Welcome to LATE NIGHT PHONE CALL: a community gathered around a melody!
Ring ring. A melody fades in and out of focus. A static charge hangs in the air. The wi-fi modem links to the internet. My mind starts to space out. Ring, ring, ring, ring. I pick up the phone and make the rolling r sound, as if saying hello. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. Synced.
I decided to record the original piece because a specific melody kept taking over one of my practice sessions. When I listened back, I felt giddy because the melody was so distinct, and a second voice I had occasionally heard while singing came through clearly on the recording. However, after multiple listens, my initial giddiness turned to doubt, followed by second-guessing and then flip-flopping. Even while going through this, I continued to listen. That’s also about when Kenneth walked by my studio and said he liked it and asked if he could do a remix. Surprised, I told him to go for it. I was eager to hear what he would do.
Kenneth took the vocal, keyboard, and MIDI tracks, and although he didn’t use the keyboard track, he replaced it with a zither. I loved his remix, it was unlike anything I could have created. For the first time, I felt the melody had strong bones, and his arrangement really brought that out for me.
Excited by the remix, I reached out to Philip Perkins to see if he would like to give it a try. He suggested inviting more people. The idea of sharing it more widely scared me, but when I mentioned this to Kenneth, he encouraged me to send it out and set my ego aside. So, I thought about it and said what the hell. At this point, the piece felt like a late night phone call, so I named it that, drafted up a project concept, and sent it out with the tracks to a bunch of people. I received enthusiastic responses: the melody was resonating!
What amazed me was how these artists listened to the tracks, signed up to reinterpret the piece, and then did just that: greensatan, Maggi Payne, Barbara Golden, Don Longton, Philip Perkins, Scot Gresham-Lancaster, Brian Reinbolt, Kris Force, Ben Azarm, David Slusser, Rae Diamond, Gretnoid, John Fabiani, Dan Carbone, and Thom Blum. Most of all, I loved their remixes! Through them, the piece evolved in new ways, expanding the melody in fresh directions!
This project is also inspired by ragas, the Northern Indian classical music tradition I study, where the classic melody serves as s foundation. As the project evolved, the piece began to resemble a raga, with each remix bringing its own unique name, essence, emotion and mood, while resequencing the melody. All of these connections were happening! Ring Ring!
The artwork was a different story. For some time, I have been exchanging visual art with Alice Wu and Dan Plonsey, who have long inspired me. So, when the project was set to become a CD and website, I was keen to ask them to contribute artwork. Additionally, I have been a fan of Mikee Labash’s art and graphic design, so his aesthetic was essential for the overall look of the project. After working with him on the CD and website, I felt inspired to request artwork from him, and he agreed to provide the image for Disc 2.
Compilations are complex because of the diversity of tracks, so mastering maestro Myles Boisen created the cohesive sound throughout the album. Having Rent Romus at Edgetone Records behind us has been invaluable. Being part of the Edgetone community means a lot to me. Rent is a wonderful composer who has supported this project from an early stage and brings a lot of heart to the projects he backs on his label, making it the perfect home for Late Night Phone Call.
Ring, ring, ring, ring. I welcome you to Late Night Phone Call as this melody has a tale to tell…
Kattt Atchley, August 2024, Berkeley, California