"This was the most satisfying mastering experience of my life. Exquisite master, thank you from the bottom of my heart." – JD Souther (Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor)
"I like the way it breathes, almost like the compressor/limiter holds it up in the air, like the 'old' days. Great work." – Dave Davies (The Kinks)
"Thank you! You are such an artist. Between you and Jim Anderson you could eat the sound." – Patricia Barber (Blue Note recording artist)
"God, Alan, I will always say your name in reverential tones from this day hence! What a masterful job of melding the disparate elements together. Just wonderful... nothing missing, nothing intruding... affectionately, Jim" – Jimmy Webb
"I felt as though I had heard my recordings for the first time." – Judy Collins (re-mastering of 1962-1965 analog master tapes)
"Wonderful! I've never heard mastering do what yours did. The music jumped off the page. What you do is breathtaking and magnificent." – Jane Ira Bloom (Winner - Jazz Journalists' Soprano Sax Of The Year 2001)
"You did such amazing things with the sound -- you are practically a member of the band!" – Nora York
"This is the best mastering job I've ever heard. Thanks for the great and caring work." – Todd Barkan (Artistic Director - Jazz at Lincoln Center)
"Oh my God, Alan. Master approved!! Beautiful, refined and unique. We are touched by your brilliant work!" – Miranda Kassin (Brazil)
"Sonic wizardry!" – Bob Christianson (Composer/Great Immediately Productions)
Alan Silverman
Arf Mastering
245 West 55th Street
Suite 804
New York, NY 10019
P: 212.757.2505
E: inquire@arfmastering.com
Site Design: darkdarkgray.com
ABOUT SERVICES DISCOGRAPHY TESTIMONIALS NEWS GEAR REVIEWS
News

Winter '17

For all of our most recent and up to date news visit us on our facebook page!



Summer '16
Jazz saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom's album "Early Americans" has received extraordinary praise. Positive-Feedback writes, "A contemporary jazz masterwork."  The review also highlights the album's sound quality.  "It's a CD, and yet it sounds as astonishing as any hi-res recording I've heard in the last couple of years.  The sound is explosive, intimate, and more immersive than any recording I've heard this year."  Congrats to Jane and her team of stellar musicians, and to mixer, Jim Anderson, for creating this ground-breaking work.  Thank you for your trust in Arf! Mastering.

New Music from DizTroy ft. Mystic brings island beats all the way from the birthplace of Mento and Reggai, Port Antonio, Jamaica, to Arf! Mastering.   Mystic is not only a terrific singer and dancer, she choreographs for pop stars Katy Perry, Major Lazer, and Diplo.   Arf! Mastering's custom analog gear and audiophile signal path preserved the energy and impact of DizTroy's beats and Mystic's patwah raps.  Cool runnings.



Spring '16
Kudos to Maggie Rogers and co-producer, Doug Schadt, on the release of Maggie's first single, "Alaska." The track has garnered over 20M plays on Spotify and SoundCloud within one month of its release.  

Arf! welcomes back Joey Alexander, in for mastering his second album, "Countdown" on the heels of his Grammy-nominated debut release, "My Favorite Things."  A welcome back, also, to vocalist extraordinaire, Catherine Russell, in to put the finishing touches on her new album "Harlem on My Mind" set for release in September '16.   Producer/mixer Jay Newland stopped by for mastering a multi-artist album, "Jazz in Disney," featuring Jamie Callum, Stacey Kent, Gregory Porter, Anne Sila, and Nikki Yanofkski for Universal Music.  Congratulations on Grammy Award (2016) nominations to Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (Best Large Ensemble Jazz), Karrin Allyson (Best Jazz Vocal), Karen Peck and New River (Best Roots Gospel) and Joey Alexander (Best Jazz Instrumental.)  Our gratitude and thanks to these consummate artists for choosing Arf!



September '15
Congratulations to Paquito D'Rivera (Best Latin Jazz) Estrella Morente (Best Flamenco) and Berta Rojas (Best Tango) for their 2015 Latin Grammy nominations!   Our thanks and appreciation go out to these great artists for choosing Arf! for mastering.  Best of success with your new releases and this fabulous recognition from the Academy.


