The recording of Between The Covers was made over four days in August 2024 at Areal 51 Studios in Stuttgart. Working once more with Max Braun as producer, he had assembled a different team of players than when we recorded Domestic there 5 years earlier, though some of them I had worked with previously when recording the Uwe Schenk Trifft show.
Between myself and the four of them we managed to record 9 wonderful pieces of music in that time, and what a delightful experience it was. I am completely in awe of their immense collective talent, their unwavering dedication to the songs, their generosity of spirit, and their patience with me. Despite being the only Englishman they spoke almost entirely in English the whole time we were together. Four exceptional musicians whose company I enjoyed every bit as much as their playing.
Max Braun, is a wonderful all-round musician with a fantastic ear, impeccable taste, and saint-like patience, all qualities that make him a wonderful producer. As well as producing, engineering and mixing the album, he also helped to shape and define the songs and played the most perfect bass throughout, adding bits of guitar, organ and harmonies where needed. A genius and a much cherished friend.
I was delighted to have Uwe Schenk on board, I love spending time in his company, and, as the owner of this wonderful studio it was an honour to have him playing on my record. An incredibly talented composer of film and tv music, he plays with a beautiful, understated jazzy feel and has a perfect and rare ability to create sparse piano parts that nevertheless shine with his personality. His talent is only matched by his humility, a lovely man.
Jo Ambros was the one player I hadn’t met before. Based in Berlin he has performed and recorded with countless artists, and no surprise, he is a versatile virtuoso. On this record he was as happy playing one repetitive chord on our Bo Diddley cover as he was bringing an adept flourish of jazz to Bookworm. He balances this immense talent with a boyish enthusiasm and an eagerness to please that melts the heart.
I’ve been blessed to work with some incredible drummers over the years but Torsten Krill is something else, I’ve never heard anyone else play with such attention to tonality. His tireless enthusiasm and ability to maintain concentration are admirable but I most treasured his ability to keep the mood light and upbeat. When I hear his playing on the record I picture him and his beaming smile and find myself smiling too. He’s played with many greats, but I am most impressed by his tales of working with Nana Mouskouri. WOW
Once we’d recorded the basic tracks Max and I decided that a couple of the songs might benefit from string arrangements. I went straight to Mari Persen, the incredibly talented arranger and violinist (and singer/songwriter) from Bergen with whom I’ve collaborated several times before. Though we first began corresponding via MySpace probably around 15 years ago we never actually met until May of 2024. Nobody arranges strings like Mari, she evokes musical references that I can’t pinpoint but that resonate deeply with me, and she adds quirks and unexpected flourishes that just bring me great joy. I am so humbled to be able to work with her.