Reading · Blue Coast Records

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https://bluecoastmusic.com/store/BlueCoastRecords

I think it’s been 20 years since we recorded this track with Jenna Mammina. I still remember it like yesterday.

Running to Stand Still (yes, that wonderful song by U2) is strange to think about as an acoustic masterpiece. It’s track 6 on the album “Close Your Eyes”. Listen while you read the story.

https://bluecoastmusic.com/jenna-mammina/close-your-eyes

What I love about working and producing for Jenna is that she’s open to just about any song I suggest whether it’s in her repitoire or not. Jenna is passion in a vocalist.

In my head, I heard an arrangement of this song with a lot air and space that very few musicians could perform. Soft and spacious is a LOT harder than fast and loud for an instrumentalist. Every flaw can be heard.

This track starts with the amazing James Genus (bass) and John Mader (drums). Very hidden background humming vocals. So simple, so accurate, so spacious. Jenna enters with her vocals. In that first verse a very subtle plucking guitar sound of Andre Bush.

Then comes the chorus.. background vocals. The second verse adds soft delicate piano from Matt Rollings. Then you hear the chorus ascend with Paul McCandless on the luscious English Horn. Paul continues playing through to the end with amazing melodic long tones.

At the second chorus Andre Bush adds strummed distorted long tones with a fierceness that is fearless in it’s quiet. Side note: this was an overdubbed guitar with only me, Jenna and Andre in the studio. I give him a pair of expensive 4” heels to wear as he played in the control room while Jenna and I demanded “Play like a girl!” And he did. We’ve had many a laugh about that. The job of a producer is (well) creative to say the least. LOL.

The ensemble continues building to the end and fades gradually out on Paul’s long English Horn note. It’s not easy to play English Horn in tune, without spit in the reed, hitting the vibrato just right or controlling an out of tune note. I don’t think anyone but Paul could have played this. He is the master.

Yes, there were overdubs for this arrangement but the basic tracks and Jenna’s vocals were one take…. the first take. I remember saying after recording it once, “You got it. This is it. I don’t ever want to hear this song another way.” I have never regretted that statement.

Magic moments don’t always happen when you want them to… but on this date many years ago, it did.

We’ve assembled our Blue Coast Records playlist on a few platforms and called it Blue Coast Radio. Put it in shuffle, turn off the the default compression of your computer and let it roll for days as background music while you work and play. Enjoy! Remember - Qobuz and Tidal offer high resolution audio for the best streaming sound.

Qobuz - Blue Coast Records Radio
https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/27245691

Tidal - Blue Coast Records Radio
https://tidal.com/playlist/089ec3a9-f9c9-4cff-8add-47cb4aaa18e2

YouTube - Blue Coast Records Radio
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiWDrjNeis2WAmebn74RDBKMUjKc8Hkn2

https://www.magazine-audio.com/blue-coast-records/

“Sometimes, you don’t want the burden of lyrics in your listening experience.”
Cookie Marenco - Producer and Engineer