#38 What happens when 5 strangers come to play music

Having a commercial recording studio puts me in a unique position to get to know musicians I wouldn't normally meet.  Over the 30 plus years of having a studio I've worked with thousands of musicians and on more than 500 albums.  Every now and then, I get the idea that putting a few together who have never met is a good idea.

When I'm asked to produce a record, I'm often asked to contract the band.  (Not for Blue Coast Records... we record live).  As years pass, you keep a list of different musicians, how well they work in a studio environment, what style of music they play and most important -- do they show up on time (or at all) when hired.  A lot of fans will offer suggestions of "what if" you can put so and so with so and so....  it doesn't always work out.  It's not always the best musicians who make the best session players.

Playing on someone else's session (a hired gun) means adapting quickly to situations and personalities, along with musicianship skills.  More than anything, you learn to listen to the music and the energy of the room.  Being a nice person often tops being a great musician when it comes to getting hired. Session playing is an artform.  More on it later.

Today, I'm reminiscing about a session with the Blue Coast Allstars.  I thought it would be a good idea to bring 5 complete strangers together to play because they were 5 of the best session musicians I knew.  Tony Furtado is a musician I had a long history of producing and he later became my "go - to" banjo, slide guitar session player.  Chris Kee, bassist, had played on a number of Blue Coast recordings along with many bands that came in.  Chris Lynch on violin, is headed to being a young master.  An amazing improviser, too.  Keith Greeninger needs little introduction. If you know "Looking for a Home" on Blue Coast Collection 1, you know his voice.  Melissa Reese, a young vocalist who had been coming over to write and sing on several projects, amazed me many times. Last month, she was featured in Rolling Stone Magazine and part of Guns N Roses as the first female band member. 

Lastly, there's Brain (Bryan Mantia)... not only one of the best drummers I know, but a good friend and now composition partner in Qua Continuum - ambient music. He was part of the song writing team with Melissa and myself on The Valence Project. Brain helped Mel get the gig in Guns, recorded/toured with Guns, Tom Waits, Primus to name a few. By strange fate, I happened to be the first studio he ever recorded at when he was 18.  We've been friends ever since and often muse about life's challenges.

Except for Brain and Melissa, none of the musicians had played together before.  Under Blue Coast Records Allstar Jam, we found a date and everyone showed up to learn and play.  It takes awhile to figure out what style, what tunes everyone could learn, how were we going to setup, etc.  After the nerves were shaken off, we got 5 killer songs on that day.  Here's the EP.

https://bluecoastmusic.com/blue-coast-all-stars/blue-coast-all-star-jam

We'll be combining this album with other songs to make a complete album in a few months.  For now, you can get the five. Enjoy.