Friday, June 29, 2007

Live from Abbey Road.


Have any of you seen the new Sundance show "Live From Abbey Road"? It is a live music show shot from the famous Abbey Road Recording Studios.

For those of you who don't know me, I am an artist and musician in addition to being a mom with a design biz. I write, paint, sing, play, you name it. I have to create like most have to breathe. Painting/drawing have been a passion for most of my life, and I have exhibited around and sold paintings and just love how it makes me feel WHILE I paint. But my true heart is music. I have been singing since I was 3. I was sent home from preschool and kindergarden for locking myself in rooms, closets or bathrooms to sing. I sang in groups, choirs, shows...in my teens and 20's I sang in rock bands, jazz bands, classical groups, sang opera (!), and started to play other instruments too. I went to college and studied music...and art...and have a degree in Music Business. I studied audio engineering in Chicago and in Los Angeles. I helped build a recording studio. I was an audio engineer. I sang as a studio musician for whoever needed it for many years in addition to whatever other "job" I had. I wrote songs. I performed. I learned to play other instruments over the years. But mostly I sang. It was my air.

SO all of that relates to this topic in that I have a thing for live musical performance in recording studios. Doesn't matter who it is or what their musical style - if they have a passion that oozes out of their voice, if they play their instruments well, and write good songs, something happens and I feel the music IN me. I get goosebumps, I hear the music before it comes, it flows like a wave. And the recording studio setting - the walls, the floors, the microphones, the amps, the cords along the floor, the dimmed lights, the energy between the musicians as they play and sense each other, working together like a single living thing - I can almost smell it. I feel the day to day me shift, askew, and the music in me is the one and only thing.

This show is great in that they feature many musicians from all types and styles and backgrounds and seem to capture some essence of their performance and their chemistry. AND the audio mix is superb when many live recordings have horrible sound quality. I suppose if you just listen to the artist as the artist and not the music for the music, then you may have a different experience than I. But relax, turn down the lights, and enter the studio, and perhaps a little will rub off on you too.

3 comments:

Bug's mom said...

I didn't know you were such a huge music fan. You must check out my friends, Bruce & Julie..aka: Patchouli. www.patchouli.net I see they'll be in Madison on Aug. 3rd at The Brink.

denise said...

Hi! :) Thanks! Yes, I love musical performances, but don't get out to see any of it here in Madison since we don't get out without kids.Some day though! :)

Bug's mom said...

We've got a great coffeeshop here that's kid-friendly. Bug spent nearly every weekend of her first 2.5-3 years there, taking in live music. That and outdoor festivals/art fairs. It's the only way WE get live music these days.