Murder In Coweta County ~ Airlift Productions Style

September 29, 2014 Micheal Leave a comment

MurderInCowetaCountyMovieVersion — The “Murder In Coweta County” made-for-CBS-TV-movie created quite the stir in 1983…starring Andy Griffith & Johnny Cash

If a radio or television :30 spot is the sprint – then the recording of an audio book would have to be the marathon. And yours truly is off to the races!

I’m not sure how you spent this past weekend (aside from joining fellow Saints fans crying in their beers), but I was ankles & elbows-deep behind the microphone bringing the true southern crime drama “Murder in Coweta County” to LIFE for the krewe at Pelican Publishing.

Raw. Gritty. Visceral. Shocking. Controversial. And I feel quite safe in saying that the folks who live in and around Atlanta, Georgia today in 2014 …. would scarcely recognize Coweta County and life as it was … in 1948.

When greed, money, arrogance, power, bootlegging, racism … and southern justice collide, you have to know that it’s not going to end well. And the picture that you’re left with? Well, who’s going to want to paint that?

Enter Airlift Mike at the mic – with one big paintbrush!

~ Excerpt from Chapter One of “Murder In Coweta County”, as voiced by Airlift’s Micheal Ziants … courtesy Pelican Publishing ~

NewOrleansVoiceOverTalentMichealZiantsAirliftProductions — New Orleans VoiceOver Talent Micheal Ziants gives Voice to “Murder in Coweta County”

Honestly, I’ve recorded quite a few audio books – and yet never one quite like this. It’s almost as if I’m helping to perform an autopsy on the very ‘Soul’ of America. Too heavy a statement? Well, you haven’t read this book.

While we, as a country, continue to wrestle with racism & violence – from Ferguson, Missouri to the locker rooms of the NFL – now, let’s throw the legalization of marijuana issue into the pot (if you’ll pardon the pun), for this book deals with big $$ made off bootlegging during Prohibition … and the fallout that ensues.

Oh my.

Believe me, as a lifelong Champion of the Human Spirit, and the polar opposite, 180 degree antithesis of a racist – much of what’s in this book is awfully painful for me to articulate.

And to breathe Life into some of these characters is a seriously daunting task. Truth be known, I would never have read this book – I lean more towards spirituality, mysticism & inspiration – and now, I’m sleeping with this book. Literally.

So, hey, light another candle for me, Lord. And pray that I can effectively run this marathon … and come out the other side with even more compassion, understanding, and peace than I went in with.

Trust me. This audio book is going to make a lot of noise!

The REAL John Wallace, as he made his way into the county courthouse fro trial, Coweta County, Georgia, circa 1949 — The REAL John Wallace, as he made his way into the county courthouse for trial, Coweta County, Georgia, circa 1948

Airlift PROductions – Audio Alchemy from New Orleans since 1984

New Orleans VoiceOvers, VoiceOver Marketing

Airlift Productions “Cajun-izes” Houston Radio

September 24, 2014 Micheal 2 Comments

LunoBordelonRecordsCajunVoiceOversAtAirliftProductionsNewOrleans — Cajun VoiceOver Talent LUNO BORDELON reels-in the Big One while taking some time off in Hawaii (but would a Real Cajun be caught dead in these shorts? LOL, LMFAO, WTH? OK, well, … maybe in camo )

Truth be known, it’s a bit hard to put a price tag on my abiding, enduring friendship and decades-long love affair with this crazy Cajun Luno Bordelon!

After all, we’ve been witness-to and IN each other’s weddings … and have watched each other’s kids grow… and grow...

Through the Airlift Productions Recording Studios and Luno’s wild, inventive and contagiously engaging VoiceOvers we’ve recorded for the TV and radio, we’ve sold more products & services together than you can shake a big fish at!

And this is since years before anyone ever heard of a ‘Duck Dynasty’.

