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moving forward

I feel good right now…despite my cold, which I’m sure is related to all the craziness I have been through over the past few weeks. However, it was for all good things! You’ll see a link to mt friend Dan’s Kickstarter below. I had the pleasure of contributing keyboard tracks to the record, and it is sounding really great! Now he is looking for help producing it…check it out.

From doing that recording session, I got the gig being John Medeski’s organ tech at Le Poisson Rouge for a midnight gig, and then for a couple of days of recording back at The Bunker. John and Aaron are killin it over there. It looks and sounds amazing! You never know how your connections will play out, so I always try to take advantage of as many as I can.

I finally have a date for my graduate recital: Friday April 27th, 8pm. Now, I only need to learn all my music! The next two months are going to be even more crazy. I thought that by only being in one ensemble this semester my life would be a little more sane. However, that is not true. I am in a 20th century accompanying class that is really challenging. Though I only need to go to Boston officially one day a week, that one day is a big day: 8 hours of class, 0 breaks. However, this semester, next semester, and I am officially a Master of Music! Until then, I must keep working…

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building

I finish my cappuccino with the knowledge that my vacation is coming to an end (in fact, it ends precisely at the 7:30pm faculty meeting). I spent the day mailing packages, returning receipts, and other general end-of-break things. I will cook one last home-cooked meal for myself and then it is over. However, it has been quite the vacation!

Building applies to what I have done in many ways, literally and figuratively. I’ve built actual fences (in the 50º weather) and walls (in the Bunker 2.0 in Williamsburg). I’ve rekindled old friendships and made a few new ones. I’ve built up my résumé too with recording work as a sideman. Clearly, I don’t like to sit idle, though there were a couple of days of that as well!

I was so psyched to help at the Bunker! The studio is looking amazing…and SOUNDING amazing as well! I spent about six hours up a ladder putting up the finishing touches on a section of the A live room. It is amazing how far the space has come since I was there in the early summer framing up some basic walls. Finally the finish work is beginning to go up. The following day I was in the B room tracking B3 for my good friend Dan Griffith’s upcoming solo record. Hopefully I’ll be able to go in this summer and track a project…maybe an EP.

My next big project is to finalize the program for my graduate recital which will be some time in late spring. Two years have flown by, and though it will take me five semesters overall, I am that much closer to getting my masters degree. Professionally that has been great. I’ve been able to study and play with a bunch of great players on the Boston scene. However, it has reinforced for me how much better the NYC scene resonates with me. If I can get to New York this summer and make some more connections I think I’ll be well positioned. Also, I’m still writing so another album is in the near future as well! I also have a ton of new ideas for my work at Pomfret, so I am excited to finish my degree and throw myself back into working full-time and getting some things accomplished. Overall, it has been an excellent three days of 2012 so far, and I an excited for what’s next…

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Wrapping up 2011

Fresh baguette dough is rising in the kitchen as I sit here listening to Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard and organize charts for my last gig with The Peck Bros of 2011. It has been a busy and productive year! This weekend I get to track B3 and clav on a friend’s record at the newly improved Bunker Studios 2.0 in Brooklyn before heading off to New Years Eve Parties. Not to shabby if I do say so myself! Maybe I’ll post some pics from the studio this weekend, but if not, Happy New Years everyone!