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NEWS: "Just because the microphone
in front of you amplifies your voice around the world is no reason to
think we have any more wisdom than we had when our voices could reach
only from one end of the bar to the other." ___________________________ In The Studio: Chris is currently working with Washington, DC-area rock band The Public Goodas drummer and recording engineer. The band features guitarist/vocalist John Elderkin, bassist/vocalist Steve Ruppenthal, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Esquith. Elderkin and Ruppenthal have provided some of the East Coast's best pop-rock for two decades, dating back to Chapel Hill band The Popes in the late eighties and early nineties, as well as NC's Stumble and Atlanta's The Lovely Lads. It's very exciting for Chris to be a part of this ensemble, as he's been a rabid fan since 1989. The group recently finished recording a follow-up to their recent release, No. 1, at Old House Studio in Gastonia, NC at Fidelitorium Recording in Kernersville, NC, Double Decker Bus in Chapel Hill, NC, and at The Bastille and Inner Ear Studio in Arlington, VA.
Guitarist Bon Lozaga (Gongzilla, Gong, Mike Oldfield) is currently working on a new solo album with Chris engineering. This new record comes on the heels of the release of the recent Gongzilla album, Five Even on LoLo Records, which was also recorded by Chris. Bon, along with drummer Donnie Futrell and bassist Anthony Goodwyn traveled to Old House Studio in Gastonia to work on the project. The album features several guest artists as well, including Kofi Burbridge (Derek Trucks, Aquarium Rescue Unit) on organ, Chuck Garvey (moe) on guitar, and Joel Cummins (Umphrey's McGee) on keyboards. Congratulations to Bon, also, on his feature in the December issue of Guitar Player magazine. Singer/songwriter Bruce Hazel is recording a giant handful of new material with Chris at Old House Studio. The project features original music from Hazel performed with drummer David "D.K." Kim, keyboardist Justin Faircloth, guitarist Chad Edwards, bassist and guitarist Shawn Lynch, bassist Mark Lynch, vocalist Karla Marsh, saxophonist Brent Bagwell, and trombonist Molly Brown. Mark Lynch is producing the project. This project marks a unique reunion for Garges, Hazel and Faircloth, who played some of their earliest gigs together in Charlotte area rock band Relayer in the late eighties. ___________________________ Congratulations to s inger/songwriter Bill Noonan on the release of his new album, The Man That I Can't Be. Chris engineered the project for Noonan and producer Mark Lynch at Old House Studio. The album features a host of Charlotte-area all-stars, including drummers Ray Mitchell, David "D.K" Kim, and Chris Garges, keyboardist Jason Atkins, banjo-player Randy Saxon, pedal steel guitar player Bob Barone, bassist Tom Kuhn, saxophonist John Alexander, trumpet player Jon Thornton, and vocalists Beth Chorneau and David Childers. The album was mastered by Dave Harris at Studio B Mastering in Charlotte. Congratulations to Charlotte area fusion band Actual Proof on the release of their new CD, Paradigm Shift. The new album was recorded with Chris at Old House Studio in Gastonia and features mallet percussionist Eric Mullis, guitarist Clint Presley, bassist Philip Berkley, drummer Scott Brower, and keyboardist Silas Aldridge. The album was mastered by Dave Harris at Studio B Mastering. Congratulations to Charlotte songwriting icon Todd Busch on the release of the new self-titled album from his large ensemble, Buschovski. Recorded by Chris Walldorf at his personal studio, the twelve-song album was mixed by Chris Garges at Old House Studio in Gastonia and mastered by Dave Harris at Studio B Mastering. Congratulations to northern Virginia-based guitarist/songwriter Josh Burgess on the release of his new CD, Living And Dying Under Orion. The ten-song album features all original music performed by Burgess, along with bassists Matthew Everhart and Mike Echols, drummers Sean Bradley and Andy Hamburger, guitarist Gary Smallwood, and keyboardist Jason Atkins. The album was recorded by Chris at Old House Studio in Gastonia, NC, and by Rich Issac at Cue Studios in Falls Church, VA. and was mixed by Chris at Old House and mastered by Scott Craggs at Old Colony Mastering in Boston, MA. Congratulations to Wisconsin-based singer-songwriter David Tomaloff on the release of his new solo album, Birds On Wires. Garges and Tomaloff collaborated on the project by sending audio files back and forth between Wisconsin and North Carolina for several months before the two completed mixing the album in six days at Old House Studio in Gastonia, NC. David has some great photos of the sessions on his website. Congratulations to progressive rock band Gongzilla on the release of their new album, Five Even. The four piece band, born out of legendary fusion group Gong, features guitarist Bon Lozaga, bassist/vocalist Hansford Rowe, guitarist Jameison Ledonio, and drummer/percussionist Phil Kester. Chris traveled to Roxobel, NC to record eight new songs on the group's mobile recording setup for LoLo Records. The album was mixed by Pete Donnelly at Westmont Station in Philadelphia, PA, mastered by Chris Muth, and features guests such as bassist Kai Eckhardt (John McLaughlin, Garage Mahal), guitarist Chuck Garvey (Moe), guitarist Jake Cinniger (Umphrey's McGee), guitarist Dave Fiuczynski (Screaming Headless Torsos), mandolin player Todd Barneson, drummer Mitch Hull, and vocalist Lian Amber. Congratulaions to Americana/punk band Troublewalkers on the release of their new album, Free Cowboy Hat, recorded by Chris at Old House Studio in Gastonia, NC. The four-piece band, formerly known as Hot Rod Grease Lighting, features drummer Robert Childers, guitarists Gabe Hinceman and Daylon Brumfield, and bassist Mark Lynch, and the recording features Chris on tambourine, Karla Marsh on background vocals, and Randy Saxon on guitar, mandolin, and banjo. Free Cowboy Hat was selected as one of the Top Ten Local Releases of 2008 in Creative Loafing magazine. The self-titled debut album from Chris' jazz trio, Big Octave, is currently available on LoNote Records. Featuring saxophonist John Alexander, bassist Ron Brendle, and Chris on drums, the album features an eclectic collection of 11 original and classic works. The album was recorded by Chris and Matthew Everhart and mixed by Chris at Jay Howard Production Audio and was mastered by Hoyt Dooley at Open Door Productions in Nashville. You can listen to audio clips and order the CD online at CD Baby. Be sure to look for a reviews of the CD in Jazz Improv magazine (Vol.6, No. 1), Charlotte Magazine (Vol. 10, No. 12), and Cadence magazine. ___________________________ Some Great Upcoming Shows
To Check Out: Chris will be appearing with rock icon Mitch Easter on several Southeast shows in April: Chris' jazz trio, Big Octave (featuring John Alexander and Ron Brendle) performs every Thursday night from 8-11pm in uptown Charlotte at Blue Restaurant And Bar (in the Hearst Tower) at the corner of 5th Street and College Street. ___________________________
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