Project Overview
I had such great reaction to the live recordings we did a year or so ago when we laid down What Veronica Wants, Suppose and You Could Be the Change in Me. For those who weren't involved that go round, here's a quick montage of what we did.
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So, I want to do it again, this time with 6 songs instead of 3. Basically, the same way - live performance audio/video. The MP3's, chord charts and notes are below. We'll show up, run it a couple of times to get things worked out - intro, endings, transitions, etc., and then perform it live and capture on audio and video.
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NOTE: I have not worked out all the Backing Vocal parts so I will update the chord charts with the parts.
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Here’s the backstory on why I want to do this.
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I've recorded and released 2 albums which have received good industry press reviews and some minimal international airplay and following. However, I am not pleased with how either of these albums came out. It was my fault for not taking more control and doing these the right way. The first album, Last Call at the Tiki Bar, recorded in 2009, was done at Pinetrax studio in Holyoke. Instead of assembling a band, I allowed the recording engineer (guitar player), to program the drums and horn parts, and add some guitar. He basically played the horn lines through guitar midi and it all just sounds fake and unrealistic. The second album, Frank Jurgens, was recorded in 2022 by me in my home studio - again using programmed drums (no horns).
I now want to redo some of the best songs from those albums, along with a new song. And I'm really excited to see how these come out with this band. I think it will be kick-ass!!
I am NOT married to any of the arrangements or production from these older versions so please don't feel like you have to copy anything. With your help and talent, I know these will come out so much better.
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We will also have a studio audience this time to provide some additional energy. I believe the room can accomodate about 20-25 people so please feel free to invite people to join us. It will be a cool experience. I'll be keeping track of who's coming, so let me know.
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Logistics:
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Location: The Recording Den 127 Amity Rd, Bethany, CT 06524 203 253 6242
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Principals: Travis and Lois Branch - owners, Mike Sorrentino - recording engineer, Shay Green - videographer
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We did 3 songs in a day last time. I'm thinking it will take us 2 days to do these 6. This schedule is flexible, but tentatively I am thinking we would break up the days as follow. More to come when the time gets closer, but I suspect like last time, we'll start about 9-ish and go till mid/late afternoon.
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Monday, 8/26
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I Aint Proud About it Baby
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Emily
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This Bottle of Wine
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Tuesday, 8/27
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Who's That Lady With the Long Blonde Curly Hair
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I Just Want to Dance with You
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Last Call at the Tiki Bar
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Band
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Scott Persson - drums (all)
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Lalit Loomba - bass (except Who's That Lady With the Long Blonde Curly Hair)
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Bill Holloman - horns (all)
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Dave Raposo - tuba (Who's That Lady With the Long Blonde Curly Hair)
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Eddie DeRocher (tentative) - guitar and backing vocals (I Ain't Proud About It, Baby, Emily, This Bottle of WIne, Last Call at the Tiki Bar)
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Lois Branch - backing vocals (I Ain't Proud About It, Baby, Emily, This Bottle of WIne, Last Call at the Tiki Bar)
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Nancy Leduc - backing vocals (I Ain't Proud About It, Baby, Emily, This Bottle of WIne, Last Call at the Tiki Bar)
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My contact info:
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(860) 235-6721
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Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
I Ain't Proud About It, Baby
​​The album version gives you a sense of where I'm hearing the horns, but I never liked any of these horn lines.
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Bill - I never liked any part of the horn lines in this song so feel free to do your thing. I included a second version with the horns removed so you can figure out your licks without the existing horns.
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NOTE: at the end of the Bridge (the bridge appears 2 times), there is a little piano lick. Everybody should be out during that
Lalit - this song is a boogie-woogie piano style with a walking bass line. When I perform this solo, obvioiusly I play the walking bass line throughout. For our recording, I intend to open the song with the bass line for the first 4 measures (before everyone comes in), then back off and let you play it. Same for the ending. It closes out with just piano walking the bass line. I'll handle that. And, I'll stay out of your way the remainder of the song.
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Update 081224:
Ignore the comments grayed out above.
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Two small changes:
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1) Opening of song - instead of just a piano walking bass line to open the song (like in the album version), I would like to start it big. We'll kick it off with drums, bass and piano. Then the screaming sax and guitar come in on measure 5 (the 4 chord).
