CCJC Audio Podcast 00012, Season 1
Meet Jean-Baptiste Vogel -Audio Engineer
I asked my Cajun Chronicle Podcast team what can we learn from never giving up on your dreams? We thought that our fabulous Audio Engineer is the most unstoppable person we’ve ever encountered. Just what does it take to even be able to do his job? What has made him uniquely qualified to fill this vital role in our organization?
Jean-Baptiste "Calixte" Vogel a 24-year-old Audio Engineer, is among our youngest staff members. He has a certain blend of Caribbean island charm, technical prowess, and a penchant for pounding the pavement with his feet first. Hailing from the sun-kissed shores of Saint-Barthélemy, Calixte (his nick-name) he is a proud descendant of a DNA lineage that stretches back ten generations, intertwining Acadian, Carib, and Swiss heritages.
His ancestors, both free and enslaved, played a pivotal role in the island's shipbuilding and trading industries during the colonial era during the settlement of Louisiana. That combined heritage alone makes him a valuable team member here, as the interconnections in Louisiana among all the people and cultures run deep.
After a fortuitous arrival in New Orleans as a ship's crew member, he fell in love with New Orleans. A sailor’s life was not for him. Calixte's career took off when he was hired on as an audio helper with several small independent private project studios for concerts and events. He had found his passion and he was good at it!
There days, when he's not immersed in the world of sound engineering, you can often find him lacing up his running shoes and exploring the city's vibrant streets. His passion for running is only matched by his dedication to his craft.
From the hallowed halls of the House of Blues to the historic stages of the Saenger Theatre and Civic Theatre, Calixte has left his mark on the audio engineering road for countless performances across Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.
When he's not wrangling soundboards at Cajun Chronicles Podcast Corporation or chasing personal records, Calixte enjoys spending quality time with his loving husband, Etienne Gaudet, and their mischievous Boston Terrier, Caliban.
Calixte's Street-Smart Audio Adventures
When Calixte and the Cajun Chronicles Podcast team hit the streets, it's a whirlwind of technical wizardry and good old-fashioned Cajun charm. Here's a humorous glimpse into his on-the-street duties:
🎤 Microphone Maestro: Calixte's a master of mic placement, ensuring that every word is captured with crystal-clear clarity. He's been known to contort himself into impossible positions to get the perfect angle, all while muttering about "gain staging" and "polar patterns."
🎤 Noise Ninja: Armed with a keen ear and a portable sound booth (aka a blanket fort), Calixte can silence even the rowdiest city street. He's a wizard at finding quiet corners and taming unruly background noise.
🎤 Tech Troubleshooter: From tangled cables to temperamental batteries, Calixte is the go-to guy for any technical hiccup. He can fix anything with a screwdriver, a prayer, and a lot of Cajun ingenuity.
🎤 The Human Soundboard: He's always there to bounce ideas off of, offer a listening ear, and provide sound advice (pun intended). Whether it's a brainstorming session or a late-night recording, Calixte is the steady hand guiding the wavelength ships.
Each time you hear a captivating story from Cajun Chronicles Podcast hosts in the coming months, remember the unsung hero behind the scenes. Calixte, the audio wizard who turns chaos into sonic magic. He will be telling you some uplifting stories about problem solving life skills, and using sound to share your truths.
♥️ Passions: 5k marathons; collecting antique fishing globes; playing his saxophone; DJing mixing music with street performing; meditation; and amateur comedian competitions
♥️ Favorite Things: Any dish with mango in it; Ti' Punch ( simple yet elegant cocktail made with rhum agricole, lime, and cane sugar syrup); and Dark & Stormy cocktails (made with dark rum and ginger beer).
Remember: Every voice has a story and a history, every person has a journey worth exploring!
This tale is inspired by real New Orleans history, but some details have been spiced up for a good story. While we've respected the truth, a bit of creative license was used. Please note that all characters may be based on real people, but their identities in some cases have been Avatar masked for privacy.
A Word of Wisdom:
As you read, remember history and real life is a complex mix of joy, sorrow, triumph, and tragedy. While we've added a bit of fiction, the core message remains: the human spirit's power to endure, adapt, and overcome.
© Jerilee Wei 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Share this post