Jun 23, 2009 2:04 PM, By Joel Moss

Producer Joel Moss On Recording the Cast Album for the 2009 Broadway Revival of ‘Hair’

From left: Cast member Caissie Levy (Sheila), Joel Moss and cast member Kacie Sheik (Jeanie).

Photo: Terri-Lynn Pellegri

On the day of recording, the band’s downbeat was called an hour before the cast. The legendary drummer Bernard Purdie—whose credits are too numerous to mention, but include the original demos of the songs that would become Hair—came in for a soundcheck on the setup day prior to the date. The band (Nadia Digiallonardo—conductor/keyboard 1; Lon Hoyt—assistant conductor/keyboard 2; Steve Bargonetti—lead guitar; Andrew Schwartz—rhythm guitar; Wilbur Bascomb—bass; Allen Won—woodwinds; Elaine Burt, Ronald Buttacavoli and Christian Jaudes—trumpets, Vincent MacDermot—trombone; and Joe Cardello and Erik Charlston—percussion) was fantastic and well rehearsed from weeks of preview performances. We were balanced and ready quickly, and recorded the couple of short instrumental pieces in the show as well as the opening track of “Aquarius,” then took a break while the cast wandered in and got situated. We used the playback of the “Aquarius” track to get everyone’s headphones balanced; then the band returned and we started cutting Hair.

Since Pro Tools has become the standard recording medium, the criteria for deciding when a track is acceptable have changed. Our initial decision was to do two takes of each tune, then move on. That requires a lot of on-the-spot decision making about whether any clams or inconsistencies can be “Pro Tooled.” Questionable situations prompted either additional takes or inserts.

Any concerns over the energy of the show being diminished by the separation of band and cast never materialized. And my secret concern that the young cast—mostly studio neophytes (and of course all of them unborn at the show’s original creation)—would have problems adjusting, vanished in the camaraderie that they have developed and is so evident in their live performance. Oh, and the wrangling…not a problem. They’re actors, after all, and used to being told to “stand over there and sing this!”

We finished an hour early with everyone pumped up, not unlike the crazy, audience-participation ending to the show. It was an amazing day when you consider all of the potential pitfalls. The studio setup worked flawlessly; the band and actors rose to the occasion; and all of the support people were, well, supportive.

I trust I have not made this all sound too easy. Forty years of experience probably helps. In any case…don’t try this at home.

Peace!

Joel Moss is a music producer, engineer and consultant, and a veteran of numerous cast album sessions. He shared a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album for Ray Charles' posthumous release Genius Loves Company.

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