After Oprah thanked Rhythm Caf? on the air for providing her show with rehearsal space, the Near North admusic house added substantially to its menu of services.
Owned by Jim Olen and Brando Triantafillou since 1996, Rhythm Caf? has been an ad agency favorite for admusic. As such, they felt the Caf? wasn’t in a position to service recording artists and labels, largely because their requests conflicted with agency assignments.
On second thought, however, “we decided to change the way we looked at our facility,” said Olen. “We came up with the concept of a being a music and sound production center.”
Now available is an enlarged staff, three new services and a philosophy of “giving the client an opportunity to work in a space at their level of experience,” said Olen.
The new Song & Artist Development department, under the baton of jazz recording artist Steve Cole, hooks staff songwriters up with artists to write songs they need for their albums. “This week we’re writing a song for Clay Aikin’s new album,” Olen noted.
Staff songwriters Stevie Butler, Ralph Beerhorst, Triantafillou and Cole, who has publishing deal with Universal Studio’s recording division.
Brian Carrigan represents studio and rehearsal space rentals, which Olen feels is an environment not usually found in other studios.
“We set the studio apart a little more by giving a lot of attention to client details,” said Olen. So many artists want a home studio kind of vibe when they record. In the Lounge, for instance, they can hang out and feel creative and productive.”
The Lounge is rented this week for rehearsals to Donald Lawrence, a gospel artist on Verity Records, prior to his tour. A live room also can be booked for rehearsals.
Rhythm Caf? also has given keys to Evanston-based Steve Wilke, top post audio engineers, who rents the studios to service his clients, and who is also available for band sessions.
Said Triantafillou, “Rhythm Caf? has taken on a whole new energy with such a wide range of artists working around the clock.”
Rhythm Care is located at 62 W. Huron; phone, 312/787-8010. See www.rhythm.cafe.
