Well, the first track of the album is done, and I didn't even lift a finger! If only making records was always that easy. Actually, this was a very unique and timely situation.
Geoff Muldaur and I hooked up last year at the folk fest in Vancouver. I assembled a band for him to play some of his old tunes with horn arrangements that he and Howard Johnson had done. It was a blast and we will hopefully hook up again soon. In the meantime, he went to Texas to record some songs for a project with a fantastic band, and while they were at it, they recorded "The World Is Gone Wrong". The band is:
Geoff Muldaur - vocal and 6-string banjo
Stephen Bruton - mandolin
Cindy Cashdollar - dobro
Suzy Thompson - fiddle
John NIcholas - guitar and bass drum
Bruce Hughes - bass
The track sounds awesome. I want to have very traditional, and then very non-traditional takes on the Sheiks music for this tribute. This track is quite traditional and takes on the spirit of the sheiks. The fiddle playing is very authentic and the whole band is really exceptional. It'll be an honour to have this track on the record.
Just planning some further sessions now beyond the John Hammond/Carolina Chocolate Drops one which is going to be the first.