March 7th 2024: The R&B star’s Musical Director Leon Turner sees the unit as an integral part of his touring rig because it is so useful for stems and sync placement.
Prism Sound’s Atlas audio interface has long been popular with audio professionals working in recording studios because it delivers exceptional sonic clarity and a very natural sound. However, Atlas owners who also work in live sound settings know that it is just as handy on tour thanks to a plentiful supply of low-noise microphone preamps – eight in total – and a powerful built-in digital mixer that can be configured to provide a multitude of low latency fees, including foldback to performers.
For producer, engineer and musical director Leon Turner, these were all good reasons for choosing an Atlas interface for his own studio. The fact that it is also eminently portable is an added bonus because it has now become an integral part of his touring rig, which is currently being put through its paces on Glady Knight’s 2024/25 world tour.
I went with the Atlas because I wanted a very open natural sounding unit that keeps the integrity of the source. When I’m touring, I use the Atlas for mobile recording and stems. It makes my life and my job a lot easier because it allows me to freely work without having to worry about bad drivers, etc.
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Leon comes from a family where everyone has musical talents. From the age of five, he was part of the family gospel recording group and by the time he was a teenager he was a dedicated musician for The Turner Singers. Since then, his career in the music industry has taken many interesting turns. Specialising in keyboard, synths and piano, he has performed with gospel sensation J Moss and shared a stage with artists such as The Roots, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Yolanda Adams, Eddie Levert of the Ojays, Donnie Mcclurkin, Legendary Phil Perry, Grammy nominated Dwele, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill from the hit 90ʼs group New Edition.
In addition, he has notched up numerous network appearances for Fox, BET, CMT, TV One, CBS, the BBC, PBS and Disney, while his TV show credits include Empire, Harry Connick Jr., Arsenio Hall, The Voice, Apollo, the Country Music Awards, Super Bowl, and the Grammys.
As Music Director for R&B superstar and nine times Grammy Award Winner Gladys Knight, Leon travels on all her R&B, piano duo and gospel choir shows. He also played and produced on Glady Knight’s album Where My Heart Belongs, which won a NAACP Image Award for Best Gospel Album in 2015.
“Music is my life,” he says. “I’ve been on the road since I was 15 and right now I’m touring the world with Gladys, heading to places like Australia, the UK, Africa and more.”
Leon’s own studio in Atlanta, Georgia, is used for his own solo projects and as a base for Turner Productions, a company he founded and co-owns.
“My Prism Soud Atlas fits perfectly into my studio and I use it with many pieces of outboard equipment from manufacturers such as Burl, Neve, SSL, DW Fearn and Manley,” he explains. “It makes recording a lot simpler because it is so easy to use. It has a very simple workflow, which I love because I like to move quickly while creating.”
Designed as a reference grade, expandable production interface, Prism Sound’s Atlas uses a standard USB connection to connect to the widest range of computers. In addition, Atlas offers the option of ProTools HDX and Dante modules, making it even more flexible as a professional solution.
“When I first got the unit, I was delighted with how easy it was to install,” Leon says. “Full Scale AV, who supplied it, were very helpful and I also worked with One F Sound’s Frank Oglethorpe, who came to my studio and made sure everything was set up correctly.”
Since I acquired it, I have used it for numerous touring stems and sync placement projects, all of which it has made light work of. I am very grateful to be a part of the Prism Sound family - the products are truly amazing, and I highly recommend them.
