The 9th Ward Pickin’ Parlor is the recording facility of engineer/producer Mike West. Mike is known for a relaxed approach that favors musicians over machines. In the studio he strives to capture strong live performances and to develop arrangements that enhance but don’t overwhelm the songs. He has produced songwriters, americana artists, jazz, bluegrass, folk and old time music for over twenty years.
The Pickin’ Parlor started in a shotgun house in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, where Mike recorded albums for local and national acts until Hurricane Katrina washed away the studio and much of the neighborhood. Mike West then relocated to the Mid-West music mecca of Lawrence, Kansas, where the studio flourished. The Pickin' Parlor was voted best studio in the city in 2018 and Mike West , with his partner Katie West, received the Phoenix Award for lifetime achievement and contribution to the Arts. In 2019 West moved his production services to the beautiful village and artistic hub, Machynlleth, Wales.
The 9th Ward Pickin’ Parlor offers a complete mobile recording and production service and has clents in the US, Australia and UK.
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