Another collaboration with Kevin Evans
DisclaimerThe links for music in the following post are corrupt. Artist blast has shut down as of Sept. 2, 2005. The post remains unedited to preserve the exhuberant rhythm that I felt at the completion of the songs described herein. Thank you.
This one started on the heels of the last one...
Kevin had a tune, "The Last Son," that he had recorded with just his vocal and guitar. He sent it to me while we were still hashing out "Easy." I gave it a listen and was instantly moved, the sparse sound he had and his high lonesome vocal cut me to the core.
So I told him I thought I could provide a couple of instrumental breaks between verses. He wanted a musical redo based on the structure he sent me. It took me two or three communications to finally get this--I actually cut a version with an electric guitar solo and a dobro solo, which was exactly what he didn't
want...
He is a good guitar player in his own right (just listen to any of his tunes on his site where he didn't collab,) yet he insisted he wanted to hear it how a "real" guitar player would play it.
So, I messed around with it for a spell. I put the Gretsch away and relied on my Taylor and microphone, and I came up with a loose fingerpicked comp. Then, the back and forth ensued, Kevin would always redo his lead vocal, I would have to add some dobro comping, then dobro solos were requested for the breaks.
Well, I've only been at the dobro for over a year, and it showed this time out. Intonation became an issue, a victim of my willy nilly approach to steeling. Several takes and a few more back-and-forths, and (coupled with some deft mixing and equalizing on Kevin's part) we got something acceptable to our ears.
I thought some backing vocals would be a nice touch, so I sent Kevin a sample of how I heard they should go. "That's just what we need!" sez he, then "You need to send me some high and some low..."
ack...
I am not a trained singer. Every attempt is met with trepidation on my part--a result of many requests to sing a solo (so low we can't hear you Geoff.) But I gave it a go. Totally putting the 'nilly' in willy nilly too, we had to go back and forth a couple of times on the backing vocals. I had sent him some in questionable tune, also some that were a bit distorted.
oops...
Well, after several instrumental takes, and about a million(backing) vocal takes, I am proud to present "The Last Son" written by Kevin Evans, arranged by Kevin and me, sung by Kevin and played by me.
first song on the list at my site
click this link to stream (recommended for broadband users only)
A true collaboration
This one started on the heels of the last one...
Kevin had a tune, "The Last Son," that he had recorded with just his vocal and guitar. He sent it to me while we were still hashing out "Easy." I gave it a listen and was instantly moved, the sparse sound he had and his high lonesome vocal cut me to the core.
So I told him I thought I could provide a couple of instrumental breaks between verses. He wanted a musical redo based on the structure he sent me. It took me two or three communications to finally get this--I actually cut a version with an electric guitar solo and a dobro solo, which was exactly what he didn't
want...
He is a good guitar player in his own right (just listen to any of his tunes on his site where he didn't collab,) yet he insisted he wanted to hear it how a "real" guitar player would play it.
So, I messed around with it for a spell. I put the Gretsch away and relied on my Taylor and microphone, and I came up with a loose fingerpicked comp. Then, the back and forth ensued, Kevin would always redo his lead vocal, I would have to add some dobro comping, then dobro solos were requested for the breaks.
Well, I've only been at the dobro for over a year, and it showed this time out. Intonation became an issue, a victim of my willy nilly approach to steeling. Several takes and a few more back-and-forths, and (coupled with some deft mixing and equalizing on Kevin's part) we got something acceptable to our ears.
I thought some backing vocals would be a nice touch, so I sent Kevin a sample of how I heard they should go. "That's just what we need!" sez he, then "You need to send me some high and some low..."
ack...
I am not a trained singer. Every attempt is met with trepidation on my part--a result of many requests to sing a solo (so low we can't hear you Geoff.) But I gave it a go. Totally putting the 'nilly' in willy nilly too, we had to go back and forth a couple of times on the backing vocals. I had sent him some in questionable tune, also some that were a bit distorted.
oops...
Well, after several instrumental takes, and about a million(backing) vocal takes, I am proud to present "The Last Son" written by Kevin Evans, arranged by Kevin and me, sung by Kevin and played by me.
first song on the list at my site
click this link to stream (recommended for broadband users only)
A true collaboration
posted by geoff van maastricht at 9:22 PM
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