there. The artists include Karrin Allyson, Gary Foster, Frank Mantooth, Marilyn Maye, Mike Metheny, Stan Kessler, Kerry Strayer, Bobby Watson, and the list goes on and on. And quite an impressive list it is; it reads like a veritable Who's Who of KC jazz talent. (If you want a demonstration, do a quick search of Soundtrek on the KCJA Web site, and see how many For The Record entries are returned.) Ron was interviewed by Mike Metheny for JAM in 1994; that article is still available online, but I thought I'd check back with him to let jazz fans know what's been happening there lately.

JAM: For some of our new readers and fans in the area, tell us how you managed to get Soundtrek up and running.

UBEL: We got started at this location in 1974. Initially, we were not going after jazz, per se, but rather ad work. My background in Omaha was in advertising doing commercials for radio and TV. At that time that was the bread and butter for a studio and that was the primary type of work I was pursuing when I arrived in Kansas City. Jesse Peterson was the man who invited me down to Kansas City. He is such a talented engineer and producer. He has worked all over the world at places like Abbey Road studios.

JAM: To what do you attribute your success and transition as a hot spot for jazz recording?

UBEL: Mostly word of mouth. One of my first jazz projects in Kansas City took place with local pianist Mike Ning. One of Mike's heroes is Bill Evans. Mike wanted to record a project that involved overdubbing, similar to the Converstions with Myself album that Bill Evans did in the '60s. So we did that project here in the studio and just had an absolute blast. Little by little I started hearing from more of the jazzers like pianist Paul Smith. He did a project with Todd Strait and Bob Bowman, which eventually became the Soundtrek Sessions. That CD is still available. It just sort of took off from there.

JAM: It has been 11 years since your last interview in JAM. Can you tell us some of the highlights that have occurred at Soundtrek lo these many years?

UBEL: Oh there have been so many...let's see. All of Karrin's recordings were exciting. The recordings with Karrin Allyson helped bring the studio and the city to national prominence when Concord records agreed to use the Soundtrek facilities and staff for a few of her projects. That was a terrific experience and good for the local jazz scene as well as for Soundtrek. We worked with Gary Burton on Karrin's Daydream album, that was a lot of fun, he certainly is a great player. He brought in his own portable set of vibes especially designed for him.

JAM: Tell us about your background as an engineer. I know you began your career recording gospel choirs and pipe organs. How did you end up becoming a "jazz" engineer?

UBEL: Well, quite simply, I love music--all types of music. I don't necessarily consider myself an engineer, rather I consider myself more of a keeper of the machine that captures the sounds. My assistant, Grant, is the real engineer around here. As you know, I started recording as a hobby and immediately found a creative outlet through the recording process. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to be a part of the performance aspect. It allowed me to share in the process of making music along with the musicians and still does. I didn't have the discipline to practice an instrument or go to school to master music, but I always loved music and loved being around it. Musicians are my heroes. It took me several years to learn that and it's been a good trip. Hope I can go another 20 years.

JAM: Me too. To bring us up to date, what are some current projects you guys are currently working on?

UBEL: We're working on Kathleen Holeman's second album. I think she is a talented lady and has grown a lot musically. We are also putting the finishing touches on Gary Foster's latest project. Mike Metheny also just finished a new album this year at our studio.

Before the interview, Ron and I were chatting about favorite composers and arrangers and we discovered our mutual appreciation for composer/arranger Bob Farnon, who recently passed away. Ron was surprised that I was thoroughly familiar with Farnon's oeuvre (he was a little before my time, but that's for another article) and immediately searched through his CD collection to find a Farnon CD and insisted that I take it home and listen. That is the kind of dedication and "ears" that puts me at ease when I'm recording, and the combination of these attributes will continue to be vital to the future success of Soundtrek.

As always, it was a real pleasure to speak with Ron. I think a key to his success is his genuine passion and enthusiasm for the music (whether it's jazz, gospel, organ music, or anything else) and his sincere appreciation and respect for the musicians that he works with every day. His knowledge of the history, tradition, and personnel is amazing, and no doubt profoundly informs his musicality in the control room. Keep up the good work, Ron.