Summer '15
Keith Richards and Mindless Records have selected mastering engineer Alan Silverman to re-master Keith's classic solo albums Talk is Cheap and Main Offender for their first-time ever release for digital downloads and streaming.   The albums are now finally available on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, and losslessly, on Tidal.   Alan's masters remain faithful to the original dynamic range of these iconic recordings.   Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra have returned to Arf! for a follow-up release to their Grammy-winning "Offense of the Drum" with a power house new set, "Cuba: The Conversation Continues" recorded in Havana and mixed by Grammy-winner Katherine Miller.   Medeski, Martin and Wood are back with a live set featuring chamber orchestra Alarm Will Sound and, again, push the boundaries of modern jazz and modern classical. Jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson  stopped by Arf! to work with Alan on her stunning, jazz-infused Rodgers and Hammerstein set, "Many a New Day" for Motema Records.  Randy Brecker in for his Live at Birdland set, RandyPOP!   Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco)  in for the Arf! touch on his latest release Hand in Hand.  Music director for A Prairie Home Companion, Richard Dworsky, booked in for the finishing touches on his new CD "All In Due Time,"  deftly spanning musical styles from Bluegrass to classical to Hot Club.  Speaking of Bluegrass, singer/writer/fiddle player Lizzy Long returns to Arf with Blueberry Pie, a lovely set of self-penned new Bluegrass tunes.  Guitar virtuoso Berta Rojas at Arf! completing a magnificent set of classic Tango with the Camerata Bariloche.   Classical violinist, Andrea Tyniec down from Canada to work with Alan on her recording of the Ysaye Violin Sonatas.  Vibraphonst Joe Locke in for his new release "Love is a Pendulum" and Joey Alexander, an eleven-year old sensation on piano, playing with depth and sophistication decades beyond his years, sent in his debut outing "My Favorite Things." Joey's album hit  #1 on the jazz charts soon after release.  Alan returns to the producer's chair for long-time client Judy Collins' new release, a duets album, featuring Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, Jimmy Buffet, Jeff Bridges, Jackson Browne, Don McLean and Glen Hansard, along with newcomers Ari Hest and Thomas Dybdahl.  Alan continues to work with new indie bands and recently completed EPs for New Myths, Bellehouse, Connor Leimer, Tom VanStockum, Danielle Grubb, Katie Costello, and The Sweet Boys.  Engineer Mike Tierney has joined the staff at Arf! Mike, a recent grad from the Masters in Music Technology program at NYU, brings a broad background in jazz, rock and folk.


Fall '14
It has been a great year for our artist clients and mastering engineer Alan Silverman.    Six of our projects have been voted as final nominees for this year's Grammy Awards.   Two of the four nominees in the Latin Jazz category were mastered by Alan, with Paquito D'Rivera's "Song for Maura" taking the statue.   Alan has four more nominees in the running for the 2015 Grammy Awards, and is personally named in the Best Roots Gospel Album category - so he will be Los Angeles bound to don a tux.  Two of the four nominees for Best Latin Jazz for the 57th annual award show were mastered by Alan as well - totalling half of all the Latin Jazz nominees for NARAS and LARAS in 2014!

Medeski, Ribot, Martin & Wood were in for their new live jam set.  Arturo O'Farrill and The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra stopped by for mastering "The Offense of the Drum" as did The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra for "Overtime -The Music of Bob Brookmeyer," both projects receiving Grammy nominations for 2014.  Drummer and band leader Dave Weckyl mastered his band's new outing with Alan featuring fusion jazz and symphonic pianist super-star Makoto Ozone.  Jazz legend, vocalist and pianist Diane Schuur came through our studio doors as well.  The iconic Jolly Boys, the legendary "Mento" band, in for their new release for Jamaican label Gee Jam.  Motema Music sent in new albums by Joe Locke, Marc Cary, and 11-year old jazz piano wizard Joey Alexander.    Electronica artists Aria Electronica (formerly the East Village Opera) mixed by Kevin Killen worked with Alan for their new release.  Calle 54 Records returns with a vocal and guitar set by the stunning Estrella Morente and Nino Josele.   Up-and-coming NYC rockers Sedona Schat, Sam Seeger, Holden Jaffe, New Myths, and Alec C all stopping by with new digital releases. Folk icon Judy Collins has enlisted Alan as producer for her new duets album with a list of stellar co-stars to be revealed in 2015.  


Spring '14
Alan Silverman has been invited to speak at the 2014 New Music Seminar on the topic "High Resolution Audio is Coming - Are You Ready?". Alan will focus on how production values need to be adapted to the imminent high-res audio ecosystem for mobile and home devices. Long-time Arf! clients, Medeski, Martin & Wood, have returned for their sixth full-length project, this one featuring guitarist John Scofield in a sweeping old-school jam titled "Juice" to be released on CD, Mastered for iTunes, and a double LP vinyl set. Arf! welcomes new client Anjani Thomas. Anjani has sung, played keyboard, and co-written with Leonard Cohen who makes a guest appearance on the new release. Flamenco and Latin Jazz masters Nino Josele and Chano Dominguez just in for Calle 54, Madrid. Jocie Adams, formerly of Low Anthem, has been by for mastering B-sides for her recent project, Arc Iris. Guitarist and vocalist Raul Midon in for mastering his first release on Mack Avenue Records. Raul first came to the industry's notice while signed to super-producer Arif Mardin's label Manhattan Records. Paquito D'Rivera returns for his fourth project with us, "Jazz Meets the Classics," recorded live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. Legendary drummer for Cream, Ginger Baker, in for mastering his new jazz release for Motema Music. Reggae star and pianist Monty Alexander has been by for mastering his new CD release. Singer extraordinaire Catherine Russell just completing "Bring it Back," her fifth project with us at Arf! New music and new genres find a good fit at Arf! where new bands in every style from Shoegaze to Nu-gaze have come by to work with mastering engineer Alan Silverman. The roster includes The New Myths, Syvia, The Corcoran Brothers, Kaleigh Young, Del Water Gap, Jacobians, Elvis Perkins, The Genero Project, William Susman and Octet Ensemble, Jack Perla, The Roofer's Union, Yoed Nir, and Oded Tzur proving that new music and emerging artists are going strong in New York City. In addition to mastering, Alan is still called to the producer's chair by long-time client, folk legend, Judy Collins. Alan produced a new recording of Ms. Collins performing her iconic 1960s hit single, Both Sides Now, to be used as the opening-title song in director Rob Reiner's new movie, And So It Goes, starring Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton, in theaters this summer. Alan also produced and engineered the soundtracks to Ms. Collins' two recent PBS specials "Live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art" and "Live in Ireland."


