Juniper Hill Creative Audio, the sixteen-track studio next to the Butchertown Pub on Story Avenue, will be "signing off" in August, according to engineer and partner Todd Smith.
Smith has decided to accept an offer to play piano and keyboards with the New York-based group Domani, which has been in Louisville recording at Juniper Hill. The trio, which is composed of Stuart Johnson, Todd Johnson and John Bajandas, has been getting good notices in the New York music press and is being "looked at" by several record labels, according to Smith.
The chance to play with a group like Domani was the spur that led Smith to make a major shift in career direction. Just prior to getting the offer, Smith was about two weeks away from signing a three-year contract on a building into which to move Juniper Hill. Noting that at age 24 he could take some chances that he would not likely be able to take later in life, Smith reasserted that the music was the thing that mattered, not the opportunity to move to New York, although that would likely happen.
The remaining sessions will be completed before closing the studio, which could take some time. Smith plans on keeping the recording equipment, which is primarily his personal gear.