WEST SIDE STORY

NEW YORK – May 19, 2009: One of Broadway’s most revered musicals, West Side Story is back on stage and back in the recording studio. The show’s first Broadway cast album since 1957 was recently recorded in New York City, assisted by the comprehensive resources and support of Jim Flynn Rentals (JFR) (www.jimflynnrentals.com).

During a pressure-packed two-day session at Clinton Recording Studios in Manhattan, conductor Patrick Vaccriello lead a 32-piece orchestra and 38-person cast through Leonard Bernstein’s classic collection of songs. Album Producer David Caddick and Associate Producer David Lai along with record/mix engineer Todd Whitelock oversaw the revival’s renditions of “The Jet Song,” “I Feel Pretty”, “América”, “Something’s Coming”, “Tonight” and the rest of the hit-packed score for the upcoming CD/iTunes release on Sony Masterworks Broadway.

An intensive recording which utilized every available inch of Clinton’s large Studio A, the West Side Story session relied on JFR for a vital range of additional hardware, software, and deep systems expertise to complement what was available at the studio. “Broadway cast recordings continue to grow larger and more complex, and time is of the essence,” confirms Whitelock. “Expectations from conductors and players on this level are for a live cue mixing console and operator dedicated to their headphone mixes. The mixer is in the live room which facilitates and expedites communication and monitoring, which then takes the heat off me and my team in the booth while we put out other fires.”

Equipped with such a comprehensive monitoring system, the West Side Story production team benefited from quick response to requests and the increased workflow efficiency of the overall session. “From the early planning stages, Jim Flynn Rentals was willing to do whatever was necessary to build this system,” Whitelock continues. “JFR provided a Soundcraft live board, plus 70 pairs of headphones, the requisite amplifiers to drive them for the entire production, and the system design. It was an intensive approach that helped make this recording possible.”

JFR supplemented the main HD Pro Tools rig with multiple Apogee converters (80 inputs on this show) and racks of  Grace m802 and Millennia mic preamps to achieve the warmest, most musical sound possible. “Jim Flynn has been my go-to guy on large-scale recordings for many years,” says Whitelock. “There’s no other place with his depth of inventory, and his team is extremely responsive: They’ll come into the shop or on site after hours, on their days off – whatever it takes to make sure everything is good to go. And it seems the bigger the challenge, the more they enjoy the project. When I need a production resource, I don’t hesitate to make the call to JFR.”

Founded in 1996 by Jim Flynn, JFR stands today as a full-service rental resource to multiple sectors that include music, film, broadcast, theater and houses of worship. With Flynn leading an experienced staff that shares his 24/7 commitment to outstanding selection and service, JFR has emerged as the logical choice in music technology rental companies in the Northeast and nationally.

“Cast recordings are among the most demanding recording projects imaginable – the technical requirements are extreme and absolutely every minute counts,” says Jim Flynn. “When recording for Broadway, we understand that downtime is not an option. Ensuring that a legendary production such as West Side Story had maximum hardware, software and support was an extremely fulfilling project for all of us at Jim Flynn Rentals.”

West Side Story will be available on June 2, 2009 from Sony Broadway Masterworks.

About Jim Flynn Rentals:
Jim Flynn Rentals (JFR) is a New York City-based music technology company specializing in rentals to a wide range of disciplines. Founded in 1996 by Jim Flynn, JFR provides full-service rental resource to multiple sectors that include music, film, broadcast, theater, and houses of worship. The company’s client list includes artists, facilities and media outlets worldwide such as U2, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Enya, Regis & Kathy Lee, the GRAMMY Awards, Academy Awards, MTV, ABC, the American Ballet Theater, “Sphere”, “Titus”, “Across the Universe”, “Heat”, “Jarhead”, “Mama Mia!”, and many more. For more information, please visit www.jimflynnrentals.com

Media Contact: Kevin Fetterplace, (001) 646 359 3961, Kevin@mojoworking.com