Winter '13
Congratulations to Arf! Clients Earl Klugh, Paquito D'Rivera and Berta Rojas for their nominations at the upcoming Grammy Awards. The Leonard Bernstein Office has turned to Alan Silverman for audio restoration work on the re-issue of the great conductor's Young People's Concerts originally broadcast on network television from 1958 to 1972. Producers Jesse Lauter and Sean O'Brien in for mastering for their Bob Dylan In The 80s tribute project featuring a stellar line-up of of emerging and established artists including Langhorne Slim, Built to Spill, Reggie Watts, Craig Finn, Ivan & Alyosha, Deer Tick, Aaron Freeman & Slash, Dawn Landes, Tea Leaf Green, Hannah Cohen, Elvis Perkins, Yellowbirds, Blitzen Trapper, Lucius, Carl Broemel, and Glen Hansard.


Summer '13
Billy Joel, Jim Brown Films, and SONY Pictures have turned to Alan Silverman at Arf! for sound design, mixing, and mastering of the sound for Billy Joel Live in Leningrad.  The film features a full concert performance from the historic 1987 tour. Joel was the first American rock star to tour behind the iron curtain.  After a decade since the overwhelming success of her first holiday album, the multi-platinum award winner Jewel gears up to release her much anticipated follow up holiday album, "Let It Snow. Mastering for the new release was done by Alan Silverman.  July brought a roster of fine guitarists to Arf!   Grammy-winner Earl Klugh returned for mastering his new release, "Handpicked," on Concord Records.   The record debuted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart and features guest appearances by guitar masters Bill Frisell and Vince Gill, and by Jake Shimabukuro on ukelele.    2012 Grammy nominee Berta Rojas returned to put the finishing touches on her new release Salsa Roja,   Cuban percussion master Pedrito Martinez turned to Arf! for mastering the debut album  for The Pedro Martinez Group.  Also mastered at Arf!, Pedrito's solo release, "Rumba de la Isla," was chosen by Stereophile Magazine as Record of the Month.  Rapper Kentyah was in to master "Evolutionary Minded" a multi-artist set furthering the legacy of Gill Scott-Heron.  Irish folk singers Yarbo and Laura James return to Arf! for their new EP release.  Classic Meets Cuba are in for mastering their newest release for SONY Classical.  Award-winning vocalist Catherine Russell is back for her fourth project with Arf!, a new release for World Village.  Also returning are The Holmes Brothers with their new record for Alligator.  Latin Jazz maestro Paquito D'Rivera is back for his third project with Alan Silverman, at Arf!  Jazz stars Joe Locke and Michael Carvin in for mastering their new projects for Motema Music.   Alan delivered the keynote address at the 2013 Capital Audio Fest in Washington, D.C.  Jocie Adams, formerly of Low Anthem, has just completed the debut release for her new band, Arc Iris, mastered at Arf!  Downbeat award-winning soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom in for putting the finishing touches on her new CD release "Sixteen Sunsets" also being released in 96k/24-bit quality on Pure Audio Blu-ray.


Spring '13
All The Times We Had, the new release by Ivan & Alyosha, mastered by Alan Silverman at Arf! has been receiving excellent recognition and success. The first single, Running for Cover, is featured in heavy rotation on indie alt-rock radio nation-wide.   Singer Catherine Russell's new release, Strictly Romancin', has reached new heights of praise, winning the Prix du Vocal 2012 for Vocal Album of the Year from the Jazz Academy in France, and The Grand Prix du Hot Club 2012, as well as the NYC Bistro Award for Best Vocal Album.   Congrats, Catherine!  Paquito D'Rivera, the master of Latin Jazz on clarinet and sax, returns to Arf! to complete a rich new collaboration with Trio Corrente titled Song for Maura.   Master conga player Pedrito Martinez is back again at Arf! for his new release following the success of Arf! Mastered Rumba de la Isla which has been selected by Stereophile Magazine as Recording of the Month.  Reggae star Taj Weekes new live set Pariah in Transit has been earning accolades as one of the finest live albums in the world of Reggae.  Thank you to all these wonderful artists for your loyal and continued support.  Thanks also to Fabrizio Sotti, Anne Drummond, and Pete Francis (of Dispatch) for working with Arf! on your new releases.


Summer '12
Keith Richards returns to Arf! Mastering to finish his new single release in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence. Medeski, Martin and Wood are back again to master their new live album. Michael Feinstein Productions have turned to Alan Silverman to man the recording engineer's chair for tracking a new in-studio live recording of Michael and maestro André Previn.  Alan is also remixing a concert shoot for PBS featuring Judy Collins, Ani DeFranco, Jimmy Webb, and Shawn Colvin live at the Temple of Dendur at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Arf! has completed mastering new albums for the folk-pop duo Ivan & Alyosha and for the fast-rising indie rock band Until June, whose music has been featured on Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, The Real World, and Jersey Shore.


