I’ve just settled back into fatherhood, Columbus, and gigging after two amazing weeks spent making a great recording that truly represents my work at its best. It was amazing to hear my songs come to life with all the folks who were involved in the process. I’ll tell the stories of how each person contributed, but first, allow me to tell you about my own experience from my point of view…
Making a record can be frightening, not the spooky kind, but the real life – what if more than 3 years of hard work turns into a complete failure? – type of frightening. After all, this is what I’ll be using as the cornerstone of my performances for the next couple of years. I will carry this as a torch that will light the working path ahead, so it had better be my best. The pressure that comes along with all the moving parts, the scheduling, the big huge chunk of change, the travel, etc., can be overwhelming. I have spent thousands of hours thinking, writing, editing, singing songs this way and that, and imagining all the while what I wanted the finished collection of songs to be in the end. The melodies, rhythms, phrasings, ideas, language, message, and delivery have been worked on over and over again. I love doing this. This is my gift, this is my mission, to make beautiful music with meaning that others can relate to and derive lasting joy from. The support I have received and continue to receive from all of you is incredible. Now, let me reflect back on each person who was involved in the actual making of my new record, so that you may have a window into the workings of this labor of love.
Brad Jones – collaborative producer, co-arranger, engineer, bassist on several tracks, rhythm soundscaper, album co-developer, expert spirit apprehender. He’s a greedy for the good stuff, easy to work with if you’re willing to work, kind-hearted man.
Brad and I began discussing this project in early February 2013. It took many emails and a face-to-face meeting to convince Brad to make the record. Brad wanted to make sure I was willing to open myself up to new ways of working. He wanted to see if I was up to the task of making my songs better and more fully expressed by putting into practice his suggestions on the material. These things happened in due time, and, giving me great joy, Brad agreed in late March to make the record starting in June. If you were to present to me the opportunity to work with any producer I know of, I would pick him, no joke.
Together, we began laying down the framework for the actual record on June 21, the first day of summer, 2013.For two days we dug into each song, making a plan for how we would establish the bones and skin of them.For several of the songs, Brad laid down what I call ghost rhythm tracks or soundscapes as I mentioned earlier, in order to indicate to the drummers the types of rhythms we were looking for, and to establish an exact map for me to lay down my piano and voice with.The rest of the songs that were freer rhythmically would be tracked live with the band. Even some of the ones that were mapped out over a metronome would end up being recorded live with piano, vocals, bass, and drums while playing along with the soundscapes. There are some parts of the record where the ghost track/rhythmic soundscape is incorporated into the final cut. The two days spent working through this process were essential to getting great takes of the trio and my vocal, that we then would dress with background vocals, horns, strings, other keyboard sounds, and electric guitar.
After a one day break, we began live tracking of piano, bass, and drums, on June 24. Over the next three days, we would track the trio and vocals on all 11 songs.It was uncanny how adept Brad was at facilitating this process by communicating with the musicians and myself.He captured all the right takes in those three days.It was my great pleasure to sit at the piano and play and sing my songs and hear everything coming to life in my headphones. Drummer Jon Radford played on 4 songs on the first day of tracking, and drummer Steve Ebe played on 7 songs on day two and three. Bassist Roger Hines traveled down to track bass on five songs, and bassist Matt Paetsch was able to travel from Columbus as well to play on two tracks.
At this point, I knew I was doing my very best that I could in those moments. The foundations had been laid, the stage had been set, the lines had been drawn and over the next week I would get to hear and see the songs fulfilled with the talents and expertise of all the fine musicians who would be coming in to dress up the characters, lay their brushes of colors on the canvas, and personify the unspeakable.
We were starting a little later the next day, so I drove up and visited the monks of Gethsemani and some friends in Bardstown, KY for the night.
The next day Etta Britt and James “Nick” Nixon came in to sing back up vocals. Etta had a super generous attitude about the songs; she sailed with grace and soul through the songs and added so much joy to the tracks. She sang her heart out. James brought the elder spirit I was looking for and authentic gospel soul and doo-wop skills.He was remarkably well suited for the role I asked him to play on the record. I am so fortunate to have had Etta, a Lady, and James, a gentleman, with such gifted and seasoned voices give of themselves to my songs.
Then we took a day off to recharge the batteries.
On Saturday evening Mr. Charlie Sexton arrived in Nashville. I picked him up from the airport and we were lucky to have some time to get to know each other before he came into the studio to lay down his guitar tracks on four songs the following day.Charlie’s playing was impeccable, thoughtful, and creative. Mr. Sexton, most known for his work with Bob Dylan over the last 15 years or so, is one of the kindest, smartest, most genuine, and generous people I have the honor of knowing. There was a strange coincidence that Charlie was tracking on the record at Alex the Great and Bob Dylan and his Band were playing in Nashville the very same night.Charlie is such a kind man that he brought me to the show after our session and I got to meet Bob Dylan.A couple days later Charlie, who had left Dylan’s band for a break from the grueling road schedule, was mysteriously back in the band as they played in Memphis. Charlie also introduced me to Jack White. Charlie is good man and his wit and wisdom has left a mark on me.
The next day, Chris Carmichael graced Alex the Great studio and my songs with the cinematically beautiful playing of his 6 violins and viola. Tremolos, and pizzicatos, and legatos, and runs, and flourishes, et al flew from his strings into the speakers. As I listened to him tracking I couldn’t help but feel his fingers weave the ancient yet new American fabric into my songs. How remarkable his playing was!
Then the horn guys Jim Hoke and Steve Herrman came in.They were awesome players.Brad and I sang parts to them as they learned the tunes. Jim played alto, tenor, and baritone sax, and clarinet. Steve played trumpet and flugelhorn.
My friend Haley Plourde-Cole flew from NYC to sing harmonies and a solo on one of the songs, she did a great job. We had been paired up to sing a song aat my cousins wedding last summer and her voice struck me as very unique, so I asked her to come to Nashville and lend her voice to the album.
Tom LoSchiavo, backup singer on my 3 previous albums and a dear friend, was the last to put his musical contribution on the album and the tradition was kept alive.
Frank, assistant engineer, and I stayed late into the night the last night I was there going through the songs and making sure there wasn’t any missing pieces before I headed back home on the fourth of July.
Luckily I made it home in time to go to the fireworks with my son and celebrate the freedom we are fortunate to have.
I will be sending more updates as time goes by… Also, if you bought a private party through kickstarter, please begin looking for some possible dates for your party and email them to me – matt@mattmunhall.com
All my best,
Matt