	Search our site:		RON UBEL of SOUNDTREK STUDIOS Have you ever been listening to a great CD in the car or at home on the stereo and wondered where and how it was recorded? We have so many talented performers in the Kansas City area that record their CDs locally. When I first moved to KC almost two years ago, I was not only impressed with the level of playing but was equally impressed with the quality of production demonstrated on these recordings. One of the most established studios in town where the jazz magic takes place, so to speak, is Soundtrek. I had the chance to catch up with Ron Ubel, owner of Soundtrek, just the other day at his studio located on Broadway. Soundtrek is one of the places to record jazz in KC. Over the past 30-odd years, many of the top players in town have recorded several excellent sessions there. The artists include Karrin Allyson, Gary Foster, Frank Mantooth, Marilyn Maye, Mike Metheny, Stan Kessler, Kerry Strayer, Bobby Watson, and the list goes on and on. And quite an impressive list it is; it reads like a veritable Who's Who of KC jazz talent. (If you want a demonstration, do a quick search of Soundtrek on the KCJA Web site, and see how many For The Record entries are returned.) Ron was interviewed by Mike Metheny for JAM in 1994; that article is still available online, but I thought I'd check back with him to let jazz fans know what's been happening there lately. JAM: For some of our new readers and fans in the area, tell us how you managed to get Soundtrek up and running. UBEL: We got started at this location in 1974. Initially, we were not going after jazz, per se, but rather ad work. My background in Omaha was in advertising doing commercials for radio and TV. At that time that was the bread and butter for a studio and that was the primary type of work I was pursuing when I arrived in Kansas City. Jesse Peterson was the man who invited me down to Kansas City. He is such a talented engineer and producer. He has worked all over the world at places like Abbey Road studios. JAM: To what do you attribute your success and transition as a hot spot for jazz recording? UBEL: Mostly word of mouth. One of my first jazz projects in Kansas City took place with local pianist Mike Ning. One of Mike's heroes is Bill Evans. Mike wanted to record a project that involved overdubbing, similar to the Converstions with Myself album that Bill Evans did in the '60s. So we did that project here in the studio and just had an absolute blast. Little by little I started hearing from more of the jazzers like pianist Paul Smith. He did a project with Todd Strait and Bob Bowman, which eventually became the Soundtrek Sessions. That CD is still available. It just sort of took off from there. JAM: It has been 11 years since your last interview in JAM. Can you tell us some of the highlights that have occurred at Soundtrek lo these many years? UBEL: Oh there have been so many...let's see. All of Karrin's recordings were exciting. The recordings with Karrin Allyson helped bring the studio and the city to national prominence when Concord records agreed to use the Soundtrek facilities and staff for a few of her projects. That was a terrific experience and good for the local jazz scene as well as for Soundtrek. We worked with Gary Burton on Karrin's Daydream album, that was a lot of fun, he certainly is a great player. He brought in his own portable set of vibes especially designed for him. JAM: Tell us about your background as an engineer. I know you began your career recording gospel choirs and pipe organs. How did you end up becoming a "jazz" engineer? UBEL: Well, quite simply, I love music--all types of music. I don't necessarily consider myself an engineer, rather I consider myself more of a keeper of the machine that captures the sounds. My assistant, Grant, is the real engineer around here. As you know, I started recording as a hobby and immediately found a creative outlet through the recording process. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to be a part of the performance aspect. It allowed me to share in the process of making music along with the musicians and still does. I didn't have the discipline to practice an instrument or go to school to master music, but I always loved music and loved being around it. Musicians are my heroes. It took me several years to learn that and it's been a good trip. Hope I can go another 20 years. JAM: Me too. To bring us up to date, what are some current projects you guys are currently working on? UBEL: We're working on Kathleen Holeman's second album. I think she is a talented lady and has grown a lot musically. We are also putting the finishing touches on Gary Foster's latest project. Mike Metheny also just finished a new album this year at our studio. Before the interview, Ron and I were chatting about favorite composers and arrangers and we discovered our mutual appreciation for composer/arranger Bob Farnon, who recently passed away. Ron was surprised that I was thoroughly familiar with Farnon's oeuvre (he was a little before my time, but that's for another article) and immediately searched through his CD collection to find a Farnon CD and insisted that I take it home and listen. That is the kind of dedication and "ears" that puts me at ease when I'm recording, and the combination of these attributes will continue to be vital to the future success of Soundtrek. As always, it was a real pleasure to speak with Ron. I think a key to his success is his genuine passion and enthusiasm for the music (whether it's jazz, gospel, organ music, or anything else) and his sincere appreciation and respect for the musicians that he works with every day. His knowledge of the history, tradition, and personnel is amazing, and no doubt profoundly informs his musicality in the control room. Keep up the good work, Ron. RETURN TO JUNE/JULY 2005 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2005. All rights reserved.