Instrumental Invasion, 12/29/21 December 30, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Golf, History, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, New Year, Personal, Radio, Travel, TV.add a comment
The December 29 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded in two days: the first segment at home on November 9 and the other five at my remote location on the 10th. The denoise filter was applied to all talk breaks but the first. Pickups were recorded on December 14, without the filter, for three shortened segments.
The playlist was created on November 7 and annotated on the 8th with the script draft carrying into the 9th. I forgot to include the New Year’s Eve host succession included in the annotation for “Auld Lang Syne,” but it’s fine. It was better to focus on Guy Lombardo and my Freeport beginnings. The use of Fourplay‘s “Auld Lang Syne” makes this the second week in a row where the show begins with a song from their Snowbound album. It’s also the second regular show in a row with an extra 2017 to present segment in place of 1984 and earlier.
Michael Brecker‘s rendition of “Song for Bilbao,” which followed “Auld Lang Syne,” was first played last June 24. This time, listeners got to hear the correct information as my segment redo the last time didn’t air. I played “Groove Reflections” by Jay Rowe to make up for the end getting cut off on November 3.
The last time I visited my grandparents’ condo, in March 2011, I photographed grandpa Carmen’s hole in one trophy from two angles:
As I said coming out of “Hole in One” by the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Carmen shot a hole in one on the eighth hole of Tarpon Springs Golf Course on August 11, 1995.
The show had its share of running gags, including “plural” and a flat “yes” response to musical questions.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
See you in 2022!
Instrumental Invasion, 12/22/21: Christmas December 23, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Christmas, Country, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, New Age, Personal, Radio, Video, Video Games.add a comment
The December 22 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded from home on November 4 (four segments) and 5 (two segments and pickups) with the denoise filter applied to all talk breaks. Additional pickups were recorded on November 23 and December 13, both without the denoise filter and the latter while shortening four segments. It was recommended on the 13th that I make 18-minute segments. Between this week and January 26, I’ve shortened any segments that were padded by liners or songs that don’t start with a talk-up. The first show with 18-minute segments in mind will be February 2, 2/2/22. Wait till you hear what I have in store.
The playlist for the Christmas show was created and annotated on November 3.
Like last year, the show included two songs each by David Benoit and Mannheim Steamroller, but also two versions of “Carol of the Bells” (1 1/2 last year) and “Jingle Bells.” One of those versions was Jay Rowe‘s that I referenced last year. This year, a slightly longer version was included on Jay’s new album, Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas, from Jay Rowe. The November 23 pickup came after Jay announced the album’s release on Facebook. Here’s the original single version, not the album version that aired:
I was glad to reference Roy’s poem in Game Dave‘s video posted exactly a year before the show aired:
Roy’s portion is about 8:20 in.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Merry Christmas!
Instrumental Invasion, 12/15/21 December 16, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Animation, Audio, Comedy, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, Rock, Technology, TV, Video.add a comment
The December 15 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded its entirety at my remote location on November 1, immediately after annotating the playlist and drafting the script. The playlist was created the day before, on Halloween (October 31). It’s the fastest turnaround from creation to completion since the July 14 show, which was created, annotated, and script drafted on June 2, and recorded on the 3rd.
To play it safe, I applied the denoise filter to all talk breaks, except for the pickup I recorded from home which is the first time I noticed how echoey my room is.
Back at home, I was a few days into re-digitizing my DAT and analog cassette recordings of The Mike Chimeri Show on WebRadio WCWP and the original The Instrumental Invasion on WGBB. Those shows were fresh on my mind during recording, as was Full House, a show from my youth, which I was four seasons into on HBO Max. Hence, “you got it, dude!,” and allusions to my early radio shows and its lead-ins: Jay Mirabile (2001-02) and Ryan Grabow (2003). It’s too bad that the stock laugh that The Nanny ran into the ground – as noted in the October 27 post – was used first by Full House starting in season 7. That laugh again:
Torture.
For the second time in the last four weeks, I swapped out the 1984 and earlier segment for an extra 2017 to present. I also opted to list release dates for 2021 releases instead of billing them as “all-2021 segments,” which I’ve overdone. One of the 2021 songs was the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio‘s cover of “Careless Whisper” by George Michael. Bill McClintock did a great mashup that combines the backing track to George’s version with the vocals from “Love Gun” by KISS. Watch:
This was the second week in a row with a song from David Benoit‘s album, Here’s to You, Charlie Brown: Great Years! This time, I cited the accompanying TV special, which was the last Peanuts special on CBS before ABC took over broadcasting rights. What I didn’t mention is rights now belong to Apple TV+ and PBS.
