This album was my first experience playing guitar in the studio and one of my most coveted of musical times - a weekend well spent and full of energy and smiles from everyone involved. The entire Ivory Monkey-Spread The Word album had so much solid music, diversity, well arrange pieces, and great playing. Just loads of fun all around. Magic Dream was co-written by Rick and Debbie Janz and they asked me to sing it - I took home a demo tape of the instrumental with their lyrics and worked out my part in one evening, rehearsed it once with them with vocals, and the next thing I knew we were in the studio and 
I got all my parts done in take each , including the gu8itar solo I had no idea I was to play...it was recorded whilst I was working on it...had no clue it was being taped!

09 MAGIC DREAM - Ivory Monkey 1995

I had written the basic chord progressions for this quite a few years ago, then was asked to submit it to David Kempers via a good friend with whom I'd done some recording, Mike Greenup. David had been the head violinist with Cincinnati Orchestra and also a pickup musician with tours with TranSiberian Orchestra and Yes, and was just looking for a side project to sink his teeth into for his enjoyment. Mike sent him a demo of this tune played three-piece (Mike on bass, my son, Joe, on drums, and myself on acoustic steel string guitar) and he loved it! It took quite some time before we heard back after that, but eventually we received a recording with him playing some absolutely amazing electric violin along with our parts. Unfortunate,y we lost all contact with him afterward and never got to "finish" the recording process so I don't feel sincere in releasing what we have from him without consent. So this is a recording I did on my own a couple years after that event using both electric and acoustic guitars to create a layer of sounds from y mind. The melody I came up with bears no resemblance to David's violin work, which perhaps someday I can also share.

SKY ABOVE

Mixed especially for headphone listening - I love extreme stereo!

Girthman58

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