Here are some photos and quotes and the latest news

This has been the most exciting and thrilling and sometimes nail-biting project of my life. It's funny how you don't notice all the things there are to take care of in a project like this until it's your baby. Here are some photos and fun quotes that have come along (usually at four in the morning) during the recording/rehearsing process. Here are my initial thoughts on this project and some history to go along with them.

I can't thank the musicians and everyone who took part in this project enough. This as been a joy-filled and incredible experience and I can't wait to share the music with everyone.

The players:

Izolda vocals (lead and harmony), guitar, fiddle, flute, percussion
Jim B, percussion, mandolin, recorder, and great ears
Jeff L, trap percussion and general sweet disposition
Diana McF, cello, and ditto on the great ears
Janet M, harmony vocal, a real willingness to learn my bizarre harmony part (and helping to arrange part of it) and more great ears
Luis N, bass, great advice, ears, and more
Jeff S, percussion, stellar production assistance
Diana S, percussion, harmony vocals, arranging, and yet again, great ears

The setting:

Secret Sound Recording Studio with Engineer and all-around terrific guys, John G and Tony C.

The plot:

Record, all the myriad little and big parts that go into making the CD, called, "Sound the Deep Waters." For the main character, this little room was where most of the excitement and dramatic tension occurred.

The quotes:

(Rehearsal at DMcF's)
Sound the Deep Waters - "This song rides the Eastern European / Celtic edge."

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(Sat 25th)
Regarding cutting scratch tracks to the Casio keyboard
Izolda: "If I didn't need it, I wouldn't use it."
Jeff: "There's much worse things to be addicted to then bad drum machines..."

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Song formerly known as "Sirocco"and now titled "Moldovanka." The cut was recorded live, on the second take, at just after 1:30 in the morning on the 26th. In order to provide sufficient simultaneous isolation for all the musicians, Jeff had himself locked in a pitch black, airtight, padded closet normally reserved for recording loud guitar amps... John's name for the cut after he heard it, "My Big, Fat Russian Wedding."

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While getting ready to leave after she had recorded her cello parts, Diana McF was looking for anything she might have left around the studio. She walked into the isolation booth where she'd recorded right in the middle of Jim's take of the mandolin part on Two to Tango. That little incident became known as "Mandolinis Interruptus."

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Jeff S to Diana S referring to her drum that has hair on it: "I love your big fuzzy."

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(About Diana S's take of the the pa da pum pum PUM drum part in the choruses of Solstice Morn.) Jeff: gives a big thumbs up and an even bigger grin. Izolda: "I had a vision in my head and now WOW, it's here."

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Izolda random quote: Straight is a good thng, bi is a good thing and gay is a good thing for those who have it.

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Izolda (talking about musicians who play very long solos in the middle of songs): If you're a genius you should be able to masturbate a little bit.

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Jeff to Izolda on vocal recording night after the food has arrived and the fries are getting cold: "Now you have incentive. Quick takes mean hot fries."

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Diana McF speaking of a note that was out of tune: "That note is a toe stub in the graceful walk of life."

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Jim: "I have to get my little finger diddle thing."

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Note the spelling of the word ritard.
Izolda: I'm ritarding and she's not
Jeff: She's not ritarded enough for you
Izolda: Everyone should be as "ritarded" as I am.

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Jeff (circa 2am while sitting in on the parsley edits for Scarborough Faire): The R-r-rosemary in Spain falls mainly on the chicken."

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Diana (referring to a tootsie pop while talking to Izolda about the fact that Izolda's hungry): Here. Go rinse this off and suck on it for a while.

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Jeff (talking about not liking the bells in the middle of a song): It's almost like the bells are beating with themselves.
Izolda: That's for private time."

**More will be coming soon.**