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What made you take on the Tess concept album project? I must confess it took a great deal of convincing for me to take it on. I believe it was about the fifth time Michael Blore asked me that I finally said “Yes”. It was by no means due to any kind of disinterest. I just didn’t feel confident that I would have the time, or even the know-how, to do the material justice. But then it dawned on me: exactly how often do people get approached to produce a concept album for a new through-composed musical? Not often, I’m guessing? Not to mention being allowed a wealth of creative freedom and an opportunity to work alongside some big names in the industry. From there, I romanticised the idea of producing something that could rival my all-time favourites in the musical theatre concept album form – the original recordings of Jesus Christ Superstar and Chess. And thus, it was safe to say I was hooked.
If I really had to choose, I’d maybe pick the Quartet in Act 2 – a genius moment that is dark and tortured yet, at the same time, consoling and beautiful. Not only does it showcase the brilliance and complexity of the Michaels’ writing, but also the expressive vocal performances of four of our marvellous leads. I also love the dramatic shift and change in mood as it seamless follows on from the contrastingly upbeat and quirky Society Ladies. Another one of my favourites! What was your favourite track to mix? That would easily have to be I Always Get My Way. I think I even managed to get the kitchen sink into that one there’s so much going on! However, at one point early on in the mixing phase this song would temporarily become my biggest bane. Oo, do tell. It is an interview. We had already recorded a version of I Always Get My Way for the demo we’d put together in 2015 and I had done everything to get that sounding as tremendous as possible.
The energy of the demo version just wasn’t there, the instruments were stepping all over each other and I simply hadn’t done any justice to Tam Mutu’s electrifying performance. It was the one time that I truly felt defeated. I felt I had no choice but to begin again and mix the entire album from scratch, which at that point was already about two-thirds complete. Thankfully, the Michaels were gracious enough to give me the time that I needed to rethink my mixing “game plan”. For the next album mix I started with I Always Get My Way first and did not even think about moving on to anything else until I was completely satisfied. The song ended up becoming my benchmark for the entire album thereafter. Can you give us the scoop on any gossip? Ooh, there’s far too much to tell! But I shall save the Michaels any embarrassment and further damage to their already deplorable reputation – Shame. And focus on myself for this one. I’m all ears. As can sometimes happen when recording a multitude of vocal parts for a project as colossal as Tess, I discovered during the early stages of post-production that a few lines in some of the inner parts for the female chorus were completely missing here and there in a couple of numbers.
Outrageous! Most people probably wouldn’t even be able to spot those moments, but they are there. I can certainly hear my voice a mile off. We should listen now and play “Spot the Prod”! [He doesn't respond.] Perhaps another time. What were your technical challenges? Where do I start?! For me, the greatest challenge was probably making an incalculable number of vocal and instrumental performances (well, 1,306 to be precise!) sound like they were all recorded “as one” in the same room and within the duration of a couple of hours even though they were captured over a period of nine months and across five studios. I probably used every trick in the book to achieve this – and even made up some of my own!
So, killer question, would you do it all again? I’d love to… but maybe after a decent couple of years’ break at least! As much as I’ve loved dedicating most of my musical focus on Tess it’s definitely nice to be getting more than three hours sleep every night once again. Three hours sleep? And you still look so young? [He smiles.] Moving on. What’s next for you? In terms of projects, I have my own album of material that I have been constantly putting on the back burner since 2010, so really I should be getting on with that if I want it to be completed any time before 2040!
I see it now. TESS 2 - T2 - Revenge of the Tessth! Can I go now? Sunim Koria was in conversation with Tess administrator Scott Collins.
Thank you for reading and following the progress of Tess. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you. Read again
Next time on d'Blog... We bring you more news on the Tess journey from score to stage via the radio.
