Wrenaissance

I have wanted to make a project like this for a while, but the timing wasn’t right. Donald Byrd, being my mentor, has always instilled a forward thinking outlook, as he always did for himself. My previous recordings as a leader, First One Up and Deelings, showcased traditional skills in contemporary jazz and jazz composition. But I’ve been cultivating this project for several years. This project, Wrenaissaince, or rebirth, embodies a revisit to my compositional writing period when I was a student at Berklee. Furthermore, I’ve been studying production techniques, and felt that it was time to put it all together. This recording was a great challenge, as I wanted to do everything myself without going into a big studio. This meant spending a lot of time learning the programs that I used which were Reason, Logic, and ProTools. All the sequencing was done on an MPC4000. Another challenge was recording the live instruments, making sure that everything was tracked correctly, to make the mixing process easier. It was a wonderful experience, witnessing the process from beginning to end. It’s also more relaxing to be creative in your own environment, and to not be pressured by the clock.

One of my challenges was becoming proficient on the EVI (electronic valve instrument), created by Nyle Steiner, who also created the EWI that Michael Brecker and Bob Mincer play so incredibly. The first EVI that I purchased, in 1989, was manufactured by the AKAI corporation. I practiced and practiced but I couldn’t find a solid connection between the EVI and the trumpet, and I put it down and continued to focus on the Bb trumpet. In 1997 I began to experiment with audio to MIDI conversion devices to be able to play synthesizers through my Bb trumpet. I did the research and tried all the best units out there that do pitch to audio conversion, and they all had latency problems. Frustrated and exhausted, I took advice from a friend of mine who said there’s no way around it. If you want to play a synthesized trumpet, you have to face the EVI, so I did. I started practicing the EVI as if it were a new instrument, which it really is. It took a couple years, but it finally began to feel like an extension of the trumpet, and I was motivated. I made a conscious effort to compose at least half of the CD featuring the EVI. It is really a great instrument; once you understand it, the sky is the limit.

One of the things I had to think about while putting this project together was who will I get to play on it. The majority of the instruments are played and programmed by myself but I needed more personalities to round out and accentuate the project. Myron and I first played together in a group led by Jamal Haynes in NYC in ’92. Ever since, we’ve played together on and off, and I’ve always wanted to do a project with him, and this was the perfect opportunity. I admire his playing and energy, and he is one of my favorite alto saxophonists. Walter and I played together at Wally’s Café in Boston for at least 3 years. In the beginning we were playing a lot of my contemporary jazz music and standards, but then we started to change it up and we brought effects, synthesizers and the EVI into the picture. Walter was a big part of my experimentations with the EVI that led to this recording, so it was natural to have him on the majority of this CD. He embraced my vision and helped me to realize what I was hearing. We play well together he is an awesome talent. Joe was one of Walter’s subs at Wally’s and eventually we started doing more gigs together. I know his playing intimately and knew there were certain tracks on this CD that were meant for him and only him to play on, and play he did. Go ahead Joe, stay focused! Wesley and I have played many gigs together, and all I can say is that he is an awesome bass player. He is exciting to listen to and also watch, a great performer.

From the beginning of this project even before I started writing, it was very important to me to bring my two brothers, Collin and Tony, on board to help with the production and mixing. Collin is a bassist and also in charge of all the mixing duties. Tony plays guitars and is our objective ears. I brought 12 tracks to them in Toronto, Canada, where their studio (20Hz) is located, and said, “if you hear guitar or bass on any of these tracks, add it.” These guys are great studio musicians and I really trust their creative input. Collin is the master of ProTools and it was amazing to watch him in action, as mixing is hard. He did a fantastic job and was patient with all my demands. It has always been my dream to work with my brothers on a project, and now we have done one of many future projects. The whole process of making this recording has been an invaluable experience to me. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Darren “Wren” Barrett