Another blog left stale… Sorry about that.

Anyway, rather than rehashing too much, I’ll just rehash a little.

Played a really fun show out in Sedro-Wooley a few weeks back. Johnny Fitzpatrick and Robert (bass) picked up Tom Rooney and myself to play the gig. It was slated for Nettlehoney, but two of their members are out of the country. A wide open venue overlooking a riverside park, the acoustics were great. On the trip out, we packaged and labeled a first-run of our CDs. Was a great feeling to sell them within hours of leaving the press ;)

Pies and Pints has been going really well. Rickie Bobby (aka Rickie Gene Powell) has been playing mandolin with us. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to focus on the fiddle. Or, in one case, when an extra fiddler arrived, to hop in on snare. Otherwise it’s been the usual suspects, with Johnny and Colin Klein alternating sets (and often playing together) on Banjo.

As for Creeping Time, we are in the final phase of mixing the album. With lots of details to fill out, we’re expecting a full public release sometime in early 2012. How about that for a 3 year recording project!

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Big news and good times for Sunday.

First, the big news: In the morning, Ken Nottingham came by with Carrie Wicks and we completed tracking for the upcoming Creeping Time album! This thing has been one and a half ‘official’ years in the making, though many of the songs are much older. Turning out to be a really great album with lots of creative pieces. We are fully embracing the idea of doing things in the studio that we won’t necessarily replicate live. Though we can come pretty dang close and we surely put forth the emotional content. Later that evening I sang all my backup tracks, and viola, we are ready to mix! Get ready for a fall release…

Pies and Pints turned out to be a much needed improvement. After last week’s slow night, this week turned out to be a great one. Lots of great pickers turned out and sat in. Jim Marsh was in town from Maine and supplied bass for the first set! Its funny how music and relationships are just plain easier when everybody’s having fun and there are people there to support you.

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2010 consisted of a lot of recording. A lot of live gigs, a few sessions at home, and plenty of personal fuck-around.

Here’s an old timey tune – Some old day – that  Johnny, Tommy, Pat and I recorded days before Johnny left town. More to come.

download track

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flying through space courtesy of Carlos and Allison's Mural

Just finished mixing a song for Sam Russell. Sam is about to put out 2 new eight-song releases; these new ones being 4th and 5th in a series of eight. You can read all about it at his blog.

Engineering was a blast. Recorded on five separate dates in four different locations. All the musicians pulled through and Sam saw everything through.

While mixing I learned a ton of new tricks, when to avoid tricks, and Sam said he happy with our final product. That makes me happy! I’ve never been so intimately involved in a song’s mixing process and it can get heady at times. Like when trying to make educated moves after listening to the same mix for over an hour straight.

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Madrona

Lots of time passed since last update. Here’s the brief summary of titled entries that were never written out:

• Prosser Scottish Fest with Ockham’s Razor – a really receptive crowd in Eastern Washington. They even let us participate in the anvil toss!
• Music at the Hospitals. While visiting the University of Michigan Hospital, I met a woman who gets paid salary + benefits to visit people’s rooms and play guitar and/or banjo. I had my mandolin with me and we got to play some duets together.
• Schuyler got married.
• Johnny left after awesome final Pies and Pints show (still my favorite P&P show). Steve Mayone stopped through town.
• Georgetown Brewery opened up a new facility. I drank way too much as the food lines were longer than the beer lines. I was thoroughly hungover for the other show that started at 8pm.
• Dune Music. While in Michigan, we attended a concert at the foot of the Dune Climb – part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Incredible venue, great music.
• Pies and Pints – jaws dropped. All I remember from the night was that everybody was jaw-dropped during the last song. All the players (all 9 of us) and everybody in the crowd. Amazing music.
• Don’t call them Charlatans. Got to play a fun set of music with Brett Joseph’s project @ Tost. Great musicians.
• Dave Delmar got married! Oliver sat on my lap for a couple songs.
• Tom Rooney invited Colin Klein and myself out to Hoquiam to play as a bluegrass group. He left us to play as a bluegrass duo when his other band got double-booked. Somehow we pulled it off.
• Tom toured all of August. I took over playing/booking Pies and Pints. Had some great nights. Covered Grateful Dead’s Reckoning with Pat Ferris and Geoff Kraus, met BLVD Park, TableTop band, standard Bluegrass. Pat, Colin, Geoff, Judd, Kirk, Sam, James, Ken, Jarret, Brian, Jill, Millie.
• A couple recording sessions with James Apollo.
• New job.
• MADRONA MARIA SPALY!!!!!!!
• Home recording. Fatherhood!
• Holidays
• Played lots of great shows with BLVD Park

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