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It’s hard to believe but we’re sitting in the studio of producer Sunim Koria discussing the final mix of the Tess concept album. The journey thus far has taken more than four years. To be this close to a finished product is slightly unreal. Reverb levels, percussion cut-through, dialogue fades - this is the kind of fine detail we’re into at this late stage. And even allowing for these tiny tweaks, it’s sounding extraordinary, though we say it ourselves. In fact, there’s no reason not to say it ourselves as all the magic is being woven by Sunim and his producer wizardry.
Because that, after all, is what this whole exciting project has been working towards: we went into it with the approach that there was no point writing something that wouldn’t ultimately be performed. The reason for the album is to use as a promotional tool. While it won’t be commercially available for contractual reasons, we will be offering listeners a chance to hear the material online and, hopefully, fall in love with it so much that they start demanding that someone makes a stage show out of it. And so the next phase begins… Thank you for reading and following the progress of TESS. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you.
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Next time on d'Blog... We bring you news on the first live performance of one of the songs from TESS as the album heads for completion.
So the end is in sight. For this part of the Tess project anyway. The album. Hard to believe we are saying that, nearly two years on from the first discussions we had about a possible recording of the entire show with our producer Sunim Koria (for the record, he initially turned us down). In case you missed the news, we now have a first mix of the whole show. That’s right. All two hours of it. All singers, band members, additional instrumental sounds, foley (yes, we had to look it up) and sound effects are now in place and have gone through the first process of “A bit more that”/ “Less of that”/ “Oo, bring that bit out!”
Now Bruce is something of an idol to our very own producing wizard Sunim, so let’s see if we make it to 91. Stay tuned! ALBUM DESIGN Meanwhile, the album design and booklet are also nearing completion. Here’s a little sneaky peek of what we’ll be serving up:  A lot of people have been asking us over the past year, “Why have you done an album?” Mainly our long-suffering partners, we hasten to add, but the truth is that the cost of putting on a show far exceeds that of recording one. Plus, crucially, we are not theatre producers. And if we’re not in a position to produce the show ourselves, the question arises of how to promote it in order to attract someone who could?
The thing is, there’s no blueprint for putting on a new musical. One thing that helps is having a strategy. Ours has been about promotion, building contacts and support, and preparing a top-quality album as a calling card. And this is where you can play a vital part. In time, we’ll be sharing excerpts from the album on the Tess website and introducing our baby to the world. If you like what you hear, please tell all your friends and acquaintances – especially any called Cameron. With luck, we may be sharing mix number 2 very soon. Then again, it could be mix number 91. Bear with us – this may take a little more time… Thank you for reading and following the progress of TESS. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you.
Next time on d'Blog... As work finishes on the first ever album recording of TESS, we bring you news from the studio for the final time.
So how’s it all going? With vocal editing complete and the instrumental editing nearly done things are ticking along very nicely thank you. My job at the moment is mainly one of providing notes and guidance on the whole score to our album producer, Sunim.
everything together to create one beautifully harmonious 2-hour long new musical theatre extravaganza. Oh, and incorporated the recordings of 11 musicians. And begun creating sound effects, additional instrumental sounds and foley. Foley? The reproduction of everyday sound effects that are added to film, video and other media in post-production to enhance audio quality. You looked that up. Maybe… What has been the most challenging aspect of the post-production process? Well, I must admit to getting the jitters come vocal editing deadline day. Had we chosen the best takes? Had any adjustments we needed to make enhanced the quality of the performances or not? I felt the responsibility weigh heavily on my shoulders.
Exactly. As we speak he’s also working on the promotional package that will accompany the CD when it is complete. And what have you been doing? I’m making notes!
Michael Blore was in conversation with TESS administrator Scott Collins.
Thank you for reading and following the progress of TESS. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you. Next time on d'Blog... The end is in sight for the first ever album recording of TESS as mixing kicks off.
Back in the summer of 2013, my partner and I had some pretty extensive building work carried out on our house that necessitated our moving out of the property. Fortunately for us Michael Blore and his partner John came to our rescue and offered us a place to stay for what should have been four to six weeks. As is always the case with such projects the deadline came and went and we ended up staying for more than three months.
