 
13 Questions: Jim "Jim Z" ZumpanoIssue #4 I feel fortunate that after doing what I do, building pro audio equipment, for so long I have many old friends that call up to touch base and keep me posted of their latest project or ask me: “whats new in the gear world?” Last December (2006), I received one of those calls from long time buddy and AES show hell raiser, Jim Zumpano. You may have seen Jimmy at many AES shows... he is the guy with a big smile, Eclipse Audio Tshirt and a Heineken in each hand at 10 AM. A man after my own heart.. ha! Jimmy said he needed some new toys and had heard about Mercury Recording Equipment Company from seeing me at AES but for several years heard nothing but good things through the grapevine. He said: “Its just not right I don’t own any of your new Mercury gear - what do you have for me?” We talked about what the studio needed “more of”, we came to the conclusion that a Mercury Grand Pre and a Mercury EQH1 would help. After receiving the gear Jimmy called and said all the engineers were fighting over the new toys and he would be back for more soon. A few months later Jimmy called up to get a second Mercury EQH1 program equalizer and a pair of Mercury 66 Limiting amplifiers! |
 |
 He said he was going for the best bass and vocal chain possible and Grand Pres plus the EQH1 and Mercury 66 were clearly the way to go. You might ask yourself: What does Jim Z know about vocal chains?” Well let me tell you about a little diddy called 'End of the Road" from Boyz II Men. Jimmy Z tracked every vocal and helped mix this song. Not only was it a #1 hit, it achieved a new BillBoard record for number of weeks at #1, passing the king himself, Elvis Presley. After 13 weeks at #1 it was knocked off by Whitney Houston (I will always love you, Bodyguard soundtrack), which Jimmy has a credit on as well!. Not bad for an ol’ rock n roller! Jimmy credits include: Toni Braxton, Collective Soul, Aretha Franklin, Aquarium Rescue Unit, Project Z, Boyz II Men and many more. More important than any credits or awards, Jim “JIM Z” Zumpano is known as a stand up, straight shooter in the Atlanta, Ga. recording community. I am sure all feel, as I do, they are lucky to call him. a “friend”. Jimmy started his career in Atlanta, Ga in '84 engineering and managing, as well as building, what was then known as Soundscape - which later became Bobby Brown's Bosstown and now exists as Outkast's Stankonia. Soon after, in 1987, people also knew him as the “rental guy.” Jimmy developed a pro audio rental business in Atlanta, called Eclipse Audio, which is still going strong. Eclipse Audio has many pieces of vintage outboard gear, some racked by yours truly, as well as Pro Tool Systems and vintage microphones that were rented locally or via Fed Ex anywhere in the US. Soon after, Jim Z. hooked up with LaFace Records, in 1990, as an engineer and studio manager. Where he recorded Toni Braxton and many others. Following the LaFace days, He worked for many years at Atlanta’s Tree Sound until opening his own studio ZAC Recording (ZAC Digital and Stonehenge Recording). |
06) Now that we know digital recording is not going away anytime soon, what are your feelings on TAPE vs. DAW (analog vs. digital)?
