Big Sky Gliders CD Release

Big Sky Gliders   On the Horizon

The Big Sky Gliders finished their new CD "On the Horizon" after many months of recording at Rick Garvin's Backyard Studio in Edmonton.  All songs on the CD, or individual songs can be downloaded from http://bigskygliders.bandcamp.com/.   You can download and pay what you want, but remember, it does cost money to record and produce these songs and even a modest 'donation' to our cause is greatly appreciated.  

The songs on the "On The Horizon" CD are all original songs written by the groups members Don Watson, Brian Waddell, and Jim Lapp.  The music can be described as alternative country folk music, or so I'm told.  This CD does show that we have developed our own sound based on a mix of instruments including guitar, bass, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo, and keyboards.  Our special guest on the Album, Kyle Jones, joined us to play fiddle on a couple of tracks.

We have already planned a song list for our next CD, which we plan on recording over the coming winter.  

Please visit our bandcamp web page and buy the CD, or wait to listen to us live and buy the CD in person.  We'll gladly sign your copy.

Don, Brian, and Jim

Back in the Studio

The Big Sky Gliders are back in the studio to record more original songs  The three that we are working on includes:

• Sunday Morning Alibi :   A song by Don Watson about enjoying a quite Sunday morning on a doorstep with a favourite cat, and contemplating the idea of going to work on Monday (or not). 
• Where Randy Rolled a Tractor :  A song by Jimmy Lapp that reflects with pride on a visit to his home town 30 years after moving away. 
• My Dream Automobile:  A song by Jimmy Lapp that came to him in a dream about good times driving in a 52 Chevy with good friends. 

Brian laying down the bass track

This time in the studio, we are more comfortable with the process and are much better prepared with our concept of the final outcome of the song.  This makes us more focused on what we want in the songs.  

Wanda came down to the studio on Thursday to see how the recording works.  I'm so glad she did.  She can now understand why we spend so much time there.   To hear a song evolve from the initial scratch track to a finished product is a great experience.  I was just as excited on Thursday when I could hear 'Randy" come together with the mix of instruments and vocals just as I had envisioned it, as I was the day I heard one of my first songs played live .  It isn't done yet - still need to add bouzouki track and backing vocals, then we'll do final mix.   My Dream has a few more pieces to finish.  I think Don and Brian got all they wanted on Sunday Morning Alibi. (I'm not part of that recording - I was absent when they did it). 

So I'm not available next week.  Don and Brian will go into the studio and add the final tracks, then hopefully we'll be ready to do the final mixing in a couple of weeks.  We'll have them released in late March or early April.  Look for them on our bandcamp web site. 

http://bigskygliders.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics on the wall

They Were Drowning in Their Tee Pee

Inside is the Song Writer Circle

A couple of weeks ago, we were given the wonderful opportunity to play in a song writer's circle at "Common Ground", which is part of the Edmonton Winterlights Festival 

Big Sky Gliders

What attracted us most to this is that Common Ground was in Giovani Cabotto Park and we were going to be playing in a Tee pee.  So the three of us from Big Sky Gliders (Brian, Don, and myself) joined Meghan Kemshead from the group " Low Flying Planes" and Dana Wylie.   Bob Cook volunteered to stoke the wood stove in the middle of the tee pee, and because he's a talented songwriter and musician in his own right, we had him join in. 



Don, Dana, Meghan, and Bob



Weather outside was about -4 C 3:00 when we started, and it cooled off to around -6 C by 6 pm when the session ended.  Inside, we were warmed by the wood stove, but our backs got cold.  Don's water bottle that he set on the ground froze solid.  

This was such a great opportunity to share our music with Dana, Meghan, and Bob and also to be able to play along with their songs.  It was also fun to watch the audience who came in and went as the session went on.  A few stayed for the whole session, and others made their way to a neighbouring Teepee where they got served tee to help them warm up.  So that's where the title of this blog comes in.  They were drowning in their Teepee.  

Our enthusiastic audience

The biggest challenge of the day was keeping the instruments tuned.  Because the temperature inside the Tee pee was sometimes hot and sometimes cold, our instruments kept sliding out of tune.  So constant tuning was a necessity.  

The best parts.  The audience was enthusiastic and appreciated.  Good comments all around.   At one point, a reporter for the McCaulley News came in, looked at us, took our picture and said "Big Sky Gliders, right?.  We are making a name for ourselves in the McCauley community.  Very cool.  

Would I do this again? In a heartbeat. 

We can look back on this for the rest of our musical career as a highlight on our pathway to the Horizon.   Check our bandcamp site for our CD "On the Horizon"

http://bigskygliders.bandcamp.com/

Tee Pee and wood stove chimney



Jimmy's new hat