Well C'mon lets tell stories. I've had a big one for awhile. You know the kind, so "Nice" you want to see how it turns out before you "talk to much about it"... You say your prayers just the right way, hope just the right way and like when you were a little kid promise to be a good boy for at least a couple months in hopes it turns out great... Well! Yep that kind of story.
I get a call to co-write a theme for a network television talk show. Sure I'm excited but first you have to write it, then you have to record it (no demo - real deal finished product) - I call them "air time ready". THEN: after all the WORK is done they still have to like it before it actually gets used and you get paid for it.
You think about who it's for and the instrumentation.
We decide medium sized horn section like 3 saxes 3 brass, Hammond organ, guitars, drums and of course NS/Stick. "What the heck" because we can and it sounds great! You should of heard the two handed tapping part I had flying that the was going to get buried beneath the sea of horns and hammond. No matter - in the session hearing that was going to be the case I laid down the 'unburiable' NS/Bass' line that the arrangement could ride on top of. Still 'deluxe' just not as visually cool as 'two hands flyin' like 'windmills in a storm! (Good visual huh!?!?).
Heck I went all out, hiring the horn section, booking the bigger studio, writing out charts, . Yes charts! my old "paper with black dot' friends that I rarely see in the studio anymore. I rarely write out horn charts... okay I've never written them out so I called my brother back east to check my transpositions and ranges. I didn't want to embarrass myself with a silly chart in front of my peers so I prepared and still sheepishly handed them out apologetically. No need, they told me to keep quite, "They'd take it from here" and go back into the control room and relax. So I did and ate a donut.
On a side note: (Yes, I brought donuts, it being a session I booked, I felt 'compelled')
The Horns where blasting away beautifully, topped with wonderful Trumpet and Sax ad-libs throughout. Swirling hammond organ and crunchy guitars. Solid drums and a most solid NS/Stick bass tone to shore it all up and hold it together. I was pleased. In a deluxe studio, we recorded a super talk show theme. Everyone loved it! Even the seasoned pro's! (which can be a very tough crowd indeed).
The "George Lopez Talk Show" airs in about three weeks and I co- wrote this theme with Lance Matthew... AND George Lopez and business partner LOVED it... However the Executive producer wants to use "Low Rider" by War just like they use in George's sitcom show. So for the past month we have been waiting an talking. Folks... I don't think we got it, I think they will go with "Low Rider".
Tough break as they say. So close. I always tell my wife, "We're one good gig away from...", fixing the fence, putting a solar heater up on the roof for the pool, (The list then unfurls and drops to the floor, then rolls 10 more feet... as my wife adds her list of items!
So I'll put another pole up against my leaning fence, tell my wife "you'll love it -The water is brisk and invigorating - " and we'll knock the next ball we swing at 'outta the park!'
"Hey, I'm one good gig away from having a story with a better ending!!!!"
Don
George Lopez show airs November 9th.
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