Second Story

Description

Second Story, sub-titled Solo Piano Compositions, is an instrumental album by the American keyboardist, composer, producer and arranger Douglas Trowbridge (a.k.a. Richard Souther), released on Meadowlark Records ‎in 1987, manufactured, marketed and distributed by Sparrow Records. The album was part of the Meadowlark Series, a series of contemplative instrumental albums launched by Sparrow Records in late 1985, sub-titled “Music without words for thoughts without limits” and later ammended to “Music for your personal retreat“. The album was recorded March 23 through 25, 1987 by Bernie Kirsh assisted by Ira Rubnitz at Mad Hatter Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California; produced by Peter York. All songs written by Douglas Trowbridge.

During the mid Eighties a new instrumental label, Meadowlark Records, signed Richard Souther for his first solo albums, the electronic Heirborne and Innermission. The label also wanted to release his solo, acoustic piano recordings. To reduce confusion about dissimilar projects in the marketplace, those acoustic albums – Songs Unspoken and Second Story – were issued under his middle names; Douglas Trowbridge.

This recording was made direct to two track using a Studer A 80 half inch recorder modified by Mark Levinson Audio Systems, at 30 inches per second through a Trident Series 80 Board. The piano used was a 1940 Hamburg Steinway 9 ft. Concert Grand. It was miked with a matched pair of Neumann U 67 microphones. A Lexicon 224 X Digital Reverb was combined with an EMT 140 Tube Stereo Reverb for all reverberation. This project was monitored on John Meyer Sound Laboratory ACD monitors. No noise reduction was employed. [Note featured on the back of the LP sleeve]

Trowbridge’s first LP ‘Songs Unspoken‘, was perhaps the most daring of the initial release of Meadowlark albums. Although it displayed his undeniable virtuosity on the piano, it was improvisational and impressionistic in nature. Its follow-up, ‘Second Story’, seems to say, “thanks for sticking with me – there’s a little more for you to grab onto this time.” Trowbridge’s lyrical insight and sensitive performance make his compositions seem like soundtrack music for your personal meditation. Unlike many of his contemporaries who rely on plinking and noodling, Douglas knows where to leave space. The circular chording on «Cross Currents», for example, helps balance his alternatingly delicate and forceful melodic fills. «Dancing on the Waters» sets up a bagpipe-like drone, enabling Trowbridge to perform what feels like a Scottish dance. On the LP’s one non-original, «Holy, Holy, Holy», Douglas still shows a composer’s respect for a melody, while allowing that setting to take him in an improvisatory direction few would associate with such a revered hymn. These deft touches make ‘Second Story’ a truly compelling album. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, August 1987]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Second Story” – 4:10
A2. “Shades Of The Heart” – 3:40
A3. “Beyond Words” – 2:51
A4. “Cross Currents” – 5:25
A5. “Dusk Till Dawn” – 1:27

Side Two
B1. “High Country” – 2:59
B2. “Echoes In The Distance” – 2:21
B3. “Dancing On The Waters” – 3:23
B4. “Holy, Holy, Holy” – 4:44
B5. “Lights And Shadows” – 4:53

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Meadowlark Records. Available at Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/northblip