Producer Jordan Oorebeek talks working with Chris Buck Band and passion for music
Jordan Oorebeek naturally has a strong ear for music with a great relative pitch, which is part of what makes him such an extraordinary recording engineer, mix engineer, and producer. That innate talent, combined with sheer determination and consistent practice, has allowed him to become one of Canada’s most distinguished individuals at his craft.
“I played in a few bands in my teens and I enjoyed it, but I knew there was something more for me than playing in a band. Once I began writing my own songs and working with my band on the demos, I realized how much work it took to produce a song. I quickly learned how hard it is to make a ‘good’ song and I wanted to learn how to create that sound. What makes a song radio ready? How would I achieve this with the tools at my disposal? Those were the questions that pushed me toward my dream of becoming an Engineer/Producer,” said Oorebeek.
Throughout his career, Oorebeek has shown time and time again just why he is such an in-demand recording engineer. Many of his projects have been nominated for CCMAs, Canada’s most prestigious country music awards, and he has worked with celebrated artists in his country, including George Canyon, Jordan Waller, Wes Mack, and many more. On top of this, Oorebeek has specifically been recognized for his exceptional work, and last year took home a BCCMA for Recording Professional of the Year.
Once Oorebeek works with an artist, they often want to work with him again and again, which is exactly what happened when he began working with Chris Buck and his band. Chris Buck Band is a Canadian country music group from Vancouver, British Columbia composed of Chris Buck, Ryan Stead, Taylor Allum, and Matt Genereux. Buck formed the band when he lost his best friend to cancer at age 13, and they released their first single in 2013. It was shortly after this when he met Oorebeek.
Oorebeek and the band started tracking the first album at the Armoury Studios in Vancouver, which has one of the best sounding drum rooms on the West Coast. They have a great selection of vintage mics and Neve pre-amps available, which provided rich and punchy tones. The whole band came in and they cut the bed tracks live off the floor. After they were happy with the groove and feel of the drums, they began getting the overdubs. Banjo is a pretty important element of Chris’s sound, so they really took the time to get the parts and tone right. After all the overdubs were recorded and the arrangements were finalized, Oorebeek took the songs back to his personal studio to mix them. One song in particular called “Leave Your Light On” was really developing a special energy and it ended up being the band’s first Top 40 single.
“I liked taking a risk borrowing cues from other genres and applying them to Chris’s country sound. On a song called “Giddy Up” we experimented with an EDM style country song and it was received really well. Fans love it at shows, and it’s been used for a lot of event promotion and advertising. Using modern production elements like drum loops, synths, samples and effects fused together with more traditional country instruments like banjo and mandolin was a really exciting process. I really enjoyed “breaking the rules” on a few songs where we pushed the boundaries of what country typically is known for,” said Oorebeek.
The following records that Oorebeek worked on with him followed a similar process as the first. Oorebeek’s style of mixing big, polished and punchy styles is evident in every song. He gives things a commercial sound, which helps the bands songs stand out. His sonic imprint and instincts evidently have value to the band, because he keeps getting the call back.
“I’m extremely proud of Chris and his band for trusting me and taking the musical risks that made them stand out. It’s a really great feeling to see how radio and his fans have responded to his new music. I’m very proud of everything I work on but it’s always an added bonus when a project has the commercial success like Chris’. It’s really motivating and special to know you’ve been a part of something that resonates with people. I’m really looking forward to making more music with him and pushing more boundaries,” he concluded.
The band is currently promoting his single called “Good Ol’ Days” that Oorebeek mixed and is already climbing the country charts. Listen to it here:
Written by Annabelle Lee
May 30th, 2019
