Bryan Appleseed

Last weekend I met up with some class mates, Levi and Josh, about recording. We talked about some possibilities for this album I’ve been planning, and laid down a number of scratch tracks. I was originally considering recording solo, but after hearing what other instruments might have to offer, I now suspect that some of my songs would benefit tremendously from actual arrangements. It may take longer than I’d like, but I think it’d be best to do the music justice rather than to rush things for the sake of completion.

So I met up with Matt Flynn, who’s so far the only other member of the Apple Blossom Band, and we sort of outlined which songs we should focus our efforts on as well as what we wanted to hear over each. What resulted was a massive list of parts I’ll have to write out and people I’ll have to schedule recording sessions with before this project can begin to take form.

I wanted to get this ready in some capacity or another before May, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. The semester is coming to a close, guitar juries are approaching fast, and April 21st, I’ll be playing a concert with Mark O’Connor in UM’s Django Ensemble (Le Quintette du Hot Club de Frost). Cliche stock phrase about exhaustion! Am I right?

It’s my first night back in Miami after staying with Michelle “The Best” Blades, and for some reason I’m finding it a little hard to sleep. It seems a half-inflated mattress in the cold makes a better bed than a warm futon. Sleep, of course, comes much easier when you’re surrounded by the most fascinating friends you’ll ever make. Also after drinking.

Some notable things:
Lots of writing got done thanks to Michelle’s blushing willow and morningtime birdfriends. I foresee good things.
Got to check out Paper Bird, an awesome band that everyone should listen to. They’ll be playing Denver sometime around July in a ballet they were commissioned for.
Also, I crossed the path of one Abigail Washburn, a stupidly talented clawhammer banjoista with an amazing voice. She also happened to have Jon Estes on bass, who’s a fellow product of the Miami music scene and UM jazz. Turns out he played with Jesse Jackson the very first time I saw him around 5 years ago, which I’m certain was a pivotal moment to my musical inclinations. The serendipity of it was pretty incredible.
She, along with some very talented bluegrass musiciennes I met will be performing at the Telluride bluegrass festival, also in Colorado. I suspect I’d like to be headed out towards that area some time during the summer with extremely musical intentions.
My friend el David-o just got a shiny new camera with vidyatake technologies, so expect pictures and talkies in the near future.
Gonna see Rachel Goodrich this Friday! Excited!
Okay
Stay tuned for tunes