Marlysse Simmons (Bio Ritmo) and I play our first show as a duo tonight at Escafe from 7-9pm. Piano and drums. The music is influenced by Brazilian jazz, funk, samba, and bolero. Originals & classic songs. More duo shows in Feburary. Check the schedule for more info.
Rhythm Mantis
Drums. Records. Writes.
“Bees” remix by Ti
Thierry Holweck of the French-American duo Panda Transport did a remix of the Frontier Diplomacy song “Bees.” Ross and I wrote “Bees” awhile ago and it was refreshing to hear it again with a new spin on the sonic environment of the tune. Listen here…
Reflections on Recording
It’s an odd time in recorded music with technology at its cleanest ever and mixing ideals set for flawless timing, tuning, and a bent towards all things bright and loud. I’m not convinced that these trends in sound fidelity are necessarily all that positive. Regardless, it seems a lot of studios on the lower end of the scale (like mine and most local studios in any given town) are caught in an odd place… they don’t really have the equipment needed to capture that slick sound so they can either try anyway (often falling very short) or try to honor some of the desirable aspects of that sound while also capitalizing on the limitations of a small studio to try to supercharge the process within those limitations. I think this decision applies as much to a singer/songwriter as it does to a free improv group.
For some artists there is deep value in returning to a cassette 4 track for a drum part, or recording an acoustic guitar in the woods, and then dropping that into the computer later in the process. It makes the process less formal, can reduce technology preoccupation, brings a little wilderness in. My goal in the recording studio is to widen the lens during the recording process, to try different things to keep it exciting and inspiring. I think this is really important in the context of the prevailing flawless norms of our ProTools age. Somehow it keeps recording a little more human, flaws & all.
News
I just finished mixing the Buzzard Hollow Boys CD that is now being mastered by Myles Boison out of Oakland, CA. Upcoming for the studio is to mix Frank Dubec’s next album as Vevlo Eel. And I am in the final stage of mastering an album Dana Radcliffe recorded here earlier this year.
Tree & Booms sifts through a backlog of recorded material. We are gathering things, fleshing out musical ideas, refining an approach at writing music that is novel for both of us.
Frontier Diplomacy continues to write. I hope to post some cassette recorded samples up here soon, as soon as I can drop them onto my computer.
Some new lesson & class information for the winter session. Check out here for the latest.
with T.A. at White Star Sound
Photo by J. Saine
My brother Ben revisited the Korg Stage Echo photo, as seen above. Looks like the tape delay sounds.