Spring '12
Modern jazz guitar master Lionel Loueke brought his new CD, Heritage (Blue Note Records) in for high-resolution mastering. The set features the stellar musicianship of Robert Glasper (the Robert Glasper Experiment, keys) Derrick Hodge (bass) and Mark Giulina (drums) ripping up over 70 minutes of new music inspired by Lionel's heritage in Benin, West Africa.  Recorded by Andy Taub at Brooklyn Recording and mixed ANALOG on the studio's vintage Neve console, the project has a rich, classic sound that helps to integrate the traditional African motifs of Lionel's homeland and the contemporary modern American jazz styles of these phenomenal side-men.

Congrats to Monty Alexander for a 2012 Grammy nomination for best Reggae recording for his release Harlem-Kingston Express - Live at Dizzy's Club Cocoa Cola (Motema Records.)  Thanks, Monty, for choosing Arf! Mastering for the album's final touches.

Flamenco master guitarist Nino Josele returned for his third project at Arf!  The new album for Warner Music is a masterwork of guitar virtuosity featuring guest appearances by singers Estrella and Diego El Cigala, and Flamenco guitar legend Paco de Lucia. 

Folk icon Judy Collins has released her latest album Bohemian to very favorable reviews.   The album features a duet with Shawn Colvin on the Joni Mitchell song "Cactus Tree," interpreted with depth and poignancy by the two consummate performers.   Ms. Collins enlisted Arf! owner and mastering engineer, Alan Silverman, as producer for the project continuing a long and successful relationship begun in the 90s when the two met at A&R Recording Studios in New York City.

Producer/engineer Jesse Lauter returned for mastering a new side project from the members of The Low Anthem entitled Have Fun with Snake Wagon available for free on the band's website .  Jesse is currently at work with us mastering The Woes "Live from Kings County Penitentary."


Winter '11
Producer Pawel Marcinak in from Warsaw for mastering the long awaited release from the classic rock band Varius Manx entitled Eli.    Also in from Warsaw, the rap-core band KNŻ for their new CD Bar La Curva.


Spring '11
Legendary singer-songwriter JD Souther (The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt) came in from his home in Nashville to work with Arf! owner/engineer Alan Silverman on mastering his CD Natural History (E1 Records.)   The album features new acoustic performances by JD of many of his best known songs.  At the conclusion of the session JD said  "This was the most satisfying mastering experience of my life.  Exquisite master, thank you from the bottom of my heart." Wow, thank you, JD.


Fall '10
Keith Richards and Mindless Records turned to Arf! for mastering Vintage Vinos a compilation of tracks from Keith's solo projects now out of print.   New masterings were done of tracks from Talk Is Cheap, Main Offender, and Keith Richards and The X-pensive Winos, plus a rare track, Hurricane which Keith recorded in support of victims of Katrina.  The album has been released to coincide with his autobiography just out.

Jazz bassist Ron Carter just in for mastering the Ron Carter Big Band for EMI due out next year.

Low Anthem's producer Jesse Lauter just in with a debut release for Alana Amram & The Rough Gems featuring Alana's story-telling material, rich vocals,  and her band's great musicianship stylistically paying homage to 1970s "L.A. Country."


Summer '10
Addis feat. FYI opens at #16 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart with their release "Disco."   Congrats, Addis, and thanks for choosing Arf! Mastering.

Folk icon Judy Collins recasts mastering engineer Alan Silverman in his former role as her producer, recording, and mixing engineer for her new release, Paradise.   Judy returns to her roots as a story teller, social and political activist, and interpreter of traditional ballads.  The set features duets with Joan Baez and Stephen Stills and closes with a new song by Jimmy Webb "Collins' voice still empties the thesaurus of heavenly words for "bells" and "crystal," delicate as dew settled on timeless tales of universal dreams."  (The Austin Chronicle)   Paradise debuts at number 11 on Billboard's Folk chart.  Judy's first appearance on the Billboard charts was in April of 1964 spanning an on-going career of over 46 years!

Vocalist Jane Monheit was in with her new recording for Emarcy Records, her first self-produced album, and her first album with her own band.   Jane and her touring musicians have a hand-in-glove synergy and this set presents a new depth and range to her artistry. 

Jazz master guitarist Kenny Burrell checks in for mastering his new Live At Dizzy's Club Cocoa Cola CD.  Vocalist Freddy Cole returns for his new release "Sings For Mister B," both albums produced by the venerable Todd Barkan.

Calle 54 Records is back with another of their intriguing and unexpected hybrids.   This one pairs virtuosos Pedro Martinez on percussion and Niño Josele on Flamenco guitar in an homage to maestro Camarón de la Isla featuring a new take on the Cuban Rumba. 

Master reed player James Carter came by for mastering "Concerto For Saxophones" a newly composed orchestral work produced by Michael Cuscuna and recorded/mixed by engineer extraordinaire Jim Anderson

Warsaw producer Pawel Marciniak e-mastered his new production of the band Vintage, a powerhouse collection of heavy rock.  

