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New 'Studio' set from my band - kick ass jazzy/rocky/funk/D'n'B


urb
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Hey guys and gals

Just finished mixing the tracks from my band [b]Big Fan[/b]'s recording session last Saturday - all done in the luxurious surroundings of the guitarist's front room. The results have surpassed my expectations, we just miked the kit with one overhead and a kick drum mic - sax and guitar were miked too - bass went direct from the back of my Baby Blue combo - we just used a MOTU 828 and a Macbook with Garageband - but the energy we captured is the main thing.

These are all original tunes - [b]Push, vanishing Point and Life In A Loop[/b] are by me - [b]Juicy Dangler, Snake Oil and Central Line[/b] by the guitarist Christian Miller - he absolutely kicks ass on all of them, as does Jack Beeche the sax player and our drummer Sophie Alloway is just brilliant - so few great female drummers in London, and she's one of the best.

I'd love to know what you think - this is just a really grooving, vibing band with loads of energy - we just love playing together and we all feel there's a certain chemistry - hope you like some of it:

[url="http://www.myspace.com/bigfanjazzband"]http://www.myspace.com/bigfanjazzband[/url]

Cheers

Mike

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[quote name='fleamail' post='97026' date='Nov 30 2007, 10:47 PM']WOW!!! GROOVE!


Amazing bass sound too! Great overall recording, I think the only think that is missing is a little more definition from the drum kit and less compression there too, but it still sounds good with just an overhead and a kick mic! Old school![/quote]

Old School indeed! The thing with improvised music - it applies to all styles too I guess - is you really need to warm up and relax - doing this in a 'proper' studio with the clock ticking - and even a click track - really kills the vibe - We trid this before and the whole thing sounded dead - this is basically how we sound and we finally managed to record it after two years of playing together. Points duly noted about drum compression - and yes the baby blue + Thumb bass is a greet sound.

Thanks for listening - glad you like it

Cheers

Mike

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Hi Mike...

Just had a listen mate...that is the best i've heard you play my friend...the whole band in general as well, just awesome...very much the sound and vibe i'm digging so much right now, you should be proud of yourself!!! Great stuff man!

Just as a slight side issue...how do you get so many tracks in your media player on myspace...do you have to add someone as your friend?

Thanks
J

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[quote name='bassjamm' post='100004' date='Dec 6 2007, 09:22 AM']Hi Mike...

Just had a listen mate...that is the best i've heard you play my friend...the whole band in general as well, just awesome...very much the sound and vibe i'm digging so much right now, you should be proud of yourself!!! Great stuff man!

Just as a slight side issue...how do you get so many tracks in your media player on myspace...do you have to add someone as your friend?

Thanks
J[/quote]

Thanks man - much appreciated - re the Media Player - I noticed recently some musicians on MS had more tracks on their players - so when I added these I discovered you are now allowed to have 6 up there - they've also upgraded the player so you can scroll through the track once it starts streaming - which it didn't let you do for a while.

PM me your address and I'll burn you a CD of this stuff - the sound is much better when it's not been squashed to hell by a Flash player.

Thanks again

Mike

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  • 1 year later...

[quote name='Weird War' post='369934' date='Jan 4 2009, 02:03 PM']Just found this - wonderful stuff! Congrats to all involved.

Any London gigs planned in the near future?[/quote]

Firstly thanks for the belated listens and compliments, I love this band but we haven't done anything together for over a year now, but.... I was on the phone with the guitarist yesterday and we are keen to start doing something again this year, with the addition of a trumpeter, it would be a really great band, I'm REALLY keen to get something jazzy/fusiony on the go, just have to see how all my other commitments pan out in the coming months. But we ARE going to get together for a play and see what happens.

thanks again for checking this out, I really love this band too

Cheers

Mike

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[quote name='OldGit' post='371137' date='Jan 5 2009, 05:14 PM']Excellent stuff URB.
Really enjoyed it.
OG[/quote]

Thanks OG and everyone else - I really miss this band and your comments are spurring me on to get us back together after a year off....! They are great players and it's basically fun music to play, which is the main reason we want to do it - anyway I really appreciate the positive feedback - this is the kind of music I love to make so it's gratifying when other people like it too.

Cheers

Mike

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[quote name='The Funk' post='371164' date='Jan 5 2009, 05:40 PM']I was at the gig that all the video clips are from. I was with a girl who wanted to "go home early" so I didn't stick around for the second set or say hello. It was a cool band and cool gig though. Great tone from the Thumb and Baby Blue too![/quote]

Cheers man - say hello next time :)

M

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  • 3 weeks later...

Fantastic recording and playing!

Just really shows what you can do when you work within the limitations of your equiptment.

Also a lesson to anyone who is utterly slavish to the click.

Really inspirational grooves, must get home and get the bass out now ;)

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[quote name='51m0n' post='388824' date='Jan 22 2009, 05:51 PM']Fantastic recording and playing!

Just really shows what you can do when you work within the limitations of your equiptment.

Also a lesson to anyone who is utterly slavish to the click.

Really inspirational grooves, must get home and get the bass out now ;)[/quote]

Thanks again for these belated words of praise - I seriously love this band and I'm desperate to reform it and get back to playing together - I've just been listening to this fast version of Giant Steps that we also recorded in the guitarist's front room - just with a couple of mics - I was using my Thumb bass through a pretty basic Trace Elliot 30 Watt combo - it sounds good!

Anyway - [b][url="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=74564"]click here for fast-ish Giant Steps samba[/url][/b]

Cheers

Mike

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it think this music was just too ahead of it's time... looks like just over a YEAR ahead of it's time judging by this thread ;)

another late discoverer here. funk, jazz and dnb are 3 of my most favoured musical directions. so you've flicked all my switches! lovely work

if this has been in hiatus, what you doing at the moment?

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