Happy New Year from WW and the Longhouse!

Dear friends, 

Greetings from rainy Los Angeles: yes, it rarely rains, but man, when it does, it’s historic!  I hope all of you are well, or have survived the crazy last year with some positive things on your plates. All is good here, if soggy at the time of this writing, and I have a lot I would like to share with you at the beginning of this new year.

Last year was about clearing underbrush, finishing all recording of existing projects, planning and preparing for new ones, happily to be launched this year.  In the middle of that, I was totally overwhelmed to receive Folk Alliance Region West’s “Best of the West” artist award in October.  I suspect my dear friends Russ and Julie Paris of Russ and Julie’s House Concerts, Ron Sarfaty,  Steve Garvan, and some others to be responsible for this event, and it was wonderful, surprising and  very inspiring for me. 

Here is a survey of what’s going on here at the Longhouse in beautiful Northridge, California:

RECORDINGS

New WW CD: My new project, called “Blue Balloon,” is in the completion stage now, and the target release is late June-July. There is one more single release coming soon, and then preparations for the entire release.  Rob Hoffman and I are mixing it, Saida Staudenmaier is working on the artwork, and Mark Nubar is overseeing the entire madness, including the upcoming photo shoots, media campaigns, video etc. As you may know, we have already released five tracks from this album, starting with Blue Balloon itself. All of these are available for streaming here: https://wendywaldman.com/music-playlists.  I’m proud of this work—it’s a combination of going all the way back to the beginning for me, and looking way ahead into the future. On the heels of this release, I intend to be out on the road some at the end of this year and well into next, doing some solo shows, and also some duet shows with Cidny Bullens.

Speaking of Cidny Bullens, his new cd is also in the works, with some tracking this spring produced partially in Nashville with the great Ray Kennedy, and partially here at the Longhouse with me. I can tell you that the songs I’ve heard (and already worked on) are absolutely magnificent, and I hope this is the great Americana project that is long overdue from this remarkable artist, human being, and dear friend.

Speaking of remarkable artists and dear friends, one of the most exciting projects being mixed here at the Longhouse now is a collaboration between the legendary HB Barnum (look him up—start with decades of supervising music for Aretha Franklin), his choir known as Life Choir, my brilliant friend the Polish star Mietek Szczesniak, and myself. I’ve long felt that a cd needed to be made of the inspirational side of Mietek’s work, and at the same time, a spotlight has been needed on Mr. Barnum, who is an extraordinary leader, writer, arranger, and the hardest working dude I know. It’s been my privilege to dream this project up, and my pure joy to see it actually happen! We wrote the bulk of it, and also snagged a handful of HB’s own iconic songs. I expect a fall release for this magical work. It really makes joyful noise, in a hip and eclectic way.

Speaking of a joyful noise, the Refugees EP is also being mixed and we are really proud of this group of songs. Though we have scattered to the winds, we love to write and record together, and are mindful of the impact that we’ve had out there. This EP explores some new territory while also having a few tracks that are firmly rooted in Refugees “tradition..” I’ll leave that to you to discover.

LONGHOUSE RECORDS MUSIC LIBRARY

After a year of laying groundwork and figuring out how to do this, we are launching Longhouse Records, part one,  this very week!  This is something I have thought about for many years, even having opportunities in the past to do such a thing, but now is the right time: I’m proud (and scared) to announce that Longhouse Records is about to go online with its music library, offering cues, songs, instrumental tracks, and commissions to the film, tv, and commercial industry.  What I hope makes our music library different is that everyone who is represented by Longhouse is a true artist in his or her own right, in various aspects. We are proud to be featuring works from Cidny Bullens, the Refugees, myself, ShyBoy and Mark Nubar, Mietek Szczesniak, Rob Hoffman libraries, and introducing the superb young composer Abraham Parker. Our first offering is small by comparison to the enormous production libraries that are out there, but we believe the unique quality of who we are will attract the right people. And of course, we will be growing. I suspect you’ve figured out that after the library launches, we hope to be able to assist the release of various cds from all the folks who are working with us.  Our contact, mentor, and the person who suggested this in the first place is Karen Falzone, who with her company Mostly Music, works daily with film and tv supervisors all over the world. So, if it’s a success, it’s Karen’s fault. If it fails, it’s definitely mine. Also on board is my co manager, true mentor in all things post 1999, co writer and dear friend, Mark Nubar, who also manages the remarkable DJ ShyBoy, my collaborator Jason Arnold.  Mark Nubar and Karen Falzone are the engine of the new Longhouse Records library. I’m quite privileged to work with them.

