SPRING 2008 NEWS

It's been rockin' here at the 'Ville:

Session News

• Mark Barkan, who has had his songs recorded by major artists (Nat King Cole, Rod Stewart, Elvis Presley, Sonny & Cher), has been working on musicals over the past few years. Until he decided to make a concept album about the search for love and oneself. Barkan wrote the words and music for nine songs and collaborated with Albert Bouchard, the drummer from Blue Oyster Cult, on a tenth song for the album, titled Nothings Better Than Love. Barkan immediately thought of Rob Harari and HarariVille to do the recording. Barkan said, “Rob being a top engineer and a friend, and the studio with it’s wonderful room sound and beautiful piano, was a necessity for the basic sounds I needed for the album. It was the perfect place to record.” After auditioning a number of female singers for the lead, Barkan found Kelli McCloud who recently performed in Hair. He then found Kelly Halloran, a marvelous violinist and singer, and through her added Ippie Ichimaru on bass and cello. Bruce Forte, a longtime collaborator of Barkan’s, played most of the keys and Bouchard played all the drums, some guitar and percussion. Other musicians include Tracy Stark on keyboards and Mark Bosch on guitars. The recording was done using all real instruments and voices, no synths. Says Barkan, “I wanted to communicate real emotions and sounds and songs. I hope I’ve done so.”
  
  
• The Hoboken NJ songwriter and video producer, Kevin Bertotti, brought his ambitious project 100 Songs In 100 Days to Rob Harari. Together they produced and recorded the track “Late At Night” assisted by the music tech students from Stevens Institute of Technology. Check out the sights and sounds from this project and look out for the soon to be released music video from the day spent at HarariVille on MySpace/100songs.
  
  
• Spyro Gyra returned to the ‘Ville this time with the Broadway singer and actress Christina Ebersole. Ms. Ebersole sang lead vocals for the recording of a Christmas tune.
  
  
• Kevin Jordan (Anyway Artists), who wrote and directed the 2005 film “Brooklyn Lobster”, called on the film’s star Danny Aiello to record an introduction to his current project, a documentary on the sport of boxing. Rob Harari covered engineering duties for the recording.
  
  
• The indie rock band Tilly and the Wall sang and banged at the ‘Ville in preparation for their TV appearance on Sesame Street. Rob Harari produced and recorded their rhythmic rendition of The ABC Song.
  
  
• Mark Freeh, brass arranger and conductor, came to the ‘Ville with engineer Phil Bolla to record trumpet parts on the tune “Bugler’s Holiday” with musicians from the NY Philharmonic.
  
  
• The Mike Delladera Band recorded tracks for their upcoming EP.
  
  
• Steve Waitt celebrates the release of his cd with a show at The Living Room in NYC on May 24th.
  
  

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