Ernie Hasse and Signature Sound were by with producer/arranger Wayne Haun for "The Cathedral Project" a traditional set of Southern Gospel songs in tribute to the great Bill Gaither.  

Bermuda-based producer Tony Brannon sent us a set of 20 new artists local to Bermuda for a compilation of new recordings showing the richness and diversity of this small but talented musical community.  The set features unknown artists as well as signed artists such as Heather Nova, Mishka, and Collie Buddz.  

Up and coming, socially conscious hip-hop artist Genesis Be, aka Lo Key stopped by for the mastering of a new video track "Lovers Or Friends" featuring Auzriel.   

Ninjasonik were back with a new album of their unique blend of hip-hop, electronica and rap, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics after the success of their release "Art School Girls." 

Producer Jesse Lauter back with three projects, a new release from The Woes, a single for Elmer Perkins, and an EP for Faroe Islands based alternative rock group Marius Masses.  Thank you to all these artists and producers for choosing Arf! as your mastering home. 


Spring '10
R&B/Country-Blues legends The Holmes Brothers in with their producer and guest vocalist Joan Osborne mastering "Feed My Soul" for Aligator Records.   Jazz/R&B/Roots singer Catherine Russell here mastering her new release for World Village with producer Paul Kahn.  Latin rocker Nicolas Mayorca remotely "e-mastering" his new EMI single "Tanto."   Producer Rob Mounsey (Rihanna, James Taylor) and mixer Rich Travali (Robin Thicke, Gwen Stefani) stopping by for mastering a debut CD for singer Yvette Rovira.   Producer/mixer Jim Anderson in to master a new live CD for jazz pianist Helen Sung.   Japanese super-star Mizuho and her producer Tiger Okohsi mastering her new international release. 

The editors of Stereophile Magazine have just published a list of 60 must have CDs for all time.   The multi-artist Americana CD "Heartworn Highways" made this prestigious list!  The CD was mixed and mastered by Alan from original documentary location-recordings of the "new-country" renegades of the early '70s, Townes Van Zant, Steve Earle, Guy Clark, and David Allen Coe. 

Releases mastered at Arf! earned six Grammy wins and nominations at the recent Latin and American Grammy Awards.  Congratulations to Bebo and Chucho Valdes for their LARAS and NARAS wins this year!  Congratulations to Ernie Hasse and Signature Sound and to The Triumphant Quartet for their nominations in the Gospel and Bluegrass categories.


Fall '09
... has brought in many old friends and new.   Flamenco guitar master Nino Josele is back with a new project for Warner blending Jazz, Latin, and Flamenco styles featuring guest artists Phil Woods and Pedro Martinez.  International star Ingrid Alberini is back with her unique style of Euro Club music.  Tom Music of Madrid brought in an elegant new album by Spain's "Idol" winner Rosa.  Producer Javier Limon, also from Madrid, returns with a new album for the extraordinary Ladino singer Yasmin Levy, now on a world tour.  Brooklyn is, as ever, a source of wonderful new indie music as evidenced by the brilliant duo Merrady and Gene with their new EP.  Southern Gospel artists Clint Brown, The Bumbaugh Family, The Collingsworth Family, and Signature Sound were here with music to spread the word.  Calle 54 returns with a new album for pianist Paquito Hechevarria, of Gloria Estefan "Conga" fame, featuring the songs of Frank Sinatra in a contemporary Salsa style.    Isaac Delgado, one of Cuba's greatest singers, is in with his new album, a tribute to Nat King Cole.  EMI recording artist Nicolas Mayorca is putting the finishing touches on a new rock release.  Medeski, Martin & Wood have completed a special box set edition of their acclaimed Radiolarians series including four vinyl sides.   Our restoration work continues with a set of rare tracks from Nancy Wilson and the first time on CD release of the first six Sesame Street cast albums!  Thanks to all of these artists  and producers for choosing Arf! and congratulations to Bebo and Chucho Valdes for their nomination in this year's Latin Grammy Awards.


Peggy Lee "Jump for Joy" Summer '09
E1 Entertainment and DRG Records are set for the summer release of an historic 1958 collaboration between Peggy Lee and Nelson Riddle.  The album "Jump For Joy" will now be available for the first time in stereo on CD.   DRG chose to go back to the original three-track session tapes in order to create completely new stereo mixes that present the sessions in an intimate and natural setting.   The mixes evoke the feeling of standing in the center of the legendary Capitol Studio with Peggy and the Nelson Riddle horns, rhythm, and strings close at hand.   Alan Silverman was tapped to mix and master the project for Arf!


Spring '09
Alan Silverman has been appointed to teach the art of mastering in the graduate music technology/tonemeister program at NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.  Alan continues to teach a mastering course for undergraduates in the Clive Davis School of Recorded Music at NYU's Tisch School Of The Arts.

Medeski, Martin & Wood are back for mastering Radiolarians 3, the third in their acclaimed Radiolarians series of free-form funk jazz. 

Arf! Mastering has completed the restoration of over 150 Capitol Records releases from the 1950s.  Artists include Harry Belafonte, June Christy, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mercer, Jeri Southern, Jo Stafford, Dakota Staton, and Mel Torme.   The tracks were restored and remastered respectful of their original feel and dynamic range and are available from DRG Records.

