Greg Calbi

Gregory Calbi (born April 3, 1949) is an American mastering engineer at Sterling Sound, New Jersey.

Greg Calbi
Calbi in 2014
Background information
Born	(1949-04-03) April 3, 1949 (age 75) Yonkers, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Mastering engineer
Website	sterling-sound.com/engineers/greg-calbi

Biography

Greg Calbi was born on April 3, 1949, in Yonkers, New York, and raised in Bayside, Queens, New York. He graduated in 1966 from Bishop Reilly High School in Fresh Meadows. Calbi earned his bachelor's degree in Mass Communications at Fordham University where he studied with Marshall McLuhan and his staff for 3 of those years. He then earned his master's degree in Political Media Studies (Speech Department) at the University of Massachusetts. During these college years, Calbi drove a NYC cab and sold ladies shoes, and was intent on becoming a documentary filmmaker. However, Calbi was asked by someone who worked at the Record Plant to drive a truck to Duke University to record Yes on the Close to the Edge Tour and soon after that began his career in 1972 as an assistant studio engineer at the Record Plant, working alongside engineers Jack Douglas, Jay Messina and Shelly Yakus, and Jimmy Iovine who was an assistant engineer at that time. In two years, Calbi began cutting vinyl in the mastering room with his high school and college friend, Tom Rabstenek, who had taken over The Cutting Room when George Marino left to go to Sterling Sound. During this time, Calbi helped Tom cut the lacquers for Stevie Wonder's Innervisions among others from the notes that George had left. In his first year as a mastering engineer, Calbi mastered his first platinum record, Eric Carmen by Eric Carmen, John Lennon's Walls and Bridges and in 1975, Calbi mastered David Bowie's Young Americans and Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run. Calbi worked at the Record Plant until 1976 when a position was offered to him by Lee Hulko, owner of Sterling Sound.^[1]

During his early years at Sterling, Calbi worked alongside Lee Hulko, George Marino and Ted Jensen, and became known for mastering punk classics for The Ramones, Talking Heads and Patti Smith, as well as Tom Petty, Bill Frisell, Aretha Franklin and Todd Rundgren among others.^[2] In 1994, Calbi left Sterling for Masterdisk where he worked until 1998 when Calbi, Ted Jensen and Tom Coyne, along with Murat Aktar (Absolute Audio co-founder) and UK based Metropolis, purchased Sterling Sound from Lee Hulko.^[3]

Awards and nominations

TEC Awards

Calbi has garnered 12 Mix Foundation TEC Award nominations for Creative Achievement, winning two of them.^[4]

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2007	Waiting on the World to Change	Record Production/Single or Track	Won
2007	Continuum	Record Production, Album	Won

Selected works

Calbi has mastered over 7500 albums during his career; a list of noteworthy music Calbi has mastered includes:^[5]

 

