A new year full of new chances to make something great! Looking back on 2013, I can fully say that it has been my best year so far! A lot of great things happened music wise, but also business wise and on a personal level. I just can’t wait to what 2014 will bring us! This year for me will start with a few new releases I played drums on.
New album Dave Bainbridge
In November & December I took some days to record drums for the new album of UK artist Dave Bainbridge (Iona). An album full with progressive rock with a fusion & celtic twist. I have had a great time recording the drums, and it will be released somewhere in the last quarter of this new year.
There will be a few great musicians joining on this release like Damian Wilson (Threshold) on vocals, Randy George (Neal Morse) on bass, Troy Donockley (Nightwish / The Bad Shepherds) on uilleann pipes and low whistle, Simon Goulding (The Bee Gees, Robbie Williams, Ronan Keating etc), on bass on one track, Joanne Hogg (Iona) on vocals and others
Check www.davebainbridge.com for more information.
New album Jordan Rudess
In the same period I recorded drums for the new orchestral CD of keyboard whizz Jordan Rudess. The album is called ‘Explorations for keyboard & orchestra’. I played the main track plus two ‘bonus’ tracks. It was very interesting to record drums to an orchestra, and not in a band-setting. The music was challenging, and I loved every minute of recording it.
Check www.jordanrudess.com for more information.
Dilemma
We have been recording for quite some time now, and the album is still not ready. That’s mainly because this album is being made in ‘dead-time’. All the band members are very busy, so we have to do it with the sparse free time everybody has. But never the less we are getting to the end of the recording process. Early February we will finish recording & editing, so we can start with mixing the album. We would love to have this album mixed by Rich Mouser, but it’s a challenge to get the funding in place. We might start a crowd-funding project soon.
Affector
It has been a bit quit in Affector land due to other projects/work Daniel & I are working on. But somewhere this year we will pick up writing again for our second album.
All in all it will be a great 2014, and I know that there will be a lot of other interesting projects coming my way. I can’t wait! 😉
Have a great year, make it your best year to date!
Collin Leijenaar
