Howdy Folks,
It’s been a busy time of late. Currently consolidating the material for Louisa Wise’s album. There’s been over 30 tracks recorded and the selection process of what to concentrate on and develop further to production, has been a classic case of spoilt for choice. Fairly exciting to be putting out an album of all new Wise material.
After a lengthy and now quite evidently worthwhile period of pre-production, Kate and Ruth’s album has kicked off with a great day of Kate laying down guitar parts. This album is going to be an exciting project for a number of reasons - great material, the very apparent drive to get back into music together for them both, and the fact that for me they’re both just great company!
There’s been a lot of work done individually by all three of us with the constant reminder to stay in close communication about ideas - necessary because we’re all busy and living quite a distance from each other. To get together and all be on the same page, watching the sections get assembled together, is really gratifying and immensely satisfying. Can’t wait to get more down!
The third project that has undergone a flurry of activity is Michael Kennedy’s album. Kate has now finished the guitar parts that will anchor the album which means it’s ready for the next stage. I also spent a day in the studio with Carl Panuzzo working on lead vocals for three of the songs which have turned out really well. This project is unique for any number of reasons but it has really struck me that having finished the guitar parts and Carl’s vocal, it will now be sent out across the ether and literally the globe to have the other parts added. I have some flavours of strings to add, and will maybe get some dbl bass recorded before it all comes back, but essentially I am going to be waiting with bated breath to hear how the rest of the “band” interprets my notes for each track. The next time I will work on it, I will be listening to a wonderful band, with vocals from three more great singers. It feels like we’ve completed the bottom line of the jigsaw and the next time we see it there will be the entire remaining sections, readymade and awaiting assembly. That’s quite special.
Shane Howard said to me that he was finding it hard to enter the songs in preparation because the further in he got the more of a sense of loss he felt. I had a chat with Carl about this as well during our vocal recordings, that to fully understand and deliver the songs we almost have to enter the headspace of Michael. That’s quite a privilege really. Daunting, but a privilege to be working from within the world view of a really special person.