Well, dear readers, it was so much fun to be back in the studio again, recording a solo album and actually producing a CD from scratch. It is my element and I just love everything about it, even having to keep everything on schedule. It’s especially fun when you like the singer as much as I like Brent Barrett (our third CD together), and you have a musical director as talented and collaborative as Chris Denny. I thrive on collaboration, and always appreciate like minds. It was doubly fun since it’s a Christmas CD, so the whole spirit of the thing is just smile inducing. I got up at around seven-fifteen and was doing the two-mile jog soon thereafter. I then shaved and showered and was on my way to the studio. I arrived at ten, discussed the setup of the room with my engineer John, and then set up my laptop, got my water, had some grapes, and got my space comfortable. Then our musicians arrived. It turns out I’d worked with our drummer before on the Grant Geissman CD, Out At The Movies. Our bass player was new to me, but a really nice guy and a terrific musician. Chris arrived and handed out the music and a little after eleven we began the session. Grant had a little problem, said problem being a dead battery and a very inefficient auto club person, so he was late by ninety minutes. Since the forces were small – piano, bass, drums, and guitar, we simply ran the song, gave notes, and then did a take. We got the first two songs in about forty-five minutes. I was, in fact, happy with both first takes, but Chris asked to do second takes of each and I said sure, but we all knew there was magic in the first takes and those are what we went with. He also remembered that I never ever proceed if I don’t think I have the track we need, so during the day I, of course, did ask for second and even third takes, if they were necessary. But with terrific musicians it all goes down pretty easily. When Grant got there for the third tune, he got right in the swing of things. We were never behind schedule, really, and the first half of the day went as smoothly as any session I’ve done.
We then broke for lunch and had Astroburger, which was, as always, yummilicious in the extreme. I had my beloved bacon cheeseburger and zucchini fries. It was a very pleasant break marred only by my having to make a very strong phone call regarding the long musical. There is a lot of unnecessary drama and I’m trying to have it end and to get people to see just how unnecessary it is. After that, we went back to work. Brent was, of course, doing scratch vocals all day, but some of them were quite good and we have parts of vocals that are terrific and usable. We got through the rest of the songs, and then Grant overdubbed on the two he was late for, and that was that. Then our cellist arrived, and we did her five songs – one of them took a little longer than it should, as elmore’s chart was quite complicated (but very good), but we got through it all fine. We wrapped the day around six-thirty, and I headed back to the home environment – thankfully there was no traffic whatsoever.
When I arrived home I had to answer a few e-mails and have a few telephonic calls. I’d decided not to go to the dress rehearsal of the opera (I think it’s The Elixer of Love, if that’s an opera) – I was just too tired and I would have had to really hurry to get there on time. So, I’ll see it during the run – a gal who works on the sets there is a pal of mine and she’ll arrange seats for us to see it for free. I started the last of the Nikkatsu noirs but I wasn’t really in the mood, and then I got it in my head to jog another mile, which I then did, and a brisk mile it was. I then had some almonds and dried cranberries, and just listened to music, did computer updates and the new iPhone update. And that was my day, and that was my night.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’ve got another long day ahead, and a very early start and I need my beauty sleep.
Today will be our second day of recording and being back in the saddle again. The day begins with some percussion overdubs (bells and excellent vibes, but no xylophone), which we can hopefully finish in an hour, and then our reed player arrives – we’re hoping to finish him in two hours, but he’s got eight tunes to play on, so it may go to three hours. Then we’ll have some lunch, and then it’s Brent’s final vocals for the rest of the day. I’m sure we’ll work until six or seven, depending on how he’s feeling.
Tomorrow, I’ll be up very early and picking up tapes for five potential new releases, then I have to do some banking, and then we’ll convene at the studio around noon and finish whatever vocals aren’t finished. We’ll probably work four or five hours and be done.
So, Saturday has now freed up, so I can get the Bank Shot CDs shipped out. Unfortunately, Cason is only available to help on Friday and Sunday, which doesn’t really do me any good, although I may decide to just wait until Sunday so he can help with the big packages and the postage stuff – Saturday I can probably address the packages myself. We shall see.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a recording session part two, I must eat something fun for lunch, and then I must come home and work on getting ready for our new release announcements – sending mp3s and the blurb to our designer, and maybe I’ll start addressing packages, too. Today’s topic of discussion: I’m sure we’ve discussed it before, but now that I have the opportunity to see operas for free, what was the first opera you ever saw, how old were you, did you like it, and what others have you subsequently seen? What are your favorites and least favorites? And if you had to choose one opera recording to have on a desert island, what would it be? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I get ready to be back in the saddle again, recording-wise.