Jukasa Media -A Crossroads. fo·r· Six Nations
By Jim Windle SIX NATIONS
~e grand opening of Jukasa Media recording stu .l dio and Arbor Records (East) at the crossroads of Sixth Line and Onondaga Road, Could be to Six Nations musicians, singers and songwriters what the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena is to developing and expos ing local lacrosse talent. · At least that's what studio owner Ken Hill hopes will happen as a result of his new multimillion dollar A state-of-the-art recording and production facility l«ated at the crossroads of Sixth Line recording studio. and Onondaga Road is now open for business. Six Nations Entrepreneur Ken Hill has name~ Hill acknowle.dges Six Nations anci GRE's own his latest venture Julcasa Media using the first two letters from the first names ofthree ofh,s Dreamcatcher Fund as being good at helping young nieces who were killed in separate tragic car accidents over the past year. Parents ofthe three athletes with sports endeavors, but noticed _not as much young women and other members ofthe family helped cut the ribbon to officially dedicate the Continued on pa1e 2 facility to their memory in a gala celebration, Friday night. (Photo by Jim Windle) Jukasa Media - A Crossroads for Six·Nations ·The new studio engineer Stan GuguJa feels like be has support for the arts. died and gone to heaven. "I've got a couple af talent- "I was working at a studio in ~ sons," he explains. "I know Whitby when my name came they have a future in the music up, I guess," he says. "Ap business, Rather than having paiently some people I had to travel to Toronto or all over worked with liked what I did the world to record, I decided and suggested me for the job. to build a world class studio This is a great opportunity for here." me to work with such great He makes it clear that even if gear," he says. his own sons are what prompt- The studio was designed and ed his move, it is not only for built by Rec-Tech, a profes-< them he decided to invest the sional studio construction and $4 million it took to build the consultation company which facility. specialil.es in cmtom1>uilding "I know there is a lot of mu- top flight ~ studios. sical talent here. A lot of peo- "'Ibis place has everything pleiknowwJioworkforSQIDC you <:oU1d want," says Gu: of my various businesses are . · gula. writing and recording music in Alollg with the main studio their garages and basements. I and control room, Jukasa also just want to bring that out in boasts a studio B for smaller people." budget projects and demos, Although the studio boasts as well as a few songwriter's some of the best equipment rooms with some basic recont money can buy, Hill is deter- ing equipment. mined to keep the price of us- While not working, artists ing it as affordable as possible, cari lounge about in the large especially for Aboriginal art- rec room equipped with a huge. ists. · plasma TV and theaare souod Six Nllllont rocur penk Milkr was strutting liu a peaeock at the o/fkial opening of Juk.alt, St,,ios. He, along with "It's a shame when money system. principal ownu Kenny Hill,Arbor Records founder Brandon Fnisen, and worldftun0us guitarist Si.Pie Salas haw been has to hold people back from a ·There are also apartments worldng on this vision for quite some time. Four-million~ and monlhs of work later, the t/na,n lu,s become a real- career in music," he says. . . that artists can~ heme while itJ. (Photo by Jim Windle) bey Road Studio #3. People had been sitting in crates for like Madonna and McCart about three years, the hermeti ney have recorded.huge hits cally sealed crates were nev on that very piece of equip- « opeaed and the board"- merif: He ..... 1g"\1Halll-...... ~ called Kenny and told him before it was sent from Eng about it.!' land to Costa Rica. Salas and Hill had met ear "This thing is still Wider lier when Hill told him about warranty. It was a fantastic his vision for the Jukasa Stu find,'' he says. dio. After so many years in the "He said 'OK Stevie, go industry, Salas has been refo and buy it'. So I did and had cusing his life and his career it shipped here," he says. lately on "Indian Country", Although the 72 chan helping new Aboriginal arpsts nel state-of-the-art console CNllnuldNPl&l4
Arbor Record representative Shannon Manin and studio manager Rkh Huni.r welcome guests and poi.ntial c&nts at Friday evenings grand opening ofJu.lulM Media. (Jim Windle)
