Craig Bauer

Craig Bauer
Craig Bauer, Hinge Studios
Background information
Occupation(s)	Mix engineer, producer, songwriter
Website	www.craigbauer.com

Craig Bauer is an American music mixing engineer and record producer.^[1] He has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for Album of the Year for his work on Kanye West’s multiplatinum album Late Registration^[2] and follow-up album Graduation. Bauer won a Grammy Award in 2008 for mixing The Clark Sisters’ 2007 album, Live: One Last Time.^[3]

Life and career

Craig Bauer was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked through the ranks of the studios there before migrating to Chicago, Illinois in the early 90’s to open his own recording studio.^[4] Beyond the technical aspects of being a mixing engineer and a businessman, Bauer is also musician.^[1] He studied Classical Piano and Music Education at Ohio State University and is also a skilled guitar player.^[5]

In 1993, Bauer opened Hinge Studios at 320 W. Ohio Street in Chicago, Illinois. Many of his first clients were jazz artists, including, Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Steve Cole and Peter White.^[2]

Bauer, in 1997, began working with a young rap group dubbed “The Go Getters”, which included a very young Kanye West.^[2] Several of the demos that Kanye West recorded with Craig Bauer at Hinge Studios were built into tracks on the album College Dropout. Bauer later mixed “Heard ‘Em Say”, “Roses”, “Bring Me Down”, “Addiction” and “Late” on Kanye West’s Late Registration Album which was nominated for the Grammy Award Album of the Year at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards.^[4]

Bauer went on to mix Lupe Fiasco’s debut studio album Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor in 2006, which received four Grammy Award nominations at the 49th Grammy Awards, including Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. In 2007, Bauer mixed the majority of Fiasco’s second album, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, including the hit single “Superstar” which peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Cool was nominated for 4 awards at the 51st Grammy Awards.^[6]^[7]

In 2008, Bauer won his first Grammy award for mixing The Clark Sisters album Live: One Last Time at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Later that year he moved Hinge Studios to 1719 S. Clinton Street in Chicago.^[2]

Bauer also mixed the Saturday Night Live Digital Short “Motherlover” featuring Justin Timberlake and Andy Sandburg.^[2]

Craig Bauer is married to Anna (Kimball) Bauer.^[8]

Hinge Studios

Hinge Studios was initially a premiere recording and mixing facility located in Chicago, Illinois and home to Grammy winning producer/mixer Craig Bauer. Opened by Bauer in 1993, the studio was a pioneer in ushering in the world of digital recording with one of the country’s first Euphonix CSII digitally controlled recording consoles and the very first Otari RADAR 48 track hard disk recording system.^[2]

In 2014, Hinge Studios adopted the new Avid S6 mixing console and relocated to Los Angeles, California, where the studio is temporarily operating at the historic Devonshire Studios in North Hollywood while a new permanent facility is being built.^[5]

Hinge Studios and Bauer have hosted and recorded a diverse roster of talent over the years, including: Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Lil’ Kim, Wu-Tang Clan, Da Brat, Brian Culbertson, Richard Marx, 98°, Yolanda Adams, Steve Cole, Dave Koz, Dennis DeYoung, Styx, Destiny’s Child, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Public Enemy, Smashing Pumpkins, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Donald Lawrence, The Clark Sisters, and Hezekiah Walker.^[2]^[4]^[9]

Hinge Studios Chicago was once dubbed “Kanye West’s fortress of solitude in the late ‘90s” by MTVNews.^[10]

In 2012, Ed Sheeran performed at Hinge Studios for “The Live Room” video series powered by the Warner Music Group.^[11]

Awards

Craig Bauer received a Grammy award at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards for mixing The Clark Sisters’ 2007 album, Live: One Last Time and has been recognized by NARAS and the Grammy‘s for over 30 nominations in various categories and genres.^[3]

