It has been a busy winter. In a different sort of way from last year when I was touring in the southern US. I'm taking a bit of a break from touring this year( except for my annual Western Canadian tour in September/October) and this winter I have been focused in large part on other people's music. Doing the producer thing. It has been a fun and fulfilling experience.
I realized when working on Al Duquette's solo record (released last May and available for purchase here *wink wink nudge nudge *) the skills I had honed over the past twenty years of producing my own records, and how I could be of help in other artists' creative process. I also realized it is quite a thing to make a record, and any artist with the gumption and the drive to make it happen should be applauded for it. And supported in their endeavor.
Speaking of which, one of the artists I've been working with, Chris Morris, has a preorder campaign underway for his album ( release concert is April 14th at The Mansion in Kingston, ON). It's his first record ever! And it sounds awesome. Folk music vibe mixed with a Rockabilly, Blues edge. I had a lot of fun working on this. In addition to producing, I also play electric guitar, bass, and dobro on the album. Some familiar Kingston musicians also make an appearance: Jon McLurg, Pete Jozsa, Al Duquette, and Bonz Bowering. Head over to Chris' indiegogo page and preorder a disc, and if you're in the Kingston area, grab a ticket for the release show. Bonz and I will be playing in the band and I'll mst likely be performing a set of my own material that night.
The other record I have been working is Sandy Stubbert's. Sandy has had a bit of a break between albums ( 19 years!), so needless to say we are all pretty excited about this one. Some top-notch talent on this record. Bonz Bowering(drum kit, conga), Seamus Cowan ( upright bass, backing vocals), Dan Chalmers (conga), Saskia Tompkins(viola, cello, nyckelharpa), Michelle Monette(electric guitar), Kathryn Vileda(backing vocals), Attila Baraczka(electric bass), Frank Baraczka(drum kit, tambourines), Sandra Bouza(backing vocals), Tony Silvestri(piano, rhodes, Hammond organ) Rodney St. Amand( fretless bass), Tracie Morgan( backing vocals), Jim Tomlinson(acoustic guitar, vocals), and Gary Barratt(drum kit, conga). Holy Moly!! That's a full production folks.
And of course you can add Sandy (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo) and myself ( electric guitar, backing vocals) to that list. We still have some work to do on this record, but I can tell you, it is sounding great so far. Zane and Dylan at North of Princess studio are great to work with and the facility is top-notch. It has been fun spending so much time there the past couple of months. Stay tuned for an update on the album release schedule.
As for my music, my schedule is filling up and I'm out playing shows. Solo, duo, trio, and with the Tony Silvestri Band. Looking at changing things up with TSB and adding more original music to the mix. Yet another work in progress. I'm excited about the possibilities of what we might come up with musically.
And if you haven't bought Everything Intertwined yet, please do it! Help a guy buy some groceries over here! ; )
But if you don't have the $$, you can help out by following/listening on Spotify.
Rock and roll!
Tom
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