The name of the studio itself recording there. actually an expansion. This is reality. is especially dear to Hill. Studio manager Rich Hwter very exciting for an indepen "I am here today to sup ''This family has been brings a lot of toc1s to the table dent label." port the launch of this studio, through a lot of tragedy over as well having managed the Arbor presently has HiO Native music, and Ken Hill," the past yeart says Hill. "I lost • Ottawa Jazz Festival and man- releases, a distribution agree said Salas. "He has been a three of my nieces in car ac-: aged the ImagiNative F'llm and ment through EMI ~ and doz · good friend to me and to all · cidents and to honour them, MediaArts Festival in Toronto, ens of signed artists which they Native people." we calle<;l the studio 'Julca for the past four years. hope to build on with more Six In fact, it was Salas that sa' Media. That represents ''When they first blought Nations and area artists. found the centre piece of the the first two letters in each of me in here I was totally blown Among the local Chiefs and new studio, a 72 Channel mix their names. Ju is for Justine, away," he says. "'There will politicians, other notables on ing console that once graced Ka - is for Karen, and Sa - is also be a video and television hand for the official launch Studio #3 at Abbey Road Stu , for Sarah." center coming online in a few of Jukasa was Stevie Salas, dios in London, England. The parents of the three weeks as well. 1be message one of the top guitarists in the "I was producing a record young women were present today is, we are open for busi- world today who has played in Costa Rica," Salas told and helped in the ribbon cut ness." live or recorded with the likes · Tekawennake, ''There was an ting. Arbor Records marketing of Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, unfinished studio there. The "It really touches our hearts and distribut,ion Director is Bootsy Collins, George Clin owner had gone through a that they are here tonight," Shannon Martin. ton, Justin Trmberlake, and divorce and didn't have the said Hill. "Their memory is "Arbor Records started many others. money to finish it. Sitting in still with us and will live on about 12 years ago in Wm Salas has been instrumental a back room, in seven cases, through the studio." nipeg;' says Martin. 'This is in turning Hill's dream into a was the sound board from Ab- Jukasa Media Continued from page 3 "It's world class all the way. You mean Native people can get their start in the business. do this?" he joked, feigning That is why he has linked his surprise. sizable name and reputation to Porter was scouting out the Arbor Records, based in Wm studio for his next album. nipeg. After spending most of Will he be doing it here at his life in California he says Six Nations? Winnipeg itself sucks, but he "You never know," he said is excited about being a men with a wry smile. tor to young Aboriginal artists Porter is ready to start a new through that label. recording, has the songs writ "I'm still way to busy to be ten, and is now looking for a house pl'Qducer at Jukasa, but Six Nations bluesman ways to get it done. I will be coming back here as Mun-ay Porter One song in particular he much as I can to watch how has been performing and has this place grows," he says. been getting excellent reaction ''This studio itself is top rate The basic band tracks were from his live audiences was a by anyone's standards." recorded in Austin Texas, but song he and Bomberry collab Derek Miller is also closely Miller's vocals and guitar work orated on. affiliated with Jukasa and will will be added at Jukasa. Last year after the feder, be finishing his new album "I can't wait to hear what al government's apology to there. kind of music comes out of the residential school survi "It's _an amazing facility," this place," says Miller. "I vors Porter and Bomberry put says Miller. 'This is going to can throw a stone anywhere their creative heads together help bring some unity to our around here and hit someone and penned a song called, "Is artists here on the rez." who can easily do something Sorry Enough." · He refers to Jukasa as a in the arts if given a chance . . 'This first time Murray sang "Heaven Research Facility", It's awesome when our people it on stage was at the NAIG referring to a line on Jimi Hen help our people." games._It brought people to drix's Band of Gypsies album Miller would like to see the tears and does whenever he jacket which says, "produced studio also used as a teaching performs it," says Bomberry. by Heaven research." lab for young people interest _ Some good work has al It's cool to have this here ed in a career in the music or ready been done atJukasa and and I'm just proud to have had film industry. The facility also the marketing of the facility . a part in bringing it here." boasts a room for TV or Video will be ratcheted up over the Miller had started his next production. next few weeks geared to not album with the surviving mem Six Nations bluesman Mur only Native artists but towards bers of Stevie Ray Vaughn's ray Porter and producer Elaine bigger mainstream names. band, Double Trouble, but it Bomberry were on hand from "I think the mystique of would take some major fund their present home in Vancou having a facility -like this lo ing to finish it off right. Miller ver for the opening as well. cated on a First Nations talked to Hill about it and to his They were very impressed reserve will attra.ct some at-' surprise Hill suggested build with the quality of the facility tention within the industry," ing a studio.. here to,do it in. as well. says Hunter.