I’ve already written about “Turtles are home” in my last post, but, I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. It features my first cello I’ve recorded. I had a woman I met at the local music store play the part first.
We had a “who’s on first” conversation about the key and clef that cellos play in. (“C” and “Bass,” we figured out.) She did fine, but, I was looking for a little something more, something undefinable. After listening to the parts during mixing, I thought I should try again. Mike Bush, my engineer, said to call a friend of his. I did. He came over and had the third and fifth fret of the cello marked with masking tape. Quizzically, I had him play the parts (he’s really a violinist, who doesn’t read music). He sounded better, but, I wasn’t psyched about the track.
Now, I have a pal who’s in the excellent Nashville Symphony. He gave me the number of a guy (we’ve been through this before, right?). This cellist and I had an email conversation about what I would pay him, which, if you are in a symphony, you should be able to knock the part out in about ten minutes. We quibbled back and forth, then, I thought i’d try to find another person to record. I finally got off my stubborn mule and decided I would “pay” the man “what he was asking,” and I’m glad I did. He played magnificently (and it only took him ten minutes.)!
We’re also working on a cartoon video for “Turtles are home” with artist, Velicia.
Another song was an idea given to me by a friend in Rochester. She’s an art teacher and she told me I should write about a “platypus”. Her reasons why became most of the lyrics to the song. That one was easy to write, when I had a head start!
We’re also re-doing a reggae version of “Happy to be home,” a song from the “boomerang orangutan “ CD. My brother Michael wrote this one with me, and I asked him if he liked the swing version or the reggae version. The swing version was how he imagined the song, so that’s what we used on the last cd. But, now’s my chance to put out the reggae “remix”.
“It’s a Beautiful day” got its origin on vacation. My nephew is a computer whiz, and spends a lot of time on his laptop. I would encourage him to come outside and enjoy the nice weather (I think he has a “screen” tan). After saying “it’s a beautiful day” to him ad nauseam, it became a song. Which repeats the title ad nauseam! Catchy! I got my friend Scott Mayo (Name dropper alert:from E, W&F, Anita Baker and Rickie Lee Jones tours) to play some saxophone on it. Awesome.
I also have the craziest song I’ve ever written on this cd and considering the crazy songs I’ve already written, that’s saying something). I was driving to work one day and this phrase just popped out. I texted it to my gal and my guitarist. He wrote back and said “What is that?” and Denice wrote back and said…and, just as she was writing I was thinking the same thing… “it sounds like the noise your stomach makes.” Boom. Synchronicity! I texted my guitarist and said, “It’s a new tune!”
I recorded Tony V. on tons of cool percussion, Dave Frances plays an amazing acoustic bass track, Alan jams on a funky one note wah-wah guitar part, and Francie came in to sing. There’s a chant featuring Charlie and Johnny, two pals from the band “Secret Weapon.” “Tummies” is a cornucopia of silly sounds!
We’ve already shot a video for my New Orleans style song called “It’s ok.” So, that should be done in time for my release date, whenever that is. 🙂 Mike Bush and I were mixing “It’s ok,” and he says: “The tuba sounds good.” I told him my regular tuba guy couldn’t record because he was too busy. I had gotten the number of another tubist from a local band to play the song (and appear in the video). I said, excitedly, “I have two tuba players in my cell phone!”
Wealth is not always measured by money. 🙂