New Projects

I was up at 6.45 this morning as I've got a busy weekend ahead (my ability to do this no doubt due to drinking Diet Coke rather than Red Wine last night).

Firstly, I have to hand back all the CDs I borrowed from the library three weeks ago so, as usual, I've left it till the last minute to scan the covers for my illicit copies. Then, at 2.30 we're due at Anne's brother Keith and his partner Maureen's new house for a house warming party. Anne's extended family will be there including her mum, siblings, their respective partners and our nephews and niece plus Maureen's two girls - so a full and noisy house in prospect.

Tomorrow I commence the recording sessions for an acoustic CD I've been commissioned to produce for Ian Sclater (pronounced Slater) - he's the editor of a local coffee-house inhouse magazine called Instant and a prolific songwriter to boot - so at some point today I have to ensure all the Crispycat equipment is functioning correctly - the remit is to produce a 15 or so song CD which will stand the test of time as a document of Ian's songwriting skills - he's invited a few of his friends to play on the disc too so it'll be a challenge, but one I'm looking forward to.

This new project means of course that Cloudland Blue Quartet matters have to be put on hold for the time being. With that i mind, I've been toying with the idea of updating the currently available anthology. That double CD set is a kind of "Best Of" from 1977 through to 2001 with quite a few years overlooked and some more heavily represented than others.

I recently stumbled across another 2CD set I'd compiled at some point last year and I've been listening to this on and off for a few weeks now. It features just one track from each year from 1977 to 2004 (28 tracks in all) with some nifty crossfades between most of the pieces and some long not listened to songs which only previously featured on various compilations.

It's 50/50 song/instrumental and features some of my very favourite soundscapes I've done over the years. A couple of the early tracks are a wee bit embarrassing I suppose, but that's what I was doing then. The track from 77 is the first I ever recorded. All in all I think the set demonstrates the progress made over the last 28 years - you'd have to hope there had been at least some after all!!

I'd keep the other anthology in the catalogue at present since only a few tracks are duplicated over the two sets.

....and of course it's Easter Day on Sunday - not that I'm a believer, but I do go along with the concept of Easter Eggs - I'm a Nestle Man while Anne's a Cadbury's Girl...