United States: The Birthplace of Modern Genre
The musical landscape of the American South functions as a map of the 20th century. The migration of sounds from the Mississippi Delta to the urban centers of Tennessee and Louisiana created the templates for blues, rock and roll, and jazz. Our approach to the United States focuses on the technical preservation of these spaces. We look at the specific studio acoustics, the local instrument craft, and the venues where the standard repertoire was first recorded.
We move beyond the neon signs of Broadway or Bourbon Street. We focus on the working musicians and the preservationists who maintain the integrity of these regional legacies.
Where To Go
Top USA Destinations
Sample Itineraries
What to see in the USA
New Orleans: Beyond the Brass
New Orleans is an acoustic anomaly. The city maintains a distinct relationship with time and tempo, particularly in the Tremé and the Marigny.
- Frenchmen Street Sessions: We bypass the commercial crowds of the French Quarter for the concentrated talent on Frenchmen Street. We secure private tables at venues like Snug Harbor for modern jazz or d.b.a. for local brass and roots performances.
- Preservation Hall: We arrange private acoustic performances or history sessions within this historic space to understand the evolution of New Orleans Traditional Jazz.
Memphis and Muscle Shoals: The Soul Engineering
The stretch between Memphis, Tennessee, and Muscle Shoals, Alabama, is the most significant corridor for American soul and rock recording.
- The Muscle Shoals Sound: We facilitate visits to FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. You learn about “The Swampers” and the technical session work that defined recordings for artists from Aretha Franklin to The Rolling Stones.
- Analog Studio Tours: We visit the Sun Studio, focusing on the specific recording equipment and room acoustics that produced the “Memphis Sound.”
Nashville: The Craft of Songwriting
Nashville is a city built on the architecture of the song. Our work here explores the technical side of the industry.
- The Bluebird Perspective: We arrange private songwriter rounds where you can hear the stories behind the lyrics in an intimate, professional setting.
- Publishing Row: We go behind the scenes of the songwriting rooms where the global country and pop hits are constructed.
- Luthier and Shop Visits: We visit high-end instrument workshops to see the construction of world-class guitars and mandolins.