LunoBordelonMichealZiantsRecordCajunVoiceOversAtAirliftProductions — Long-time running’ partners Luno & Airlift Mike – hiding out in a Breaux Bridge, LA cabin (as part of the Cajun-Confidential witness protection program back in the day)

Most recently, Luno & I shouldered the awesome responsibility of “Cajun-izing” unsuspecting Houstonians. Imagine the alarm clock radio popping-off at a bleary-eyed 6:30 am to this —-

~ Cajun VoiceOver Talent LUNO BORDELON charms Houston via Airlift Productions, on behalf of Brooks & his krewe at BB’s Cafe, “the Home of Tex-Orleans cooking” on this :60 radio spot ~

BB’s Cafe Proprietor Brooks Bassler gave us main copy points – you know, stuff that just HAD to be in the spots – but otherwise, just turned us loose to have some creative & off-the-wall Cajun fun!

Pooyie, cher! Crank it up!

~BB’s Cafe, Houston Radio :30s from Cajun V/O Talent LUNO BORDELON & Airlift Productions~

I know, I know, no one should be having this much fun at work, now should they? Well, shame on us. For true.

You see, having FUN and capturing it through the microphone – creating memorable & effective audio campaigns via sound waves – is what has helped Airlift Productions to survive and thrive across not one, not two… but now three decades!

But, cher, the Airlift Studios are but the tracks that deliver & carry the goods. It’s talent that drives the train. And my pal Luno Bordelon’s got it in spades!

CajunVoiceOverTalentLunoBordelonRecordsAtAirliftProductionsNewOrleans — *~ Cajun Comic & VoiceOver Talent LUNO BORDELON Records At Airlift Productions – for YEARS! ~*

Why not let Luno & me “bait the hook” for your next project?! Radio, TV, Web-audio, point-of-sale displays, talking toys …. use your imagination! Because you know WE will!!

Book Studio Time with Luno & Airlift Mike now at Airlift PROductions!

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“For voice over actors, the demo serves as a calling card and is unquestionably the most important tool in the pursuit of voice over work. Mike Ziants and Airlift PROductions produced my first VO demo and within weeks I landed my first job in the industry. Airlift’s state-of-the-art recording studio combined with Mike’s wisdom and expertise provided me with an excellent demo as well as the confidence needed to achieve success!” — Founder of 80s Punk Rock Band ‘The Weirdos’ & VO Actor JOHN DENNEY

Airlift PROductions Recording Studio ~ Audio Alchemy from NEW Orleans since 1984

New Orleans VoiceOvers

Airlift Mike Advising Women?! Really?

September 20, 2014 Micheal Leave a comment

You know, the life of a VoiceOver actor is never boring.

While I’ve never been to medical school, or even dreamed of being a doctor, as the joke goes – “I’ve played one on TV!” From narrations inside museums – I’ve been the voice of a talking king cake – to toys that talk, I have helped bring some of the strangest things to life.

But the call came in this week to come to the rescue of a financial adviser (who here will remain nameless) who wanted to cast a big net for women concerned about (gasp!) – growing older! Outliving their men, as well as their $$ money in their golden years.

Airlift Mike to the rescue!

Now, if you know me or anything at all about my personal life, you’d know that I’d be the last guy in the world to ever try to offer advice of any kind to a woman. I mean, my track record with the opposite sex has been anything but stellar.

So-o, l took a couple rather deep breaths, swallowed hard, and plumbed the depths ~ as well as my acting chops ~ for some thoughtful, pensive and compassionate tones, cozied-up to the microphone and delivered this ….

Micheal Ziants ~ Investment/Retirement Advice for Women ~ V/O

Airlift PROductions Recording Studio … to the rescue from New Orleans since 1984

New Orleans VoiceOvers

Oscar Buzz At Airlift Productions – 20th Century Style

September 18, 2014 Micheal Leave a comment

AirliftProductionsTracksWithCharlesGuggenheim — Academy Award Winning Documentary Film Maker Charles Guggenheim (1924-2002) Making Tracks At Airlift Productions ~ on Iberville Street in ’93

Throw-back Thursday today throws the spotlight on Airlift Productions in the Fall of 1993 – a most remarkable day, because when legends meet and connect, magic is created and sparks fly!

