‘The Golden Switchback’ is the 1960s themed album that I always wanted to write. Inspired by classic film music recordings by Lalo Schifrin, Quincy Jones and John Barry, Ennio Moricone et al.
The backstory
If my go-to recording studio would be big enough I would have recorded the arrangements of my compositions entirely live. However, practicalities dictated that I recorded the trusty Funkestra rhythm section A-listers and the nine piece horn section separately. It was all worth it as the Masterlink Studio has that Muscle Shoals ‘magic’ that I love so much.
So It was a studio space consideration to write for three trumpets and three trombones rather than four each. Also only three saxes rather than five as in the classic Big Band line up (8 and 5). This was actually a fun challenge and three trumpets with one alto, one tenor and one baritone sax as well as three tenor trombones or two tenor trombones and one bass trombone work really well. Of course it would have been fun to have the extra four players yet ‘limitation is expansion‘ in the words of Hal Crook. In conclusion, writing for 9 rather than 13 horns needs a different arrangement approach.
By the way, this was the last large group recording session before the first pandemic lock-down came in.
On stage
I absolutely would love (read L-O-V-E) to perform this music with a 20 piece orchestra on a stage or festival near you!
Alternatively you can stream or download HERE.
Thank yous
A big shout out to all the awesome musicians, Elliot Ireland from Pedigree Cuts for believing in this collection of songs, his label partner Alex Rizzo for the brilliant mix, Rob Blackham for the moody photographs, Neil J Hart for the brilliant album artwork, Paul Jordanous for checking over my horn writing and charts and last but not very least James Welch for recording the rhythm and horn section at his Masterlink Studio.
A special shout out to Robert Brownjohn (August 8, 1925 – August 1, 1970), the American designer who created the iconic film poster for the Bond movie ‘Goldfinger’.
FUN FACT – Andreas See (saxophone) and Herman Mayr (trombone) came over from Austria to record with us (pre-Covid) and jolly times were had all around.
MUSICIANS (in alphabetical order)
Karl Vanden Bossche – percussion
Tom Gardner – trumpet
Sid Gauld – trumpet
Piers Green – saxophone (tenor, alto)
Paul Jordanous – trumpet
Herman Mayr – trombone (bass)
Nick Mills – trombone (tenor)
Rich Milner – Harpsichord (8), Wurlitzer, Clavinet (9)
Mike Outram – guitar, Fender VI
Stefan Redtenbacher – bass, guitar, alto glockenspiel
Andrew Michael Ross – flute, alto flute (3, 5, 8)
Andreas See – saxophone (tenor, alto)
Paul Silver – saxophone (baritone)
Ross Stanley – Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, Hohner Clavinet D6
Mike Sturgis – drums
Tom White – trombone (tenor)
CREDITS
Produced, written and arranged by Stefan Redtenbacher
Special thanks to Paul Jordanous to check over horn arrangements
Recorded by James Welch at Masterlink Productions
Mixed and mastered by Alex Rizzo
Executive producer Elliot Ireland
Artwork by Neil J Hart
Photos by Rob Blackham
Under exclusive license of Pedigree Cuts (UPM) PEDF127
