Eight months after its initial in-studio recording session, Elemental Groove Theory's premiere CD is ready for distribution.
The eight-person ensemble recorded 11 original songs for its debut CD, EGT, which it began recording less than one month after its first official show on Halloween last year.
Five of the band's eight members had been playing as a smaller group before they decided to add a two-person horn section and their singer, Rachel Maxann.
The interesting thing about music is the product is often fleeting; you have a performance and then it's gone
bass player Matt Urminski said. But with a CD you can capture a moment and share your art with a wider group of people and that is very beautiful.
To pay for the recording sessions with producer Bernie Nau at Peachfork Studios in Pomeroy, Ohio, Elemental Groove Theory played live shows and open jams. The combination of spending time in the studio while continuing to perform live was beneficial, said trumpet player Dustin Bastin.
Recording really helped us become better musicians
Bastin said. You can't hear everything when you're in a bar
but you get the chance to fine tune your music in the studio.
Although Nau recorded, mixed and mastered the CD, Urminski said at least one band member was present when Nau worked on the CD.
We were involved in every part of the production
Urminski said. We made sure to maintain artistic integrity; the reason it took so long is that we wanted the album to be as good as it could possibly be.
Creating the best album the band could meant changing some of its original plans after recording had already started, Urminski said. Elemental Groove Theory decided to include Back to You and Trifecta after it was already far into the creation of its CD.
We worked on those songs after most of the others had already been laid down
Urminski said. They ended up being some of the easiest for us to record because we had been working in the studio for a while and had some experience.
After months of recording, deciding what tracks to include on the album and waiting for it to be mixed and mastered, Elemental Groove Theory will share EGT with Athens at its CD release party at The Union Bar & Grill, 18 W. Union St., Thursday.
We're so excited for the future
saxophonist Kyle Slemmer said. This has been a real growing process for us and we finally have a legitimate product. I can't wait to see what we can do with it.
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