Playing for Time is album number 8. Norwegian producers Rolf Graf and Sven Dag Hauge, - members of Randy Crawford’s touring band whom Mezzoforte had met during their 1987 tour of Germany -, came to Reykjavik to start work on the album in Mezzoforte’s newly built studio. Two songs were completed with that team, “Expressway and Playing for Time”. A decision was then made to contact the young, but already legendary synth programmer/keyboardist, Eric Persing (who later founded Spectrasonics) and ask him to produce the next batch of songs. Eric spent some time in Reykjavik during which the songs “Hitchhiker, Take a Breath, “Magic and Quick Step were recorded. Two of the remaining three songs, Prime Time”, and “High Season” were then completed by the band themselves, and a decision was made to use the demo recording of “In a Word”. Having recently signed with the German record label BMG the band had the opportunity to go to Los Angeles to complete the album. Eric Persing produced the the final recording sessions at Chick Corea’s Mad Hatter Studios (and some in his own garage) and helped find the very best people available for every job. The legendary Seawind Horns played the horn arrangements written by Jerry Hey (“Hitchhiker) and Larry Williams (all others), Ernie Watts (who had played on many of the band’s favourite records) and Steve Tavaglione played saxophones, Efrain Toro played percussion, Roby Duke’s voice added some magic to the title track and the genius Erik Zobler recorded the sessions and finally mixed the album at Mama Joe’s Studios. Playing for Time took a year to complete. The attention to detail was taken to extremes and the result is an extremely well crafted album.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 14:51:22 +0000
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