Jay Bellerose / Drummer

This week's TT Test is taken by the awesome Jay Bellerose, a drummer who you may have heard playing with Alison Kraus & Robert Plant, B.B.King, Beck and Ray LaMontagne amongst others. His sound is very special as he collects & uses vintage drums & percussion whose inconsistency may be off putting to some drummers but for Jay add a certain drama to the sound. Having had the privilege of working with Jay on the new record I was so blown away by how he builds a groove, layers & brings structure to the track... I was sometimes surprised by his choices but ultimately always persuaded by them. The only problem is now that I've played with Jay every time I hear a song I think, 'I wonder how Jay would approach this ?!' What is your wake up song at the moment? My favorite music at the moment is the sound of my dog Buster snoring away. It gives me great comfort right now. My espresso machine starting up is a close second followed by Hank Mobley's soul station record. Which work of art or single event has most influenced you in your chosen profession? My most influential moment was when my brother Nelson saw me at age five lose my mind over a set of drums. He put me on the path and has guided me since. If you could travel back in time, which period would you most like to visit & why? I would go back to the 20's, 30's & 40's. I'm really in love with the music and over all style from that period. I love eating out & discovering restaurants can you please recommend one to me? Casa mono in NYC is a current favourite of mine [link] What is the best advice you have ever been given relating to your professional/creative life? The best advice for me so far came from T Bone Burnett. "Own it". BONUS QUESTION You are in Ray LaMontagne's band The Pariah Dogs who feature on his new album, how does it feel to be in a band as oppose to a session musician? Being in a band isn't so different other than a bit more acknowledgement.

All Because of You - Karen Carpenter

This week's wake up song is from Karen Carpenter's solo record that was recorded in New York in 1979 & produced by Phil Ramone. I just love this song & performance & can't understand why it is not more widely known. It's not really a wake up song, it's actually the perfect song for a delicious bout of late night melancholy, and easily stands up next to the great Carpenters' ballads. Tantalisingly, when she was making this record the legendary songwriter Rod Temperton played her very early versions of 'Off the Wall' and 'Rock With You' but Carpenter turned them down on the grounds that they were too funky. Of course, the rest is history and they ended up being recorded by Michael Jackson but it would have been fascinating to have heard her take on those songs, love tt.

Sequencing

Last week I spent a lot of time trying to decide upon the sequence for the new record. It was quite difficult, it's one of those records where once you change the position of one track you have to go right back to the beginning and listen to the new sequence and it is very stubborn about what will & won't work so that process seemed to go on forever. Usually, I just listen to the tail end and intros of songs & the sequence is logical & easy... I think on this new record there are a lot of big personalities vying for space so it has not been so straightforward ! And also I usually I have a sort of story sequence in my head but this record... I think this one just wants to do it's own thing ;) love tt

Photo (c) Sylvie Bardet

Mark Creswell / Song-writer, musician

This weeks TT Test is taken by one of my favourite musicians, guitarist Mark Creswell. I first met Mark when I was 18 and was the opening act for the band he was in Brendan Crocker & the Five O'Clock Shadows. I was immediately entranced by his joyous, spirited playing and recently when I began writing a new set songs and was searching for a way to bring more groove & movement into my songs I immediately thought of Mark as a co-writer. You'll have to wait till next year to see how the songs have turned out but I for one am extremely happy with the results !! His answers are very interesting and strangely - if I could travel back in time it would probably also be to 18th Century Germany so I could eavesdrop on Bach improvising, I hope that's a good omen that we are suitable musical partners ! Lots of love tt. What is your wake up song at the moment ? An all time favourite and regular player on my juke box MP3 is the wonderfully eccentric 'Persian Lovers' by Holger Czukaybut [link]. If I need something to really bounce me into the day it would have to be 'Do I Love You ?' by Frank Wilson [link] for it's joy & best bass line to boot. Which work of art or single event has most in your chosen profession ? The invention & development of the electric guitar in the 20th Century. What's not to like ? They sound great, look fantastic... and you can use a wah-wah pedal with them too ! If you could travel back in time, which period would you most like to visit & why ? I would go back to 1720 and be beamed into Bach's life at the time when he was director of music for Prince Leopold in Germany. I would of course speak fluent German and have been inoculated for all possible diseases! I'd take with me a good stereo compact recorder and record him whilst he was improvising & composing the cello suites or violin sonatas & see how he worked & how he played & how he sounded on the instruments of his own time. See just how 'well-tempered' he was :) I'd also take back with me Bach's Complete works in printed manuscript & leave them with him, including the ones that he hadn't thought of yet, just to help him out a bit & make life in those times a little easier... upon my return to the now see what ripple effect & repercussions my little visit had upon the history of music & in particular Rock 'n Roll ! It's a sort of chicken & egg thing like in this favourite 'Bowie's in Space' sketch by Flight of the Conchords [link]. I love eating out & discovering newrestaurants can you please recommend one to me ? I don't get to eat out much except when I'm with you & that's always rather tasty. I prefer simple food so I'd recommend 'Corner Cafe ' in Leeds [link] a small, friendly family run restaurant which just hits the spot. What is the best advice you have ever been given relating to your professional/ creative life ? Seeing as my chosen career is music, the best advice to which I've never heeded is 'Get a Job !' BONUS QUESTION How was the experience of recording the new songs that we have written together & are you happy with the way they have turned out ? Recording these new songs was a really great experience for me, we somehow fell on our feet through a series of odd events & coincidences that landed us both in LA, recording with a set of amazing musicians & brought together by the awesome Paul Bryan's production. Playing with these guys really opened up the songs beyond all my expectations & left me with the resounding affirmation that music is at it's best when it involves the interaction of souls & minds together i.e musicians ! These recordings have so much life & vibrancy that I hear something new on every listening giving them a magical, timeless quality that I love.

