What...is, by ian smit

What...is

by ian smit

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1.	Broken Twigs Fallen Leaves 02:57	info	buy track
2.	The Whole Hole 05:25	info	buy track
3.	In A Sense Of Innocence 01:37	info	buy track
4.	An Instant Instance 07:20	info	buy track
5.	Trapped 03:33	info	buy track
6.	Ali Ali Oxen Free 05:21	info	buy track
7.	5 Drummers Walk Into A Bar 04:28	info	buy track
8.	Who is... 08:49	info	buy track
9.	Gone Doe La 06:45	info	buy track
10.	The Variant Express 04:40	info	buy track
11.	One Can Never Have Enough Fairy Dust 03:23	info	buy track
12.	A Block From Grace 04:44	info	buy track
13.	Whisperer 04:33	info	buy track

about

Entangled within a rather harrowing few years, trapped like the rest of us, Mr. Chabala kept instigating me about recording a solo project, so I finally got it together to dip in my toe.

Not really a fan of playing by myself, although there are a few solo excursions here that were played/DJ'ed live in my tiny little music room. I much prefer live musical conversations. The orchestration of the tunes was set up to allow interaction to occur, even though we were exchanging tracks.

Fortunately, I'm very lucky to play with some extremely talented people, amazing souls and friends across Monkeyworks and e'fessioux, plus Dave Anthony whom I lived up the block several lifetimes ago. Dave played a duet with me launching the first ever live performance of the Monkeyworks tune, Just Another One Of Those Blasting Things, at a blues jam in Sterling, NJ. Jeez, that was nuts...Those poor people! ;-)

The tunes with large ensembles sound like we all played at the same time but were unable to due to cramped quarters and global circumstances. Fortunately, most of us have been playing together for decades, so that always helps. Odd how some good things worked out, even in the face of chaos and tragedy!

Headphones are helpful for chewing on ear candy!

Click on each tune title to see a photo inspired by the music and a blurb about the origins, or process for each recording.

credits

released March 9, 2023

Out of necessity, everyone recorded themselves, for the most part. All I ever have to say to anyone is do that voodoo that you do, and they proceeded to crush it! Love these people!

Musicians:

Dave Anthony: All kinds of percussive bangy, clangy things that go vvoomph, bird calls, a garbage can lid and marimbas on Tracks 2 and 6, as well as, Boom Chop and shaking stuff on the left side of the stereo spectrum on Track 7...Evidently, one can never have enough banging and clanging on a garbage can lid!

Kevin Brown: Acoustic bass, the thump, and water softener extractor on Tracks 7 and 10.

Alan Camlet: Spang Spang-a-Lang Thwacker on the right side of the stereo spectrum, and drum/piano recording engineer on track 7. Boom Chopper on Track 10.

Barry Chabala: Engineer on Track 10, and contributed mellotron, fairy dust, and was The Instigator for this project from about 2000 miles away!

Jeff Eldredge: Covidly tacet on Track 10. Steinway piano recorded at Mr. Camlet's Hoboken Recorders Studio for Track 7 and still curates the ever expanding: Most Excellent Shirt Collection!

Ernie Fortunato: Engineer, Mixer, Fixer, Shrinker and Masterer for all things here unless otherwise noted. Plus subversive kick drum and special sauce in the basement on Track 1.

Steve Meltzer: Framed pitter patter rompage on Tracks 7 and 10.

Dr. Tom Nazziola: Piano on Tracks 4 and 9. Udu voodoo, marimba/vibes and preliminary surgical alignment on Track 7.

Steve Peckman: Licorice Stick horns and even more fairy dust on Tracks 2, (co-composer 10, 13).

Ian Smit: Guitars, hammered dulcimer, loops, effects, overt fairy dust noises, composer…Instigated.

Jim Stagnitto: Trumpet that goes voo, voo, voo on Track10. Engineer on Tracks 4 and 9 from several lifetimes ago.

Bill Weisbach: Percussive bangy and clangy things plus further strategic surgical realignments on Track 7.

Extremely helpful and talented souls, although tacet on this recording, were instrumental in providing insight and encouragement, as much as the players above…Katherine McGlynn, Peter Biedermann, Steve Feldman, Jonathan Glasser, Hal Hirsch, Chris Koch, Rich Maloof, Perry Norton, Rick Savage, and the late Todd "Otis" Smit.

Cover Photo Katherine McGlynn, edited by John McGlynn
jp Fitzgerald Photos for tracks 3, 4 and Artist Photo
Alain Lachmann Photos for tracks 1, 2, 5 and Header
Katherine McGlynn Photo for track 10, photo edits on tracks 8, 13
Ian Smit photos for tracks 8, 13

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about

Ian Smit Vernon Township, New Jersey

is…Composer, guitar texturalist for Monkeyworks, e’fessioux, Rick Savage & Beyond Jazz, Sputnik 5, QWERT, Ping, and a bunch of unsuspecting singer/songwriters, still manages to not fall into a neatly packaged musical genre…And, that’s okay!

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