The Frank Zappa Questionnaire was adapted from Cara Ober’s Gertrude Stein Questionnaire, which highlights local Baltimore artists and arts figures. This the music adaptation, highlighting musicians and music figures who live and work in Baltimore.
Mat Leffler-Schulman co-owns Mobtown Studios in Charles Village with his wife, Emily. With nearly 20 years of experience as both a producer/engineer and as a marketer with Warner Bros. Records, Leffler-Schulman brought expertise, experience, and creativity to Baltimore when he moved here to open Mobtown over eight years ago. Providing recording, mixing, and mastering services for bands, Leffler-Schulman, along with a team of engineers, has launched Mobtown into the conversation for one of Baltimore’s best studios.
Perhaps the most exciting feature of Mobtown, especially for music fans, are the monthly Microshows. With careful curation, Mat and Emily select local Baltimore bands to perform intimate sets in the recording studio for a small group of spectators lucky enough to get a (free) ticket. A few of the bands that have played are Sun Club, Wing Dam, Goblin Mold, Lands and Peoples, Roomrunner, Big in Japan, and Celebration.
Over the years, Mobtown has worked with a number of well known acts, including Sun Club, Future Islands, Wing Dam, Lands and Peoples, Wye Oak, Roomrunner, Jukebox the Ghost, and The Dismemberment Plan.
Name: Mat Leffler-Schulman
Age: 37
Occupation: Producer, Mixing Engineer, Musician, Studio Owner
Baltimore Neighborhood: Tuscany-Canterbury
Obsessive Collections: Theremins, vocoders, Prince biographies, Music
Currently Listening to:
Sylvan Esso – s/t
Alice Coltrane – Journey In Satchidananda
Outer Spaces – Garbage Beach
John Zorn – Live in Sevilla
Smoke Bellow – Blooming Middling
Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe
Boogie Down Productions – By All Means Necessary
CAN – Ege Bamyasi
Otis Redding – Definitive Box Set
Currently Reading:
Girls to the Front by Sara Marcus
How Music Works by David Byrne
This Is Your Brain On Music by Daniel Levitin
The Mascott by by Mark Kurzem
Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks
Photo-Electricity by V. K. Zworykin
Coolest Place You’ve Ever Lived: Baltimore, Maryland
Hobbies: Cable management, egg creams, sandwich construction
Favorite Food to Eat at Home: Soup
Favorite Food to Eat Out: Korean
Beverage of Choice: Bourbon
Pets: Frankie, Female, Beagle mix (named after Frank Zappa)
Favorite Baltimore spot to see live music: Metro Gallery, The Windup Space, The Crown
Favorite Baltimore Musician: Ruby Fulton
Favorite Musician, Living or Dead: Brian Eno
Album that Sums Up the Current State of Your Life: Tortoise – Millions Living Will Never Die
Favorite Bad Habit: Cookies
Author Taylor DeBoer grew up in the Baltimore area and studied Writing and Sociology at Loyola University Maryland. He is a local writer, music lover, and edits a website that he co-founded, Manikmusic.net. Follow him on Twitter at TayDeBoer23.
Photo credit to Todd Henn