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Lalit - for that opening first 4 bars (the 1 chord), I will play the walking bass line on piano, then will back off the left hand and let you take over the bass line for the rest of the song.
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2) At the end of the bridge, there is a silly piano lick in the album version - never liked it. It is a 4 bar phrase on D. For this recordng, I'd like to try Scott playing a fill for the 4 bars. And in the first 2 bars, I'll begin playing some riff. Then Bill will jump in on bars 3 and 4. And everyone (including bass and guitar) will hit the downbeat together on beat 1 of the coming Verse.
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If you want a demo of what I'm thinking, let me know. I think it's pretty straightforward.
Notes:
Audio:
Chord Chart:
Backing Vocals:
Who's That Lady with the Long, Blonde Curly Hair
The album version is a perfect example of the badly programmed horns. I had wanted a tuba playing the bass line and a dixieland-band style solo section. What you hear is what was developed and programmed by the guitar player - clearly not the way a real horn section would do it. I am NOT married to these horn parts at all.
The demo version is how I play it solo today. I included this so you can hear it without horns and develop your own licks.
Dave - I included a tuba bass line just as an example. I'm not a tuba player so you play what you think works best.
Bill - I'm hearing your muted trumpet in this song, but I'll leave it to you.
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Lalit - Dave will be playing a tuba bass line so you'll be sitting out this one.
Notes:
Audio:
Chord Chart:
Last Call at the Tiki Bar
The album version is in C. When I play/sing it today, I drop it down a half step to B. I MAY ask that we do this down a full step - Bb. I will let you know. Please let me know if that will be a problem
Notes:
Audio:
Chord Chart:
Backing Vocals:
Emily
The album version was my lame attempt to capture what was in my head, e.g., street corner harmonies, etc. I'd like to recreate something similar to this.
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The demo version is how I play it today solo (obviously without backing vocals). NOTE: I do not play the 2nd verse so it flows from Verse1/Chorus 1 directly to the Bridge. We'll be playing it like this and adding sax and backing vocals.
Notes:
Audio:
Chord Chart:
Backing Vocals:
This Bottle of Wine
We'll do this similar to the album version with one exception. There is a final pass through the Chorus (at 3:30) where the backing vocals echo the lead. We'll be removing that section and just ending the song prior to that.
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Update 081224:
Ignore the comment grayed out above. It references the song closing out with two passes through the chorus and says we are eliminating the last chorus. I am changing it to eliminate the next-to-last chorus which begins at 3:07 and doing just the final chorus at 3:30. The only difference is the backing vocals, so no no changes to what you are playing with one small exception. Scott - I'd like a break just before starting that last chorus to seperate it out a bit.
Notes:
Audio:
Chord Chart:
Backing Vocals:
I Just Want to Dance With You
This is a new song. I am still making tweaks, trying to get it where I want it. And so I'm still working through how to play it, sing it, etc. This demo will give you a sense of where it stands today. I'll update the demo if anything changes substantially.
Scott - I don't like the drum part I have in this demo at all. What I am looking for is a feel similar to "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton - a 6/8 song with a heavy snare on the 4 beat and some slow, dynamic fills.
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Update 081224:
I changed up how this song ends. The previous demo had the chorus being repeated twice, then a Bill sax solo at the end based on the chords of the verse. That didn't make sense to solo out on the verse. It should be based on the chorus.
So, I am removing that 2nd chorus and beginning the solo there. The solo chords will be based on the Chorus, but just the first half of the chorus where the song title is repeated. We'll vamp on that through to the end. I updated the chord chart and re-did the demo with the new ending.
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Scott - I did this demo without the drums because I never liked what I had. Hope that gives you a better feel for the groove - kind of a "Tennessee Whiskey" feel.
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Bill - I don't have a strong feel for how the sax fits in this song, I just know I want it. Ha! Obviously, the solo section and the vamp/solo at the end. I also think you can play throughout much of the song, just respecting the dynamics of the section. I'll leave it up to you and I completely trust you to add what you feel works.
Notes:
Audio:
Chord Chart: