1/08/08 After a long winter's nap, JRhodes and I have resumed the Jampon sessions. We pulled from the list and worked through edits and new bass and guitar lines. After a few hours of noodling and foolery we ended up with good direction on 3-4 bass lines for the songs. Tracking is coming very close to being completed, and the mixing should begin somewhere in early February. It was once again a very productive session, and it's good to get back to Jampon Tuesday.
11/31/07 A long Tuesday afternoon/evening session proved to be a good bet last week, as Rhodes and the browndogs spent hours combing through tracks and chopping this and that. Tracking is moving, and bass is the number were drawing this week. We've got one more to track from the ground up, then come the days of bells and wheelbarrows.
11/17/07 JRhodes and I have been working away, hitting the weekly rituals and moving the tracks along. Rhodes has another tune that he may want to add to the Jampon album, so we'll be visiting a drum session at least one more time. Meanwhile, we are looking to get a few more of the bass tracks filled in, and will be heading to some of the tinkering and auxillaries soon. As always, I have a great appreciation for JRhodes' enthusiasm and humor. He is a really unique character, and his conviction is nothing short of infectious. We'll be seeing him for Jampon Tuesday again this week, and the week after that, and the week after that, and the week after that....
10/25/07 More and more. JRhodes cut a few more tracks of vox on Tuesday, and has been working a little rearrangement of the album order. We have quite a few sessions sheduled in over the next couple months, so we'll be hearing alot more from Rhodes. He and Scotty have been working the next Ocean Ghosts album also. Good sounds.
10/16/07 Jampon Tuesdays continue through the fall, as JRhodes stopped through for a vocal session this evening. We worked on four songs, some just hintings of harmony, while others we took a few straight tracks. In looking through our scribblings and listening back, we realized that we had a good base of tracks down, and will be able to clear most of the vox and guitars in the next few sessions. From there a little bass, and then we'll start from the ground up on the mixes. After that, it's anybody's guess...
10/12/07 JRhodes and JCowans were over again on Tuesday to look at a couple more Jampon tracks. They cut drums and scratched the guitar for the last couple that we needed. The next few weeks will be spent running guitars, bass and of course we'll spend some time cutting the vox through. Things should spin out pretty quickly as these types of sessions usually lend themselves to alot of new tracks being recorded. JRhodes has mentioned the Holiday season as an appropriate time to unleash the philosophies into the heads of the masses. This particular time of year really could use some Jampon.
9/26/07 We had Tom in through the rains on Tuesday evening to look at a few Jampon tracks. Tom had installed his new upright pickup, so we spent a few minutes dialing around, listening and adjusting. He cut the low end on three tracks, and we're bouncing them out to get a listen.
The browndogs will be seeing Rhodes for a number of gatherings over the next couple months as we stir through guitars and vox, bass and snowshovels, keys and copper pots, touches of wheelbarrow.
9/02/07 More and more, guitars and drums, vocals and blurbs, the recordings continue. Spent a little time today working through some of the recently recorded tracks, blending them in and sending JRhodes the results. We'll be continuing over the next couple of months, looking for some finishing touches and some smooth bass to fill out the sound. Currently, there is no deadline for the album, so we'll see it when it's done. Until then, Jampon away. The last session was dedicated to Owen Wilson. Get some Jampon already.
8/19/07 The Jampon sessions continued this weekend as J.Rhodes and Scotty Boombox were over on Saturday cutting vocals, djembe and trumpet. There is still alot of ground to cover, but things are falling together quickly. We are hoping to get some bass tracks in the next couple of weeks, as well as working through more vox, keys and guitar.
8/01/07 JRhodes has been through a couple of times since last, and has been sketching out his tracks. Jason pulled a quick Tuesday night drum tracking session, before heading to play at The Thirsty Ear that night. We spent a couple more gatherings plucking on the keys, looking for sounds and noises.
Tom will be bringing his upright bass into the blend for a number of tracks. He's been listening to the scratches and is finding his lines. August should be a strong month of shaping as JRhodes' composition manifests. We're looking to finish basics by the end of the month. After all, there's talk of another Ocean Ghosts album by Halloween. Boo...
7/15/07 Another day today of sketching out tracks for JRhodes "Jampon" album. We cut four more, brining the total to nine this week. We'll be catching up with Jason to work some drums / percussion / whatnot, as well as Tom for a few low end lines, Scotty for some trumpet and djembe. The Jampon sessions will continue through July and August for tracking. This one seems like it's going to come around quick. JRhodes has posted one of the demo tracks on his myspace if you are looking for a listen.
7/11/07 Yesterday was the first day of the Jampon sessions. JRhodes stopped through and laid down the first five scratch tracks for the Jampon album. Big Jason stopped through for a spell and chatted with us as we ran the guitar tracks. Big J is going to work some drums / percussion for the album, which should be an entertaining venture. There will be the tradionional kit in spots here and there, mixed in with an assortment of other beats crated from the striking of objects, carefully hand chosen for their sonic characteristics.
JRhodes will be continuing through July and August with the Jampon project. When will it be complete? Thats all up to Rhodes. But for now there have been a surge of ideas and approaches for sound and melody, which will inherently lead to another sonic platform from JRhodes.
7/7/07 Caught up with J this evening and we are setting our dates. The browndogs will be seeing Jampon JRhodes on tuesday next week to lay out the project and get some scratching done. Since it will be guitar based, I would imagine that this first run will be looking at gear and discussing the approach for the recordings. We'll tweak and turn, dial and drive to explore the Rhodes. Updates and pics later next week.
6/26/07 I've been talking with JRhodes of the Ocean Ghosts about his new solo project, "Jampon". We'll be starting the project in early July, and slamming it throughout the summer. I really don't have any idea what to expect. After all, it's JRhodes. What I do expect is that he will approach this project with his neverending enthusiasm and unpredictable behaviors. I also expect that these sessions will be an absolute riot, to say the least. Rhodes is extremely entertaining to work with, and is always running in fifth gear. We'll be catching up the second week of July to start laying the foundation, and will continue capturing that JRhodes magic through August and September. Check back in mid to late July for updates and photos. I can't wait for this one, it'll be a hoot.