Recording Update

Hardly a month in, and most of the songs for Treasures in My Chest have been recorded already! Since work began at Cabin Studios on July 5th, eleven pieces have been recorded with four more to go in the next few weeks. Some of them feature Andrew with a full band, while there are also several solo pieces as warm and intimate as anything he's previously recorded. For guitar fans keeping score, thus far the Lowden (beautiful gift guitar from Ireland), the Fairbuilt and the Gretsch resonator as well as Andrew's trusty 76' Fender Stratocaster have all played a big part. His trusty Martin MC-68 is scheduled for to make its appearance soon too. Andrew has written a couple of songs during the recording that will be on Treasures as well.

Some of what we've recorded so far: "Web of Mystery," "Aretas Culver," "Sons & Fathers," "Left Behind," "When My Time Comes," "A Dram to the Holidays," "Anniversary (2,000 Years Ago)," the traditional song "Fathers Now Our Meeting is Over," and of course the title cut. Treasures is a sonic and thematic adventure, and in some ways it may even evoke the style of a Pink Floyd or late era Beatles album in how the pieces flow together.

Engineer and co-producer Dustin Delage has been busy capturing the best sound of each instrument and shaping the tracks before mixing begins in earnest. It's hard to describe the quality of sound with written words, but soon we'll have some teasers to share with you. Stay tuned!

We do have pictures though! (And if you'd like to help us make this project, and help it successfully reach some new audiences, we'd be glad and grateful to have you aboard - here's how.)

And as to the book, the content writing continues at a good clip with new ideas and new sections if not chapters continue to develop. It is fascinating to see how much our knowledge of our ancestors and their stories informs so much of our own lives, including parenting and being a bridge between older and younger generations. Andrew met with one of his trusted editorial resources recently to start laying out that content and begin organizing the flow. The plan is for the final draft to be finished in mid-November, so hopefully we'll have some excerpts to share with you around that time.

Recording at Cabin Studios means that you have a Platinum and Gold record hanging on the wall to inspire your best creativity and performance!

 

Lisa Taylor on drums and her daughter Rachel on cello recording the basic tracks with Andrew.
 

While the magic happens in the recording room, there's a lot of wizardry going on in the control room when Dustin Delage is in charge!
 

Michael Rohrer is a man of many talents - principal bassist with the Loudoun Symphony and bassist for Americana band The Bitter Liberals among them. He's also Andrew's neighbor, just a short walk through the Mt. Olive Church cemetery away.
 

Rachel Taylor is a brilliant cellist, and will be beginning her time at the prestigious Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore this semester.
 

Rachel and Andrew listening to some tracks, and pretty happy with the result!
 

Michael, Andrew and Lisa run through "Sons & Fathers" before recording.
 

Andrew's trusty Strat is a big part of Treasures! (For more about his treasured electric guitar that helped put him through college and grad school, read his biog post  "Strawberry Fields Forever").
 

And in between recording sessions, there is a book to be written too!

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