Back to the present, we were thrilled to be chosen to do the mastering for "Curriculum" a terrific new release from NYC indie artist Abby Ahmad, and for the new world music release from Lily Storm.

Alan Silverman presented two master classes in the art of mastering at The Nashville Recording Workshop+Expo.   Alan also appeared on an NRW+E panel with legendary producer/engineer George Massenburg, and Vance Powell, winner of the 2009 Grammy for best engineered album. 


Winter '08
Congratulations to Earl Klugh for his nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Album, "The Spice Of Life," and to The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra for their nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, "Monday Night Live At The Villiage Vanguard."   Thank you to these artists for choosing Arf! for mastering.

Audio Geek Alert:   We've recently installed a terrific new set of main monitors - the  Revel Studio2.  It was hard to trump the Dunlavy monitors that had played so much great music over the years, but the Revels did so in style and were an instant success.  No looking back!  The Duns will be sent to a good home (mine) for recreational listening!


Fall '08
Alan Silverman has received his second Album Of The Year Grammy nomination!  This year's nomination is for Concha Buika's latest release, "La Nina De Fuego,"  an extraordinary set of tracks combining pop, Flamenco, and modern jazz styles with Buika's passionate singing.    Alan's first Album Of The Year nomination was for "Lagrimas Negras,"  an international hit featuring Diego El Cigala and Bebo Valdes.  We thank the producers of these extraordinary albums for turning to Arf! Mastering for their final touches.  In addition to receiving these two prestigious individual nominations, Alan has mastered over 30 Grammy recognized albums since Arf's founding in 1997. 

Recent releases mastered at Arf! have been doing well.   Earl Klugh's "Spice Of Life" has been the #1 selling jazz album on both iTunes and Amazon.  Medeski, Martin & Wood's "Radiolarians I" has been hailed by a some reviewers as the band's best album to date.    Buika's "La Nina de fuego" released in June, is running #1 in five Amazon sales categories as of mid-November!  She's at #1 in smooth jazz, Latin, Flamenco, Bolero and Gypsy!  Congratuations to Concha Buika, Earl and MM&W, and best wishes for continued success!


Summer '08
Wildflower Records has been in with a multi-artist tribute to Judy Collins.   Judy Collins is known to three generations of listeners as the singer whose golden voice and honest interpretations introduced the world to the songs of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and Stephen Sondheim, yet she is also an accomplished songwriter.   The project features such great voices as Shawn Colvin, Chrissie Hynde, Dolly Parton, Bernadette Peters, Amy Speace, Rufus Wainwright, Jimmy Webb, The Webb Sisters,  Kenny White, and Dar Williams performing original versions of Collins' songs.   The mastering was done in high-resolution from the original mixes by Alan Silverman who was also tapped to record and mix orchestra and voice for the selections by Rufus Wainwright and Bernadette Peters.

Patricia Barber's "Cole Porter Mix," mastered at Arf! in the early spring, is about to be released and has earned very enthusiastic reviews.   Stereophile's September '08 issue gave the CD 4 1/2 stars for performance and 4 1/2 stars for sonics.   The CD will be available on Blue Note Records. 


Spring '08
The new year has brought some great new music through our doors.   Pianist and vocalist extraordinare Patricia Barber was in for her elegant new release "The Cole Porter Mix" for Blue Note, as was jazz piano maestro Kenny Barron for Universal.  Producer John Medeski (Medesky, Martin & Wood) was in with another new release for Blue Note, The Wood Brothers' "Loaded," a terriffic rootsy set of original songs.  Earl Klugh was here mastering "The Spice Of Life" a gorgeous new CD featuring his virtuoso guitar work and full orchestrations by Don Sebesky.  The exquisite Flamenco-jazz vocalist Concha Buika and her producer, Javier Limon, sent their new project in from Madrid for mastering for international release.  Finally drg records was back with a collector's series of vintage reissues - Kay Starr, "South Pacific" with Peggy Lee and Gordon McRae, "Annie Get Your Gun" with Doris Day and Robert Goulet, and a set of 19 previously unreleased tracks by Mel Torme.  We've also had the pleasure of working with many exceptionally talented indie artists including Rachele Garniez, Michael Block, Emily Asen, Forman, and Bovine Homecoming.


Pete Seeger - The Power Of Song
Arf! mastering has restored and remastered over 70 music tracks for this remarkable new documentary about a modern day American patriot and hero.   The music ranges from early 1950s recordings of The Weavers and Paul Robeson, up to recent performances by Pete who is still singing in his 90s.  The songs play a key role in the film which opened for a held-over run in New York and LA.   American Masters on PBS will include the program in its Spring '08 lineup.  Highly recommended.


New Norah Jones EP mastered at Arf! Digital



Emmy Nomination - American Roots Music for "outstanding achievement in music and sound"



USA Today "Top Pick Of The Year"



New York Times "Top Ten Classical Recordings of 2002"



Top-Selling Broadway Cast Recording of 2002


Judy Garland At The Grove
DRG Records has turned to Alan Silverman to remix and remaster the classic live performance by Judy Garland at the Grove in LA, recorded by Capitol Records in 1962.   The original three-track master tapes were transferred at high resolution and sent to Arf!  Algorithmix EQ and restoration tools helped bring the sound back to life and restore spectral imbalances in the original recording.



