Includes an alternate Brecker solo
Brecker Solo Take 2 - 2:10
Brecker Solo Take 1 - 7:41
In 2001, I began working on the follow-up to my first album, "War Stories" (which reflected my time serving in Vietnam). During the War Stories sessions, Vinnie, through conversations with me, made a point to connect his musical interpretation of my music to the cathartic reason for the album. This profoundly affected me, especially as a Vet, realizing that someone cared about what I did in War. I knew then that I wanted to do my next project with Vinnie.
We set some dates, and he came to my home studio in Chicago, and we laid down 21 songs over a weekend. He played to my midi renditions with a click track (he sightread every piece). After his tracks were down, I started working on the other instruments. I met Michael Brecker at the Jazz Workshop in Chicago, and he agreed to participate in this project. I reconnected with some of my Berklee alums, Mike Stern, Victor Bailey, Kenwood Dennard, Jeff Richman, and Jim Odgren, and they also agreed to add their voice to the project.
I used several musicians I knew in Chicago to round out the personnel for the album. I called it Tracking, as I recorded most in my home studio as individual instrumental "tracking" sessions instead of playing and recording together.
Audio technology has moved forward since 2001, so I have more creative tools for interpreting my music. In many cases in the past, I could not get the nuances and sonorities I heard in my head recorded on tape. This was also the case with my 2012 sessions with Vinnie, Richard Bona, and Mike Stern (where I ran out of money, I could not complete the project).
In 2023, I began work on a new project, "The Red Summer 1919," to be released on 11/11/2023.
I am creating this album with some of the 2001 and 2012 session material.
I am currently recording and releasing new works based on my 2012 sessions, as well as reevaluating my Tracking album and reimagining and re-recording certain tracks by incorporating these new audio tools and expanding on the limitations associated with some of the musicians on the initial tracks. These reimagined/re-recorded tracks will be released as individual singles.
Studio Liner:
Vinnie Colaiuta-Drums
Michael Brecker-Tenor Solo
Jim Odgren-Alto Sax
Carol Williams-Tenor
Ted Hogarth-Bari Sax
Matt Lewis-Trumpets
Kirk Garrison-Trumpets
Steve Berry-Trombones
Audrey Morrison-Trombones
Guitar-J. Kimo Williams
Keyboards- Ben Lewis (Solo section only)
J. Kimo Williams - Audio VST, Modeling and Sample Programming
J. Kimo Williams - Mix Engineer
J. Kimo Williams - Recording Enginneer
Chad Adams-Recording Engineer
Jim Caruana-Recording Engineer