- Doug Fenske
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Doug Fenske Birth name Albert Douglas Fenske, J.R. Born January 11, 1982
Harvey, Illinois, United StatesOrigin Richton Park, IL Genres Pop, Urban-Pop, Electro-Pop, Pop Rap Occupations Record Producer, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, Instrumentalist Instruments Saxophone, Keyboards, Talkbox Years active 2005-present Associated acts Dylan Synclaire Doug Fenske (born January 11, 1982) is an American record producer, recording engineer, mix engineer, and remixer from suburban Chicago, IL. He has worked in Los Angeles, Calif. since 2005, and has been involved in several aspects of record production. Fenske has worked on a string of commercially and critically successful albums, including Chris Brown's "Exclusive [The FOREVER Edition]", Jamie Foxx's "Intuition", and Jordin Spark's "Jordin Sparks".[1] His production experience includes collaborations with some of the music industry’s most elite artists, writers, producers, and engineers.[2]
Contents
Life and career
Childhood and youth
Fenske was born in Harvey, Illinois, the first child of an educator mother and a village manager father. He spent his formative years in Richton Park, IL, where he attended Neil A. Armstrong Elementary. His first foray into music began at age 10, when he picked up an alto saxophone, joined the school's concert band and began learning classical music theory. Two years later, he joined the school district’s jazz ensemble, and spent a year learning jazz theory and playing second alto behind an older student. But Fenske's skill quickly rose to the surface and by age 13, he earned the lead alto seat for both jazz ensemble and concert band. During this time he excelled as a three-sport athlete, playing football, baseball, and basketball. Fenske enrolled at Rich South High School in Richton Park, and was quickly promoted to the upperclass jazz ensemble, playing second tenor sax, all while performing with the school's symphonic band. As a sophomore, he was moved to baritone sax in both jazz ensemble and symphonic band, and was promoted to lead alto in both bands at the beginning of his junior year. It was during this time that Fenske realized he wanted a career in record production. As a senior, he played in the jazz combo band, and was featured on soprano sax in the jazz ensemble. Still an athlete, he played four years of football, three years of baseball, and one year of basketball for Rich South.
Education
Fenske decided to attend Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL as a communications major in 2000. He quickly aligned with other students to form “11th and Cleveland”, a band named after the block where they rehearsed. Fenske played sax and keyboards for the band, which spent two years touring the bar circuit and neighboring colleges. Although Fenske was heavily influenced by 90’s hip hop, rock and alternative music, his band covered songs by Phish, Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty, and Herbie Hancock - who he would later work with on Hancock's collaboration with Quincy Jones. As band members started leaving school, Fenske started creating full instrumental tracks on his own with a computer. He continued honing his craft for the next two years and graduated in 2004 with a bachelor's degree.[3] In early 2005, Fenske moved to Tempe, AZ to attend the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences, an audio engineering school known for its prominence in music. While in school, he collaborated with other students on recording projects, was the president of the school’s chapter of the Audio Engineering Society, and was at the head of his class. He also began remixing tracks by artists like D’Angelo, The Roots, and Busta Rhymes using live instrumentation. Fenske graduated from The Conservatory in October 2005 and moved to Los Angeles, Calif. to begin his professional career in music.
Career
Upon arrival in Los Angeles, Fenske started interning at Westlake Recording Studios in Hollywood. A major studio rich in tradition,[4] Westlake provided Fenske with the opportunity to become a professional. In 2007, while working for Westlake and their Artist Development Program, he crossed paths with Dylan Synclaire, an urban pop artist recently signed to a development deal. The two started collaborating and building their catalog together. By 2008, Fenske ascended in the ranks at Westlake to become an assistant engineer,working with artists like Quincy Jones, Britney Spears, Cee Lo Green, Snoop Dogg, Randy Jackson, Jack Douglas, and Herbie Hancock. Soon Fenske began building an engineering clientele of his own, spending time in the studio with Ne-Yo, Stargate, Eric Hudson, The Writing Camp, and Ryan Tedder.[5] He incorporated, forming Real Records LLC, and left Westlake in early 2009 to become an independent engineer and producer. Since going independent, Fenske has worked with Emily Osment, Bruno Mars, Toni Braxton, Nellee Hooper, Kristian Lundin, Victoria Justice, Stereo Skyline,[6] and others. A full list of his session experience is available at: http://www.therealrecords.com/clientindex.html
Discography
Year Artist Album Details 2007 UGK Underground Kingz Assistant Engineer Michael Bolton Swingin' Christmas Assistant Engineer Jordin Sparks Jordin Sparks (album) Vocal Recording Blake Lewis Audio Day Dream Engineer 2008 Ariana Hall Not Too Close, Not Too Far EP Engineer Randy Jackson Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol. 1 Assistant Engineer Chris Brown Forever (Chris Brown song) Engineer Jamie Foxx Intuition (Jamie Foxx album) Engineer 2009 Melanie Fiona The Bridge (Melanie Fiona album) Engineer American Idol American Idol: Season 8 Engineer 2010 Jason Castro Jason Castro (album) Assistant Engineer Stereo Skyline Stuck On Repeat (album) Engineer Emily Osment Fight or Flight (Emily Osment album) Mixing, Vocal Recording Dylan Synclaire Could Stains (album) Producer, Mixing Greydon Square The Kardashev Scale (album) Producer INXS Original Sin (INXS album) Vocal Engineer Dylan Synclaire Crush (Single) Producer, Mixing 2011 Emily Osment Lovesick (Emily Osment song) Mixing Dylan Synclaire SleepWalkin' (album) Producer, Mixing Dylan Synclaire S.O.S. Sounds of Synclaire Producer, Mixing Emily Osment Drift (Emily Osment song) Producer, Mixing Dylan Synclaire Hollywood Lyfe (feat. Chris Rene) Producer, Mixing, Alto Sax References
- ^ http://music.msn.com/music/artist-credits/doug-fenske/?ipp=10
- ^ http://www.therealrecords.com/clientindex.html
- ^ http://castle.eiu.edu/~pubaff/headline/2004/07302004.php
- ^ http://www.thelakestudios.com/Studios/Credits/credits.html
- ^ http://californiacornbread.tumblr.com/post/747500583/california-cornbread-exclusive-the-dylan-synclaire
- ^ http://albumcredits.com/Profile/979783
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/doug-fenske-p979783/credits
External links
Categories:- 1982 births
- Living people
- American record producers
- Musicians from Chicago, Illinois
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