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This month…
• new free piece
• new album in the works
• Grammy Award FYC
• some recommendations
Free Piece
This month’s free piece is an easy, laid back, bluesy, end of summer tune called “The Wind Down”. No one feels the end of summer more than teachers. Lol.
I recently spent three days recording with Tom Eaton at his New Hampshire studio Sounds & Substance.
This marks the 10th album that Tom and I have recorded together. I first met Tom in 2012 when I was invited up to Imaginary Road Studios by Will Ackerman. Shortly after that, we recorded my “Unlike the Stars" album. This would be followed by six more solo albums, the Four Guitars album, and the Oster, Downes, Eaton album. Needless to say, Tom and I work well together, and as I have often said…I can’t imagine creating music with anyone else.
What's really unique about this recording is that I only play electric guitar (and some Nashville tuning/high strung acoustic guitar overdubs). Ever since playing electric guitar with Tom and Jeff in an improvisational ambient trio, I have wanted to write an record and all electric guitar album. It’s where I started as a young guitarist. Although the music is drastically different than the music I was playing 42 years ago, it felt like reuniting with an old friend over the last few weeks.
The way I prepared for this recording was also very different. I typically have every piece fully composed and rehearsed before recording. This time, except for two solo pieces, I only had vague sketches and ideas written out, and I really didn’t rehearse. I just noodled for a few weeks before recording to get comfortable on the instrument. The majority of the music was created together with Tom in the moment, beginning with only a chord progression or a loose idea for a riff. The music contains layers, various instruments, and overdubs played by the two of us. (Well..I handle all the guitar parts and Tom plays everything else.)
I cannot wait to get this music out there. It is so refreshing to use my musical voice in a new and different way, and to fully collaborate on the music in real time with Tom. The process will continue over the next couple months. Not sure of a release time frame yet, so stay tuned.
For the guitar folks…I am playing a D'Angelico Premiere Mini DC.
Here are some pics from the session…
Grammy/NARAS FYC
“City Lights Hide the Stars” is submitted for this year's Grammy Awards in the “Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant” category. If you are a voting member, I invite you to listen to the album for your consideration for this year's award.
You can listen here, or stream it on your preferred platform. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Recommendations
Here is what I've been listening to and reading…
That's all for this very late August newsletter. Please stay tuned for updates on the new music.
Although the Pirates have done nothing but break my heart this season…again…I am loving my Baseball Strat-O-Matic league. I grew up playing the game with a friend down the block who still lives here. So, together with my son, we started a league for the summer. Good fun!
As we enter the unofficial end of summer, I am thinking about getting back in the classroom next week to begin my 31st year of teaching. Crazy…where does time go?
See you in September!
Thanks for reading these and for supporting my music.
