I am in the studio recording my new CD! When I use the word 'studio' it is storytelling jargon for glorified closet with a microphone! But it is my glorified closet and I love it. The stories are coming out well. They need editing, and I might re-record one or two of the tales. And thanks to the father and son who suggested the story, Lazy John; it has become one of my favourites and will be on the new release.

When recording my storytelling CDs I do not use a script. It is a live recording of me speaking directly into a mic. Admittedly, if I make a mistake, I am able to do-over, and correct those errors. Or if something comes out of my mouth I really don't like, I can record over it! It is a very different vibe and energy performing in front of an audience, and performing in front of a microphone in a 'studio'. You have to generate your own vibe in a sound booth!

My first three CDs were recorded in the Upper Valley, where I used to live (Orford, NH) and work (Thetford, VT). I had some great friends up there who formed the backbone of a band of sorts for those CDs. We called ourselves the Latham Layabouts after the library where we worked on and practiced the music. Steve Glazer and Rick Barrows and I were joined by Maureen Burford on violin to put the music together for Second-hand Tales (2006). I was hoping we would all be available to make something wonderful happen again for the second CD, but Maureen was not able to join us. I asked another friend, Greg Gundlach, to join us as he played banjo and guitar. A new band was formed for the most originally titled More Second-hand Tales (2008)! When it came to the third CD, A Tangle of Tales (2011) after a gap of three years, I wanted fewer strings. Also a wonderful musician called Rachel Clark had given me a piece of music to use with my storytelling. When I heard it, I knew which story it would go with (The White Trout), so it made sense that Rachel would perform flute and whistle on the CD which featured her generous gift. Rob Brookes, my CD designer, artist and friend in the UK suggested the name A Tangle of Tales, and the departure from any more second-hand titles!

When it came to my third CD, Moonlit Stories it went from concept to release within five weeks. There was no time to get musicians together for this album, so it is all me. It was not only the first time I put a 'complete' piece of music together, but it was also the first album I recorded without any other support, or people. Other than Rob Brookes doing a super great album cover is super short time. It was recorded, engineered and produced by myself and was a wonderful experience.

It's been a while since I released a storytelling CD and I have been meaning to release a new album for a while. It's been over four years since the last one. I do not count Gilgamesh in this mix as that is an original re-write, re-telling of an epic, and not a folk or fairy tale (which was also a completely solo project). The new album will be called (wait for it - fanfare)... A Kettle Full of Tales and I am trying to put the band back together. It is going to be hard, as I would really like to be able to release this new recording in April and people have busy schedules. We also live quite far apart from one another. But I have tentative affirmatives from Steve and Rick, and a friend - comic book artist and musician Marek Bennett. I cannot remember how Marek and I met, I think it was through a band he is in called the Cold River Ranters - a mad folk band with an eclectic group of talented people. Since my move down south to New London, New Hampshire from Orford, Marek and I have become good friends. Marek will be joining the backbone of Steve, Rick and myself, if everything pans out, for A Kettle Full of Tales. Marek is a multi-instrumentalist and I am very much looking forward to working with him. This is a man who has made his own banjo and bass!

I have a tune which I hope will carry through the album in a similar vein as the first two CDs, and is something that the others can turn into something great! As I sometimes joke, I am a drummer, not a musician! I will have a limited number of CDs available, and will possibly be experimenting with flash drives, which will include notes and sketches, and the artwork, possibly of all my storytelling releases. I will be getting download cards, and it will be available on-line through CDBaby like all my other work. Keep your fingers crossed it all works out. It would be nice to start the decade with a new album.

Marek Bennett: https://marekbennett.com/
and his own Patreon page where you can see him work on all sorts of amazing projects including the story of Colby Freeman, school teacher and soldier in the Civil War: https://www.patreon.com/marekbennett/posts

Rick Barrows and Steve Glazer are in a great band called Out On A Limb: https://www.facebook.com/OutonaLimbBand/

Rachel Clark: https://www.sevenstarsarts.org/rachel-clark.html

Cold River Ranters: https://coldriverranters.com/

Patreons will get sneak peeks at artwork as it becomes available, along with other goodies - maybe bloopers!