姓名： TheBirdEnsemble 英文名：- 性别：- 国籍：- 出生地：- 语言：- 生日：- 星座：- 身高：- 体重：-
小简介
As the final hammer-stroke of Migration fell, cymbals decaying, two voices emerged, followed by a wash of droning tape loops, hiss and silence. It had been a long, emotionally draining process for everyone involved.
In the intervening months, a growing consensus emerged from within the ranks. Namely, that the aesthetic and emotional excesses of our previous effort had left a gaping void in the creative framework of what could finally be called our band: The Bird Ensemble. The original charter as a fluid ensemble allowed for the possibility of a rotating cast of musicians, but the sudden departure of our drummer, friend, and brother (Jason McClain) further deepened that void. It also galvanized our resolve and gave purpose to the general anticipation of a new, more reserved direction.
Michael Hix moved behind the drums, Richard Candler elected to focus on Rhodes and organ, and Kyle Williams and Charles McClain remained on guitar and bass respectively. Retreating to a lower basement room we set out again, this time, on unsure footing, and anxious to learn each other’s language after a somewhat lengthy hiatus. During sometimes grueling late night sessions, a process began to take shape. Through an increased reliance on extended improvisation coupled with a gritty exercise in will, we began to hear the compositions that would become The Last Songbook.
With the help of our fifth member, Carson Leverett, we secured some studio time in historic RCA Studio B, Nashville TN, and embarked on another series of marathon recording sessions. Over three nights, we recorded live takes using analog technology. In a further step toward the replication of classic recording technique and process, Carson took on the added challenge of mixing the tracks directly to the 1/4” master reel as the band played live. His simple “Let it be what it is” philosophy was employed with an ascetic ear for the delicate interplay of instruments and the natural living reverberations of RCA-B. And here is the result, almost as we heard it resonating from the studio monitor playback.
The aim here is not to shape the experience of the listener for some added dimension of subtle nuance, either in content or form. It is a recommitment through a sort of confessional approach to our own personal history to reimagine our purpose as an ensemble: a dynamic cast dedicated to the end of increased versatility and experimentation in both arrangement and composition. Our particular expression owes much in homage to American movements in jazz and minimalism with special attention given to the utilization and preservation of live analog recording techniques. In this much we have remained true.
We all agree that in one area or another, The Last Songbook, for us is somehow infused with this concept of process. Nearly all of the song titles reference some sort of personal journey significant to one or all of us. In our endeavor to forge a new understanding of what it means for us to continue on, we stumbled upon something beautiful. If one can find any fault with the end result, perhaps it stems from our sin of trying to possess it, rather than stepping back to behold its beauty. In making available the record of our efforts, we invite you to become part of them.
