This month...a new free piece, remembering David Crosby, some new music news, a Gallery of Guitar live stream, and a couple recommendations.
Free Piece
This month's free piece is a study for two voices. The piece begins with an eight bar melody in voice one. Voice two enters at bar nine. The goal is to always make sure to that you bring out each voice equally throughout the counterpoint.
It's been difficult to process David's death, mostly because I still haven't processed how I got into his orbit in the first place. I have been thinking about the incredibly surreal opportunity I had to be his friend and to learn from him. It all started with him responding to a minute long video of a new song I tweeted in 2015.
After a few years of meeting up whenever we were in each other's neck of the woods and after many conversations, we wound up collaborating on a couple projects. I thought the stories about those might be worth sharing here.
The Red Shirt Is for Crying
We co-wrote a song together in 2019 called The Red Shirt Is for Crying. We were hanging out before a soundcheck in NJ playing his guitars, when he took out a stack of lyrics from his bag. He picked out a sheet and said, "I really like these lyrics. I'm not sure I should trust you with these." This was followed by that mischievous Crosby grin. "Take these and see what you can come up with."
The fact that he trusted me with his lyrics, even though I had never set lyrics to music before, was not lost on me. I worked on the tune for the next month. When I felt like I had something that sounded like the combination of both of our musical voices, I went into L&I Studios here in Bayonne and recorded a demo to send.
I remember him calling me the night before I sent my demo of the song to him. He said to me, "Don't be nervous to send me the music, if this one doesn't work out, we will just try again until we get something. I'll still like you." I tried to play it off like I wasn't nervous at all, but I was terrified.
Both David and his son James Raymond (and co-writer, producer, & music director for his Skytrails Band) wound up loving the music I had written and both told me that they had planned to recording it on a future record.
Even though that didn't happen, I am honored to have had the opportunity. What a learning experience!
Instrumental version from my Good Light to Go By album (2020)
(Recording my initial demo at L&I Studios with Igor Martinez)
A Crosby Guitar Book
A few years ago, David called me to ask if I would be interested in working with him on a transcription book of his music. Together with his record company, he planned on publishing a high quality coffee table type book, full of song transcriptions, hand written lyrics, stories about the songs, and pictures.
He wanted to pick approximately fifty of his songs, mostly in alternate tunings, and have me transcribe them. The goal was for me to listen to the original recordings, numerous live performances, as well as getting together regularly over Zoom to watch him play and explain the songs, then I would take all of that information and create distillations for every tune. Each song would also include the vocal melody as well as complete lyrics.
We knew this would take a few years to complete. It was an enormous amount of work on my end. I would transcribe a few tunes, put them into Sibelius, then we would meet up on Zoom so I could show him what I came up with.
These Zoom sessions were like masterclasses for me. I got the chance to learn about his writing process and the way he approached playing the guitar. These sessions were also filled with stories, wisdom, advice, and plenty of snarky Crosby-isms. Thankfully, I recorded all of the meetings.
When we last spoke about the project in November 2022, I had eighteen songs completed and I was just waiting for him to pick a batch of new ones for me to begin transcribing.
I don't know what will happen to these transcriptions. I don't have the right to release them on my own. It is something I may look into down the line. Time will tell. Regardless, the experience of working on this with David was a transformative experience I will never forget.
Our thoughts are with Jan, Django, James, and the rest of Crosby's family and friends. We will be forever grateful for their kindness and friendship.
Working out Guinnevere together.
Classic Crosby...
New Music
I will be heading into L&I Studios here in Bayonne next week to track a couple new songs with my friend Igor Martinez. Those tracks will then be sent to Tom Eaton at Sounds & Substance to mix and master.
I have a handful of pieces that didn't make it on my last album, and some short pieces that were written outside of album projects. As much as I am not a fan of releasing singles, it seems to be the algorithmic thing to do nowadays...and if I don't release them as singles, I'll never record them.
I will also have downloads & TABs available for each tune on my website and Bandcamp.
Stay tuned...
Gallery of Guitar - Livestream
I was honored to be part of a livestream hosted by Matthew McAllister and Matthew Cochran, along with guest Candice Mowbray on McAllister's Gallery of Guitar YouTube.
The topic of our discussion was classical guitar and genre hopping. This was a wonderful talk with lots of unique perspectives. Please check it out.
David was the first guitarist I heard on a Windham Hill record (the acoustic sampler 1988), and it was his song "On the Way" that sent me on my way to what I do today. He is also the person who connected me with Will Ackerman and Tom Eaton.
His new record is stunning. David's writing and playing is always gorgeous and pristine. I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this record. Go listen!
Killer 60's folk rock with catchy acoustic guitar parts and super tight vocal harmonies. I was unfamiliar with them by name...although I did recognize many of their tunes. I heard one of their songs in an episode of The Resort and immediately Shazamed it. I have been stuck on their first couple records from '68 and '69 since.
That's all for this month. It was a long one, and if you made it to the end, thank you for listening. Keep an eye out for new music....it's coming. Thank you for your continued support. Please know that I am grateful for you.
Spring is on its way...and that means baseball. Ten days until pitchers and catchers. Andrew McCutchen is back in a Bucco uniform! I may watch the Pirates this season.
