I'm not promoting this recording; I'm merely sharing it because I think some of you would like it!
My first solo album, "Listen," was recorded in a mountain cabin that my wife and I rented 80 miles NW of Los Angeles. I was fed up with the L.A. music biz, and just HAD to "get out of town." So I moved my whole recording studio up there, leaving a thriving studio/production business for the tranquility of the Los Padres National Forest. There was NO telephone, television, or barely any radio reception up there --- just pure silence... After a few weeks of decompressing, listening to a variety of music, and looking at books of Impressionistic art, I got an idea for a concept album.
"Listen" has to be experienced in its entirety for the concept to develop. It begins with a man whose soul dies, and he begins to take a spiritual journey while looking down on his past life. Maybe it's about death and reincarnation; you'll have to decide for yourselves!
Arranging and recording a solo album allowed me to play every instrument I've ever played in my life: Electric guitar; acoustic guitar; oboe; bass; piano; recorder; synthesizers; drums; percussion; and all the vocals. Quite a trip!
I remastered the tracks from the original mixes recently, and assembled them in the original order of the album. Link:
https://soundcloud.com/ernstjohn7-1/listen
If you've got about 35 minutes to spare, check it out... Great on headphones, too!
Ern