I mean, it’s one thing to meet powerful and important people, it’s another to get a quickie photo op with powerful and important people … and yet another thing altogether to spend an entire day with powerful and important people – work with, document and record the whole affair.

Academy Award Winning Documentary Film Maker Charles Guggenheim showed up at the Airlift studios that Fall morning in a rent-a-car from Baton Rouge. After confessing he was a bit hungry, we took the elevator up into the commissary and I made him some toast – no butter, no jelly – just toast. It’s what he asked for.

Not long after, Avery C. Alexander, along with his driver, arrived. Reverend Alexander is the closest thing New Orleans and Louisiana has ever seen to Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. A longtime civil rights activist, ordained minister & LA state representative – ‘the Rev’s’ name is carved above the entrance to our N.O. Charity Hospital!

AirliftProductionsSalutesTheLegacyOfAveryAlexander — Avery Caesar Alexander (1910-1999) being restrained by the NOPD during a scuffle at the controversial Liberty Monument re-dedication ceremony in March of 1993

Charles Guggenheim had contracted Airlift Productions & me to record his 60-Minutes-Style interview with Avery Alexander for sound bites to be used in his latest documentary project ‘The Shadow of Hate’.

Wow! Some of the things that were said that day ….

~ Avery Alexander talks of prejudice, mistreatment, abuse, lynchings & murder at the Airlift microphones ~

Amazingly, with the historic impact that Avery Alexander made here in Louisiana during his life & civil rights mission – there is no audio record of him anywhere on the internet through a google or bing search.

There is now.

~ Avery Alexander talks of David Duke, the KKK, anti-Catholic/Jew bias … and the ‘dignity of man’ ~

Charles and Avery went at it for nearly two hours. Guggenheim had me adjust the microphone for only Reverend Alexander – while he paced and questioned him persistently … drawing-out intimate and personal reflections. Some session, I’ll tell you that.

The program that contained the recordings made that day in the Fall of ’93 at the Airlift Studios on Iberville Street – Guggenheim’s ‘The Shadow of Hate’ – was nominated for the Academy Award in 1995 … and opened more than one or two eyes and ears. Yours?

AcademyAwardWinningCharlesGuggeneimRecordedAtAirliftProductions1993 — Charles Guggenheim accepting the Academy Award for Documentary Film in 1994

In 2014, the beat goes on …

And even though both of these extremely fine gentlemen now belong to the ages, sad to say, the problems they attempted to address and remedy that day are still very much with us.

From the locker rooms of the NFL to the streets of Ferguson, Missouri … and from the playgrounds of YourTown to the Main Street of AnyTown, USA.

But as the planet continues to grow smaller and smaller as each day goes by, perhaps ONE day we can all learn to live by the mantra – and it’s pretty simple, four words – ‘ONE Father, ALL Brothers’.

increasethepeace ~ Micheal Z

Airlift Productions ~ Audio Alchemy from New Orleans … since 1984

Airlift Music Sessions

Cosimo Matassa Remembered ~ Part II

September 16, 2014 Micheal 2 Comments

AirliftProductionsSalutesCosimoMatassaPrayerCards-9-16-2014 — Epic & Legendary New Orleans Recording Engineer & Producer Cosimo Matassa Service Prayer Cards ~ September 16th, 2014 ~ and this card pretty accurately summed-up the way Cos lived his life

I’ve only just now returned from the service at Lake Lawn for our old friend & mentor Cosimo Matassa, and came here to just unpack a few things.

The crowd was really something! A veritable ‘Who’s Who’ of New Orleans and New Orleans music — I had the chance to talk & reminisce with Dr. John (who flew in special from NYC), Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Deacon John Moore, Benny Grunch, Bobby Cure …

And fellow recording engineers – Jay Gallagher & Dave Farrell of Ultrasonic Studios (which opened it’s doors in 1974) & Gary Edwards of New Orleans Sound.

Even N.O. Jazz Fest impressario Quint Davis and Councilwoman & mother of actress Patti Clarkson – Jackie Clarkson were there to pay their respects.

