mix report

I drove out to Trenton, ON to the Sli-Fi Chapel studio to finish the mix on the new trio record today. Brent Bodrug (Sli-Fi’s head honcho and engineer/producer extraordinaire) and I spent about two hours finishing the mix on about 25 minutes of music. Brent and I have worked together on multiple records (at least two records of my old rock band, HEARSAY, back in the early 90s), but haven’t done a project together in years. We tracked the trio live off-the-floor late in May in a quick 3 hour session, yeilding two songs and a nice collection of improvisations.

I’m really pleased with the performance of the band and the sound of the record. It turned out to be a shorter collection of music; so if we were to use vinyl terminology, it’s technically going to be an “EP”, but in truth, that’s a perfect length for an improv record. In terms of material, we didn’t do any originals this time out; the lineup of Glen Hall, Simeon Abbott and myself is relatively new, and I’m just now beginning to write material specific to this lineup. Much of our current gig setlist is tunes that I’ve previously recorded, so I didn’t want to do more studio versions of them. So, we recorded some great improvisations, and two of teh covers we’ve been doing: “Hollis Brown” by Bob Dylan and “Jesus, etc.” by Wilco. Sometime in 2010 we’ll get back in to record the new originals…

I’m going to spend the next week deciding on sequencing and titling the improvs, and maybe begin the cover art, etc. With any luck, the EP will be out at the end of the month. It’ll be released digitally (iTunes, emusic, etc.) and as a CD at gigs.

Speaking of gigs, here’s what’s coming up:

July 25 – CC solo set, opening for Prehistoric Horse @ Somewhere There, Toronto 3:00pm matinee
July 26 – Chris Cawthray Trio (w/Hall and Abbott) @ Trane Studio, Toronto 8:00pm

September 12 – Chris Cawthray Trio CD Release Gig
Tequila Bookworm, Toronto
details TBA

Much of this summer will be spent cranking out the hits in two different cover bands: Hot Buttered Soul and an un-named trio featuring myself, Mike Pelletier and (on alternating weeks) Lester McLean on vocals/sax/guitar and Mike Bongertman on vocals/guitar. That trio is doing a weekly hit at Canyon Creek in Scarborough, two sets from 7-9, no cover.

Hope to see you out there!