I knew Michael could sing and play the piano; what I didn’t know was that this boy could write – and he could write good stuff. Listening to those melodies I could already picture the rolling Wessex countryside, the Christmas market and the rollicking May Day dance. Little did we know the seismic and tragic turn of events that would end that joyful summer of music and laughter; and, returning back to our own home in Leamington, I assumed that that would be the end of TESS. Thankfully that was not the case and I was thrilled to hear that Michael was continuing with the project – and even more thrilled when he asked if I would be involved with recording some of the ensemble pieces for the album. Of course I would: I didn’t even need to think about it! Seeing the sheet music with Michael’s arrangements and Michael Davies’s lyrics gave me such a buzz. Michael also provided backing tracks for us to learn our parts before recording. To hear these songs coming to life with full arrangements and harmonies was so exciting it really made me appreciate how much work the two Michaels had put in since those early days of Michael composing from his music room.
sound with all the instruments and voices. Both the music and the lyrics have captured the atmosphere of the book and the settings of each scene brilliantly.
I am so grateful to have been a small part of this process and am really looking forward to hearing the finished album. Having been around to witness the early days of the project I can’t wait to see how far TESS can go and really hope to see a fully staged production in the not too distant future. Thank you for reading and following the progress of TESS. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you. Next time on d'Blog... We bring you an exclusive interview with TESS composer Michael Blore.  Hello again and thank you for checking out the latest d'Blog. As work continues on the TESS album, the 2 Michaels look back on the last 5 months and completing the recording of all vocalists in the show. 5 months... Hasn't the time flown! So take it away, Michael. And Michael. With all vocals now recorded, how does it feel? MB: Emotional. I always get emotional when I take time to stop and reflect. Especially on such an amazing few months for the TESS project. MD: Rather unbelievable. When I think back to those early discussions around Michael’s kitchen table, covered in Post-It notes (the table, not us) to work out the narrative we wanted to tell, then compare it to the ever-growing project we’re now involved in, it hardly seems possible. And yet here we are, with all these fantastic vocals in the can, and ready to launch into the next phase. Pinch me, please. Ouch! That was meant to be metaphorical… What has been the most memorable moment? MB: That’s so difficult to answer because there have been standout moments with everyone. My overriding memory though will be of the laughter and fun. MD: Too many to recount. It has all been memorable.
MD: I’ve been consistently impressed at how they’ve all delivered their best unprompted. No input required from us.
reliable and always a joy to work with. Thank you, guys. Sorry, that’s more than one word.
What next? MB: Bring on the instrumentalists. We hope to have them all booked and recorded in November. Can’t wait! MD: Instrumentalists? Really? But aren’t they notoriously difficult to work with? Oh no, sorry, that’s composers, isn’t it? As you were. Can’t wait! Thank you for reading and following the progress of TESS. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you. Next time on d'Blog... A Christmas surprise from the TESS team as the album production moves on to the next phase
You know when you can’t sleep, and you try everything from counting backwards from 100 to picturing yourself in a calming field of rabbits (no, really), but nothing is working so you just think “Stuff it, I’ll get up” and it’s 3 in the morning? Yeah, that. Welcome to my first day of recording principal vocals for the TESS album!
screen legend Glenn Close giving a vocal performance of stunning beauty and control now about to lay down the first tracks as our very own leading lady for the first ever album recording of TESS. Perhaps “excited” doesn’t quite cover it. And then, thanks to the terrific work of casting director Anne Vosser, there were a few more sleepless nights to come in the weeks ahead as we prepared for recording more West End musical theatre stars in the shape of Tam Mutu, Simon Bailey, Jacqui Tate and James Dinsmore.
Admittedly, there were tears, which isn’t saying much for a blubberbrain like me (the ending of The Sound of Music always has me in pieces!), but the sheer beauty of Siobhan’s voice at some of the story's most tender and intimate moments was truly heartbreaking.
