David E Finck On the Making Of “Gentle Journey”
What was the creative process like for this particular "Gentle Journey?"
This song started with a harmonic pattern and melody. Eventually, I added two more sections to complete the form. I wrote it over the span of about two weeks, tweaking the chords, lyrics, and melody along the way.
Were there any challenges or breakthrough moments during the songwriting process for "Gentle Journey?"
The only real challenges were combining the words and music in a way that kept the song upbeat and positive. I think it all works and has a nice message of love with a cool, retro groove.
What has been one of your favorite memories along the path to making "Gentle Journey?"
I enjoy the recording process. And having such great singers and musicians makes it easy. I borrowed Catherine Russell from Steely Dan to sing lead vocals. I used Kelly Mittleman on background vocals. Andy Snitzer is a great tenor saxophonist and has many of his own recordings. The drummer, Clint de Gannon and I have played many live engagements and recordings together. He is a favorite of mine. Lea Mullen on percussion is from the UK. We met touring together with George Michael. Tony Kadleck is on trumpet, Mike Davis is on Trombone, and Bernd Shoenhardt is on guitar. They are all first call NY studio musicians. Quinn Johnson is on piano. He is from Los Angeles and is a superb musician. Also, it is important to recognize the work of the great engineer, Joel Arnow. When I produce these things, his skills are crucial.
Can you tell us more about you as an artist?
I am a professional musician based in New York. I've done a great deal of jazz work as a bass player. I had a 25 year collaboration with Andre Previn.
we made several recordings and traveled internationally. I have played with Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito d'Rivera, Eliane Elias, Linda Rondstadt, Arturo Sandoval, Glen Campbell, Jimmy Webb, and many others. I have also recorded with Natalie Cole, Kenny Rankin, Carly Simon, Rod Stewart, George Michael, Barry Manilow, Ivan Lins, and Gladys Knight to name just a few.
How do you approach collaborations with other musicians and maintain creative synergy?
The synergy comes from the casting. I always hire the right players and singers for the material. Playing a jazz standard often requires someone with different skills than a samba or R&B song. Musicians feed off of each other. They listen and react and pass musical ideas around. The result is something that you cannot get when you just program and record everything yourself. It is the human quality that makes it expressive, fun, emotional, and more. That goes for any song in any genre.
