SounDoctrine Rereleases Songs in New Immersive Format
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A Youngstown-based contemporary jazz ensemble is wading into what it believes will be the next big thing in recorded music.
SounDoctrine is releasing remixes of three of its songs in the new immersive audio format.
The three songs – each of which was originally released years ago – are “Incipience,” “Marriage” and “Obfuscating Euphemisms.” They will be released as separate singles beginning in early January.
Early adopters of Dolby Atmos, who already have the playback equipment, will be able to download all three songs from the band’s website on Christmas morning.
The songs were mixed earlier this year using Dolby Atmos at Across The Road Productions in Katy, Texas.
Dolby Atmos is a new recording format created by Dolby Laboratories. A revamped version of theater surround sound systems, it uses multiple speakers placed at varying heights to make the sound more accurate and immersive to the listener.
The remixes were done by Danny Jones, who has recorded Allen Toussaint, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Patti LaBelle, Etta James and many others.
Immersive audio got its start in movie theaters and has been slow to move into the consumer realm. But many industry insiders believe it will eventually find a place in the recorded music marketplace.
SounDoctrine bandleader Gerald Beulah, aka Jere B, said going with Dolby Atmos was an easy choice.
“I was wowed by the sound,” he said, noting there are already competitors in the immersive recording space. “The consumer will definitely win as prices fall,” he said, though he could not put a timeframe on it.
Some mobile phones, smart TVs and sound bars already include Dolby Atmos playback technology.
SounDoctrine’s sound and style makes it especially well-suited to immersive recording, Jere B noted.
“Each of the three tunes we released possesses the sonic capabilities to evoke a 360-degree experience for the listener in the existing Surround Sound 5.1 and 7.1, so they were the natural choices to take to the next level,” he said.
The artist – who also writes music for movies and television shows – said he will record future SounDoctrine albums in Dolby Atmos.
The band decided to enter the immersive world with previously released songs rather than new material because audiences are already familiar with them.
The decision was cemented earlier this year when local television station WFMJ-TV 21 licensed the band’s song “YoYo” as the theme music for its new evening news show, “101 West.”
“That song is 21 years old and from our debut CD,” Jere B said. “So we figured we’d reintroduce ourselves with the music we are known for and build upon it.”
The rereleases mark the band’s return to active work, ending a hiatus that began during the pandemic.
“It was time for us to step back in,” Jere B said. “We’ve been off the stage since the 2020 shutdown.”
The three songs highlight musicians the band has recorded with through the years.
“Incipience” features saxophonist Mitch Lawrence of Steubenville; “Marriage” features Youngstown keyboardist Cliff Barnes, Ragan Whiteside of Atlanta, Keith McKelley (Los Angeles), Pastor Angel Lopez of Youngstown and Chris Rhodes, a Baltimore resident who grew up in Youngstown; and “Obfuscating Euphemisms” features clavinet work by Jeremy Lucas of Warren.
Jere B launched SounDoctrine over 20 years ago. The band has since released five albums and has shared the stage with national artists Bobby “Blue” Bland, Spyro Gyra and The Ohio Players.
A past nominee for Best Jazz Artist in the American Gospel Awards, SounDoctrine’s music has been selected for use on The Weather Channel.
Jere B is also the host of the “EntreMusician” podcast and produces a show titled “Artist Impact” – in which the work of local musicians is scrutinized by industry experts – for Armstrong Cable.
Pictured at top: Jere B of SounDoctrine.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
