Exciting projects underway!

Since I’ve been back from my European tour, I have been in the Amber Lee and the Anomalies Dream Factory:

Working on the 2011 Accordion Babes Album and Pin-up Calendar submission including mixing a song for the Album, and doing a photoshoot, working on new art for the album cover, tshirts, and merchandise. And last but not least, recording a new track for my upcoming album.

The first order of business was to finish mixing the song “Alpha.” I co-wrote this song with Devra Wolf. She and I originally met through West Coast Songwriters, but continued to foster our friendship in Jai Josefs' Saturday Songshop where we co-wrote two songs. They’re both “hits,” but I thought Alpha would be a fun one for the calendar.

You can get a preview and listen to it on my website here.

The next thing I had to do was to fly up to Seattle to work with the extremely talented Michael Doucette, for another successful photoshoot. It was a long and grueling day that made me appreciate the skills of modeling. Wearing uncomfortable clothes, sitting in weird positions, being out in the elements… and the 12 hour day!

But, we got amazing pictures!

See these:

The photo for the 2011 Accordion Babes Calendar

In a Dream

Lights, Camera, Sit really still!

Glamour on the Balustrade

The 2011 Accordion Babes Album and Pin-up Calendar will be offiically released on Saturday August 21st at the Cotati Accordion Festival! Renee de la Prade, the originator, has big plans to make a special feature at the festival which will include a Babes processional and The Hubbub Club!

Meanwhile, I have been making plans for releasing my next album. I have a tiny bit more tracking to do, then some final editing, mixing and mastering! I’m also working on the cover design and all of the associated merchandise that I will be offering on my upcoming tours! In addition, I have been learning about how independent artist are using new internet based fundraising tools to pay for recording, and printing their albums. I am excited to see all of the successful campaigns that indie artists are running! Expect to hear more about my plans to fund the release of my next album, soon!

Nothing like time alone in a foreign country to jump-start the creative juices! I wrote a song that I knew had to make it onto this upcoming album. So I squeaked it in with some help from Jesse Wickman and two other ubiquitous Santa Rosa musicians, Henry Nagel and Paul Hoffman! It has a distinctive old-time Rock-N-Roll flavor that I'm really excited about! Most of the songs on the album I have been performing for at least 6 months to 2 years, but this one is brand-spanking-new! You’ll have to just wait until you see me, or get the album to hear it!

Stay tuned!

Recording: Part 1

I forgot how recording can become such a non-linear process of layering, listening, layering again... editing... sub-mixing... mixing again... etc...

Luckily, I enjoy this process.

My first album, which I released 2 years ago, took a year and a half to produce. Partly because I switched studios mid-stream from Atlas Studio in Santa Rosa to Alley One Studio in Healdsburg.
Then I realized I wanted a lot of other instruments, and I also took the time to get feedback from trusted listeners before the final mixing and mastering.

This time, I have tried to have a shorter process, only recording 7 songs instead of 12, and a having a clearer vision due to all the pre-production home recording I did last fall.
But, low-and-behold, I find new ideas, new sounds, new layers and the process is stretching out.

My ambitious deadline was to be finished before my European Tour -which would allow me to have two CDs to offer to my new Euro-fans.
But alas, that is not going to happen. Oh well.

I've been happy to be recording again at Atlas Studio. Jesse Wickman is a talented drummer who is such a nice, helpful and smart recording engineer! What a great combination! And he offers his drumming as a bonus when an artist records at his studio, so I've been lucky to get some wonderful drum tracks.

And I'm really excited about these new songs!
Most of them have been worked over in Saturday Songshop with Jai Josefs.
They are at a whole new level, and I could see a couple of them ending up in movies, or on television!

Musical guests and instruments have included: JD Limelight on Bass, Scully Kalkman on Tuba, Heather Houseman on Cello, Deirdre Egan on Harp, Jordan Wardlaw on Saxophone and Clarinet, and Julie Lewis for backing vocals. There might be a few more people included when it's all done.
Here are a few pictures:

There are still a few more layers to add, and of course mixing... and listening... and mixing again...

But I know this is going to be a great album! Stay tuned.