What Are They Doing Now #6

Sequential is a recording done in 2007 using loops and samples along with live instruments. The technology of recording has changed dramatically since the 70s. During that period echo was created using tape loops. The only loops used in the 80s (at least for us) were patterns created on a drum machine that were used (through midi) to trigger keyboards. Today it is anything you can record, any digital audio file, or midi all combined together. The male choir voices are samples used in the GForce M-Tron digital emulation of the Mellotron. The Mellotron was a popular keyboard from the 70s. Each key triggered a tape loop to create sound. It was used for strings, choir voices, and other symphonic sounds. Quite the beast from what I've read. I saw a new version at NAMM in 2007. Looked the same. Nice thing about the digital version is it doesn't go out of tune.

Centuries in the Making - Studio Recording

Centuries in the Making is a cut from Birkin Grif's first release, Movement in Egg Flatt. Pictured (from left to right) : Alonzo Powers, Dave Donnell - winter of 1974 -1975. The amp behind Dave is a Fender Bassman with 2 15s. The amp was used for guitar instead of bass. That gave the guitar a warm rich sound over the traditional guitar amp. A small stereo amp was used as a preamp into the Bassman. The guitar was plugged into the left channel of the stereo, the output of the left channel was looped into the right channel, then the output of the right channel tied into the Bassman. S-u-p-e-r Overdrive, man!

Autumn - Studio Recording

Autumn was a cut from Birkin Grif's first release, Movement in Egg Flatt. Pictured (from left to right) : Dave Donnell, Alonzo Powers. Photograph by J Yount & M Lauby

Seventh Day

Seventh Day is a experiment in combining sound and visual. Title relates to Biblical creation. On the seventh day God rested. Animation and sound by Alonzo Powers.

Jester - The Birkin Grif Sound

Jester was a sound sketch done in 1976 that identified the original Birkin Grif sound. Although not much of what was done over the years sounded like it. There was another obscure recording done in 1978 of the same idea called Jester II. This was one of Dave's favorites and is one sketch that will have to be revisited with a new arrangement. Pictured: Alonzo Powers at the Potter house mixin with a old Radio Shack mixer.

Gsquared - Old and New

G2 ( G squared) was the forth cut on Birkin Grif's first release, Movement in Egg Flatt. Another version, called G2 II was recorded Labor Day weekend in 2008. Pictured from left to right and long, long ago: Brian Miller, Rick Walter, Alonzo Powers

Islands Old and New, Live and Studio

Islands was the last cut on the 1986 release Impressions. The video was a June 24, 1989 performance of that version. There was a cut on the 1990 release Was Never Was called Islands II. Then in 2005 there was a unreleased recording called Islands 4. On the credits of the video it lists Dave Donnell as drummer. It actually was Art Bennett. Sorry Art.

What Are They Doing Now #5

704 was recorded in 2003 as a rough idea for a band piece. It ended up being a improvised acoustic guitar duo. Pictured: Alonzo Powers