And Karen V’s stories of visiting Cosimo in his final hospice days at Notre Dame ~ wherein she played CDs of Italian music…from opera to Prima, in his final days to elicit smiles ~ were especially poignant.

‘Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there, I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow; I am the diamond glints of winter snow; I am the sunlight that ripens grain; I am the gentle autumn rain… Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there. I did not die.’ ~ Ziants

AirliftProductionsScreenShotDrJohnRetweetToCosimoMatassa9-16-14 — Airlift Productions ‘Airlift Mike’ Twitter Page Screenshot featuring my re-tweet of Dr. John’s Cosimo Sentiment & Testament ~ “Cosimo was the one real guy in a world of make believe. We will always miss his spirit.”

Airlift Music Sessions, The Radio Days/Daze

R&B Grandpa Cosimo Matassa Exits the Stage

September 12, 2014 Micheal Leave a comment

AirliftProductionsSalutesTheLateCosimoMatassa_9-11-14 — Legendary, Seminal New Orleans Recording Engineer & Producer COSIMO MATASSA Exits the Stage at 88 {1926-2014}

I was deeply saddened last night watching the ’10:00 Blues’ to hear of the extinguishing of one of New Orleans brightest and enduring lights – Cosimo Matassa.

Is it even possible for one blog to begin to capture this gentleman’s contributions to not only New Orleans history, but the collective musical soul of America? Too bold a statement? Run with me….

In 1945, at age 18, young Cosimo opened J&M Recording Studio at the back of his family’s shop on Rampart Street in our French Quarter. And went to work.

As engineer & producer, Mr. Matassa quickly became the seminal driving force behind the Rock ‘n Roll and Soul sounds of America in the ’50s & ’60s! Really.

Together with Fats Domino, he took us to ‘Blueberry Hill’ and then mixed fruit salad with Little Richard in ‘Tutti Frutti’! The Cos steered and engineered the biggest chart-topping hits of the day – from Sam Cooke to Jerry Lee Lewis … from Dr. John to Ray Charles.

AirliftProductionsSalutesCosimoMatassaRIP-9-11-14 — New Orleans R&B/Soul Grandpa COSIMO MATASSA putting in ‘another day at the office’ ~ What a talent. What a guy!

Think about it – every time you hear ‘Mother-In-Law’ by Ernie K. Doe, ‘Barefootin” by Robert Parker, or ‘Working in a Coal Mine’ by Lee Dorsey – take your hat off to Cosimo Matassa!

Together with Dave Bartholomew & Allen Toussaint, he created ‘The New Orleans Sound’, recording the Neville Brothers, The Meters, and Irma Thomas. And ‘the Cos’ was performing at this level long before Berry Gordy even dreamed of the Motown Sound.

A member & inductee of the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame AND the Blues Hall of Fame, Cosimo’s contributions to both the history of music and the collective Soul of America are both wide and deep.

I’ll never forget the night we first met. It was the Big Easy Entertainment Awards Show at the Fairmont Hotel. I was honored to be performing as Live Announcer for the show, and that night in 1998 we paid homage to Cosimo and his talented ears, fingers … passion and spirit!

What a guy. Quiet, reserved and humble, with a ready smile, contagious laugh, and a most gregarious spirit. We shared a table that night – and along with Harry Shearer, more than a laugh or two.

But let us not weep over his passing – let’s celebrate his life and uniquely creative accomplishments. And the fact that we even ever had a chance to bask in his talents in the first place.

So the next time you’re toolin’ down the highway with the oldies station cranked-up on the radio, tapping the steering wheel or thumping the dashboard to Frankie Ford’s ‘Sea Cruise’ or Aaron Neville’s classic ‘Tell It Like It Is’ … smile, tip your hat – and thank ‘the Cos’!

GodSpeed brother Cosimo … and Thank You for your service!

