These Kids Are Freakin' Good...
While at M&P's house for Easter this past weekend, I picked up some Catholic Archdiocese fish wrap that was lying around and when I cracked it open I saw this (whole article here).This is the chant choir I recorded with a couple of Studio Projects C1's, a 16bit ADAT, and my ART stereo mic preamp. Chrispy did the mastering at Smoke & Mirrors and the final product was most excellent.
These were the kids that came in after I set up my stuff and with the first chord they struck just blew my secular self away.
Franck Launay-Fallasse, the groups director, is a Taize native. He has taught these kids more than just how to sing this repetitive chant style choral music, but its essence as well. It was hard not to get swept up in it. This truly amazes me since the only "essence" I could understand when I was their age was Ted Nugent's "Motor City Madhouse".
The group is gaining quite a bit of notoriety around the Georgia Archdiocese and abroad apparently helped along by the success of the record we made.
From what I've heard, they've sold all of their first pressing and are on their second. Not bad for $15.00 a pop. Maybe Chrispy and I should have held out for points on the backend gross. They could have at least mentioned one of our studios, right? Rumor has it the alto section has an Axl Rose complex and wants to go solo. I hope they can keep it together for the next record.
Take it easy, just kidding. You heard that right God, I was just kidding. Heh, heh. You know a little post Easter humor?
UPDATE: God has allegedly forgiven my trespasses, but Jackson has not. With the utmost sincerity I apologize for excluding Theo in production credit for this record.
posted by Tony Alva @ 8:16 PM
13 comments
13 Comments:
Tommy Stinson has already signed on to play bass.
Let's just hope none of them are illegal! Where in the world is Taize, anyway? That sounds like a made up country if I've ever heard of one. Is that where Eddie Murphy reigned in Coming To America?
That Tommy Stinson, such a nice boy.
Taize is a French providence in the Burgandy region.
Actually, we had a long discussion about the catholic chuches roll in illegal immigration. From what the devout in my family claim, it's been part of a roaring debate in theri parish. The council of bishops have reluctantly pulled back on their early criricism of a bill that just past here after getting the finger wag from their leadership. Apparently the church cadre has validated that the rule of law comes before all else in this matter and cautioned parishes against abetting illegal activity.
Finally, the church got something right...
I like the church, it's that church cadre I find offensive.
With the exception of this latest position, agreed...
Tommy Stinson on the other hand playing bass on Pope Ratzinger's latest album under pseudonym I've got issues with.
You've peaked my curiosity. I googled Taize and everything I found (except for the part about the 90-year-old founding brother getting knifed during a service) gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. Yet I couldn't help wondering if they excommunicate the tone-deaf. An off note could really ruin the whole experience.
I like this bit from a BBC article. Sounds pretty zen:
Another characteristic of Taize is stretches of silence. A prayer service may have a ten-minute silence in the middle. The brothers explain the reason for this: "If with a childlike trust we let Christ pray silently within us, then one day we shall discover that the depths of our being are inhabited by a Presence."
That's very cool...
The music is very much an extension of this Buddhist like meditative thing they got going on. It's very mesmerizing. The church we recorded it in was absolutely perfect for it (sans the A/C noise). It was a very weird experience really. I still can not believe the beautiful sounds that came out of these gawky teenagers. Shoot me an address in an e-mail and I'll send you a copy of the album free of charge. I guarantee you'll enjoy it!
Credits are like candy - if you can't bring enough for everyone....
In other words - I quit the band.
Ted also did work on the mastering.
Nice work, boys. This is EXACTLY the kind of thing to use to get people in the door (or you out the door with your mics and pres in hand).
Actually, Chris id all the work - I just like free publicity...
I had to listen to it - does that count?
>>>Another characteristic of Taize is stretches of silence. A prayer service may have a ten-minute silence in the middle. The brothers explain the reason for this: "If with a childlike trust we let Christ pray silently within us, then one day we shall discover that the depths of our being are inhabited by a Presence."<<<
Interesting. We have a word for this in English. It's called "Quaker."
Sorry Jackson, my bad. You are, and always will be, The Man.
I'm just 'A' man - not 'The' man - I was just busting cujones. In all actuality - of all the excrutiating mixes I've had to sit through - and they are almost ALL excruciating for me - this one was actually soothing.
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