Note to Greg from John Lennon

• 1973 Feeling the Space – Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band
• 1973 Berlin – Lou Reed
• 1973 Witness – Spooky Tooth
• 1973 Unbonded - The Chambers Brothers
• 1974 Pussy Cats – Harry Nilsson
• 1974 Hard Labor – Three Dog Night
• 1974 Kansas – Kansas
• 1974 Starting Over – Raspberries
• 1974 Eric Carmen – Eric Carmen
• 1974 Walls and Bridges – John Lennon
• 1974 Blood on the Tracks – Bob Dylan
• 1974 Inseparable – Natalie Cole
• 1975 Teaser – Tommy Bolin
• 1975 Rock 'n' Roll – John Lennon
• 1975 Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
• 1975 Jasmine Nightdreams – Edgar Winter
• 1975 Go Girl Crazy! – The Dictators
• 1975 New City – Blood, Sweat & Tears
• 1975 On Your Feet or on Your Knees – Blue Öyster Cult
• 1975 Young Americans – David Bowie
• 1976 Yesterday and Today – Y&T
• 1976 Greatest Stories Live – Harry Chapin
• 1976 Blondie – Blondie
• 1976 Solo – Don McLean
• 1976 Dedication – Bay City Rollers
• 1976 Night Shift – Foghat
• 1976 Ramones – Ramones
• 1976 Images – Dan Hartman
• 1976 Captured Live! – Johnny Winter
• 1976 Even in the Quietest Moments – Supertramp
• 1977 Hard Again – Muddy Waters
• 1977 38 Special – 38 Special
• 1977 The Geese & the Ghost – Anthony Phillips
• 1977 Marquee Moon – Television
• 1977 Rocket to Russia – Ramones
• 1977 Beauty on a Back Street – Hall & Oates
• 1977 On Stage – Rainbow
• 1977 Nothin' but the Blues – Johnny Winter
• 1977 Lust for Life – Iggy Pop
• 1977 Blank Generation – Richard Hell and the Voidoids
• 1977 Go Too – Go
• 1978 Road to Ruin – Ramones
• 1978 White, Hot and Blue – Johnny Winter
• 1978 Meco Plays The Wizard of Oz – Meco
• 1978 Special Delivery – 38 Special
• 1978 David Johansen – David Johansen
• 1978 Sayin' It with Love – Steve Camp
• 1978 Grab It for a Second – Golden Earring
• 1978 Symphony of Love – Miquel Brown
• 1978 Easter – Patti Smith Group
• 1978 The Godz – The Godz
• 1978 All Mod Cons – The Jam
• 1978 Plastic Letters – Blondie
• 1978 Cosmic Messenger – Jean-Luc Ponty
• 1978 I'm Ready – Muddy Waters
• 1978 Elements – Roger Glover
• 1978 Breakfast in America – Supertramp
• 1979 Lodger – David Bowie
• 1979 Setting Sons – The Jam
• 1979 Damn the Torpedoes – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
• 1979 Do It Yourself – Ian Dury and The Blockheads
• 1979 Down to Earth – Rainbow
• 1979 A Taste for Passion – Jean-Luc Ponty
• 1979 TRB Two – Tom Robinson Band
• 1979 Electric Dreams – John McLaughlin
• 1979 Journey to the Land Of... Enchantment – Enchantment
• 1979 Superman & Other Galactic Heroes – Meco
• 1979 Alchemy – Richard Lloyd
• 1979 Fear of Music – Talking Heads
• 1980 Making Movies – Dire Straits
• 1980 Sugarhill Gang – The Sugarhill Gang
• 1980 Beauty and the Beat – Go-Go's
• 1980 Scissors Cut – Art Garfunkel
• 1980 Willie Nile – Willie Nile
• 1980 Remain in Light – Talking Heads
• 1980 Growing Up in Public – Lou Reed
• 1981 Concert in Central Park – Simon & Garfunkel
• 1981 Forever, for Always, for Love – Luther Vandross
• 1982 The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect – Todd Rundgren
• 1982 Mesopotamia – The B-52's
• 1982 The Blue Mask – Lou Reed
• 1983 Close to the Bone – Tom Tom Club
• 1983 Faster Than the Speed of Night – Bonnie Tyler
• 1983 Colour by Numbers – Culture Club
• 1983 Legendary Hearts – Lou Reed
• 1983 Murmur – R.E.M.
• 1983 Hearts and Bones – Paul Simon
• 1984 Human's Lib – Howard Jones
• 1984 Footloose – Original Soundtrack
• 1984 Feeling Cavalier – Ebn Ozn
• 1984 Milk and Honey – John Lennon/Yoko Ono
• 1984 Serious Business – Johnny Winter
• 1984 Suzanne Vega – Suzanne Vega
• 1984 Who's Zoomin' Who? – Aretha Franklin
• 1984 Perfect Strangers – Deep Purple
• 1985 7800° Fahrenheit – Bon Jovi
• 1986 Graceland – Paul Simon
• 1987 Before We Were Born – Bill Frisell
• 1987 Crossroads – Eric Clapton
• 1988 State of Euphoria – Anthrax
• 1988 Ramones Mania – Ramones
• 1988 Vivid – Living Colour
• 1989 Force Majeure – Doro
• 1989 Let Love Rule – Lenny Kravitz
• 1990 Paul Simon's Concert in the Park – Paul Simon
• 1991 Attack of the Killer B's – Anthrax
• 1991 The Human Factor – Metal Church
• 1991 Mama Said – Lenny Kravitz
• 1991 Union – Yes
• 1992 Gordon – Barenaked Ladies
• 1992 Over My Heart – Laura Branigan
• 1993 Fumbling Towards Ecstasy – Sarah McLachlan
• 1994 Pearls – David Sanborn
• 1994 Wild Onions – Jeff Greene
• 1995 New Moon Daughter – Cassandra Wilson
• 1996 Songs from the Night Before – David Sanborn
• 1996 Flaming Pie – Paul McCartney
• 1997 Gone, Just Like a Train – Bill Frisell
• 1997 Rant and Roar – Great Big Sea
• 1998 Chasin' Gus' Ghost – John Sebastian & the J Band
• 1998 God Save the Smithereens – The Smithereens
• 1998 Mirrorball – Sarah McLachlan
• 1999 Life'll Kill You – Warren Zevon
• 2000 The Sophtware Slump – Grandaddy
• 2000 Live at Red Rocks – Rickie Lee Jones
• 2000 Songs in Red and Gray – Suzanne Vega
• 2001 Lost in Space – Aimee Mann
• 2001 Is This It – The Strokes
• 2001 Look into the Eyeball – David Byrne