Press

Spring '13
All The Times We Had, the new release by Ivan & Alyosha, mastered by Alan Silverman at Arf! has been receiving excellent recognition and success. The first single, Running for Cover, is featured in heavy rotation on indie alt-rock radio nation-wide.   Singer Catherine Russell's new release, Strictly Romancin', has reached new heights of praise, winning the Prix du Vocal 2012 for Vocal Album of the Year from the Jazz Academy in France, and The Grand Prix du Hot Club 2012, as well as the NYC Bistro Award for Best Vocal Album.   Congrats, Catherine!  Paquito D'Rivera, the master of Latin Jazz on clarinet and sax, returns to Arf! to complete a rich new collaboration with Trio Corrente titled Song for Maura.   Master conga player Pedrito Martinez is back again at Arf! for his new release following the success of Arf! Mastered Rumba de la Isla which has been selected by Stereophile Magazine as Recording of the Month.  Reggae star Taj Weekes new live set Pariah in Transit has been earning accolades as one of the finest live albums in the world of Reggae.  Thank you to all these wonderful artists for your loyal and continued support.  Thanks also to Fabrizio Sotti, Anne Drummond, and Pete Francis (of Dispatch) for working with Arf! on your new releases.


Summer '12
Keith Richards returns to Arf! Mastering to finish his new single release in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence. Medeski, Martin and Wood are back again to master their new live album. Michael Feinstein Productions have turned to Alan Silverman to man the recording engineer's chair for tracking a new in-studio live recording of Michael and maestro André Previn.  Alan is also remixing a concert shoot for PBS featuring Judy Collins, Ani DeFranco, Jimmy Webb, and Shawn Colvin live at the Temple of Dendur at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Arf! has completed mastering new albums for the folk-pop duo Ivan & Alyosha and for the fast-rising indie rock band Until June, whose music has been featured on Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, The Real World, and Jersey Shore.


Stereophile Magazine Gives Patricia Barber Boxed Set Five Stars For Sound
by Tom Conrad, Stereophile, January 2008
Reviewer Tom Conrad writes in the January 2008 issue:  "Patricia Barber, The Premonition Years: 1994-2002...all the music has been brilliantly remastered...taken up one level in realism and clarity, given even more air and light."  Thank you , Tom!


Dave Davies New Solo Release
Fractured Mindz, 2nd Edition, offers eleven new songs from The Kinks legendary co-founder and lead guitarist.   Dave's creativity and depth are in full force.


"James White" by Lewis, Scruggs, and Long Hits #1 on Radioactive's Bluegrass Charts
The first single from the debut release by new-comer Lizzie Long with all-time Bluegrass greats Earl Scruggs and Little Roy Lewis.


Casa Limon Releases Homage to Astor Piazzola
A stunning record from Madrid's top Flamenco production team.  Phenomenal musicianship and beautiful acoustic sound. 


"Turn Up The Heath" by The Jimmy Heath Big Band Tops Jazz Radio
The classic big-band leader breaks new ground with this critically acclaimed release and reaches the Jazz Week top five for radio plays.  The project is a blend of old-school jazz and urban R&B produced by Jimmy's son, James Mtume, and Douglas Purviance, engineered by Gary Chester and mastered at Arf!


Grammy Awards and NY Times Top Ten
Congrats to these and to all of our artist, producer and engineer clients for a successful year and best wishes for 2007. Bebo Valdes, "Bebo" 2006 Latin Grammy Winner for "Best Latin Jazz."   Javier Limon, "Limon" 2006 Latin Grammy Nominee for "Best Flamenco."  Bebo Valdes, "Bebo" 2006 New York Times Top Ten.  Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Jim McNeely "Up From The Skies - the Music of Jimi Hendrix" 2007 Grammy Nominee for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble,"  Martirio, "Primavera en Nueva York" New York Times Critic's Pick.


Los Tres Go Platinum!
Los Tres' long-awaited new album, "Hagalo Usted Mismo,"  has reached platinum sales in Latin America in just two weeks following its September '06 release.  "Camino," the album's first single,  charted #1.   Produced by Clash  producer Joe Blaney and mastered at Arf! Mastering. 


Heartworn Highways CD Featured in Stereophile Magazine
By Robert Baird, Stereophile, September 2006
"New York-based sound engineer Alan Silverman got obsessed by turning the original sound recordings of the documentary Heartworn Highways into an audio CD. The results, not surprisingly, are stunning."


Bebo de Cuba Scores Again
Selected as album of the year by Ben Ratliff of the New York Times, then on to winning the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 2005 Latin Grammy Awards, and now, a three-peat capturing the Grammy for Best Tropical Latin Album at the 2006 US Grammy Awards. The stunning 2CD set was mastered for full dynamic range and fidelity by Alan Silverman at Arf! The success of this masterwork by Bebo Valdes and the prior international success of Bebo and Cigala's "Lagrimas Negras" proves that an album does not have to be over-compressed and over-bright to be a hit. Good music and good sound is a tasty combination that appeals to people of all demographics.


