About The Album

In 1991, shortly after returning to music after a three year hiatus spent working mostly in photograhy, I approached Suzanne Vega with the idea of her producing an album of my songs. She and I met in 1980 playing an open mike at Folk City--at that time the primary venue in New York for acoustic music. Back in those days we would play our new songs for each other and challenge each other to go further and work harder at the craft of writing. So, it was natural for me to ask Suzanne to work with me in recording my album. She was already familiar with most of my songs, and I felt that the musical chemistry between us might lead to good results.

Nevertheless, I was apprehensive going into the studio. Suzanne and I had not worked together so closely since those days long ago in Greenwich Village. The outcome of our collaboration, I hope you agree, was a happy one. We worked with several members of Suzanne's band as well as musicians I had been playing with, all of whom shine throughout the album. We were greatly aided by Steve Rosenthal, the owner of the Magic Shop, who engineered the recording, and whose good spirits never flagged during even the most tedious moments.

The album was recorded during two sessions. The songs from the first session, THE MAGIC KINGDOM, OLD FACTORY TOWN, FEVER (LA LUNE), and BURN BURN BURN, were produced by Suzanne with full band arrangements. The second session took place somewhat later at the end of a week Suzanne had blocked out at the Magic Shop to work out ideas for her 99.9 album. Those songs were recorded very simply--mostly guitar and vocals--with beautiful touches of violin provided by Lisa Gutkin. Suzanne was there throughout the session, despite being exhausted from her own recording, and she coached me through my vocals as well as contributing harmonies on herself.


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