Selected Discography

2014: Cozi Zuehlsdorff Originals — Mixing
2014: Aleem Need You Here — Mixing
2014: Cowboy Troy King of Clubs — Mixing
2013: Donald Lawrence 20 Years Celebration, Vol. 1: Best for Last – Mixing
2013: Hezekiah Walker Azusa: The Next Generation – Mixing
2013: Michael Thompson Future Past – Mixing
2012: Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr Best Days Yet – Mixing
2012: Soleil Moon On the Way to Everything – Guitar (Acoustic), Keyboards, Mixing, Producer, Programming, Tracking
2011: Nick Carter I’m Taking Off – Mixing
2011: Ashlyne Huff Let It Out — Mixing
2011 Steve Cole Moonlight – Engineer, Mixing
2011: Donald Lawrence YRM — Mixing
2010: Stan Walker From the Inside Out – Mixing
2009: Stan Walker Introducing Stan Walker – Mixing
2009: Sara Haze My Personal Sky – Mixing
2009: Vanessa Bell Armstrong The Experience – Mixing
2009: Donald Lawrence The Law of Confession, Part I – Mixing
2008: Brian Culbertson Christmas & Hits Duos – Engineer
2008: Donald Lawrence Matthew 28: The Greatest Hits – Mixing
2008: Pastor Hezekiah Walker Souled Out – Mixing
2008: (Various Artists) Total Club Hits – Mixing
2007: Yung Berg Almost Famous EP – Mixing
2007: The Clark Sisters Live: One Last Time – Mixing
2007: Dave Koz Memories of a Winter’s Night – Mixing
2007: Kurt Elling Nightmoves – Engineer, Mixing
2007: Dennis DeYoung One Hundred Years from Now – Engineer, Mixing
2007: Yung Berg Sexy Lady – Mixing
2007: Lupe Fiasco The Cool – Mixing
2007: Tri-City Singers The Grand Finale: Encourage Yourself – Audio Supervisor, Mixing
2006: Brian Culbertson A Soulful Christmas – Engineer
2006: Shawnna Block Music – Engineer, Mixing
2006: Tri-City Singers Donald Lawrence Presents: The Tri-City Singers – Finale – Audio Supervisor, Mixing
2006: Donald Lawrence Finalé: Act One – Mixing
2006: Lupe Fiasco Food & Liquor – Mixing
2006: Dave Hollister The Book of David, Vol 1: The Transition — Engineer
2006: Hezekiah Walker & the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir 20/85 the Experience – Mixing
2005: Disturbing the Peace Disturbing the Peace – Mixing
2005: Kanye West Late Registration – Mixing
2005: Public Enemy New Whirl Odor – Engineering
2004: LaShell Griffen Free – Arranger, Engineer, Guitar (Acoustic), Mixing, Organ (Hammond), Producer, Pro-Tools, Vocal Engineer, Vocal Producer.
2004: Donald Lawrence I Speak Life – Audio Engineer, Engineer, Mixing
2004: The O’Jays Imagination – Mixing
2004: Dennis DeYoung Music of Styx: Live with the Symphony Orchestra – Mixing
2004: Oprah’s Popstar Challenge – Digital Editing, Engineer, Mixing, Producer
2003: Brian Culbertson Come on Up – Background Noise, Digital Editing, Engineer, Mixing, Performer, Pro-Tools
2003: Donald Lawrence The Best of Donald Lawrence & the Tri-City Singers: Restoring the Years – Engineer, Mixing
2001: Brian Culbertson Nice & Slow – Engineer, Mixing
2000: Richard Marx Days in Avalon [Signal 21] – Mixing
2000: Da Brat Unrestricted – Engineer
1999: Styx Brave New World – Engineer, Mixing
1998: Yolanda Adams Songs from the Heart – Engineer
1997: 98° 98° – Engineer
1997: Richard Marx Flesh & Bone – Engineer
1996: CeCe Peniston – I'm Movin' On – Mixing

References