"Heartworn Highways" Restored, Remixed and Remastered at Arf!
Hacktone Records and Richard Foos' Shout Factory turned to engineer Alan Silverman at for the 30th Anniversary re-issue of Heartworn Highways featuring legendary artists Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell and David Allan Coe. The CD was sourced from location analog sound recordings made by a documentary film crew shooting in Nashville during the 1975-76 Christmas season. The performances were done in the artists' homes, as well as small clubs, and even a penitentiary. The honesty and natural sound of these early "un-plugged" performances has been brought to CD with great care and the best in analog equipment for a bigger-than-life effect. A must for fans of artists from this watershed time for music in the American Southwest.


Dave Davies' "God In My Brain" Mastered at Arf!
The first new studio track in years by Kinks guitar-god Dave Davies has been mastered by Alan Silverman for inclusion in "Kinked" a new compilation of tracks from Dave's solo career. The selections consist of the best of studio, live, and demo recordings made by Dave since 1996. All tracks have been remastered. Mr. Davies commented on the mastering: "I like the way it breathes, almost like the compressor/limiter holds it up in the air, like the 'old' days. Great work."


Andres Calamaro "El regresso" #1 In Latin America
The new live set recorded at Luna Park in Buenos Aires and mastered at Arf! has reached the #1 slot in album sales in Agentina and is climbing fast in Columbia and Spain. A great show with a string of hits from Andres and his excellent band.


Bebo de Cuba Takes Top Latin Jazz Grammy for 2005
Winner of Best Latin Jazz Album at the 6th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, this double CD set by the legendary Bebo Valdes was mastered by Alan Silverman at Arf!


Arf's Alan Silverman Records Baroque Orchestra For Disney's "Casanova"
Arf! Mastering's owner/engineer, Alan Silverman, was tapped by Disney's Buena Vista Pictures to record the orchestral score for "Casanova," a new film directed by Lasse Halstrom to be released nation-wide on Christmas Day 2005. The film is a live-action romantic comedy shot entirely on-location in Venice, Italy and stars Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons, and Lena Olin. Over 70 minutes of Baroque by composers such as Albinoni, Vivaldi, and Rameau were performed by a 45-piece orchestra of antique period instruments at NYC's Right Track Scoring Stage. "The period instruments were noisy and hard to keep in tune," commented Silverman, "but when they came together the sound was fantastic - they got soul!"


Arf! Digital Scores Four New Grammy Nominees In 2004
The 47th Grammy Awards ceremony brings four new titles to the roster of Grammy nominated albums mastered by Alan Silverman at Arf! Digital. There have been twenty-one Grammy recognized projects mastered by Alan since the company's founding in 1997.


New Chaka Khan CD Mastered at Arf! Digital
Chaka Khan's new release, "ClassiKhan" is a multi-continent production featuring some of the best musicians in New York, Los Angeles and London in support of awesome vocal performances by Chaka. Music director Eve Nelson and mixer Cynthia Daniels chose Arf! Digital for mastering. Said Eve after hearing her ref "Amazing top and bottom, a phenomenal job!"


Lagrimas Negras Sweeps Top Grammy Nominations
Lagrimas Negras could be considered the "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" of the Latin music world featuring old-timers and young-timers performing traditional music - in this case, passionate, romantic Flamenco. The double-platinum album by Bebo Valdes and El Cigala, mastered by Alan Silverman at Arf! Digital, has been nominated for Record of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best Engineered Record and Best Traditional Record in the 2004 Latin Grammies. Alan was also individually nominated in the Album Of The Year category.


The Kinks' Complete RCA and Arista Catalog Remastered for Hybrid SA-CD at Arf! Digital
Alan Silverman has completed remastering 11 of the greatest albums in Rock history. This collection of titles, beginning with The Kinks' masterpiece of 1971, "Muswell Hillbillies," takes its place along side SACD re-issues of The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd as some of the best music of the British Invasion. The Kinks hybrid SACDs will play on all CD players as well as high-resolution SACD players, and will enable listeners to hear these albums closer to the way the artists heard them in the studio. The remasters have received high praise from Stereophile and Home Theater Magazine.


Arf! Masters "The Producers" In 5.1
Pro Sound News, May 2001
New York - When the producers of "The Producers", Mel Brooks' smash hit new Broadway musical comedy, decided to release the show's original cast recording in 5.1 surround, they turned to NYC's Arf! Digital, an audiophile mastering facility with a string of Grammy nominated cast recordings, such as "Kiss Me Kate" and "The Music Man" on its credit list. "The score really jumps out at you in 5.1," says mastering engineer Alan Silverman, "you can close your eyes and believe you're sitting fourth row center, with the orchestra in the pit and the cast across the stage. The sense of depth and realism is incredible." Arf! utilized the new six-channel EQ and six-channel compressor/ limiter from Z-Systems, as well as Sony's new 777 sampling reverb for the project. "I found that this spectacular hardware enabled me to use new mastering techniques to enhance the illusion of a live performance. The mix had been done in surround format to separate instrumental and vocal 5.1 stems. By using subtly different treatments for the band and the vocals I was able to complete a very convincing live feel." adds Silverman. The recording, the first ever Broadway cast recording to be done in 5.1, will be released by Sony Classical.