Why did Will Ackerman walk out on me?
I’m packing my bags today- I’m leaving tomorrow to drive 7 hours to Vermont to work with producer Will Ackerman on my Wyeth album. I’ll be recording my layered piano arrangement of the English folk song “Nonesuch”. I wrote about how this song was inspired by the Jamie Wyeth painting “The Wind” and the creative process and memories, and performed it at the Brandywine River Museum of Art in the spring. I’m also working on a new layered piece inspired by the Andrew Wyeth “Looking Out, Looking In” exhibit at the National Gallery of Art and hoping to get a running start on that piece in the studio. A couple of classical pieces (including works by Ann Wyeth McCoy) are on the slate, and me being the improviser I wouldn’t be surprised if I create some unexpected pieces this week.
Working with Will Ackerman on the first track of the album “I dream about this world…” was a moving experience. On the 7 minute interview clip above, I chatted with J. Michael Foster on his WVUD radio program Art Sounds about working with Will – how we found a lovely way to mesh our working styles (me an improviser, him more about structures), and why he and engineer Tom Eaton walked out on me in the middle of the session (hint- it all worked out in the end!).
I can’t wait to see how the week unfolds!
p.s. my hubby was home with the kiddos while I was on the air. He recorded this clip with his phone lying on the table next to the iPad that was streaming the interview live. So in case you are wondering about the kiddo chatter in the background – they weren’t with me in the studio!