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August 11, 2014:

TAKING THE BULL BY THE HORNS

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I am happy to say that today we finished the final fixes in the mixes of And the World Goes Round, and save for any last minute finessing, we are finally, at long last, done with this album.  I have never in twenty-three years of doing this had an album take so long to finish.  But in the end, all that matters is the final product and I am very pleased now with the way this sounds – the band has been fixed and sounds grand, and you can’t have better singers.  So, by tomorrow the fixed tracks will be up on Dropbox with the others and then I will invite the New York folks to that folder and they can hear and make whatever comments they wish to, at which point I will decide which, if any, I care to address.  Then it will go off to mastering.

Yesterday, I got about nine and a half hours of blessed sleep and then relaxed until it was time for me to go and finesse the fixes into the mixes, which only took about forty minutes.  I then came back to the San Fernando Valley and went for some lunch.  I had my beloved chicken salad sandwich and some onion rings.  I came home, answered a bunch of e-mails, had some telephonic calls, and then sat on my couch like so much fish.

I tried to watch a couple of documentaries on filmmaking and filmmakers, but boy were they bad.  I watched about twenty minutes of one and about an hour of another, but in the end I had little patience or concentration so I started watching a documentary about digital filmmaking that was so grammar schoolish that I had to shut it off instantly.

So, I then took the bull by the horns (no mean feat) and buckled down Winsocki and wrote an entire set of liner notes for And the World Goes Round, and did the credits and the track titles and who sings what.  So, now our designer can get the packaging done so that we’re all ready to go when I approve the master.  I’m sure we’ll send the packaging to New York, too, just so they can see it and give any comments they wish to.  That took most of the evening and then I was through.

Before I continue, I thought I’d share this astonishing video with you.  It’s a musical dance number called Popularity, choreographed by Joe Layton for the musical George M.  It was built specifically as a showcase for my pal Gene Castle, who, as I’ve said on many occasions here at haineshisway.com, gave one of the most electrifying dance performances I’ve ever seen.  Here it’s recreated by the American Dance Machine and while the lead dancer (Wayne Cilento) is very good, he’s not Gene and it’s a real shame they didn’t get Gene to do it.  But in a world where today’s choreographer’s have no clew how to build a number or tell a story or make something exciting – it’s all acrobatics and sound and fury signifying nothing – watching this number is a vivid reminder of what great staging is all about – the steps, the stage pictures, the energy – just amazing.  And what’s also very obvious is that dance arrangers of today know nothing of that art – just listen to this fantastic dance arrangement.  And then tell me the last time you saw a number as exciting as this in a Broadway show.

Wasn’t that great?  I’m actually obsessed with it and watch it over and over again.  I tried to do the first step and almost gave myself a hernia.  Oh, well.

Tomorrow, I have some errands and whatnot to do, I have some eating to do, hopefully I’ll pick up some packages, I have some bills to pay, some banking to do, a bit of writing, and then I’ll relax.

The rest of the week is filled every day with meetings and meals and I have a couple of shows to see, too.  We have to prep our new Kritzerland release, and I have to finish getting everyone their songs – still have to choose two but am closer and am still awaiting word from a potential guest star.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do errands and whatnot, eat, hopefully pick up packages, write, jog and relax.  Today’s topic of discussion: What are the most exciting dance numbers you’ve ever seen and if they’re on You Tube, provide the links.  Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall continue to take the bull by the horns (no mean feat).

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