CGT Update: September 13, 1997

CGT Update from Bert Lams
September 13, 1997

Hi all. We are hoping to feature regular monthly updates on this website from everyone in the CGT to keep you interested and informed on what we do when not touring or recording. Here are some things that I’ve been up to:

Recently, I did a benefit concert with classical guitar music in Broad Chalke, England where I now reside. Davide Rossi (violectra) featured as guest on two pieces. The Europe String Choir did the second half of the show. The concert was in aid of a fund to restore the church bells. Church bell ringing is a tradition in England and most villages have a team of practicing ringers. Here, every Monday evening our valley echoes with loud clings and clangs. At the change of the century all existing church bells will ring over the whole country...
After the concert I was approached by Jonathan Tetley to make a painting of me playing the guitar. We scheduled one evening in the church. I decided to make the best of having to sit still for so long, and do a recording session. On 22 July we went in. We did one take of each piece, had a meal and a pint at the pub and had another go at it later the same evening. I played a Pete Appleton guitar. I used a Dean Markley 'stick-on' pickup and one good quality microphone. I am very pleased with the result. Jonathan's painting became the cover of the demo tape. I will use it to get more concerts in the area.
Mid August I received ADAT tapes from Trey Gunn. He did some tracks on the Salt Lake City CGT recordings. Bill Janssen also features on some tracks (he flew in during our recording sessions).
I invited Davide Rossi and Cathy Stevens (Cathy is part of Europe String Choir) to come over and play on two tracks for CGT 3 (Cathy plays electric viola, Davide plays the violin. Viola is tuned lower than violin. The two compliment each other very well. I figured she can do some low stuff and he can do some high stuff on one of the pieces).
Davide came in Sept 3 and played on Arroyo (written by Bert) and Ananda (written by Bert and Paul).
On Thursday night, 11 Sept, we did a recording session at the DGM studio. Cathy and Davide played on Arroyo (written by Bert) and Cathy played on The Great Divide (written by Paul).
Cathy did the initial takes. She came well prepared and knew what she could do to make it work. Davide then came up with matching parts 'on the spot'. They add a new dimension to both pieces. Things came together really quickly, which is always a good sign during a session.
After that David Singleton, label manager and CGT's guiding angel will wade through most of the recorded material and we will accept his advice. The plan is to release a new album by the spring of '98.
Stan Funicelli wrote an arrangement of Samuel Barber's Adagio for the CGT. I was home alone for two weeks and spent a long time rearranging and recording. Like with Beethoven’s Moonlight, I really got carried away for several days and came out with something that I think is good. Scores and tapes went out to Hideyo last week. Stan is like a fourth member of the CGTrio. He encourages us with new ideas all the time. He wrote a piece called Leap, another candidate for our new album.
I received a call from my friend Fernando Kabusacki in Buenos Aires. He is currently playing with a guitar ensemble named 'The League of Gauchos'. They will be opening as an acoustic act for Adrian Belew in a few days.
Fernando invited me for an open workshop on 20 Sept and a week with the Buenos Aires guitar circle (some 25 people). We will meet for a week starting 17 Sept. Meetings will be from 7 - 10 at night. On Thursday 25 Sept we will do a performance to round off the week. On Friday we'll fly to Santiago, Chile for a guitar circle that weekend. I fly back to London on 30 Sept.

Thats it for now. Stay tuned to this site for more updates on the CGT.

Best wishes and thanks everyone!
bert.

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CGT Update from Bert Lams September 13, 1997

CGT Update from Bert Lams
September 13, 1997