Spring Updates

Well, it’s been a crazy few months since I’ve posted on here last. I just got back from a vacation in Thailand with my wife, which was fantastic. It’s kind of sad to say that I brought a little programming/writing rig out with me, but I promise, I didn’t use it that much. We spent the first week exploring Bangkok and Chiang Mai, pet some tigers, rode some elephants (I think I put some of the photos up, if not, they’re on my facebook). And now I’m back in the saddle. As I was saying, the last few months have been crazy. I finished an EP with Canadian artist Jodi King, which is scheduled to be released this summer. I also spent a week in Vancouver working with Starfield (EMI), doing some writing/demoing toward their new record. I’m really excited about the stuff we’ve come up with. Ahh.. we had the JUNO awards that we attended together, which was a good time. I’ve also been in the studio with Amanda Falk, a fantastic singer-songwriter and JUNO award winner. She’s written about a hundred really cool songs, and we’ve been doing production demos. Again, I’m very excited about the new material, I think we’ll get the chance to start seriously working in June. I’ve spent a week in LA working with legendary producer/writer Walter Afanasieff, we’ve been working on the new album for a Russian pop star, Julia Nachalova. It has been a cool setup, getting two rooms going here and passing tracks back and forth between us. I’m back in LA again now, finishing up on this project, and getting ready for this coming week when we have Leona Lewis in the studio, working toward her next record. And then finally I’m heading out again with a fantastic artist and good friend of mine, Mat Kearney - we’re doing a run of shows with Keane next week. And speaking of Mat, do check out his new record, which is due out soon. Thanks!

Starfield receives 2nd JUNO Award nomination

Starfield receives nomination for 2009 JUNO awards, their second such nomination. The JUNO Awards are Canada’s highest honor in recorded music, the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy awards. The awards will air March 29 on CTV.

Adrian endorses Notion Music

A quick thanks to the guys at Notion Music for hooking us up with your great software. If you score strings, or whatever, check this out - a much quicker way than using other notation software (and especially better than using your sequencer..!) Includes orchestral samples so you can hear what you’re doing, automatically plays the articulations you input in the score (no more messing with the left hand articulation change notes).. anyway, there are a million other great things about this.. check out their site. I use this all the time now.

Diana Pops - Silver Ship

OK. So I’ve been talking about this long enough, I figure it’s about time I actually post something of Diana’s. So. Here’s a sneak peak at one of our favorite songs on this record, Silver Ship.

[audio:http://174.120.83.6/~adrianbr/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/06-Silver-Ship.mp3|titles=Diana Pops - Silver Ship]

Off to LA

On Thursday we head off to LA for a week of meetings and working with a fantastic writer, producer, and new friend Walter Afanasieff. Known primarily for his work with Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Josh Groban and other legendary voices, he has taken a shining to our project (Diana Pops) and has been gracious enough to invite us back. I’m looking forward to this trip, and cannot wait to get out of the cold Canadian weather!

via upload.wikimedia.org

TALENTfilter

TALENTfilter

Diana Pops featured on the front page of TALENTfilter, an LA-based music blog with a thorough understanding of the music-buying marketplace in the U.S. and abroad.

Montréal

Just got back from an amazing time in Montreal. What a legendary art/music city! I could seriously live there.. I was working with a local artist (lips are sealed for now!! Record should be out in a number of months..), and it was a francophone record, which I have to say was very interesting to say the least. And it was an intense period of collaboration, basically from initial writing to ready for mix in about 5 days.. (we did two songs together) But I must say I am very excited with the outcome, can’t wait to post it here.

Also, while I was there, we were able to turn it into a bit of a vacation. We were able to spend some time in old Québec city, which was fantastic. And, surprise surprise, a highlight was finding a Belgian bar in old Montreal.. Mmm Chimay.. Kwak.. Moules et Frites! When do I go back?

And for now, I’m preparing for a trip to LA. We’re doing some tweaks on a record I have been working on FOREVER (Diana Pops). I’m very very excited about it. It’s been hard for me to keep it moderately under wraps for so long.. every iteration of a song gets me excited and I want to share it with everyone, but I’ve got to keep it on the DL so to speak, until it’s FINALLY done.. which should be soon.

And.. back to reality.. phone calls, emails.. Oh.. and somewhere in there, making music..  I need a manager..!

Photo is of Old Montreal Skyline at the Blue Hour (II) HDR (via David Giral)

Nashville - April 2008

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Fireside Studio in Nashville

This is from our marathon session in Nashville. We locked out Fireside studio for a week, and did songs for Jodi King, Tuesday Bloom, Marc Willerton, and of course Diana Pops. For Diana, we did a pile of strings and pianos, then we had a magical moment thanks to our friends Will, Matt and Tyler, where we recorded a song I’m very excited about. It’ll be on Diana’s upcoming album!