Photo (c) Sylvie Bardet

Brendon Chase Theme Tune - Paul Lewis

Do any of you remember the early 1980s television adaptation of the classic children's novel 'Brendon Chase' ? It was on British Force's TV when I was growing up in Germany, most of the kids in my class were obsessed with this show, a few of us even created a game in honour of it re-enacting the thrilling fugitive life of the boys during our rather dull lunch hour - alas I have never met any one in my adult life who has actually seen it ! Recently, I looked up the show again, just to ensure that it really did exist and re-discovered Paul Lewis' wonderful theme tune: after thirty years it still fills me with excitement & a strong desire to run off & live under a tree in the forest ! I hope you enjoy, lots of love tt

Video Journal # 6 (HD)

Abbey Lincoln

I was saddened to hear the jazz singer Abbey Lincoln has passed away. Recently, before I began recording the new album I was emailing with my producer, Paul Bryan, about favourite music and he sent me this recommendation : 'Jazz of the day : Here's some awesome and soulful 5/4 for you. Blues and elegance to boot... Abbey lays it down and the boys fall in line. ' Of course, I lost a couple of days trying to count in 5/4 but what a wonderful way to introduce such a powerful artist !

Ryan Freeland's wake up song

This week the wake up song is chosen by Ryan Freeland who is the wonderful engineer [link] on my new record. It is the song 'Be nice to Me' by Todd Rundgren which is a completely new to me so I'll be discovering it at the same time as you ! lots of love tt.

Video Journal # 5

Video Journal # 4

Sacramento

Sorry, I'm moving around a bit and will post a new video journal over the weekend. Can I just recommend, if you happen to pass through Sacramento, the California State Railroad Museum [link]. It houses a collection of 20 lovingly restored locomotives and railroad cars and a second floor dedicated to model railways. One of the happiest mornings I've passed in a museum it fulfilled my every romantic notion of steam travel and a slower pace of life (although the museum also documents the difficult journey to build the railroads). Sacramento itself is a charming city, much more to my taste than Las Vegas !! Love ttPhoto (c) Sylvie Bardet

Bagdad Cafe

I have a few days off before we begin to mix (yes, I know, this has been the fastest recording I've ever done!) and so I have been exploring California. My highlight so far has been a visit to the real Bagdad Cafe. Located in a sleepy some place somewhere on route 66, with a cast of characters as eccentric as the classic film, it didn't disappoint, love tt

Grant Lee Philips

Grant Lee Philips [link] was in the studio this week to record some vocals on my new album, we were all so impressed by his creativity and how well our voices work together. Here is a track from his lovely album ‘Little Moon’, I’m sure you will enjoy it ! Lots of love tt

Video Journal # 3

Berry - Mademoiselle

My wake up song this week is by the French artist Berry, the song Mademoiselle is the title track of her debut album. Sometimes i'm just amazed at how someone can get it so right as in this instance, hope you enjoy, lotsoflove tt

Recording in L.A.

Paul Bryan is turning out to be a wonderful producer and the calmest man I've ever worked with ! Ryan Freeland the engineer is great too, the sound we are hearing in the studio is close to the sound of the record which is a surprisingly rare way of working. And a nice surprise, Joe Henry, the singer-songwriter and producer dropped by the studio and was gracious enough to join in on some backing vocals which sounded lovely... very happy, love tt Photo (c) Sylvie Bardet

Video Journal # 2

Video Journal # 1

Another twist

Just been told about this re-mix on line, worth checking out [link], love ttPhoto (c) Sylvie Bardet

Just arrived...

Just arrived, drinking a lot of coffee and mooching around. I don't begin recording till next week, and inevitably, my throat has gone a bit barmy... I've decided not to talk for two days to the relief of all the people around me :) I'm a little shocked at how much of a Londoner I am, Los Angeles is a sprawling city and I am completely disorientated by it's endlessness. The people are so friendly though !! And the food is unbelievable !! love, ttPhoto (c) Sylvie Bardet