"Levon," the mixing Kitty
I just got back from mixing In LA with Bob Clearmountain. A little bittersweet as I do love the process so much, I always feel a little bereft when I complete something. We are mastering on June 12. And then... I'm thinking PLEDGERS will get their advance download shortly after THAT. Now if that isn't a reason to pledge, I don't know what is!!! CDs will take longer for art, manufacturing, mailing. Either way, Pledging gets you music the soonest!
"Charlie," Bob's Grammy-in-law's dog
I was reminded, making today's video, that my Mom wrote a poem called "Words About Writing" - not sure when, but it's one of my faves. In the poem she is telling a younger writer that a poem is like a wild animal. You must coax it, leave crumbs but stay away. Wait. Listen. And "Start Again more than you ever dreamed you could."
Well, I stole that line for the new song called "Scars" that's playing behind the video. I know she'd be thrilled. In fact there are two songs in the play and on the record that I consider collaborations with Mom. I am hoping she is still listening somewhere.
There are still tickets left for the Connecticut debut of "4 Noses." I hear the Yankee Peddler Hotel across the street from the theatre is haunted and will give you a good rate if you mention my show...Just sayin'.... ROAD TRIP!
More very soon.
JB
It's like coming home.
Bob Clearmountain and I first worked together on 10 cent Wings. Since then, his way of hearing, and laying out the sonic landscape has always been my dream choice. I can bring him the most complicated or simple track and he will magically know what matters most, where everything should go in the perspective, and he'll make my voice the center of that universe. He's equally genius at rocking and at quirky waltzy loping.
Yesterday we started mixing. Joy. The world is right. I'm home.
Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago was a revelation. They are an unparalleled team of creative, brilliant thinkers, actors, writers. They've been so lovely and open to my little show, and embracing the possibilities that collaboration might bring to us all.
Thank you Scott Silberstein and Andy White!!!!
If you are in Chicago, you MUST go see "Still Alice" while you can. It's an adaptation from the book of the same name. It is riveting, beautifully written and acted, and rings true on every devastating level. Go SEE it!
My pal and beautiful singer Ingrid snapped this right before the workshop. We're convinced Mom was giving us the OK.
Back in New York!! We did a last minute living room show... Ben Butler, my incredible guitar player shattered his shoulder late last week, and so we needed to get up to speed with a new team. Sean Driscoll stepped in along with Marika Hughes on cello. We rocked a rehearsal/reading right here.
And we invited a few peeps over to get things rolling for our reading in Philly on Wednesday.
The living room cleans up ok! The band did awesome. Philly here we come.
p.s.
Tickets selling briskly for the Warner Theatre debut in June!! People are coming from all OVER the place. This is very exciting!
My Mother Has 4 Noses TICKETS!
cheers!!
jb
There was a gorgeous feature on my pal and beautiful singer Ingrid Graudins in the North Shore Magazine (Chicago) recently... just wanted to give her a shout out. (page 24!)
https://issuu.com/jwcmedia/docs/tnsw28
You may remember Ingrid from our records and tours together. She is the sublime and tender harmony on Plumb and ten cent wings, and Live. You can hear her on "Paris" supporting those wrenching choruses, and on "Landmine" jamming over and over again on the big outro. (We must have overdubbed at least twenty tracks of ourselves HEY YEAH-ing in the living room when we recorded that one!!)
When we sang "In the Gloaming" together - chills. The version of it on the Live record was recorded at the Park West in Chicago. I think Ingrid's mom Ruta was in the audience. She had told Ingrid to "take off their socks." She did!!
She would watch me like a hawk when we were first learning something. She'd cop the way I sang my words so that our syllables would match, our diction... but her pitch and timbre were the thing that just slayed me. She has this heartbreak purity in her tone. When she sings it just pulls you right in to layers and layers of experience. And then when her voice wraps around yours in harmony? It's a perfect blend.
Cheers Ingrid Graudins! And congratulations on your success at the SPACE!!!!
jb
