Ted Jensen

Ted Jensen

Ted Jensen, 2013
Background information
Born (1954-09-19) September 19, 1954
New Haven, Connecticut
Occupation(s) Mastering Engineer
Associated acts Billy Joel, Green Day, Talking Heads, Norah Jones, Mastodon, Bring Me The Horizon, Pat Metheny, Behemoth
Website sterling-sound.com/engineers/ted-jensen/

Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954, New Haven, Connecticut) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings including the Eagles' "Hotel California", Green Day’s American Idiot and Norah Jones' Come Away With Me.

Biography

Ted Jensen was born to Carl and Margaret (Anning) Jensen, both of whom were musicians.[1] Carl had studied at Yale University.[2] Margaret went to Oberlin College & Conservatory and Skidmore College and was also a pilot.[1] Carl and Margaret met on a train while going to a choral workshop. Ted has one brother, Rick, and two daughters, Kristen and Kim. He is currently separated from Connie Fisher, his partner and wife of 38 years . While attending High School, Jensen was building his own stereo and recording equipment and began recording local bands both in the studio and at live events. During this time, he recorded several performances for the Yale Symphony Orchestra at Woolsey Hall in New Haven and also met Mark Levinson, who was starting an audio equipment company.[3] Jensen joined up with Levinson and aided in the design and manufacture some of the early products of Mark Levinson Audio Systems. In 1975, Jensen left after six years with Levinson to begin his mastering career in New York City with Sterling Sound.[4][5]

Ted Jensen

Professional career

There were three mastering engineers at Sterling Sound when Jensen was hired to work in the tape copy room, George Marino,[6] Lee Hulko[7] and Greg Calbi.[8] One of Jensen's earliest mastering jobs was the first single by the Talking Heads, "Love → Building on Fire" and later that year, Jensen mastered The Eagles' Hotel California. The following year, he mastered Billy Joel's The Stranger, which began a working relationship with Phil Ramone. Jensen was promoted to Chief Mastering Engineer at Sterling in 1984, and since then has overseen several proprietary developments in mastering technology. This included working closely with Graham Boswell of Neve Electronics in the mid-1980s in developing the first all-digital mastering console, the DTC-1,[9] and as one of the consultants to Apple for Mastering for iTunes.[5] Jensen also designed some of the studio monitors at Sterling, including the ones used by Tom Coyne.[10] In 1998, Jensen, Greg Calbi and Tom Coyne, along with Murat Aktar (Absolute Audio co-founder) and UK based Metropolis, purchased Sterling Sound[11] from previous owner, Lee Hulko.[12]

When I start a project, I'm always thinking, 'There's going to be a point in the next few months where we're going to wind up in Ted's room' That's when it all counts - Pat Metheny[13]

Studio

Sterling Sound[14] is located in New York City, occupying the top floor of the Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District. Jensen's studio is one of the three surround sound studios at Sterling Sound. It was designed by Fran Manzella, FM Design.[15]

Awards and recognition

Since 1976, Jensen has mastered 16 Grammy Award winners in the categories of Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. In 2002, Mastering Engineers became eligible to win Grammys in those categories.[16]

Grammy Nominations

Grammy Awards

Ted Jensen's Grammy for mastering Norah Jones' 2002 Album of the Year, Come Away with Me

Jensen has garnered 23 Mix Foundation TEC award nominations, winning 6 of them.[22]

Selected works

Ted Jensen has mastered thousands of albums for more than 1,100 pop and rock artists.[27][28]

References

  1. 1 2 Jensen, Margaret. "Obituary Notice for Margaret Jensen". legacy.com. New Haven Register. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  2. Catalogue of the officers and graduates of Yale University. 1921. p. 654.
  3. "Ted Jensen biography". Sterling Sound. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  4. "Interview with Mark Levinson" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  5. 1 2 Smith, Ebonie (January 9, 2015). "The Masters Behind the Mix: A Behind the Scenes Glimpse Into Music Making With Mastering Engineer Ted Jensen". Atlantic Records. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  6. "George Marino". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  7. "Lee Hulko". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  8. "Greg Calbi". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  9. Boswell. "Prism Sound: A brief history". audio-times.com. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  10. "Tom Coyne". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  11. "Mix Magazine". Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  12. Billboard Sept 26, 1998, p. 148, at Google Books
  13. "Billboard December 21, 2002". Google Books. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  14. "Worlds Best Mastering Studios". Landr. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  15. Manzella, Fran. "FM Design". http://www.fmdesign.com/2013/mastering/. Retrieved 13 March 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  16. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (2003-04-26). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
  17. "Grammy Nominations 2003". SFGate. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  18. "Grammy Nominees 2005". Music Slam. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  19. "Grammys 2014 Nominees". LA Times. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  20. "Grammy Nominations 2016". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  21. "45th Annual Grammy Awards Winners".
  22. "Tec Awards Past Winners". http://legacy.tecawards.org/tec/past_winners.html. Retrieved 13 March 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  23. "TEC Awards 2005 winners". Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  24. "TEC Awards 2008 Winners".
  25. "2010 TEC Awards Winners". Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  26. "NAMM Tec Awards". The Street. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  27. "Ted Jensen". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  28. "Artist". Discogs. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
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