During the 2016-2017 time frame, I had a number of songs I wanted to work on for a new album. Having over 200 songs stuck in a file drawer just collecting dust didn't seem very productive, so I reached out to a number of pro-level musicians I knew thru my good friend and fellow musician/composer Val Leventhal, who had worked with some top flight session players in the past. One of the musicians was Steve Hashimoto, a fabulous bass player who had an extensive recording and performing career. As he also did charts, I thought this would be golden opportunity to get down to it and bring some of these dust-gathering tunes to life. He collected a number of other musicians he had worked with, and I booked a session at my home recording studio.
After the initial 2017 recording sessions, I thought we were on track to complete the album, but due to the classic “unforeseen circumstances”, the project got put on hold. There were financial and personnel issues, and just a wide gap of situations that got in the way to make finishing it untenable at the time.
Using other musicians and actors, I had also just completed filming footage for a possible music video for one of the songs, “Letting It Go” at a beautiful location called Ravenstone Castle in Harvard, Illinois. (We actually even got a real bagpipe player for the intro! )
Everything seemed all good, and then, well, life happens. The timing just wasn't right, although we had the material and a group of super musicians in the lineup. As I mentioned, we had Steve Hashimoto on bass, and he brought in Pat Fleming on guitar, Mike Levin on woodwinds, Leandro Lopez Varady on keys, and Heath Chappell on drums and percussion. The sessions went very well, and we captured the essence of the feel of the tracks album I was hoping for. Due to scheduling issues, however, they were already committed to other projects and such, so local appearances and touring was out for the moment.
Fast forward to 2024. I was all set and ready to resume and finish the project when…. the car accident happened. I thought, “ok, the universe must be telling me something..”. Thru the darkness of struggling thru the many months of surgery, rehab, and recovery, I came to understand that the original meaning and inspiration behind the project was to get BEYOND whatever happens in our lives. In the material and in the artwork, I chose to represent the struggles and challenges everyone must go thru to get past whatever happens to us IRL.
So, back into the studio I go, this time, with a top line-up of the great people and musicians I had come to know at Shanahans Pub in Woodridge, Illinois, which by this time, had become my new musical family.
Every picture tells a story as they say, and the people in these photos were responsible for bringing the rest of the album to life so that it could now be released into the world. In an ironic and sad twist of fate, a year after the final tracking was completed on the last two songs on the album, our drummer, Larry Ortega passed away in July 2026. His efforts, talent, and heart will be missed by all who know and love his soul, his humor and his stunning, energetic performances.
This album is fondly dedicated to him.
RK