And there were laughs - intentional as well as those best reserved for the outtakes – with Jacqui and James giving us great comic turns as Joan and John Durbeyfield.
And finally, to our London cast. Our aim is to get the TESS album heard by producers and theatre companies and, if they like it, to consider staging the show. Having such “names” involved will certainly help that cause. Names though are not enough. Quality counts. And on this album, it is there in abundance. Our London cast was not only magic to work with, but, in a word, magical to hear. And though there are no guarantees, they have given TESS the chance of a very exciting future ahead.
Thank you for reading and following the progress of TESS. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you. Next time on d'Blog... A look back at progress on the TESS album.
After a busy few months working on Singin’ In The Rain and Sweeney Todd, I wrapped up for the summer last night with my final project, Tess - The Musical.
After several months of studying the music independently, it was great to finally get into the recording studio and work with Michael Blore (composer) and Sunim Koria (album producer) to lay down the vocals and help bring the album that bit closer to completion. Having only ever done live theatre, where performances are fleeting and over before you know it, it was great to have the time to go back and fine tune certain sections and try doing things in different ways.
To follow the latest theatre adventures and updates of Nikki Cross, please click over to her pages on tumblr and twitter. Thank you for reading and following the progress of TESS. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you.
Next time on d'Blog... The composer's perspective. Michael Blore talks about the London studio days for TESS.
A little over a year ago, the score and libretto of Tess were being finalised into a workable draft, ready to be put in front of the kind of people it needed to be put in front of at that stage in the long journey towards production. Around the same time, a certain leading man was stepping out onto a Broadway stage in the title role of a new musical based on Pasternak’s famous epic of the Russian revolution, Dr Zhivago. Tam Mutu won rave reviews from the likes of the Washington Times, which described him as “really wonderful” and “utterly perfect”, and he was nominated for a prestigious Drama League Award. Now, as the creators of another new musical based on a classic novel, composer Michael B and I are enjoying the extraordinary privilege of listening to that same soaring voice delivering the role of Alec d’Urberville, Thomas Hardy’s scheming villain who’s responsible for our heroine’s initial downfall.
Thank you for reading and following the progress of the show. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you.
Next time on d'Blog... More commentary from the studio as things get busy on the production of the TESS album
"Well, we’ve had some pretty extraordinary moments in the TESS journey so far, but this week has surely got to be the most exciting to date. Now, keep up at the back, please. It’s hard enough for us to ride the rollercoaster without you dilly-dallying about over last week’s news. Aren’t you signed up for the regular updates on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram etc? If not, why not? But I digress… With only the slightest hint of irony about the date, April 1 saw the two Michaels ensconced at the ever-so-helpful Dance Attic in Fulham for the second day of auditions. We were casting the five principal roles in the show for the forthcoming album recording (what do you mean, what album?). And while we were excited enough about that prospect, we couldn’t have prepared ourselves for what we actually got. For a start, let us give appropriately grateful nods to our esteemed casting director, Anne Vosser. Next, the tenacious and ever-willing assistants she supplied – Katharine Moraz and Tam Kirk. And finally, our two audition pianists, Dean Austin and Barney Ashworth, both West End ‘stars’ in their own right and unbelievably helpful in the process of auditioning singers. Across two exhausting days, we met probably 50 or 60 immensely talented, totally professional and clearly very dedicated performers. There was not one dud in the entire crop and, it’s fair to say, it has left us with the most wonderful of headaches.
In case any of them are reading this, and the message hasn’t got back to you via your agent yet, we would both like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who took the time and trouble to come and meet us, and deliver such wonderful audition performances in all five of the roles. We’re under no illusions that we are but little fish in this sizeable musical theatre pond, so to have so much talent, commitment and sheer hard work given over to preparing so fruitfully in such a short space of time was, I don’t mind admitting, rather humbling.
And so the TESS rollercoaster rides on. I just hope my heart can stand it." Thank you for your continued support of the show. We are very grateful and appreciate all your comments, likes and shares. They spur us on.