Speaking of privilege to work with someone, may I point out that my studio and production partner, Rob Hoffman (whose history actually begins with Michael Jackson’s History and Christina Aguilera’s) is mixing our projects, collaborating musically, and brainstorming on all things Longhouse. But more importantly, in case you think folks around here aren’t working hard enough, Rob Hoffman has been studying Chinese medicine for many years, is a superb licensed acupuncturist (offices in Santa Monica) and recently earned his PHD—the first of two, in Chinese medicine.  Somehow he’s done all this, working with me (patiently), commuting to China, having a new baby with his wife, actor and acupuncturist Melody Zara Hoffman, AND teaching weekly tai chi classes. I’m tired just thinking about it. And very proud of Dr. Hoffman.

Speaking of working hard and venturing into new territory on a side note: it is known by a few folks that I have always been a collector of folk art, textiles, jewelry, books, artisanal clothing as well as a weaver and craftsperson myself. After considering this for many years, I am opening a small gallery, which will be an eclectic mix of the above and more, to be offered for sale and for perusing.  I have always loved seeing handwork from every corner of the world, and my house and studio are filled with it. I’ve been urged at different times to share and celebrate these things, and inspired by some other collectors whom I’ve watched, I’m offering a modest and tiny Etsy shop shortly.

Enough! Dear friends, thanks for reading this, if you made it through, and may this year be the best and healthiest for each of you.  My very best wishes and thanks to you,

Wendy

When The Eagle Flies

Latest single "When The Eagle Flies" is available for streaming and download.

iTunes • Spotify

I was enjoying experimenting with vocal textures and contrast between sections of songs. The music was developing to my satisfaction: it had a cool middle part and I got to play electric guitar and have all sorts of fun in the studio. But I had no idea what the song was about.

Then came the terrible news of an attack on the American Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. I read about our ambassador Christopher Stevens, who tragically and unnecessarily lost his life in that horrible situation. The more I read about the kind of person he was, the more I was impressed with him. They said he was a true foreign diplomat, having found his calling working overseas. I read about how much he loved Benghazi and his job, enjoyed walking through the city talking to folks, and enjoyed the people in general. By all accounts, he was a very cool guy, someone I think I would have liked to have known and called a friend. It was so sad: he of all people loved where he was and was much loved in return by the community he served in Libya.

That’s when the lyrics to When the Eagle Flies came to me. I saw the eagle high above all of our madness, watching us all—with sorrow-or maybe detachment, as he makes his way home. This song has become, for me, the story of every person who has lost his or her life service overseas, and now takes that journey home.

Dedicated to Ambassador Christopher Stevens and his family

The making of 'Love Has Got Me'

Bryndle broke up in 1970, quite discouraged by a bad experience with A&M records. So many stories start this way. Kenny Edwards and Andrew Gold went to work with Linda Ronstadt, Karla Bonoff retreated to writing songs (some for Linda) and I kept making music, with Chuck Plotkin as my producer. He had negotiated a lease on a cool studio down on Santa Monica Blvd, Clover Recorders,  which was owned by some old jazz guys, drum makers, and mighty users of contraband.

Their deal was that every Thursday was for them. The rest of the time, we made records. We were prescient, I think, because we were tracking songs with no record deal and no prospect of one, but at the time (ironically just like I am today) we were music first, business hopefully later.

In 1972, Maria Muldaur released a solo album on Warner Brothers, then the “Cadillac” of all new record labels. The label was headed up by Mo Ostin, and the head of A&R was the brilliant Lenny Waronker, who also produced Maria, Randy Newman and others. Warners in those days - it’s like looking back on Camelot. Artists of extreme merit, sales not figuring into the equation - were signed there: Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, Maria, Frank Zappa on his affiliated label, Captain Beefheart, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Carly Simon, America, The Doobie Brothers, the Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, Alice Cooper, Rickie Lee Jones, Black Sabbath and more. I remember then vice president of Warner Brothers, Joe Smith, telling me one night, “Black Sabbath is paying for all of you.”

Maria Muldaur had discovered my songwriting, and she included, on her first multi platinum record, two songs of mine, “Mad Mad Me," and “Vaudeville Man.” We had recorded these tunes at Chuck’s studio on Santa Monica Blvd, and we recorded a few more as well. Maria went on to record other songs of mine on subsequent records, and a few other artists picked up on some of my music as well, Judy Collins recording “Pirate Ships” at that time.

We took this half an album to Lenny Waronker at Warner Brothers, and he signed me to a deal, giving us money to finish the album. We were able now to assemble an all star cast of players on this album, not only my great colleagues Kenny Edwards, Andrew Gold, Karla Bonoff, the marvelous and not well known Steve Ferguson, but also Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar, the great bassist Wilton Felder, violinist/arranger David Campbell, and the fabulous horn section consisting of Jim Horn, Jackie Kelso, and Chuck Findley. We had a few other wonderful singers on this project too: Maria Muldaur, Greg Prestopino, and my old colleague Carmi Simon on mandolin too.

