Scooter’s Place refining “sound,” making “rock stars” in Durango
Many Baby Boomers and generations younger have at some time in their lives entertained the fantasy of being a recording artist – or “a rock star.” Those who have succeeded will usually admit to assistance from experts behind the scenes. In Durango, “stars” and beyond are finding that support at “Scooter’s Place.”
DURANGO, Colo. – Many Baby Boomers and generations younger have at some time in their lives entertained the fantasy of being a recording artist – or “a rock star.” Those who have succeeded will usually admit to assistance from experts behind the scenes. In Durango, “stars” and beyond are finding that support at “Scooter’s Place.”
Scooter’s Place is, structurally, a recording studio much like those found in more “glamorous” environs in New York or Los Angeles or Nashville. But Scott “Scooter” Smith, a third generation Coloradoan from small-town Idaho Springs, doesn’t particularly want to live or raise his family in the “big city.” He’s been there, done that, having attended and graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, as well as sustained a successful sound engineering/production career in Denver for 15 years. But then Elliot came along. Anyone seeking quality “sound” in the region can thank Smith’s now four-year-old son for Scooter’s Place finding a home in Durango.
“I spent a few years in Hollywood and had access to the best talent in the world, from engineers and producers to musicians, and of course, the latest gear,” said local singer/songwriter Lisa Blue. “So many studios, so little time! When I moved back to Durango, however, I was afraid I would have to give that up. Luckily, Scooter moved back around the same time I did.”
“Scooter is amazing,” said blues artist Jeff Strahan, who is now touring throughout the country. “He made my best CD to date. It sounds great, people always comment on the quality of the sound, and it sells. I can also present it to any media contact – radio, television, etc. – with confidence that it stands up to major label recordings. He has made us sound great.”
For all the “sound” he generates for others and the “rock stars” he helps, “Scooter” is a quiet and unassuming, easy-going guy. He’s doing what he essentially has always wanted to do, exploring and discovering how recordings are created.
“I grew up listening to vinyl, long-play records,” said Smith, who during his school years played the trombone, euphonium, snare drum and more – though it wasn’t his dream. “I just loved music and how it’s put together. The band director at my high school recommended that I go to Berklee.”
The Berklee College of Music, founded in 1945, is the world’s largest independent music college and revered as the premier institution for the study of contemporary music. Its curriculum and environment are also designed to prepare its students for careers in the music industry. Alumni include prominent music industry professionals Quincy Jones, singer/songwriters Melissa Etheridge, Patty Larkin, Paula Cole and Bruce Cockburn, Steely Dan leader Donald Fagen, “Tonight Show” bandleader Kevin Eubanks and jazz saxophonist/composer Branford Marsalis.
Smith, the small-town boy, had moved into the big time, and because he was one of the few trombone players on campus, he was in demand as a musician. While at Berklee he performed with groups and ensembles of all music varieties. He also added bass guitar to his repertoire.
“But I went there to study music production and engineering, and I was playing too much (music),” said Smith, who eventually was able to focus on “how” the records got made. It was the midst of new technology coming on line, but at Berklee, he learned “old school.”
“It was all tape and large consoles,” he said. “One of the first things I was assigned to do when I got there was to take a 20 minute drum solo and splice it down to five minutes and still have it make musical sense.”
The industry was evolving, and Smith was on-board, riding the wave. The proverbial girl next door in Idaho Springs, however, had caught his eye, and she was attending Fort Lewis College. When Smith graduated from Berklee, Jennifer (now his wife) suggested he come to Durango, which he did in 1989. Smith began his professional sound engineering career with Doug Eagle at Eagle Sound. He also played in several Durango bands, and got to know artists who are still performing in Durango today, including Kirk James, Peter Neds, Pete Guiliani and Lawrence Nass.
“Some things had come to an end for us in Durango, and we decided to move to Denver,” said Smith, explaining that both he and Jennifer sought to further their careers. “The reason we wanted to live here in the first place was to have a family. We thought we’d go to Denver and if we had a family we could always come back. But that didn’t happen for a long time.”
In Denver Smith established himself as a freelance sound engineer, not intending to become a studio owner. With the industry changing so quickly (from tape to analog to digital), he didn’t want to “chase the technology.” He did, however, end up being in the right place at the right time in a number of ways.
“I worked at several studios around Denver from ’92 to ’98,” said Smith. “I was also in a band with Celeste Krenz, who has had some national success.”
