Midnight. Blue recently connected the lines between a diverse selection of shooting star quality musical talent working today in order to create the perfect constellation of sound in Perception Records‘ first album, Celebration of the Midnight. Blue album release and launch of Perception Records will be held September 1, 2022 at the Bluebird Theatre in Denver, Colorado. Drummer Adam Deitch took time with NYS Music contributor Em Walis to discuss what makes a good studio experience.
Midnight Blue took musical ingredients from across the diverse offerings of the Denver music scene. Each componant melted into a record with a new take on Neo-Soul, R&B and funk. The sound of each artist is distinct, without overpowering the others. Like a good ensemble movie, plenty of space was provided in exactly the right places. The pristine execution which occurred between musicians friendly with each other outside of the studio allowed for an immersive listening experience.
Familiar Faces
Musicians that contributed to the Midnight. Blue studio sessions include: Lyle Divinsky (vocals – formerly of The Motet), Eric Benny Bloom (trumpet – Lettuce), Josh Fairman – (bass – Sunsquabi), Adam Deitch (drums – Lettuce), Ian Gilley (keys – Recess), Jake Jay.Greens Leventhal (guitar – Perception Records), Halle Tomlinson (vocals – The Voice), and G. Finesse (vocals – Black Eagle Society).
“We have a bond as musicians and as friends also.”
Adam Deitch
“It’s when you’re a musician, you do things called recording sessions, yeah. session or other people’s sessions for this thing or a session for a rapper sessions for a guitar player. So you know, I’m also a session musician, but it has to be with the right like minded people and good people, and you know, it’s gotta be worth it. It’s really not that often that I get called to do a session for somebody’s record, and I love doing it, especially if I like the music. This was a nice throwback to I guess, more, really the 70s and 80s early 90s.”
Some members of Midnight. Blue once called the areas in and around New York home. Common ground in Education, cutting teeth in performing and culture surrounding music in a place as special as New York arguably provided an unconscious undercurrent for cohesion between the diverse styles of each artist.
The trust in those enlisted to contribute went as far as songs by players being brought in for the record.
“We’re really comfortable with Josh Pearman, the producer of the record. Jake knew that and and wascool enough to ask me to bring in some songs that I wrote, and not just play drums and that’s how that song Let Me In came about.”
The creative trust in the group extended through the depths of songwriting and collaborative solutions in one instance of lost lyrics.
That was something that I recorded myself played every instrument and wrote the lyrics and sang on it. So I had the demo, but I hate the sound of my singing voice. So I never played it for anybody, it just sits there. Then for some reason, I thought oh, this is a great song that I would love to have somebody that has a great voice sing, you know? [Lyle] sure does. He showed up, and I had lost the lyrics. The lyrics were gone. So we had to like pick out the lyrics from the demo. And I was mumbling on the demo. It’s hard.
Lyle ended up having to write a bunch of lyrics that were lost in the recording. It ended up being a collaboration that I’m glad happened because Lyle added some lyrics that probably made better sense of what I had there first.
Familiar Places
Denver has been named current basecamp for the contributing artists. Recording close to home at a familiar studio created a comfortable atmosphere to produce creative work, without the typical distractions of a “home office” remote recording style many artists had to endure during shutdown.
“We all did it in Denver. We did the recording session right by Red Rocks. It’s called Stanhope and it’s a really cool studio and we’ve all recorded there over the past 15 years. Jake was there he was very quiet and very, very humble and chill and Josh did most of the talking about what he needed for his track. They had already discussed what was needed and, so I just came in and over the course of two or three days, I’d knock out the record.”
Adam Deitch
Some members of Midnight. Blue once called the areas in and around New York home. Common ground in Education, cutting teeth in performing and culture surrounding music in a place as special as New York arguably provided an unconscious undercurrent for cohesion between the diverse styles of each artist.
Feeling comfortable in the environment during creative work could be as important as the people involved.
“Stanhope is one of the best studios in Denver. It’s small. It’s cool. It’s got a basketball hoop outside. I love that basketball. You know, it’s nice to take a break. There used to be an alpac farm. You can see some alpacas and that’s cool. I think I wrote a song called llamas next door. I didn’t even know that they were alpacas and not llamas. So that’s cool about that place and it’s been a family for a while and it’s not corporate at all. It’s owned by a friend of ours, Joel and so you feel really comfortable there. There are sort of no rules besides just make good music and have fun.”
Mental Mosaic
“Small colored pieces of hard materials such as stone, tile or glass. Display arranging together small colored pieces of heart. The walls and vaults are decorated by marble and Mosaic. Okay, so it’s different, different materials that create one, one piece.
