Jay Garrigan Solo Album Session

I was delighted when my brother contacted me last week about beginning work on a solo album. For years, Jay has been involved in many bands, either as a front persona or a side man. In both cases, he has always been exceptional. Also, he's composed a hefty body of work as a solo artist. I'm glad that he's interested in making proper recordings of these songs.

Jay and I worked through the 4th of July and into the 5th...kind of a working holiday. We took a break to look at some neighborhood fireworks. For the most part, we worked on a song called "Unsatisfied."

A few months ago, Jay purchased a Moog analog synthesizer. I used to think that there wasn't a difference between a digital all-in-one box (like a Roland) and a real analog synth. That old assumption is false. Analog synths have a unique sound and depth. It's a lot like the difference between a Line 6 effect and the real thing.

We tracked "Unsatisfied" to a shuffle stereo drum beat and Jay's Moog. Right away, the song was complete. Jay also knew what kinds of sounds he wanted to add for the different parts. While I recorded everything, Jay had very clear production ideas from the start. I just focused on recording things the right way.

Over the two days, we spent about 8 hours working (3 goofing off). The end result was a good mix and a great song. Jay seemed pretty happy with the result. He's wants to book some more time with me soon.