Re: [Harp-L] Re: Ken Deifik on Craig Ferguson - YouTube

[Ken Deifik <kenneth.d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wezo wrote:
> Yes, brother.   You KILLED it.   I'm sure it was fun as hell for you.

Well, you've made my weekend, Wezo.  (So did all those other nice 
responses.  Thanks to all.)

> You gonna do more gigs to promote the CD ?

I'm not sure, but I sure hope so.  Dave goes back to work on CSI next 
month.  He gets some weeks off and he doesn't work weekends, so hopefully 
we'll do some more shows.  When the season ends - I think next March - 
we'll have hopefully lined up a bunch of work.

The Opry show last weekend simply the most enjoyable gig of my whole 
life.  I'd love to go back and do another one there while it's still at the 
Ryman.

> Did you  get some cuts on the CD ?

Well, while I am a songwriter, and was involved with the project from the 
git-go, I felt it was really important for Dave to develop the songs by 
himself, this being his first project.  I cut the first demos on the songs 
on my Zoom H2 on a Tuesday.  I really liked the songs.  They were the first 
ANYONE had ever heard from him, though he's a very fine musician.  On 
Thursday I came in to recut, and he had seriously improved every single 
song.  Two days later each song had AGAIN been significantly improved for 
the third round of demos.  This is extremely impressive, far as I'm concerned.

We discussed the songs at great length, but it was clear to me that he was 
applying his great artistic talent to songwriting and this was the moment 
to encourage him to explore.  I'd have loved to have had a co-write on this 
project, but there'll be other projects.

Frankly, I mapped my own experience of doing my first solo collection.  I 
felt like I had finished too many sessions wishing I had been in charge or 
had been able to change a few lines in the songs - I wanted to see what 
would emerge if I wrote, played and produced an entire collection on my 
own.  I now know who I am in that situation and will easily be able to 
welcome collaborators into my next project.  Dave's producer, Chris Wall, a 
remarkable songwriter, co-wrote one tune when we got to Austin, and we cut 
one of his tunes for the project.  As he was the producer I think that made 
more sense.

I'm just happy to be a part of the whole thing - I don't need a co-write to 
feel great.  Dave went to great lengths getting me to Austin for the 
recording, and more to get me to the Opry.  Most of the time the harp 
player is the expendable one - everybody's cousin has a harmonica in their 
gig bag after all - so I will always be delighted that he finds my specific 
style to be of value to his work.

K