ROBBIE LACKRITZ

Although Robbie Lackritz is involved in almost every facet of the music industry, he is most passionate about the recording process. 

His name appears as both a producer and an engineer in the liner notes of many quality albums.  His vast collection of vintage analogue equipment is housed in mobile road cases and he has constructed make-shift studios in northern California and rural Ontario. He studied at the University of Southern California, but has made Toronto his home for many years, finding a diverse community of musicians and artists to work with. He cites Roy Halee as his greatest influence and albums by The Band, The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel as some of his favourite recordings ever made. 

While most modern albums employ complicated editing and mixing techniques, Robbie favours a more transparent recording, one that allows the songwriting and musicianship to stand out over any studio trickery. He has a clear understanding of the science of sound and the way different sounds interact with each other. His concern isn't about putting his own stamp on every recording, rather on assisting the artists he works with to realize their musical vision. His recordings, although stylistically diverse, all maintain a superior level of sonic quality. 

His production technique is akin to a spotlight on a stage; you're focused on the performance and are all but oblivious to the light being cast onto the stage, but were it not for the powerful spotlight you wouldn't see anything at all. A warm, generous and open collaborator, Robbie is a never ending source of light for me and many others artists.

Text by guest contributor Afie Jurvanen