Yes. Definitely a collection of different musicians that that are from the Denver seeing that kick. Benny Blum and drew Sayers. Ian and and Josh, and a lot of great players that got together and even though we’re not in bands together. We’ve all played with each other, we all know each other. So, it just really happened and the sound of the band, even though it’s with a bunch of so called session, guys or whatever. It has that feel.”
Midnight. Blue and the story behind its conception felt similar to that of a mosaic. Familiar faces. Familiar places. Trusting individuality. Thoughtful composition uniquely assembled with intention allowed for simultaneous awareness of the beauty of each part as well as the product as a whole. A mosaic’s journey could be thought of in a similar way to a record for a non touring collective. The action could be considered the process of creation and after the release has been celebrated, the legacy will reside in the company it provides to those in possession over a long period of time.
Considerations were taken by contributors to the Midnight. Blue album in regards to what it meant to be a peice of a mosaic.
“What I want to do is switch my mindset from what I want and what I think is perfect. Finding out what they want that’s the most important thing that you know, someone that is hiring you to perform on their record. He wants to give them what they what they want from you and a lot of the times they just want what you would do, you know, like give me that Deitch shit.”
Perspective
Excitement for records, especially in genres that define themselves through attendance of upcoming events might not give a record with only one show scheduled a chance. There might not initially feel like a ton of excitement in listening to something carefully constructed in a controlled space and lacking the fond memories of times with friend associated with a live recording. The tracks might not feel enticing because every time the song is visited, it will be the same version, lasting the same amount of time with the same features.
“The collaboration. I love the vibe. It was so, fresh and what I think it’ll really open up how we kind of get pigeonholed when when you play a certain type of music of how how far the derivatives can go. It seems like this is just something that hopefully it’ll help be a little eye opening and broadening for some folks.”
Uncertainty
With uncertainty comes excitement. It could be asserted that there is more certainty, and therefore less excitement with an exclusive relationship with consuming exclusively live music. The notion of more certainty and less excitement goes for the culture which surrounds exclusive live music as well. The usual suspects will be riding the rail. Noah Ray will be doing something extremely nice for another fan, and each song will be a slightly different length with perhaps a slightly varying pace.
“I love that kind of music and even though it’s like hardcore funk, hip hop, you know, like, yeah, so, you know, we’re not really like, get credit. We don’t we’re not really getting the neo soul scene”
When keeping the musical company constant, suddenly a slew of new variables for experiences begin to present themselves. Not knowing how our relationship to the same songs and lyrics might change invites a leap of faith when connecting with certain tracks. The impactful nature music has on our entire executive function, memory and mood can create bridges to both wonderful and horrible places. Should we begin associating a record with a home, a person or a moment in time, the familiarity can instantly transport us back to the associations and feelings.
Excitement in Unexpected Places
Forming emotional bonds with a beautifully studio-tracked musical journey means not being able to discard live recordings of a favorite song because we were not there or distasteful experience on that certain day at that certain place. The one record is it and especially with a moody low-key feel like the one from Midnight. Blue, meaningful associations are bound to form. If a favorite song plays and desire to listen in the company of a certain someone start to form, it will be difficult to shift it to another person in the future. Hopefully that connection continues to reward with a warm uplift with every listen.
Naming Purpose
It might be interesting to consider the types of music consumed and what powers it could provide for us in the future.
Try looking at live music like the medicine. The guaranteed silver lining. If we are feeling sad and need a boost from people we know we will see and songs we know we will dance to, perhaps we could put on a song from a live show we loved and buy tickets for something coming up.
The studio record could be though of like the bit of artwork in our parent’s bathroom. It is consistent. It is in the same spot with the same colors. Some days we might notice the way it catches the light at a certain time of day and give it more attention. Other times, it is just there in the bathroom like always. The importance might only be realized when it is time to take that artwork down and all of the times it has kept us company in our most private moments, never judging if you forgot to brush your teeth or why you took solace by its side to cry in privacy.
Potential In The Unknown
A studio record like the one from Midnight. Blue holds a pleasant consistency yielding prosperous longevity. It could be put on when having a dashing new acquaintance over for dinner, or fill the space between turns in a boardgames played with friends or family. It is complex enough for a private meditative escape from reality. It might not provide the same high as pressing “confirm” for flights booked to attend that show in that cool place to hear that song played a new way and possibly with a record breaking length of jam. It will keep you company in the quiet times. It will yield no emotional rollercoasters due to permit revocations and festival postponements. Midnight. Blue will provide a positive stability and present its meaning as we make our way through this journey called life.
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