Nigerian Music Nigeria – The Sound Surgeon

Source: Abidemi Dairo, 234Next, Jan 26, 2010

Foster Ewomazeeno, popularly called Foster Zino, has become a prominent name in the Nigerian music today, not only because he has been a sound engineer right from the formative years of Nigerian mainstream music, but also because he is a part of most great works in the industry. With only a diploma in Computer Engineering from Anajat Computer Institute Lagos, Foster Zino receives post production credits on all major album produced in the country. The unending list includes 9ice’s Gongo Aso, P Square’s, ‘Busy Body’, ‘Do Me’ and ‘Danger’ Albums, to all 2Face’s albums and the current raves, Bracket’s self titled album and Banky W’s ‘W Experience’.

How did you get into sound engineering and beat production?

It all started immediately I got out of secondary school in 1994; my love for music prompted me into wanting to be a recording artist. I wanted to be a singer but along the line I realised that I couldn’t sing to the level that I want to, so I diverted into the music production and sound engineering side of music.

Did you receive any formal training on production and studio engineering?

I went into series of trainings; I gave about six to seven years of my life to acquiring this knowledge both within Nigeria and abroad. I started as a ‘studio rat’, as we were referred to then, at the Agos Studios in 1994 and from there I moved to Even Extra Studio. From there I had the opportunity of travelling to South Africa where I trained as a sound engineer and music producer at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

Which was your first major work?

The project that gave me a the break in the Nigerian music industry wasn’t my personal project, it was the Plantashun Boiz debut album, Body & Soul where I was the assistant engineer to the man I call Almighty Nelson Brown. It was from that album that people started noticing and appreciating my work as a sound engineer.

Of all your works, which are you most proud of?

Basically I think I am proud of all the works I have been involved in because they have all inspired me in one way or the other, so I’m proud of them all.

Which will you say has given you the most exposure?

I’ll say working with 2Face, because he is seen as the number one in the country. Working with him has taken me far and also working with P-Square too has given me good recognition.

Why would you rather work on post production than actually producing the tracks from the onset?

I do produce beats too, but I do more of mastering and mixing because it is more technical and more challenging; it is harder and that makes it what I love doing. Although people normally shy away from hard works, but I personally get inspired by them so I go for it.

So much salvage can you do on a track that is badly produced?

People believe that no matter how badly a song is recorded, if they bring it to me I’ll have it fixed, that’s why they call me the Last Bus stop for music. No matter how bad the output is, I use my initiative and skills to fix it, although I don’t know how I get it done, I know I just get it right.

Does that mean you sometimes change beats during mastering?

Sure, once I receive the go ahead of the owner even though I was just paid to do just mixing and mastering, I can go beyond that, depending on how I feel the song.

Have you ever turned down a job because you feel it is too badly recorded that it cannot be salvaged?

Apart from business ethics, it will be so bad for people to believe in you, hoping you can really help out only for you to turn them down. I don’t turn down jobs, no matter how bad they look; I just give advice on how they should go about it the next time. The challenge is that people so much believe in me that even though the job is badly recorded, once it get to me it will be fixed, so I try to stick to that reputation.

With a lot of producers now recording tracks of their own, are you tempted to record a track too?

I have thought this through before choosing the production option; I know I can’t sing to my own satisfaction. Till now, I still don’t see myself becoming a singer someday; I want to stick to what I’m doing.

Why have you enrolled for a course in Peace and Conflict resolution at the National Open University of Nigeria and not a course that is related to your profession?

It started because I just feel like going back to school to study and because I’m from the Niger Delta where there are so many crises, I believe that if I can fully understand what peace and Conflict is all about, maybe I can be of help in restoring peace to the region.

Nigerian Music Nigeria 2Face, 9ice, Bracket, P-Square