Eureka!

Well, it's done. A CD of eleven songs written over several years finished last night and about to head out the door to the plant. Joby and I worked most of Friday afternoon and evening adjusting levels and tones so that it all works as a cohesive whole and I have to say I'm pretty pleased. I've spent much of today calling the musicians who participated and thanking them for their efforts, and also getting correct name spellings for the CD jacket.

I know it's hackneyed to liken the artistic process to having a baby (male hubris: forgive me), but the parallels are there: the months of watching your little project blow up into something huge and ungainly, the soft knowing looks of family and friends who can't possibly understand all the pain and worry you're going through, the sudden elation when all the pain is over and that sense of wonderment and yes, detachment as you view for the first time this ugly wrinkled thing you've brought into the world...all followed finally by the desire to just sleep. Next morning you wake and the product of all this labour is placed in your lap and you discover that the child's really rather beautiful...Okay, I've strained the analogy, I know. I'll stop.

Once the CD's linear notes are finished and the final touches made to the CD jacket design, the CD master heads off to Vancouver where it will all be packaged up in a 1000 units and returned to me in a few weeks. More trepidation awaits once the box of CDs arrives, with the mysteries of marketing to follow. Meantime, the quartet begins preparing for a growing concert schedule (see page right) and we all get to enjoy the sunshine and early signs of spring weather.