Day 2 - VC3 Recording

It was agreed the evening before that they would aim to start recording at 9:30am on the second day. At about 9:40am recording actually began.

The day had got off to a great start.

The first song they tackled was "Do Something". A couple of takes later it was "in the can". The next song, "Letting Go", went similarly well, although after listening to their second take, it was decided to go for one more. Done.

"Rescue Me" came next and was "in the can" after the third take.

"This Is My Time" was the last of the songs using the digital piano, and it too, went very smoothly.

Because the last two songs would require the grand piano, the group took a break for lunch while the piano and its microphones were set up.

After lunch the last two songs were tackled, starting with "Looks Like Rain". By the third "take" it was agreed this was the one and they then moved onto the "biggie".

"It's Time (Anita's Song)" is regarded as a bit of a tour de force of Kathie's repertoire. A through composed contemporary jazz ballad, written especially for jazz singer, Anita Wardell, to sing, it is the most difficult of the six songs to play well and with the kind of reverence it deserves.

Without the aid of a click track, the song's success is very much dependent on the three rhythm section listening carefully to each other, making sure they play together in time and with the same expression.

On only the third "take", they were successful in recording a beautiful, sparce, for-the-most part, tight foundation of the song.

Finally the group assembled in the control room to listen back to the day's work. Very pleasing results. Very happy. Thrilled, actually. So all that was left to be done was a few percussion parts to be added by Thom and Kathie on two songs. This meant that Shaun's work was done and he was able to leave.

Recording the percussion parts was done quickly and with fun and by 3:30pm everything to be recorded that day had been accomplished. It was then a matter of listening to everything again, and Gabriel to make a copy of the day's efforts on cd to take home.

Day 1 - VC3 Recording

Over a two day period in July, 2010, the two Adelaide based musicians from Vincent's Chair, Kathie Renner and Karen De Nardi, together with Kate Ceberano drummer, Thom Mann, and Bassist, Shaun Duncan (and his daughter, Hannah) met to rehearse and record the new Vincent's Chair CD.

The Goal: to rehearse and record the beds - drums, bass and piano parts - for six songs.

As the group assembled in the studio, finding their barings, setting up their instruments, there was clearly tension in the air. But after running through the charts a couple of times, feeling comfortable with their headset levels, they began to feel more at ease.

Their sound engineer, Argentian, Gabriel Agostino, worked quietly and efficiently to give the musicians the best environment and condition to work in, and helped to relax the atmosphere; even joining in with the boy's humour with his own contributions.

By the end of the day it was decided to "do a take" of one of the songs to see just how they were going. "Looks like Rain" was the chosen song, and after a couple of run throughs, a take was made, and the group made their way to the control room to hear the results.

Despite it being a test run, the overall sound was particularly good. The drum sound was sensational. Thom had used a combination of a 1958 Ludwig kit (similar to the one the Beatles had used) with bits and pieces from a Premier kit, and the clarity of the sounds was a stand-out. Everything sounded really beautiful.

So the end of the day ended on an enthusiastic note. Everyone was left feeling confident about the day ahead.

Vincent's Chair Trio to Record New CD

That's right, folks. It's as the heading says; Vincent's Chair Trio will be recording a new CD.

We will begin in July, and all being well it will be ready by the end of the year!

This time we will be adding some double bass and drums/kit to the trio on a couple of the tracks. Our special guests on the recording will be Thom Mann (drummer for Kate Ceberano), and Shaun Duncan on double bass.

Once the CD is complete we will begin a series of gigs to promote the new material and hopefully start raising funds for an overseas trip to Europe next year. We were unable to go this year, but the organisers of EUROPAfest, music festival in Bucharest, Romania have extended the invitation to 2011. We hope to perform in Germany and the U.K. as well.

So, stay tuned to this website and our myspace site for more details. www.myspace.com/vincentschairtrio

Latest Boho Bar News

Hi Folks,

I have some sad news. The Boho Bar has decided that they will not continue to have live music on Sunday nights at their establishment, so the two dates we were to play there in June and July are now obviously off. So don't come to see us...there, that is.

We are sad about this but we see it as an opportunity to do some other stuff, like record a CD, and we have a private function on July 2nd so we'll be kept busy.

Watch this space for news of where we will play next.

Boho Bar News

Sunday night Mama Kath & the Rennergades played the Boho Bar in Unley again. It's becoming a bit of a regular haunt for us. We'll be there again in June and they've offered us a date in July as well. This is great for us as we get to try out our material, and in fact we premiered a new tune by Derek McClure on Sunday night, "Gettin' It Right". Apparently it is so titled because Derek reckons he keeps trying to play our music right - especially Grayson's tune, "Cough B4 U Enter" which is a bit of a trip.

So put this date in your diary:

Mama Kath & the Rennergades

Boho Bar

27 Unley Rd, Parkside

June 27

7pm, Free

My View from the 6th Floor

This is my view from the 6th floor of the Schulz Building in Adelaide University.

From there I can see up to North Adelaide, the Adelaide oval, and watch aeroplanes arriving over the city.

It's a terrific view but sometimes it feels like I'm looking through a prison cell window...

Wheatsheaf Hotel and the Boho Bar

Friday 14th May I performed a solo gig at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Adelaide. Well, I started off as a soloist but was then joined by young Adelaide guitarist, Sam Leske, to complete the set which also included special guest vocalist, Jayne-Anne Power for a number.

The night included the Jayne-Anne Power band as well, and despite a very cold night it went very well I think. Stay tuned for more of the same...

Next Sunday night, May 23rd, Mama Kath & the Rennergades make a return to the Boho Bar on Unley Road, Parkside. This will be our third gig there and we're really looking forward to settling in the sumptuous surrounds of the Boho. If you haven't been it's a real treat.