Indeed, Krenz’s album, Slow Burning Flame, on which Smith played bass, reached number 11 on the music trade magazine GAVIN Americana radio airplay chart. Smith toured nationally with the band, but he returned full time to his passion with the Swallow Hill Music Association in Denver, one of the oldest acoustic music associations in the country. There he established the organization’s recording studio, working with numerous artists in the acoustic, bluegrass genres, as well as handling the sound for outdoor concerts ranging in size for 100 to 1000. While involved with Swallow Hill, Smith would be honored by Westword Magazine as two of his projects received awards for best local artist, and Swallow Hill was cited several times as the best listening room for acoustic music in Denver.
“At the time I would take a lot of records to be mastered at Airshow Mastering in Boulder, and they had a room come available,” said Smith, explaining his 10 year involvement at Swallow Hill was winding down. “I put together a mix and over-dub suite co-located at Airshow Mastering, and that was my serious investment into establishing my own studio.”
And that’s when Jennifer, who had been traveling the country as a financial consultant, announced that Elliot was on the way. Seven months after Elliot’s birth, when Smith was doing sound for Durango’s Bluegrass Meltdown, the family joined him on the road in Durango for the event.
“Jennifer said, we’ve got to come back here,” said Smith. “That was April and we moved in June.” Today, local recording artists continue to choose Smith and Scooter’s Place to create their musical dreams. Beyond both Lisa Blue and Jeff Strahan, familiar names such as Dave Mensch and Formula 151, Lacey Black, Gigi Love, Strange New Shoes, the JS Trio and Tim Guidotti have trusted Smith to perfect their “sound.” He also continues to handle live productions beyond the Meltdown, including the Four Corners Folk Festival and more.
As technology has continued to evolve, so has the ability for musicians to do their own “home” recording, something that could indeed impact business at Scooter’s Place.
“I am a proponent for home recording because I think it makes it available for everybody,” said Smith, with characteristic selflessness, but the musicians know the realities of the profession.
“Anyone can buy gear and set up a studio,” said Lisa Blue. “For me, what’s missing for those ‘do-it-yourself-ers’ is the excellence a real producer provides. Scooter’s Place has an ambience akin to a retreat where I am able to really create what I envision for my songs.”
Hidden behind Common Sense Café at the corner of East 2nd and 15th Streets, Scooter’s Place appears almost like a living room. Smith’s style is to present a comfortable arena for artists of all levels to reveal their art.
“I try to offer an ambiance,” said Smith. “It can be bright, it can be dark, you can have candles, do whatever you want so it’s a comfortable environment. My logo is the overstuffed chair with the guitar leaning up against it and the shoes off in the front. Sit down and relax and make some music.”
The studio is, however, highly refined, with different textures and structures on the walls to disperse sound. Plus equipment is top of the line.
“But first and foremost to me is who you’re working with, regardless of the space and what they’re using,” said Smith. “It’s about people making music with people. To me, I’d rather have people work with me because they want to. But they’re welcome to come in and just use me and the space.”
“He’s really laid back and patient,” said Strahan. “He is willing to try anything you want to do and never winces or whines about anything.”
Smith will perform the straightforward engineering duties, basically capturing the sound generated by the individual or group in the studio. The relationship, however, can also extend to a more involved level if the artist hires Smith as the producer. Before recording ever begins, Smith will work with the artist and his/her songs, making suggestions regarding tempo, mood, arrangements and more.
“Sometimes they might seem a little crazy, like you should have a string section,” said Smith, who did indeed suggest, and facilitated, the addition of the strings to Formula 151’s songs “Gravity,” “I’ll Give the World to You” and “Stiff Arming Me” from the successful Yesterday’s Tomorrow CD.
“I try to create a landscape for each song,” he said.
“I recorded my fourth CD Red Dirt Blues in Austin at a well known recording studio with a guy that has had Platinum Records and Grammy nominations,” said Strahan. “He came highly recommended and did a good job. However, I think I like Scott’s mix better and I will be doing my next album at Scooter’s Place.”
And the nickname “Scooter?” The credit goes to Celeste Krenz.
“There are five of me in Durango,” said Smith. “Celeste got tired of describing which Scott Smith she was working with, so I got the name Scooter and it stuck. So when I was working with people, no matter where it was, they’d say, ‘We’re working at Scooter’s Place.’ So that’s what the studio became.”
Learn more about Scott Smith and Scooter’s Place at www.scootersplace.net.