• 2002 Holy Roller Novocaine – Kings of Leon
• 2002 Future Kings of Spain – Future Kings of Spain
• 2002 It Still Moves – My Morning Jacket
• 2002 Turn On The Bright Lights – Interpol
• 2002 Stumble into Grace – Emmylou Harris
• 2003 The Battle for Everything – Five for Fighting
• 2003 Legs to Make Us Longer – Kaki King
• 2004 Graceland - Paul Simon [remastering]
• 2005 Boys and Girls in America – The Hold Steady
• 2005 Gimme Fiction – Spoon
• 2006 Continuum – John Mayer
• 2006 Grand Central – Jeff Golub
• 2007 Here & Gone – David Sanborn
• 2008 Day Old Belgian Blues – Kings of Leon
• 2008 The Fall – Norah Jones
• 2008 Popular Songs – Yo La Tengo
• 2008 Never Going Back – Shemekia Copeland
• 2008 Bachelite – Offlaga Disco Pax
• 2009 Fuerza Natural – Gustavo Cerati
• 2009 Just Across the River – Jimmy Webb
• 2009 Memories of You – Bette Midler
• 2009 Of the Blue Colour of the Sky – OK Go
• 2010 Blood/Candy – The Posies
• 2010 Innerspeaker – Tame Impala
• 2010 Industrial Silence – Madrugada
• 2010 Bon Iver – Bon Iver
• 2010 The Devil's Rain – Misfits
• 2010 Fixin' to Die – G. Love
• 2010 Go-Go Boots – Drive-By Truckers
• 2010 Ramble at the Ryman – Levon Helm
• 2011 Boys & Girls – Alabama Shakes
• 2012 Lonerism – Tame Impala
• 2012 Four MFs Playin' Tunes – Branford Marsalis Quartet
• 2012 Fade – Yo La Tengo
• 2012 Traveler – Trey Anastasio
• 2012 All the Little Lights – Passenger
• 2013 American Ride – Willie Nile
• 2013 Save Rock and Roll – Fall Out Boy
• 2013 Mosquito – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• 2013 Big Sur – Bill Frisell
• 2013 Quartette Humaine – Bob James and David Sanborn
• 2013 In the Wake – Tea Leaf Green
• 2013 Trouble Will Find Me – The National
• 2013 Birth in Reverse – St. Vincent
• 2013 The Blessed Unrest – Sara Bareilles
• 2014 Cheek to Cheek – Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett
• 2014 Hungry Ghosts – OK Go
• 2014 If I Was a River – Willie Nile
• 2014 Too Bright – Perfume Genius
• 2014 Brill Bruisers – The New Pornographers
• 2015 No Cities to Love – Sleater-Kinney
• 2015 Chasing Yesterday – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
• 2015 In Extremis – Francis Cabrel
• 2015 Space Is Still the Place – The Bright Light Social Hour
• 2015 Strangers to Ourselves – Modest Mouse
• 2015 Currents – Tame Impala
• 2015 Dualidad – Reyno ^[es]
• 2016 Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not – Dinosaur Jr.
• 2016 Stranger to Stranger – Paul Simon
• 2016 Why Are You OK – Band of Horses
• 2016 American Football – American Football
• 2016 Chapter and Verse – Bruce Springsteen
• 2016 Day Breaks – Norah Jones
• 2016 Fallen Angels – Bob Dylan
• 2016 Ringa Belle (The Puzzles album)/ ''Ringa Belle'' - The Puzzles
• 2016 Painting of a Panic Attack – Frightened Rabbit
• 2016 Valse Hot – Sweet Basil 1978 – Jim Hall and Red Mitchell
• 2017 A-ha – MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice
• 2017 Arcade Fire – Everything Now
• 2017 Bob Dylan – Triplicate
• 2017 Pond – The Weather
• 2017 Cigarettes After Sex – Cigarettes After Sex
• 2017 Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up
• 2017 Foster the People – Sacred Hearts Club
• 2017 John Mayer – The Search for Everything
• 2017 The National – Sleep Well Beast
• 2017 The New Pornographers – Whiteout Conditions
• 2017 The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
• 2017 Valerie June – The Order of Time
• 2018 MGMT – Little Dark Age
• 2018 Big Red Machine – Big Red Machine
• 2018 David Byrne – American Utopia
• 2018 Interpol – Marauder
• 2018 Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour
• 2018 Kimbra – Primal Heart
• 2018 Ought – Room Inside the World
• 2019 Bon Iver – I, I
• 2019 Joe Jackson (musician) – Fool
• 2019 The National – I Am Easy to Find (album)
• 2020 Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
• 2020 Taylor Swift – Evermore
• 2021 The War on Drugs – I Don't Live Here Anymore
• 2022 Adam Trumbo – Modern Communication
• 2022 Joshua Redman – LongGone
• 2022 Dan Aid – All My Friends Are Finding New Beliefs
• 2023 Lil Yachty – Let's Start Here
• 2024 The Smile – Wall of Eyes

Catalog Remastering Highlights:

• 1988 Crossroads – Eric Clapton
• 2010 Signature Box – John Lennon
• 2012 Dual Layer DSD/PCM 15 Album Catalog Box set – Bob Dylan
• 2014 The U.S. Albums – The Beatles
• 2014 Start Together – Sleater-Kinney
• 2014 OT Remasters – 11 albums, 1 DVD – Tamio Okuda
• 2015 Crime of the Century – Supertramp

References

1. Patino, Juan (November 2011). "Greg Calbi: Sterling Mastering Maestro". Tape Op. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
2. "Presenters". AES New York 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
3. Bambarger, Bradley (26 September 1998). "Mastering Pros Plan NYC Studio". Billboard. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
4. "TEC Awards Past Winners". TEC Awards. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
5. "Biography of Greg Calbi". Sterling Sound. Retrieved 31 March 2015.