"Across the Lines" track samples
To give you a greater understanding of the stories behind each of the tracks we have added a brief description.
Scroll down and you can listen to a few track samples.
Portions of, not the entire track.
Scroll down and you can listen to a few track samples.
Portions of, not the entire track.
All of the tracks for "Across the lines" were improvised courtesy of a few great local musicians:
Serena Eades (violin)
Ian McClatchie (Pedal steel and dobro)
Boyd Norman (Bass)
Steve Wright (Guitar, Piano, and overdubs)
Barry Taylor (Drums)
The music was recorded over two evening sessions with no plan, other than the collective combinations of instruments. We played a few "games," such as do some "shots" of notes, followed by solos, and generally tried to have a few different combinations of sounds and performances. Kudos to the band for accepting this challenge of playing with no boundries, and seeing where it led.
We did 5 Christenson Village workshops, onsite recordings, combined with archival recordings from over a 5 year period. Using sounds, the environment, capturing “now” moments, digital recorders running all the time to capture bits of words, sentences, bits of the everyday life at Good Samaritan Christenson Village.
After the recordings it was up to Steve to combine workshop recordings, pre-recorded poems and dialogue as well as overdub various sounds and instruments. We think the results transfer the kind of spirit of play that is the overall goal and concept of the recording. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy the experience. We are all very proud of the final production. Here are some samples of the recordings. For full tracks visit the home page for information on physical CD's and digital downloads.
Serena Eades (violin)
Ian McClatchie (Pedal steel and dobro)
Boyd Norman (Bass)
Steve Wright (Guitar, Piano, and overdubs)
Barry Taylor (Drums)
The music was recorded over two evening sessions with no plan, other than the collective combinations of instruments. We played a few "games," such as do some "shots" of notes, followed by solos, and generally tried to have a few different combinations of sounds and performances. Kudos to the band for accepting this challenge of playing with no boundries, and seeing where it led.
We did 5 Christenson Village workshops, onsite recordings, combined with archival recordings from over a 5 year period. Using sounds, the environment, capturing “now” moments, digital recorders running all the time to capture bits of words, sentences, bits of the everyday life at Good Samaritan Christenson Village.
After the recordings it was up to Steve to combine workshop recordings, pre-recorded poems and dialogue as well as overdub various sounds and instruments. We think the results transfer the kind of spirit of play that is the overall goal and concept of the recording. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy the experience. We are all very proud of the final production. Here are some samples of the recordings. For full tracks visit the home page for information on physical CD's and digital downloads.
#1 - Liberated - a haunting piano and violin piece that introduces the project. Embedded with voices from workshops/meetings and a story of the liberation during wartime.
TRACK SAMPLE - ACROSS THE LINES
2. A jamming "game" that resulted in this track, with voices layered over top. Love the bus pulling away at the end!
2. A jamming "game" that resulted in this track, with voices layered over top. Love the bus pulling away at the end!
#3 - The Spirit of Play - a lovely sweeping piece of music remixed with sound bites from our planning meetings, and workshops.
Track Sample - What am I?
#4 - What Am I? - The original recording was captured roughly 3 years ago by Recreation staff person Joanne. One of the first tracks to be completed and a clear demo of how the remix process can create an unpredictable original piece. Thank You Sylvia.
Track Sample - Alex and Betty
#5 - Alex and Betty - this track contains a poem that really was a great inspiration for this project. The wonderful poetry was written and read by Duncan MacAdam. Although Duncan was in the later stages of dementia, when presented with the original copy of this love poem he had written for Doreen on Easter of 1965, magic happened. It occurred during one of our House recording sessions several years ago. With recorder on, Doreen and Bruce waited to see if there would be a response to our request asking Duncan to read the poem. Duncan stared at the poem for what seemed like several minutes, then he burst into dramatic oration, reading his words of love with the emotion and gravitas of someone who's spent his entire life on stage, even though his ability to converse had been severely limited up until that moment. Bruce attempted to capture another sample of this reading a week later but Duncan was not able to read it coherently. Personally, I feel this is one of the most important sections of the CD.
#6 - Love - an original poem written and read by Jack Hood. Recorded about 5 years ago.
Track Sample - Love
#7 - The People’s Key - a rollicking piece of mixing inspired by a musician’s statement.
#8 - Bingo - MadPad app played a leading role in this piece. All sounds and voices outside of the music were recorded in a MadPad session and then played live while Steve listened to the selected band track.
Track Sample - Bingo!
#9 - The Man Who Was Fast Asleep - recorded during our Resident/Child workshop. Marjorie mesmerized the group with the story of her very talented brother that used to fall asleep while playing the drums. Wonderful.
Track Sample - The man who fell asleep
#10 - That One - a great remix of original tune and Resident playing an iPad app.
#11 - Dancing Legs - Germaine speaking about what she did for fun growing up on a Saskatchewan farm. Interviewed by Recreation staff Joanne.
#12 - Good Old Time Music - When 87 year old sister, Martha, sits down with 88 year old brother, Maynard, stories start to fly! Interesting music by Boyd on bass and Barry on drums.
Track Sample - Good Old Time Music
#13 - The Steal - instrumental solo by Ian on steel guitar.
#14 - Dark Little Ditty - a moody mix of sound and voice.
#15 - Really Big Ants - capturing the experimental nature of a workshop
with Residents and children.
with Residents and children.
Track Sample - Really Big Ants
#16 - Feet of Clay - another original poem written and read by Jack Hood. Recorded about 5 years ago but so timely for today.
#17 - Vibrations - a gentle interaction between Steve and one of the children talking about sound, how we create it, and how it looks. “LIke a rainbow”
#18 - Sneakers - you really hear many mixes and samples, squeaky sneakers, white garbage can lid “bong”, elevator doors.
#19 - Jonel - a real favorite of many, especially those working in Residential Care. We were deep into a workshop when Jonel (Health Care Worker) came by with the nourishment cart. Steve, not missing a beat saw a way to include the daily workings of the care staff. With Jonel’s playful involvement, he composed an unrehearsed love song to Jonel on the spot! Fantastic!
Track Sample - Jonel
#20 - Proud Canadian - another original poem written and read by Jack Hood. Recorded about 5 years ago. An amazing mix of Jack’s powerful voice, live music, and Steve’s editing. Very powerful.
Track Sample - Proud Canadian
#21 - Interlude - a gentle interlude mix with a classic country sound.
#22 - Hope - the seed for this piece was planted in our very first workshop, May 2012. Visit the video section of www.acrossthelines.ca to get the full story of how it came together. Beautiful piece.
Track Sample - Hope
#23 - Red River Valley - the only public domain cover on the CD. Naturally the musicians were asked to play their version of this Canadian classic. The intro voice was captured one day when we were walking by our Resident Choir rehearsal. Steve had the recorder on and captured a participant doing an intro for the Resident Choir. He very cleverly adapted it to the final track of Across the Lines giving us 23 total.