Voigtlander Vitessa Institute of Musical Arts
Institute of Musical Arts just off Crenshaw Blvd in the Park Mesa Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
The Institute of Musical Arts (IMA) was founded in 1922 as a music training facility by German immigrant Raymond G. Hand who operated a music school in the facility for almost 20 years.
As the demographics of the neighborhood shifted, the area soon reflected the rich culture of the significant number of Japanese Americans who resided and owned business in the area, which became known as the Angeles Mesa section of the general Crenshaw area.
Another demographic shift in the late 1950s and early 1960s brought larger numbers of Black Americans into the area, and in 1972, Ray G. Clark and Oliver P. Brown (both Howard University engineering graduates) built a Quantum Quadraphonic Audio Mixing console and completely remodeled the IMA, converting it into a state-of-the-art music recording studio. Clark and Brown applied their aerospace engineering knowledge and skills to develop innovative techniques to recording popular artists, campaign ads and corporate training materials.
Despite Ray Charles and Ike and Tina Turner running nearby studios, it was widely regarded as THE place to record, and was known for having the “best sound in town”. Its long list of recording alumni include, Marvin Gaye, Bobby Womack, Nancy Wilson, Ernie Watts, Billy Davis, Ndugu Chancler and Patrice Rushen.
-IMA Los Angeles
Voigtländer Vitessa 1950's rangefinder on cross-processed Kodak Elite Chrome 35mm slide film.
Voigtlander Vitessa Institute of Musical Arts
Institute of Musical Arts just off Crenshaw Blvd in the Park Mesa Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
The Institute of Musical Arts (IMA) was founded in 1922 as a music training facility by German immigrant Raymond G. Hand who operated a music school in the facility for almost 20 years.
As the demographics of the neighborhood shifted, the area soon reflected the rich culture of the significant number of Japanese Americans who resided and owned business in the area, which became known as the Angeles Mesa section of the general Crenshaw area.
Another demographic shift in the late 1950s and early 1960s brought larger numbers of Black Americans into the area, and in 1972, Ray G. Clark and Oliver P. Brown (both Howard University engineering graduates) built a Quantum Quadraphonic Audio Mixing console and completely remodeled the IMA, converting it into a state-of-the-art music recording studio. Clark and Brown applied their aerospace engineering knowledge and skills to develop innovative techniques to recording popular artists, campaign ads and corporate training materials.
Despite Ray Charles and Ike and Tina Turner running nearby studios, it was widely regarded as THE place to record, and was known for having the “best sound in town”. Its long list of recording alumni include, Marvin Gaye, Bobby Womack, Nancy Wilson, Ernie Watts, Billy Davis, Ndugu Chancler and Patrice Rushen.
-IMA Los Angeles
Voigtländer Vitessa 1950's rangefinder on cross-processed Kodak Elite Chrome 35mm slide film.