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This month…
• a new free arrangement
• coming soon…City Lights Hide the Stars
• The Gathering ~ Guitar CD
• Oster - Eaton - Downes live
• recommendations
Free Arrangement
I recently came across a video of David Gates from the band Bread singing their 1972 hit “Diary”. I love the simplicity of this tune. It has a beautiful melody, colorful harmony, and heartbreaking lyrics…so I thought I’d arrange it for solo guitar.
My arrangement is pretty simple and straight forward. I hope you enjoying playing it…or just listening to it.
It’s getting closer to the release of my new album, “City Lights Hide the Stars”.
I recorded 16 new pieces with Tom Eaton back in July at his studio, Sounds & Substance, in East Kingston, New Hampshire. These short pieces were all written and recorded on classical guitar (nylon strings). It’s the instrument I play every day as I teach classical guitar at Bayonne High School. In fact, it's the only guitar I have been playing for the last year or so. I haven’t touched my steel string guitars at all. The classical guitar just feels like home for me now.
After recording in July, I took a couple months away from the music so I can listen with fresh ears prior to mixing and mastering. Typically, I will give a new album two or three listens, then give Tom notes before he mixes and masters the record. After that, I never listen to the music again.
But something strange has happened with this album. I’ve listened to it in its entirety several times over the last few weeks, and find myself discovering something new each time. I feel like this is my best writing to date. I really love these pieces, and how they come together to tell a story.
The album will be mastered in the coming weeks. I am hoping to release singles from the album in November and December, then release the full album in January.
This album will be available on CD. Presale will begin sometime in November, and CDs will ship prior to the digital release date.
I am really proud of this album, and I cannot wait to share it with you.
The Gathering ~ Guitar
I am very happy to be included on Will Ackerman's new release, “The Gathering ~ Guitar”. This is the fifth Gathering release, and the third one that includes my music. These releases are very much like the old Windham Hill samplers from the 1980's & 90's.
The Gathering albums feature artists co-produced by Will Ackerman and Tom Eaton at Imaginary Road Studio in Vermont. Recording, mixing, and mastering all done by Tom Eaton.
Oster - Eaton - Downes
Last month, Jeff Oster, Tom Eaton, and I had the opportunity to get together for an improvised live performance at St. Luke's in Bryn Mawr, PA. The performance was hosted by Chuck van Zyl and featured live video projections by Neil Cippon. Here are a few pics from the show.
Just a reminder that our album “seven conversations” is entered into this year's Grammy Awards in the New Age, Ambient, & Chant category. If you are a voting member, you can find album info and listen here. We appreciate your consideration.
Recommendations
That’s all for October. As we approach the World Series, I thought I’d share a pic of the off seasons hats my son Kian and I will be wearing…
