I got to Kevin’s around 10 am for what ever he was going to throw at me, pushing on with the Playground / ?? sessions.  I’d put down guitars last time, and today it was vocals.  That’s when I feel exposed… Really. Try to mix the theater and the technique is tough, especially when I’m really used to playing live.  We may have found the solution.

 

Figure It Out – figuring out the number of ‘figures’ in the song…  I actually dream on this one.  Lots of takes, that’s why its the theme of this project.  Nice finish.

 

Shoo That Fly – the elusive falsetto.  I have a limited number of those.

 

Giants – lots of work on inflection, what Kevin calls “Dave Fry”, not worrying about singing to the beat (see above), and its moving nicely.  Rob Stonebeck on trombone (I hope),

 

Smoking Babies – this was the “ah ha!” moment of the day – major recording breakthrough.  I was trying my best to play with the words as an actor, and Kevin was not satisfied, nor me. Kevin came up with towel guitar.  He thought I should physically play the guitar to the song, but not hear it on the vocal track. So, we agreed on a hand towel thrown over my guitar neck. I quietly fingered the tune and sang.  Kevin came out and said, “brilliant!”  It affected all my phrasing, and got me off singing to the cadence.   Again, this song is starting to kick, in a lot of ways.

 

Santa Assassin – Kent’s masterpiece – channeling Satchmo.  Again, phrasing makes it work, and Kevin channels me, and know the blips – instrumental, vocal, rhythm – that I make. And I know it, so we hammer away til we’re both satisfied.  Anyway, Kevin gave me permission to call up Louis, and rasp away. It’s a blues, ya know.

 

Kevin’s done some cool percussion for Jelly in the Dish, and perhaps adding a funk bass.  This one’s gonna take be a major hit.  You’ll see.

 

Tough work, but tie me to the plow and this Taurus gets to work.

 

Off to Clark’s for a 2 pm session.