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Current mood:  contemplative Category: Music
C'mon guys, it ain't that scary now is it? 
So, the cover art of "21:21" is done and everything is being sent off for pressing this week. I actually managed to throw the artwork together myself with a lot of help from my friend Jeff who took most of the photography. It shaped up real nice.
Now, I'll need to throw together a full band to help me perform this live. I haven't performed a set of my original material with a live band since sometime in 2003. Most of those guys have moved onto other projects since then and my music has certainly changed over the past 3 years. As a result, I'm really excited to put together a new ensemble. I also want to have a band play with me when I visit Toronto this year. I obviously can't afford to make guys fly out with me so I'm hoping (reeeeally hoping) that I can put it together with guys who are actually there already. So if you know anyone in the GTA who is rock-solid, kinda digs what I'm doing and has a bit of a background in jazz (my shit ain't exactly jazz but such experience might be necessary for some of the songs on the disc), tell them to drop me a line.
On Thursday night, I went out to the CD release party of my friend Marcel Desilets to celebrate his new album "What You See...". Along with me came aforementioned friend Jeff who has only recently started playing guitar and has been advancing at a very impressive pace. I knew that seeing a performer the caliber of Marcel would be a source of inspiration for him... and I was right. In fact, despite knowing Marcel for many years and having seen him perform (and sometimes performed along side of him) in the past, this one evening was even more of a source of inspiration for me.
My own songwriting has sometimes been described as (or sometimes accused of) being very dark and bittersweet. It's most likely a combination of my musical influences and my perception of the world and its people. Anyway, I sometimes get lost in that and risk failing to see the potential for brilliance and beauty in music.
That night marked the beginning of change:
Marcel started his set solo with just him and his guitar just like every song on his latest CD - which recalls the light breeze of the outdoors ("Wind In The Window"), the introspective imagery of the indoors ("Waiting Room"), umbrellas ("Big Umbrella") and good ol' prairie anglin' ("Wishin' I Was Fishin"). As he went through his intimate solo set and then invited his close friends to back him up rockin' the stage, the only way to sum it all up is that Marcel's music is beautiful. Between the stage and the audience, you could feel the love in the room and you knew who was responsible for it. And after watching Marcel, I'm sure Jeff is sitting at home working on his finger-picking as I type this. Anyway, you should check Marcel out right here on MySpace at www.myspace.com/marceldesilets
This summer, I think I'm going to go fishin'. I haven't cast a rod since I was around 14 years old. Anybody wanna join me??
- Neal 
 | Currently listening:
Organix
By The Roots
Release date: 19 October, 2006 |
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9:24 PM
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