First recording session

tonight i'm beginning the process of creating a new album of recorded music. it will integrate improvised pieces that were initiated in the last 6 months (one titled "wander"), new compositions using the lyrical ideas i've been blogging combined with some musical riffs that have been coming around regularly on the guitar, and a few older songs that want to be captured at this time.

its been a roller-coaster this week. holiday joy, holiday stress, success at work and feeling impoverished battling each other, more depth in recovery, in love, in creativity and in time with self than ever before in my life, a sense of peace about the children contrasted with a sense of futility and powerlessness that is hard to swallow sometimes.

music has been my refuge since i was about 9 years old and began composing and improvising on the piano. my formal lessons had ended at age 8. i had also started playing clarinet and would switch to oboe and english horn, then continue them all through my school years. this album will be more piano-centric than my last dozen or so. i've been enjoying the simplicity and power of guitar and piano combined that rick rubin uses in his productions with johnny cash and neil diamond, as well as the robyn hitchcock album "eye" - (one of virginia's favorites) quite the masterpiece of lyrical intelligence and folk-pop songwriting genius.

the main thing i've learned from doing this over and over through the years is that focus on the process is essential - focus on the product is a mousetrap. whether i love or hate the product - and this will change from week to year, fickle boy that i am, the process is magical and provides points of reference for my life that i can look back on later. it's fun!