November 3rd, 2008

Session 1

This was a good first day for PJ. Sussing out some ideas and mapping out arrangements for a couple tunes. I’ll be sure to keep band-aids around in the studio in the future. Can’t have downtime due to split fingers, etc. Perhaps that’s the lesson you learn for putting .012’s on your electric guitar. You’re not SRV yet, buddy Electric and Acoustic are two different beasts.

All kidding aside, this was a fun session. After a few years away from working on music together, it’s nice to have at it again with a familiar but more seasoned writer and musician. PJ and I come from pretty different musical places and we have a good push-pull working relationship that usually lands us in some interesting musical spaces. I’m excited to see where we land on this batch of songs. Once the rhythm section is locked in, the true direction of these tunes will be in site. At that time we’ll get to decide what musical colors or pallets to choose from.

With that in mind….I’d like to put a question out there for discussion.  PJ’s an accomplished saxophonist and has expressed interest in using soprano saxophone on these tracks.   My initial instinct is no…the instrument itself just says “solo” to me.  Maybe I’m just having a hard time hearing it as a backing or accompaniment instrument.  Perhaps we need to stretch the barriers of what I’m hearing?  Maybe it’s time for me to get out of my box?  Anyone care to comment on this one?   Anyone have some good examples of tracks that use saxaphone in a “non-lead” manner? Something that extends beyond the traditional use of this instrument?  I need some inspiration here.