Hi y'all Out of the shadows momentarily I am, to comment on Marcel's terrific report on the Northeast Fest 2000 Cd's, which I understand are starting to find their way about the list. Marcel supposes I was may have been responsible for some or all of the production behind these CD's. The answer is : Some! Whereas I have provided most of the stage audio gear for the live shows the past three years, that's just the very beginning. In the process, most everyone pitches in and helps with all the aspects of 'puttin' on a show'. I always need to credit Mr. Paz without whose deep experience in things-audio we would never have the slightest chance to bring these numbers off. Eveybody 'roadied', basically. Some people roadied gas grills, even, but without the shrimp the music wouldn't have been the same! This year, everything was way complicated when we had to pick up the whole rig due to rain and drive it all 30 miles to the alternate rain-site. It was a little amazing, but I think we has sound up and running by 2 PM? (This, while not quite awake from the night before...) Then, there is the recording process. These CD's were all produced by the Ron Popiel School of Audio Production - "Set it, and forget it". The Cd's came from the board direct to DAT's. We had three machines running out of tape at different times but from Les Irvin's and Paz's sets I guess we caught almost everything. The sets were very nice, to say the least. We were also lucky again, engineering wise. Now to get from these DAT's to CD is another whole process, and I think I'll leave it to Les, in his characteristic humility, to provide the details. They're great! One regret I had this year (of a couple) was that we didn't manage to tape my band's set at Atty May's on Sunday. All I can say is that it was a highlight of my LIFE playing behind that fabulous that party that 'broke out'. You had to be there... I do show up occasionally on these tracks. I am on keyboard on some of these performances and that's about all I had in me this year what with other coverage and being quite ill on top of that. I was honored to play behind Ann and Leslie and Ashara. I also had a ball playing behind Victor Johnson's set at May's which was really rocking until some 'technical difficulties' ensued. But this is all to say: much credit due to ALL and principally among that all, LES!! for making this music see the light of day again. (already in planning for next year's Northeast Fest! We are looking to outsource the sound to PROFESSIONALS who will also be there to twiddle the knobs during sets and help with stage setting so that the musicians can do a little more *partying and *playing!. And.... we'll have decent monitors!) Chuck Eisenhardt -not actually playing now but heard on the way home from work: Jim Webb - 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' - WOW.
