Josephine County- Celtic/American fusion

Those who know me and my eclectic and far-ranging musical tastes know that there’s usually one bridge I rarely cross: the fusion of idioms and styles.  All of that conservatism is shattered with this new project from 4 of my absolute favorite musicians/singers: Hanz Araki, Colleen Raney, Matt Shipman and Erica Brown.  I must say… Continue reading Josephine County- Celtic/American fusion

Liz and Dan Faiella

These are two of the finest young New England Celtic musicians I know, and it’s been an absolute delight to work with them on what was essentially a ‘live in the studio’ project.  Liz’s fiddle tone posed absolutely no challenges to the microphone, Dan’s guitar is so good it almost makes this aging guitar player… Continue reading Liz and Dan Faiella

Cathy Wilson: Celtic-flavored folk/country from Tennessee

My latest trip to Nashville yielded some more beautiful tracks from Cookeville Tennessee singer-songwriter Cathy Wilson, with further overdubs and mixing back here in (cooler?-not so much, lately) Portsmouth.  Bill Verdier on fiddle, John Mock on mando/banjo/whistle/drum, Jeff Taylor this time back on his first instrument, piano.

Latest Nashville sessions

March 16-19 found me in Nashville, producing and playing acoustic guitar on three days of recording. Song demos with various songwriters using my trusty team of Nashville A-list musicians, including Chris Leuzinger (Garth Brooks and just about everyone else), Gary Prim (Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson, John Fogerty, etc.), Wayne Killius (Blake Shelton, Kenny Rogers,… Continue reading Latest Nashville sessions

Songwriters: Nashville Connection

No better resource for songwriters to record their music exists than the musicians in Nashville TN, and this resource is available to you. Unforgettable was the day back in 1981 when I first experienced the almost indescribable moment when a  team of seasoned Nashville musicians bring a song to life.  I had been in Nashville… Continue reading Songwriters: Nashville Connection

Catching up, May 2017

Here’s a problem with a blog-type website: I get so busy making music with all the wonderful people who come through my studio doors that I have no time to chronicle it all.  I promise I’ll catch up soon with more formal postings with pics and clips, but here’s a brief look at what’s been… Continue reading Catching up, May 2017

Lindsay Straw: Traditional Folk with fresh expertise!

Superb instrumental skills on guitar and bouzouki, a keen ear for repertoire selection, new takes on centuries-old stories and a clear, sparkling voice make this project everything a folk audience can hope for. Music from the past has a bright future! Lindsay‘s thoughtful preparation prior to the recording dates ensured an efficient use of time, keeping… Continue reading Lindsay Straw: Traditional Folk with fresh expertise!

Chris Vaughan: Portsmouth’s ‘Great Scot’!

One of the first projects that came to me at Mill Pond Music about five years ago involved my adding a few guitar parts to and mixing the Dave Hallowell-produced CD by Portsmouth’s Scot-about-town, bon vivant Chris Vaughan.  There’s now a new collection of his songs, ‘Americana 1974’. The production is in a folk-country vein, yours truly playing… Continue reading Chris Vaughan: Portsmouth’s ‘Great Scot’!

Cathy Wilson: Celtic Folk in Cookeville TN

Out of the blue, while waiting for a plane at the Nashville airport, I got a call from Cathy.  She had found the Mill Pond Music Studio website on line, had seen all the Celtic Tribute Series CDs I’d produced and had read about all the wonderful Celtic acts that have found their way to my workspace,… Continue reading Cathy Wilson: Celtic Folk in Cookeville TN

Mt. Philo: Young Folk-Rockers from Middlebury VT

It started with an urgent call from mandolinist/dobroist Eli Orland- his band Mt Philo’s fall break recording session at a studio in CT had fallen through at the last minute, and might I be able to accommodate them in a couple of days for a long-anticipated weekend of recording.  Eli had found me through a… Continue reading Mt. Philo: Young Folk-Rockers from Middlebury VT