On Monday July 14, we finished mixing the recording and finally decided on six tracks that we will use for the final release of the record.  The session was great and Elm Street is definitely set up as a place to hang and relax while mixing. When we revisited the tracks, we were discovered that we got a excellent capture on all the instruments up front and really didn’t have to do too much in the mix and finished it in one day. The room we recorded in had a great natural reverb to it and so the recording has a nice presence and genuinely clear sound.  Overall we are very pleased with the recording and look forward to a fall release.

Last night we finished up the second day of recording in Holland. The first tune we put in the can was a gorgeous jazz waltz written by Lee called “Blue Tuna Boulevard,” which was reminiscent of the Bill Evans trio recordings of the 1960’s tastefully mixed some of some Frisellesque styles and phrasing. The first of the other two tunes was a street beat/funk version of the Charlie Parker classic “Scrapple from the Apple,” and the second, an arrangement of Wayne Shorter’s ”Footprints” with a double-time feel reminiscent of the Scofield Uberjam Band recordings.

We’ve been delighted to be working with engineer, sound guru, and owner of Elm Street Recording in Lansing Michigan, Ryan Wert. Ryan, Lee, and I went to College together and it has been great to catch up and continue working on such a highly professional level. No matter what curve ball we throw at him, he has already taken care of it!

The project has been a great experience for everyone involved and we look forward to mixing it down on Monday July for a hopeful fall release.

As many of you know I am currently up north on vacation and recording with Holland Michigan based Guitarist Lee Heerspink over the next couple weeks for a record release later in the year. So far we’ve finished recording about half of the record and we’re quite please with the outcome. At this point the record seems to be seems to be unfolding into a groove oriented record with a whole lot of back-beat.

Yesterday we were able to put 5 tunes in the can Giving us a lot of freedom over the next week. First we recorded “Softly as a Morning Sunrise,” only the melody has been tweaked and superimposed over the changes from Wayne Shorter’s “Black Nile,” giving it it’s own fresh flavor. The second chart was an original composition of mine entitled, “Ray’s Blues,” dedicated to the late, way beyond great Ray Brown that features West Michigan’s own Charlie Hoates on Bass. The third is a simple rhythm changes calypso, fusing motives from “Oleo,” and “Cottontail,” to cleverly disorient the average jazz aficionado (something I think most of us have considered doing at one point or another). We also recorded an interesting version of my arrangement of the Herbie Hancock 80’s hit “Rockit,” that will also by appearing on my upcoming quintet record to be released in early 2009. The last tune is an original of Lee’s dedicated to a mutual friend John Rodriguez, which I am personally hoping will end up being the title track for the record entitled, “Pull Your Stinky Face.” This track consists of groove meats, Americana, meets just plain nasty!

More to come soon!