Keys all day today at Orbit. It's been really interesting to watch Danny, our piano player, record his parts to these songs. He's an incredibly accomplished pianist. He a piano instructor, well versed in theory, classical and jazz music. He can play stuff that will blow your friggin mind.....but the truth is this music doesn't need that. It needs support, textures, and hooks. All pretty JV kinda stuff for a pianist like Danny. But Danny is a man of humbleness and is more interested in playing what's right for the song, not showcasing his chops. I feel very blessed that he wants to play on this album. He and his wife were close to Zandy, and I think it's a nice thing for him to be able to honor Zandys life through this album.
Guitars/Vocals
Joe Reineke, the dude producing our album, insists that Howie, my 110 lb. black lab(isn) dog, be present at all of our recording sessions. It was quite a relief that Howie and Joe connected because now I don't have to find someone to watch him every time I go spend the day in the studio. But Howie also has become an integral part of the process, whether he knows it or not.
Weekend 2
Drum tracks complete, which is a relief cause now the whole band doesn't have show up at the studio. Dave cleaned up two more songs and then we approached a song where the beat has just never quite been right. We landed on an idea that the drums should have an almost techno feel so Joe did his pro tools thing and began sampling drum sounds and then creating the beat in the box. It wasn't quite right either. We went full circle on this thing, plodding through at least 6 different patterns that Dave meticulously crafted. We ended up landing back where we started. Oh well, guess sometimes you have to explore all your options to figure out whats right. Dave Campbell is a workhorse drummer, a true pro. If anyone needs a session drummer he's your guy, look him up.
So gone
Sitting in the control room listening to Shaun track bass lines as I write this. I think most the time when I play these songs I'm so focused on not screwing up my parts that I rarely think about what these songs are really about. She is just SO gone. It's absolutely draining just listening to these songs, sitting back and thinking about the different pieces of our life together that inspired all this different music, good and bad. Life is frail and important. Hug someone you love.
One weekend down
we finally started our first weekend of recording drum tracks for our new album at Orbit Audio, "A Single Frame Passing Through the Light". After weeks of pre-production practice, we did two 10hr days. Oh my.....by the end we were wiped. Of course all these songs take an emotional toll on me as well, since all are songs for my wife. Hoping this album is part of the healing process, but who knows. I'm just glad I'm doing it. Honoring her life is the most important thing to me. This is the best way I know how. We have 6 more days of studio tracking in April. Then we will have to take stock of where we are at, and proceed. Look for the CD release show in July! Jason