CosimoMatassaMichealZiantsAirliftProductions1998 — Cosimo Matassa sharing a table with Airlift Productions’ Micheal Ziants at the Big Easy Entertainment Awards Show, Fairmont Hotel, New Orleans, 1998

Airlift PROductions & Airlift Mike – making NEW memories from NEW Orleans every day … since 1984!

New Orleans VoiceOvers, VoiceOver Marketing

Pooyie! It’s a Cajun Airlift – To Houston!

September 7, 2014 Micheal 2 Comments

Well, I don’t know exactly how you spent your weekend, but the S.O.S. had come in from Brooks & Company at BB’s Cafe in Houston for some HELP on their phone system – STAT!

Apparently, BB’s business is so booming that management thought keeping their Cajun-dish-craving patrons entertained while on-hold needed some attention, Airlift style – so the call went out to Cajun Comic Voice Talent Stud-like-dude LUNO BORDELON!

The main problem I had was tracking Luno down – I mean, this Cajun gets around … Italy, Canada, Bar Harbor, Maine … even deep sea fishing in Hawaii!

While some faux-Cajuns talk the talk – Luno ‘chalks it’, walks it, talks it, hunts it, shoots it, fishes it, and then cooks it up over an open fire! True-Dat.

LunoBordelonAirliftProductionsGoneFishin — **Cajun VoiceOver Artist LUNO BORDELON deep sea fishing – in Hawaii, no less. Pity ‘da poor fish, huh?**

So, as soon as I could get Luno back on New Orleans terra firma, cher, we got to work. Make it fun! Make it sing! Let the BB’s Cajun Cafe crowd know that they’re in for some authentic, off-the-chain damn good Cajun food ~ with a Texas touch!

After all, so many business on-hold phone messages are so dry … so boring … so (yawn) ho-hum. Enter Airlift Mike at the controls, punching the buttons ~ as Luno pushes YOURS!

Listen to Luno charming the masses in Houston. The boy gives good phone.

Pooyie! NOW Houston understands what it’s IN for when they hit the door at BB’s Cafe! The Real Deal. Authentic. Genuine. No off-the-rack dishes here. Load-up the wagon, bring the kids.

(In soft disclaimer voice…) ‘No animals were harmed in the making of this phone message.’ 🙂

Why not tune-up YOUR business phone system today at Airlift Productions Recording Studio, New Orleans ?

Audio Book Recording & Production

Murder, Race & The South – Airlift Mike Tells The Tale

September 3, 2014 Micheal Leave a comment

AirliftProductionsMurderInCowetaCountyFacebookPage — “Murder in Coweta County” Face Book Page Screenshot

I guess it’s not just any true crime drama story that has it’s own Facebook page – with a legion of fans nationwide. But, then again, this is not any ordinary story.

Written by Margaret Anne Barnes, “Murder in Coweta County” tells the rather incredible true story, ripped from the headlines, of a brutal murder, it’s investigation, and the fallout in Coweta County, Georgia.

In 1948, John Wallace was a powerful and feared man, whose family holdings were known as ‘the Kingdom’. But when he killed a poor tenant farmer, the ensuing investigation led to a trial – the very first in Georgia to condemn a man to the electric chair: a white man convicted & sentenced to die … on the testimony of two black men.

While the 1983 made-for-CBS-TV film starred Andy Griffith (against type) as the villainous John Wallace, and Johnny Cash as lawman Lamar Potts ~ yours truly has been invited to audition for the audio book version!

A-hem! Now, audio books are a whole different animal. And a story such as this deserves a rich, straight-ahead narrative … while s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g the ‘actor’s chops’ to embrace the colorful sounds of the south, yet at the same time tread that oh-so-thin line between authenticity and stereotype.

How’d I do?

~ Micheal Ziants Audition for “Murder in Coweta County” ~

You know, the life of the VoiceOver actor and talent is always interesting and never a boring one, that’s for sure.

And if selected to commit the pages of this gripping, dripping-with-blood, salacious page-turner into it’s audio bedtime story counterpart, I will certainly have my work cut out for me.

How does that old line from radio/TV days around the newsroom go? “If it bleeds – it leads!” And now “reads”…”Chapter one, page one …”