The CD is done! I’m holding it in my hands. It looks great. It sounds great. I’m very happy and proud of this product.
Mastering and pressing really worked well for it. It’s all about compression. I can’t tell you how important the Mastering process really is. I can’t tell you because I don’t understand it all myself. But, pressing (the act of creating multiple discs from one Master) usually results in some compression of sound, and a good mastering job will offset much of that, among other things.
I’m really happy with the whole package. The graphic design by Monica Silver is terrific. We ended up with a 16 page booklet (which my mother says is beautiful – she read every word of it).
The songs:
It starts with “Metaphor” and hooks you with that funky percussion intro. At least, that’s what I hope.
It’s followed by “Blessing” which is our commercially viable hit single. If not for me, then some other musician should pick it up and do it. I can hear a
“Haruach” is just cool. I love it. Refer back to the blog entitled “Picking Up” from way back in March of ’06. I waxed eloquent about Ed Ridley’s piano solo which leads into Norm Tischler’s sax part. I think it’s still my favorite moment on the record.
“Fire” is next. Beautiful cello arrangement by David. Someone recently said to me, “Every time I listen to your CD I get different messages. Your writing is really deep. I don’t always understand it, but it’s really deep.” I didn’t ask, but I think she was talking about this song.
“Let It Burn.” Other than the fact that I like the order of the song titles, this one contains (or can barely contain) Sam Getz’s smokin’ guitar solo.
If “Blessing” is the “hit,” “Edge of the Ocean” is the gem...I’ve been trying to think of a good analogy for days now. (Anyone got a good Metaphor?) But, thanks largely to David’s string arrangements, it’s emotional, evocative, moving, expressive, gorgeous.
“Reason To Believe” contains my second favorite moment on the record: Derek Poindexter’s bass riff at the end of the bridge. It probably lasts all of 3 or 4 seconds, but it’s so cool and funky. Derek just plays with so much technical expertise and adeptness, but with so much ease.
“The Silent Son” finally came out well after several remixes. There's a fine line between good producing and over producing.
A good, old fashioned, live take (with a couple of studio tricks thrown in) makes “Carry That Rock” a blast. This one is still so much fun for me to listen to.
“She Knows God” is one of my favorite mixes on the record. This is a good example of not over producing a track. It shows of my guitar playing (not an easy feat!) and just supports it and the lyrics with Ed’s piano, really spare percussion, and, the icing, Charlie Lewis’s sweet and simple mandolin part.
I still don’t know what to say about “Take Me Back.” But I still love listening to the Prayer Warriors on it.
“Every Step a Prayer” is long and tedious. But we did a good job with it. My guitar is “buzzy” on it, but I kind of like that. Ed’s synth part, Celia Hollander Lewis’s vocals and mark Frieman’s Flugelhorn really make it. And the message. Don’t forget the message.
Well, I’ve gone through my first 100 of them right off the bat. Probably around half of them were freebies for the musicians, people specifically named by name in the liner notes and PR purposes. Look for a launch party/concert coming up at the end of February at Nighttown in
At this moment, they’re only available from me and at Merkaz Judaica in Beachwood. Look for upcoming changes to my website, including a way to purchase them directly from me online. They’ll probably also be in the Sounds Write catalogue pretty soon, too.
