Power and Passion

Album tracks:

» City hero
» Right here waiting
» Still loving you
» The one you love
» Michelle
» Edge of heartache
» You don't know my heart
» Last one shot
» Roberto's lullaby

I got to stretch out a little bit on this album. I was on a new label, and they pretty much told me, "Here's some songs, produce whatever you like...as long as it sells." First off I got to work with my second Chinese pop singer, Lily Lee, covering her old hit, "City Hero." Lily's got a huge happy personality, and a huge voice to match. We had a lot of fun promoting this together, and once even got a bit loaded doing a drink sponsorship at some grocery store.

Music wise, I listen back and hear myself searching for a sound. Developing a sound is the hardest thing for a musician to do. It's got nothing to do with your instrument, technique, style, or even music choice. You sound the same no matter how crummy an instrument you play, or what the music is. It all has to do with what's going on in your head at the time, your artistic focus, and the emotion you're projecting. I had an idea of where I though I wanted to go, and this album really helped me figure out a couple of things.

First off, I learned that I love ballads, and that I need to play live. I'm just not cut out for the LA studio fusion track by track stuff. Just don't fit in. Also, I found myself drifting away from what I thought jazz was supposed to be, and enjoying the pop blend a lot more.

On "City Hero", I caught myself going for the 60's Andrew Love and the Memphis Horn thing. I love that shit.

"Still Loving You" turned out to be the big hit on this album, and was featured on some nice commercials. How can you not like the Scorpions?

"Michelle" is the awesome Lennon/McCartney tune which Rick Smith and I did as just sax and guitar live, pulled out of the closet from our old first gig episode. Rick was the guy who called me up for my first Taiwan gig (see first album blurb) which turned into 14 years of weirdness and coolness. He's a true workingman's jazz warrior.

"Last One Shot" is a great song written by Cui Jian, the father of Chinese Rock and Roll. I couldn't see covering it in it's original style, so Mike Abene wrote up some great charts, and we took it to the studio with an all-star NY GRP band featuring Danny Gottleib and Mark Egan, the awesome rhythm section for the early Pat Metheny Group. It was the first time I felt what it was like to play at this level, and actually began finding my sound.

Credits:

Vocals - Lily Lee (1, 6)
Arrangement/Keyboards - Rob Mullins (1, 3, 4, 6), Michael Abene (7, 8, 9), Neil Boisen (2)
Arrangement/Guitars - Rick Smith (5)
Guitars - Scott Braker-Abene (8)
Fretless Bass - Mark Egan (7, 8)
Drums - Danny Gottlieb (7, 8)
Percussion - Sammy Figueroa (7, 8)
Additional Keyboards - Domenick Cichetti (7, 8, 9)
Producers - Corbett Wall / Rob Mullins / Michael Abene
Recorded by - Tom McCauley at Slamshack Studio, N. Hollywood, CA (1, 3, 4, 6), Josiah Gluck at Manhattan Recording / A&R Studios, NYC (2, 7, 8, 9), Bertie Foo at Plus Studios, Taipei (1, 2, 5, 6)
Mixed by - Josiah Gluck at Manhattan Recording (2, 5, 7, 8, 9), Steve Reid at Slamshack Studio (1, 6), Tom McCauley at Slamshack Studio (3, 4)
Mastered by - Bernie Grundman, Hollywood

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