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I’m getting closer to re-tracking the vocals, which should be done before/during March09. This new web page thevecctones.com/music enables visitors to listen to the tunes uninterrupted while checking out the blog and clicking on links and things. Simple enough concept, yet trickier than you think to acheive, without using a detachable pop-up player.
I studied drums w/ Steve McCraven when I was at UMASS Amherst years ago. Check this interview out with him and Chuck D. Also check this clip out… that’s him back there playing for Archie Shepp’s band. I was fortunate enough to have Archie Shepp sing the blues on a couple songs one night at a gig at the Fire & Water in North Hampton with a jazz quintet I was in back in the day lead by John Piazza. It was fun being able to hang out with Steve, Archie and Tom McClung before they all moved out to Paris. Also, If it weren’t for Yusef Lateef, a lot of great players may not have migrated to the Amherst area to begin with. Not to mention that I learned more watching Max Roach play my drumkit right in front of me, than years of listening to the greats play on tapes/cd’s (yeah I used to have [still have] lots of jazz cassette tapes)
When I arrived at UMASS as a Sophomore, all the older, more experienced Graduate Jazz Students took me under their wing. I wasn’t that great of a player though. I was humbled and honored to be jamming and gigging with all of them. Mark Saltman and Will Knowles are doing well with their project in DC. Herman Hampton went on to be a Professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston MA. He was also in Piazza’s group back in the day. Mark Weissman and I were good friends and used to jam together all the time… “Mark is currently a member of the prestigious United States Air Force Band of Liberty where he tours and performs throughout New England. In addition, Mark is a highly respected freelance musician who also performs frequently around Worcester and Boston.” Steve Page was my roomate, we were good friends and used to jam/gig all the time. Chuck Langford, also a good friend, gave me plenty of opportunites to play. George Langford (no relation to Chuck) and I also used to jam all the time.
Within the Amherst – North Hampton area I was getting all the freelance work because I knew how to lay back and swing and make the other players look and sound good. The reason they took to me was because I just wanted to make the band sound good, I wasn’t trying to showboat or be a rock-star. I just wanted to learn and play to the best of my ability. In fact I think I was somewhat timid yet comfortable with it all. Most of all my earlier years was playing with some of the best players my age and I always found myself collaborating with the more experienced older players. I always want to maintain the attitude of being a student of the music, it keeps my mind open and helps facilitate further development.
I’ve been taking a break from finishing up the tunes these past several days, but have been diligently at work tweaking the website and blog. I did re-arrange the song order and will be re-tracking the vocals in the near future.
ok so I just tweaked the crap out of these new mixes & I also re-arranged the order of the tunes. no guaranty they’ll be the final mixes but I’m on the right track anyways (pun intended).
happy new year! this month I will be resingin the tunes and working on the overall mix/eq and mastering the final thing.
ok, i resang all the vocals today, they may not be the final takes but i think they flow better and sit better in the mix, energy wise. i also tweaked the overall mix and eq a little so that it’s a bit more natural, i think anyways.
at the very least, this helps me realize what day it is and where we are in the month
i’m starting to feel better so i may get to retrack some vocals before years end…that would be nice, i can’t wait to get to work on the new tunes!!