Next time on d'Blog... In the studio with West End and Broadway leading man Tam Mutu.
"As I write this, it has virtually been a year to the day we produced our very first recording for TESS – a demo of the leading character’s song ‘In My Hand’, sung by the magnificent Joanna Strand. Roll on another twelve months and here I am with the producing gig of the century! It was not long after all three demo recordings were successfully completed when Michael Blore got in touch with me again to enquire as to whether I would now be interested in producing a concept album of the entire show. I was flattered to say the least! And it’s always been an ambition of mine to produce something as “epic” as TESS. However, currently having almost no concept of a work-life balance - working 40 hours a week as a gameplay designer for Guitar Hero in Leamington Spa during the day and spending a lot of my evenings playing bass in a theatre pit somewhere around the region – most unfortunately the answer had to be no. Also on top of this was a pending house move to Lutterworth; I simply couldn’t commit to a project of this magnitude, as much as I’d wanted to!
...and today I have to say I’m very glad he does; how could I be so foolish to throw away an opportunity as good as this! In order to give myself enough time to get my head around making this project fit around my already busy lifestyle we agreed that April 2016 would be an appropriate time to commence with pre-production of the album and I’d be in a much better position by then to completely lend my focus towards the project. “But wait!” you may proclaim, “Didn’t the last blog mention that work for the TESS concept album was already well under way?” Yes it is! It just so happens that I have managed to shoehorn in an arbitrary stage that we have dubbed the “pre-pre phase”... So what is this “pre-pre phase” we speak of? Well, primarily, it came about around the beginning of this year when I simply couldn’t wait until April to get stuck in to TESS! Secondly, it seemed like a very good idea to do everything in the time we had leading up to the start of the project to avoid the inevitable “damn, I really should have thought about this before, Michael...” The main difference between the “pre-pre” and pre-production phases is most probably in the mindset; at the moment my role has a more organisational aspect, as I’m setting into motion a variety of methods to effectively split the potential workload into comprehensible “chunks” (management speak), and, furthermore, endeavouring to make scheduling the vast number of cast members we will be recording come July as straightforward and efficient as possible. For pre-production I am anticipating a greater focus on the technical side of things – making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible in the forthcoming recording sessions, maximising the use of the time and resources we have available during the production phase, and making sure everything’s in place for us to get the material we need to finally put the album together. I have also enlisted the talent and expertise of two fellow recording engineers (one in Stratford-on-Avon and the other in London) and very recently acquired a trusty and enthusiastic production assistant to help manage any organisational duties once my role in the project becomes more technical!
inspiration that just happens to strike me about the project at any given moment. But every idea I’ve had so far they have welcomed with open arms.
What can I say? It’s the collaboration of dreams! It really is an honour to be “the chosen one” in helping something as majestic and beautiful as TESS to finally come to life." Thank you for reading and following the progress of the show. Please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you. Next time on d'Blog... Audition time! We take you behind the scenes as casting for the album recording of TESS is concluded. |
PREVIOUSLY...HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?
MASTER AT WORK MIXING TIME INTERVIEW WITH A COMPOSER ANOTHER MICHAEL'S STORY THE LAST 5 MONTHS LONDON STUDIO DAYS A DAIRYMAID'S DIARY IN THE STUDIO WITH TAM MUTU THE ADVENTURE ROLLS ON IT'S PRE-PRODUCTION TIME! WHERE ARE ALL THE D'BLOGS? A HERSTORY (THE FINAL PHASE) TECHNICAL TALES A HERSTORY (PHASE THE 4TH) THE LYRICIST SPEAKS RECORDING TESS - THE SINGER A HERSTORY (PHASE THE 3RD) A HERSTORY (PHASE THE 2ND) A HERSTORY (PHASE THE 1ST) REVIEWS & REVELATIONS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ALEC ONE HELLO IS HOW IT STARTS Categories
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