Chuck pushed me to write string and horn parts, which of course, I’d never done. I did so on several tunes, with Jim Horn circling the unnecessary parts in red pencil: “Lee’s Traveling Song,” “Love Has Got Me,” “Can’t Come In,” “Old Time Love,” and “Waiting for the Rain." But Chuck also convinced me to ask my father, Fred Steiner, much admired composer of the Perry Mason Theme and other iconic music—to write arrangements for “Pirate Ships," “Thinking of You," and “Gringo en Mexico."

It was an eclectic but completely natural, honest record. It was unlike anything else coming out of LA at that time because of the orchestral, almost jazz-tinged side of things - it sold extremely well, for example, in Boston where such music was readily acceptable. I was very young and green, but I was quite determined when it came to the music. Truth, I was probably too young to be putting out records then, but that’s how it was in those days.

This album set the stage for my entire life: It was released in the fall of 1973, and to my amazement, Rolling Stone featured it as its big spread, calling it the “Singer Songwriter Debut of the Year” in a generous and detailed piece written by the great music/film critic Stephen Holden. Though it’s true that I never became a “pop star,” the acceptance of my music at a critical level, and the fan base that really got it - have carried me to this day, and I have never stopped writing nor working. Because I didn’t become an overnight sensation, I was and have been forced my whole life to continue searching, studying, trying, playing different positions on the team, and trying to stretch. All in all, I owe this entire career to Love Has Got Me, and the great team that supported it.

One last note in this lengthy discourse: The original Bryndle had recorded an album on A&M (unreleased) of some interesting, if immature work, with our cool vocal harmonies. To hear exactly what we sounded like with our rhythm section (as opposed to just the four of us), “Train Song” on Love Has Got Me is the original Bryndle.

"Twisted Love Song (Love in 7)"

Latest single "Twisted Love Song (Love in 7)" is available for streaming and download.

iTunes • Spotify

Wendy Waldman: Lead and backing vocals, piano, programming
Marcin Pospieszalski: Bass
Scott Babcock: Drums
Rob Hoffman: Additional programming

Produced and arranged by Wendy Waldman
Recorded and mixed at The Longhouse by Wendy Waldman and Robert Hoffman

Artwork:
Illustration by Saida Staudenmaier
Design by Mark Nubar

Hot days of Summer July 2017

Mid Summer

July 26, 2017

In the deep summer heat, here in the north San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, I’m grateful for family, friends, and opportunities to make music in the studio and elsewhere.

My family had lots of events from June until last week: a grand kid was Bat Mitzvah, which is a ‘coming of age’ event involving about 3 years of study for Jewish kids, then the next week, an uncle turned 95 in New Jersey, and we flew back for a marvelous weekend connecting with the family there. That part of our family has some quite formidable musicians: the legendary old time musician Dan Gellert, his brilliant daughter, a writer, fiddler and emerging star, Rayna Gellert, my cousin Chris Rogers-superb jazz musician, arranger, performer, son of the great horn player Barry Rogers, descended from one of the finest cymbalum players in America—and other too- film makers, inventors, dedicated education specialists, and …us.

Then a week in Mexico at the family seat there—which involved a lot of tamales, swimming, exploring, and playing with dogs.

Back at work now, some interesting things ahead: recording choirs all summer for the HB Barnum/Mietek Szczesniak / Life Choir project, planning the final stages of the WW cd, scheduled for March 16, 2018, with some more tracks coming in advance. We have a few clients who are also recording here, so never a dull moment.

Also working on consolidating an agreement with the superb author and film music historian Jon Burlingame to finish and release the book my father, Fred Steiner, wrote on the life of Alfred Newman, one of the great film composers of all time. My dad wrote a definitive and carefully researched book, but he passed before he was able to do the final edits and publish it.
Now, and hopefully with the help of the Newman family (including, David, Tom, Randy, and Maria) I believe we will be able to see this fine work finished and released. I expect it’s not only a history of this great composer, but also a window into a time we won’t see again.

Studio is rocking-enjoying the new sound library from VSL, and some other new additions—a mic or two, and of course, guitars….

Yeah the garden is in fine shape this summer, albeit in need of weeding! We’re digging a pond, at last. I have always wanted a pond, and always wanted frogs to live near me, ever since I was a resident of Topanga Canyon many years ago. My native gardens are now enormous, and I decided it’s time to put in a pond—no koi—mama doesn’t want to work that hard—but goldfish, mosquito fish, and tadpoles… downside: raccoons and hawks might be interested, and frogs may find their way to the pool, but I think we can forestall disasters with careful planning, optimist that I am.

The yellow orioles are still hanging around my hummingbird feeders, so fall isn’t even close!

Back to the studio....

Enjoy these slow and hot days of summer.

WW
Northridge, California

mid summer flowers from the garden