Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to announce that I have just recorded a new song: "Sweet Home Chicago", from the original "Blues Brothers" movie. To record this song I have spent long hours listening to the version by the Blues Brothers Band, trying to reproduce the different parts more or less faithfully: however, since the original song is 7'45" long, I HAD to do a condensed version. I realize that a longer version would have been better (and I am aware that the ending, in particular, sounds a bit hastened) but even so the song is 3'20" long and, with a 56 K connection, this means more than 40 minutes of downloading...
It's my real pleasure to dedicate this song to our friend Frank Bez because, even if he has been living for many years in California, he was actually born in the "windy city" and -trust me- he is really proud of that! I know that Frank probably likes a different kind of music more (especially big bands from the 30's and the 40's), but -due to its title- this tune seemed so appropriate that I just couldn't resist!
I think that this song is somehow different from all the others I have recorded before, so please let me know what do you think of it.
Thank you
http://andrearotolo.tripod.com/dreamer/id1.html


[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 10-04-2002).]

Andrea,

I want to tell you that that was a fantastic instrumental version of Sweet Home Chicago!! Your Sax and Guitar work is simply superb, BRAVO!!! What KB did you use to record it, and did you use a style or go trac by trac from scratch? Another Unbelivable Performance for sure. Thanx for sharing.

Ciao

Donny NJ

Andrea: WOW WOW WOW - What an impressive LIVE sound (no canned soup here) recording & fantastic performance (with all the right licks). Sounds like you had a 100% real LIVE band of musicians in your studio playing with you. Terrific sax & distorted guitar. Which keyboard(s) did you use? SD1? VA7? Did you use your Lexicon efx processor? IMHO: Your BEST recording yet.

- Scott

Hi Amico.

Whata superb performance!!!
I must agree with Scott:
Far, your best song.
Congrats.
Chico

Andrea,
Although I like some of your other tunes better.....I think this is the best I have heard you do technically. The mix was great and to me it sounded like an entire band. You executed it perfectly as well great job.

BTW.....since I was born and raised in Chicago, but now reside in California too.....I'm going to steal a nip of the dedication to Frank, due to parallel journeys.
Terry

Dear Andrea,

THANK YOU my friend. Isn’t it interesting how music can flash you back to different points in your life. Your fantastic recording first pulled me back to the late 40’s and our 18 piece BIG band in Chicago. With five saxes, five horns and five bones plus rhythm, we really moved a lot of air and your “Sweet Home Chicago” brought me right back there to that kind of excitement. But, I’m not into reminiscing much so I came right back to the fun we had during your visit to California.

I think you know how much I admire your recordings, but I was shocked when I heard you play. The spontaneity that you showed while jamming never fully came out in your recordings until now. I’m not sure how many players know how hard it is, after putting this kind of arrangement together, to then sit down and play it with total freedom. You have done it and it will be a joy to hear over and over again.

Frank

Andrea,
Congratulations on a great job! What can I add to all the superlatives from some of the full time musicians on this forum. You indeed continue to get better and better on each recording. And I mean that as a real compliment because you set such high standards even on your early recordings. I too would like to know more about which keyboard you used and some details on your process in making this recording.

Now I'm really looking forward to your next visit to Southern California!
Paul C.

Dear friends,
first thing, let me tell you that your words repay me for all the efforts (and pain) I went through to record this song. It took me almost two weeks of intermittent work and at times I felt like somebody trying to cross the Atlantic Ocean paddling in a boat: you start to think that you will never make it!

Now, to address your questions:
Donny, this song was undoubtely perfect for the SD1, but when I started to record it the SD1 was still at the local Ketron repair center and so I had to record the rhytm track with the VA7, using a tweaked shuffle style and the V-R&B drum kit. I then went on to record the first lead tracks using the VA7 Super Tenor, dubbed by the Baritone Sax and, from the second verse, by the Bright Trumpet. At this point I was lucky to get the SD1 back and so I could record the first solo tracks using two presets called Rock Sax and Trombone.
Finally, there was the problem of recording the guitar solo and also the break solo (you know, when it says "One and one is two, six and two is eight, come on baby, don't you make me wait"). The SD1 was out of question, because its electric guitars more or less suck and I just couldn't use my usual VA7 Santana sound, so I kept listening to my Roland XV3080 till I found a preset called "Searing lead"; I tweaked it a bit and it was perfect.

Scott, you've asked me if I have used an external reverb. The answer is yes and no: after recording them, I realized that the solo tracks needed a little more reverb, to recreate that "live" feeling that is such an important part of this song, but I didn't feel like recording them again (oh no, please!) and so I decided to use an internal preset of Cool Edit Pro (the program I always use) called "Concert Hall light", to add a live dimension to the sax and trombone part. For the first guitar part (the break) I used another preset (I think it was "Empty Hall"), to get that "wide" sound. Like Frank wrote, it takes a lot of work to sound "spontaneous"!

Chico, I know that this one is not your favorite kind of music, and I promise that my second next song will be a Jobim tune: a real surprise, I hope.

Terry, the fact that you say that you like other songs more than this one is a big compliment for me: thank you from my heart! One of my next songs will be dedicated to you (and just to you!)

Frank and Paul, I too am looking to my next visit to Southern California to renew the pleasure of the last one. I hope that Scott will come with me, this time! (Got it, Scotty?)

Okay, it's Saturday morning here in Rome and the weekend has started really well, thanks to my Synthzone friends. Thanks again, you all!
Andrea


[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 10-04-2002).]

Hi Andrea,

I was just able to listen to your new song.
What can I say?
So far the best I have heared.
Congratulations, you have finally mastered the use of the pitch bend, to give the instruments a very "Live" and "Real" feel to it.

I'm proud of you...

Ciao

Eric

Great job Andrea! Keep up the good work.
DonM

Eric,
thank you for your kind words; I assume that you are almost ready for your well earned holiday in Aruba. Have a great time, you and Claudia. Are you taking Sunny with you?

Don,
like Elvis would have said, "thank you very much!" I hope to be able, one day, to play this song with you; this way I will finally be able to hear that famous break sung live ("One and one is two...")

Hi Andrea,

you're welcome.

We are leaving Tuesday night, for almost two and a half weeks
And of course Sunny is going with us.

Eric

Ditto on all the above mentioned kudos... great sound, great job!

Glenn

Glenn, thank you.
I am starting to record a new song right now and I hope you'll like this one too.
(Do you like jazz?)