Tag Archives: Stephen Colbert

Audio Book Recording & Production

What Does John F McElroy Know That You Don’t?

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JohnFMcElroyRecordsWithAirliftProductionsNOLA
New York-based Award-Winning Audio Book Producer John F McElroy records with Airlift Mike at Airlift Productions

If a thirty second radio ad is a sprint, audio book recording would have to be the marathon.

To capture the spirit, essence & dedication of an author is without question a meticulous, pain-staking and arduous ( do you like these words? ) task.

With four Grammy awards on the shelf – for  Best Spoken Word (3X) as well as Best Comedy Album –  Audio Book producer John F. McElroy knows the task well.

John has personally worked with and recorded ( for hours on end ) Jon Stewart, Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, Jason Alexander,  Stephen Colbert, along with scores of other notables.

And just imagine, if you can, working with, directing & producing President Bill Clinton through his personal reading of his triumphs & tribulations in the Grammy Award winning autobiography “My Life”.  I mean, really.

JamesCarvilleRecordsWithAirliftProductionsNOLA
James Carville Mouths-Off at Airlift Productions, New Orleans

Now, all that being said, Airlift Productions & I are honored and thrilled to count this guy among our clients. Together, hour after hour, John & I steered  James Carville through two entire audio book recordings.  “It’s the Middle Class, Stupid!” and “Love & War”, along with his lovely wife, Mary Matalin.

The amazing thing?  All of our work was conducted via Skype and a Symetrix phone patch. John & I have never personally met.  Similar to the set-up of a radio talk show host, we did all of this work, every second of every hour with John F. coaching and directing long distance from New York!

JamesCarvilleAndMaryMatalinRecordLoveAndWarAtAirliftProductionsQuite a remarkable feat.  Quite amazing sessions.  Quite a Marathon indeed.

Mr. McElroy, thanks for the vote of confidence, sir.  I’m certainly gratified to know that Airlift and I did not misplace your trust.

*************************************

“Micheal Ziants and I have worked on a number of celebrity productions together. He’s a cool head in tight spots, keeping the talent moving ahead happily.  He has a wealth of experience at the controls and behind the mic and knows what he can and can’t get–a valuable and rare sense of proportion. Working at Airlift remotely via Skype or phone patch is seamless. It’s like being in the next room.”

~ John F. McElroy, New York based Grammy Award winning Audio Book Producer                       

JamesCarvilleRecordsAtAirliftProductionsNOLA
Airlift Productions Proprietor Micheal Ziants shoulder-to-shoulder with JAMES CARVILLE at the Airlift Studios during the “It’s the Middle Class, Stupid!” sessions, 2012

                    To communicate is the beginning of understanding.

                                   Airlift Productions communicates.

Airlift Music Sessions

NOLA Set To Funk-Up Late Night TV This Fall

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Jon Batiste takes the call from Stephen Colbert, Late Night House Band Leader
Jon Batiste takes the call from Stephen Colbert to become CBS-Late Night House Band Leader

Well ahead of his late night CBS-TV debut this fall, Stephen Colbert made the big announcement just last night.  His pick to lead his house  band will be New Orleans (actually Kenner, bruh) native and the insanely talented — JON BATISTE.

Hailing from a long line of incredible N’awlins musical talent that stretches from today’s Harry Connick, Jr., Dr. John & Trombone Shorty back to “Satchmo” Louis Armstrong himself, Jonathan may not be an American household name – yet.

But trust me, this star is rising.  Into the stratosphere!

** Batiste & his “Stay Human” Band take us all down to the St. James Infirmary **

Concerned that way too many folks today are totally lost in their own little “plug-in, tune-out digital worlds”, Jon has named his band “Stay Human”.  As he touts live music’s unique ability to unite and uplift humanity.

Now, how cool is that?

And just as personable and warm as he can be, Batiste is magically magnetic in front of the camera, too.  Perhaps you’ve already caught him on HBO’s “Treme”, or in Spike Lee’s  “Red Hook Summer”.

Yes, late night television  is getting a shot of funked-up electrifying New Orleans jams that will make getting to bed just a little more difficult this fall.

And somehow you have to know that somewhere, some place, relaxing in front of the flat screen in a dimly lit den will be Dave & Paul, tapping their feet, smiling in approval.

Oh, and more than one or two ultra-proud New Orleanians, too!

Airlift Productions ~ Audio Alchemy from NOLA since 1984.