Monthly Archives: August 2011

Drum Recording Sesssion for The Jody Grind

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Dave Andrew

Just got an email from Neil Conti saying the drum tracks are ready!! They were recorded at his Minimoon Studio in France using a Gretsch kit and I cant wait. Neil has an incredible groove and is also one of the top sessionists in the UK playing for the likes of David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Deep Forest, Thomas Dolby Annie Lennox to name a few. Will download them and pull them into the logic session and let you know the outcome!

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Why Ellington’s Mood Indigo

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Dave Andrew

Duke Ellington was prolific. With over a thousand compositions under his belt you would think picking a song to cover would be problematic. For me there were always four that stood out, In a Sentimental Mood, Solitude, Mood Indigo and the lesser known Reflections in D. All to me point to an introverted, intelligent and devastatingly emotional being, able to articulate all through euphonics. Its a double edged sword.

You ain’t been blue,
no, no, no
You ain’t been blue
Till you’ve had that mood indigo

For what I had in mind, those lyrics picked the song for me. Along with the hauntingly beautiful horn arrangement, the words dictated the tempo and the title the colour.

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The 9 to 5 Grind

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Dave Andrew

One of my favorite albums of all time has to be Horace Silver’s “Blowing the Blues Away“. Its the first album I heard of his and the sensation of listening to it then and now hasn’t dulled. He managed to incorporate all elements of jazz without loosing that toe tapping, hip twisting essence. As someone said, Horace was funky before the word was.

Although not on the album mentioned, The Jody Grind was one of his songs that I could tackle with the arrangement I had in mind. Being the first song, I wanted to use early elements like drums, trumpet and dance and in this case tap. I also wanted to incorporate some electronica and therefore looked at the theremin for inspiration being one of the earliest electronic musical instruments.

The first step is to get “The funky Drummer from Hell”, Neil Conti to lay down the rhythm. I should have the tracks back within the week. Cant wait!!

P.S Lenin was so impressed by the theremin that he started taking lessons on it and then commissioned Leon to build 600 more after which he sent him on a world tour to promote it.  The Moog and all other synthesizers were to follow in its footsteps.

Here is Leon Theremin demonstrating his invention in 1927

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An Introduction to RE:COVERED

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Dave Andrew

Its been nearly two years since I have stated this album and I have now get to the point where I can see the light, although still a spec. Never too late I  have decided to star a blog to document the process  if nothing else as a reminder to why I shouldn’t do another one or perhaps why I should.

So what you have here is a ramble between past and present, thoughts on music, influences,  rants  and the highs and lows of producing an album and an introduction to the great people on it.

Here we go………..

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