I have just returned from a 3 day recording session in Vancouver. Hired by the mandolinist to fill out, both harmonically and compositionally, his five instrumental folk tunes that have been needing to be recorded for years.
Where I live in Kelowna, I am a medium fish in a medium pond. This trip, my first time being paid for travel and studio time, has humbled and inspired me. Musically, I am level with these Vancouver working musicians, but wow they work hard and wow I want to be where they are at. Not that they've 'Made it' and have an easy life, but the opposite, they take the business side of music by the horns and make it happen.
Michael Meroniuk is just about to graduate an 11 month intensive Teaching Degree to become a music teacher in secondary schools. In this past year he has played more shows than ever before and now with his slim week off of school he put together his dream band (and the budget) to make his songs come alive. Very impressive and inspiring. He's stressed, but following through on his plans. Making it happen.
Dave, the acoustic guitar and banjo player, unpacked $400 worth of guitar packs onto his music stand. As a guitar teacher myself, I did not even know that you could pay $50 per pick made of Tortoise Shell or Unobtanium Space Material that his boutique picks are made from. What's worse is that he can even tell the difference! A working musician with gear that would make a rich hobbyist gear geek jealous - What a beautiful combination. Also, his banjo has a curved bridge which I have never seen before. Talk to your local luthier to understand how much of a specialized, subtle, and important custom job that is.
Jocelyn, the fiddle player of Irish and Malaysian descent, could not add a percussion breakdown because she had forgotten her tap shoes at home. (Now there's a weapon I know nothing about). She has been too busy planning international tours, buying visa's for her bandmates and applying for grants to really have her next full album finished yet. She's younger than I and full of stories of Cèilidhs in Scotland and Western Canadian Music awards.
This Swedish fiddle piece she showed me is still blowing my mind. What a great performance of harmonically fascinating ideas! https://jocelynpettit.bandcamp.com/track/gazaremsan
At first I was not at all intimidated by Dave our engineer. His Hawaiian shirts are way too unassuming. Michael kept talking about this guy and saying he was worth the money. Super relaxed, as if he lived in that studio, I didn't understand what job he was doing until he asked one simple question: "Yeah, you might get a better take, but what would you change about the best one you have so far?" This flip in mentality changed by me from berating myself for unimportant imperfections, to hearing the great energy and flow we had just laid down. This made me realize the magic that had just happened between us musicians. I'm sure he has literally spent months listening to performers seek 'just one more take' in vain, when the important bones of the piece were already there.
"Alright!"...
"Rock and Roll!"...
...is how the tiny voice in my headphones enthusiastically started each take. Though her and her bass were confined to the sauna, aka the isolation booth, for days, Kirby laid down such a solid foundation. The upright bass is a beast, I've heard that 'it's like playing a tree'. I know the hardest part about it is to be a minimalist when you have the great power and swag to Slapa da Bass - but Kirby knows: Great Power requires Great Responsibility.
A huge thank you to Michael for inviting me to join in these great songs and this great group! It was a breath of fresh air to get out of my medium pond and to see what potential the ocean has to offer - if you make it happen.
