Mat & Nicole Crisp’s project “The Union” released today. We had a great time working on this project, much of which was done at Kingsize Soundlabs in LA. Gordie Cochrane A&Red, I produced, engineered, and did programming/keys, and we had a ridiculously talented team, including Bryan Cook who engineered the band session and mixed the single “Creation Calls”, Aaron Sterling on drums, Jonathan Ahrens on bass, Glenn Pearce and Nathan Spicer on guitars, and Glen Peters on piano, EP, and B3 – and of course Nicole on vocals and Mat on vocals and acoustics. We did pre-production together at Studio C, one day of band sessions at Studio A, finished up the vocals and acoustic overdubs in C, then I pieced it together and mixed in my new private studio in downtown LA. It really was a great blend of old (everyone playing beds in a room together) and new (laptop around the country programming and editing, 3 different studios). And we also are grateful that Brian Doerksen leant his iconic voice to the single, a duet between he and the band which Brian penned, called “Creation Calls”.
Check it out on iTunes here.
– Update!! –
Congratulations to Mat & Nicole: the album went to #1 on the Canadian CCM chart!
The Overtones release on Warner their album “Higher”, produced by Walter Afanasieff and Trevor Horn. My contribution was engineering and programming.
My old friends Mat Crisp and Gordie Cochrane came down to LA to do an EP for Mat and Nicole’s project “The Union”. We spent the week at Kingsize Soundlabs in Echo Park.. a few days doing preproduction in studio C, and then (my favorite part) a day of beds in A. We enlisted the help of Glen Pearce, Jonathan Ahrens, and Aaron Sterling, with Bryan Cook engineering. Bryan also just mixed their first single “Creation Calls”, which features guest vocalist (and writer!) Brian Doerksen. I’ll post a clip when I can. Right now we continue on with the project.. I’m programming, and doing guitar overdubs with Nathan Spicer. The EP should be out late this year.
I had to move out of my old studio in Sherman Oaks (LA), and I have been moving from studio to studio this summer (Kingsize Soundlabs, Walter A’s ‘Wallyworld Studios’, etc etc) and I am relieved to have finally secured some space. I’ve leased a room downtown in the Spring Arts Tower, and I have someone coming in this week to start construction (soundproofing, etc.. good times). It will be a basic production/mixing studio, with room for some overdubs, but is not geared toward full band production. Whenever I do that, I just book a room somewhere else – with so many great studios in LA, I find it doesn’t make sense for me any other way. I’ll post photos as the construction comes together.
Amiena and I wrapped up our first project together, and I’m very excited about it. Full of soulful songs.. and beats and pads (a personal favorite of mine!). Check it out on iTunes! And I will post a clip here, too, of the single featuring my talented friend Chris Mann. Amiena and I are gearing up for a new project.. more on this to come..
I’ve begun traveling the world with CCM artist Michael W Smith. Along with some US and Canada shows, we have recently done Australia, Brazil and South Africa. I’ve been mixing the live shows, as well as working on a top secret project.. Shhh! (I’m only saying this because Michael himself announced it from stage.. so it can’t be that secret.. right?)
Check out ‘Roses’ from the new album from Darren Hayes titled “Secret Codes and Battleships”. Darren is an extremely talented artist with a distinct voice, and it was a real treat to work with he and producer Walter A on the song (I programmed the track). I’ll post a clip shortly, but really.. just go get it on iTunes! :)
Jodi and I faked Christmas in August while working on her new Christmas EP, entitled “Listen To The Angels”. Check it out on iTunes, or click below to hear a song from the album:
Well this is nice..! A song Greg Sczebel and I did together last year for his Christmas went to #4 on the holiday chart (surrounded by many Justin Biebers..haha) Greg.. you just need a paternity suit filed against you and you’ll shoot straight to the top!!! (too soon…?)
I’m writing from the road, where I’m on tour with Mat Kearney (“Young Love” album). Crowds have been great. And while I’m out, I’ve been working on my mobile rig doing remixes and production from hotel rooms to green rooms to the back lounge of our bus. It’s actually been a lot of fun working this way, and I am in the middle of putting together an even better mobile rig than what I’ve got (some Adam studio monitors, an Apogee interface etc in a pelican case) so I can do some more mobile recording and projects. Next up.. rent a boat, and write at sea. But I digress. It’s tough being away from home for so long but it’s a great group of people that I have been friends with for many years. And the energy of the crowds has been AMAZING!! Also.. check out the support band ‘Leagues’. Half of them are also playing in Mat’s band, and they’re really great. I’m going to nerd out on my next post and include photos of the mobile rig I’m putting together :)
