Bovine Ska

Moooooo!  Last night I stayed up late listening to Generoso's Bovine Ska radio show on WMBR 88.1 in Cambridge.  I have known Gene for over 10 years now (he produced my high school band's record), and I try to catch his late night radio show whenever I can.  He is an expert on Jamaican music history, from Mento, through Ska, Rocksteady, and Reggae.  Last night was especially nice because us listeners in Brookline got a shout out from Dani (the oafish but lovable jew) listening in Pittsburgh!  His show is every Tuesday night from midnite-2am.

One of the most interesting projects that I have been involved in was Generoso's documentary on Jamaican guitar legend Lyn Taitt.  For the project, Lyn was invited to MIT studios to record with some local boston musicians - Eli Keszler (drums), Andrew Fenlon (tbone), Emeen Zarookian (guitar/bass), Ben Jaffe (sax), and myself (upright bass/guitar).    We rehearsed a few times before Lyn came to Boston from Montreal, and once with Lyn the night before the session.  His strength as a session musician in Jamaica (outside of his unique guitar style) was his ability to conjure up sophisticated arrangements of the tunes that were brought into the studio.  He certainly displayed this at the rehearsal, and during the session.  There was a moment of panic at the rehearsal when he exclaimed "This is not reggae music!  What do you want me to do with this?"  But we weren't necessarily trying to create, or re-create reggae music.  We were taking avant-garde compositions, and adapting them to rocksteady rhythms and format.  Eventually the band started to gel.  I will never forget driving Lyn back to his hotel, and him commenting on how the musicians were very good, but they play crazy.  As he got out of the car, he pointed to Eli and said "You are a great drummer!"

The defining moment of the recording session was when local piano master Ran Blake came to the studio to lay down some fender rhodes tracks.  At first, Lyn and Ran could not find common musical ground.  However, when we got into one of the tunes written for the session, sparks flew.  At the end of the tune we got into a five minute c-minor vamp, and Ran and Lyn had an amazing back and forth musical conversation/argument/agreement.  It was an honor to be in the presence of these two musicians, not to mention in the studio with them.

A soundtrack from the documentary is still in the can.  I hope someday it is mixed, because not are the tunes beautiful, but the playing is stellar, and there was a meeting of the (reggae guitarist and stream-noir pianist) minds.  

The technical specs I documented from this session on June 11 2006:  Rhodes thru Supro tube amp into Earthworks SR 69 mic.  Emeen's guitar thru fender amp into SM57.  Horns into SE Electronics Z330A.  Upright into Shure SM27.  Drum overheads - 2 Shure SM81, Snare - Electrovoice RE10, Kick AKGD112.  Bass Amp - Electrovoice RE20.  Lyn was playing a Mexican Strat going through a Fender Deville 2x12 with an SM57 on it.