As for the December 15 Instrumental Invasion, click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 12/8/21 December 9, 2021
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The December 8 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded on October 25 (four segments) and 26 (two segments) with pickups on the 27th. Hour 1 was recorded from my remote location (with the fluorescent lights turned off); hour 2 and pickups were recorded from home.
The playlist was created on October 24 with annotations and the script draft following on the 25th, immediately followed by recording.
This was the first show I worked on after Homecoming Weekend, and the first with 18:30 segments in mind.
It was the second show in a row where a song from Norman Brown‘s debut album led off the second segment. “Top of the Tower” by Jay Rowe returned to make up for the last 25 seconds getting cut off on October 20.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 12/1/21 December 2, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, History, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Radio, Technology, Travel, Video.add a comment
The December 1 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded one hour per day on October 10 and 11.
The playlist was created and annotated on October 9 while the script was drafted before recording on the 10th.
I chose to take the next two weeks off to focus on covering WCWP’s Homecoming Weekend and then to unwind, but was pressed into service on October 21 after an additional underwriting spot at the top of each hour necessitated shortening segments to 18:30, and also picking up where I took out a liner. The first segment couldn’t be shortened.
This is the first show with a new thumbnail, after updating my profile photo on my various platforms last Saturday. I took the photo on a GoPro Hero 7 attached to a 10″ flexible tripod. I held a tripod leg with my right hand while taking the photo in an iPhone app with my left hand. It was time-consuming adapting the photo to the show banner, and then updating thumbnails for all completed shows recorded to date, but the end results were worth it, even if the image is darker without a flash.
I led off the show with “Unisphere” by The Dave Brubeck Quartet because I had purchased their Time Changes album – an ironic title, considering my later circumstance – after watching video of a live performance on Dave’s Facebook page:
The song was inspired by the steel structure that served as the theme symbol to the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. As noted on the air, I saw the Unisphere firsthand back in July 2017:
This is the documentary I spoke of, After the Fair:
I saw The Rippingtons live at My Father’s Place in Roslyn in March 2019, the night before Open Road was released. Their set included “Tangerine Skyline.”
I made up for last week’s mistake by including “Watch Your Step” by Chris Geith in the second hour’s second segment.
Click here to download this show’s aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 11/24/21 November 25, 2021
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The November 24 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded one hour per day on October 4 and 6. I chose not to record on the 5th due to insomnia the night before. Recording was done on my laptop at my secondary location, but with my spare Audio-Technica AT2020 mic connected to my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 that I used at home before receiving a new mixer for Christmas. The mic stood on a boom for three years under the false hope of conducting an interview with a house guest. Accepting reality, I brought the mic and interface to the other location to use with my laptop. I’d finally achieved a universal sound with the same mic model in both locations. The only problem is I noticed a hum on my talk breaks, which I determined was from the fluorescent lights on the ceiling. Apparently, I had gotten used to the hum and forgot it existed. I know now to turn off the lights before recording.
Pickups were recorded from home on October 8 and 21. Segments were also remixed on the 21st down to 18:30 or close to it.
The playlist was created on October 1 and annotated on the 2nd. The script was drafted before recording on the 4th.
To accommodate all the new music I received, I replaced the 1984 and earlier segment with a third 2017 to present segment.
This was the first show with a new Dan Siegel liner in mind. Segments from the previous four shows featuring his music were retrofitted to include the liner.
In addition to new music by Dan, the show also marked the debut of the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio after his music was sent my way for airplay consideration. I said the title of the song I played “Girly Face,” a la Arnold Schwarzenegger, in reference to his phrase “girlie men.” The phrase was co-opted from the Hans and Franz sketch on Saturday Night Live, in the same manner that “cheese-eatin[g] surrender monkeys” was co-opted from an episode of The Simpsons.
I averted an error when crafting the second segment of hour 1, but missed the one in hour 2’s second segment. Thinking I had 3:50 available rather than 2:50, I selected “Watch Your Step” by Chris Geith. I realized the error during the October 6 recording session, replacing it with “Nocturnal” by Lisa Hilton. You’ll hear Chris’s song next week.
I’ve been meaning to end a show with Gerald Albright‘s cover of “Crazy” for a while, but it never fit. There was finally time for it this week.
Little did I realize that the penultimate song of the night, “Looking Ahead” by Bill Heller, would get the music video treatment the day after I finished recording. Here it is, with all musicians except for the percussionist (Paula Atherton is featured in the thumbnail on flute):
I didn’t mention on the air, but it was my parents’ 44th wedding anniversary.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
8:45 AM UPDATE: I made another mistake that I didn’t notice until listening to the aircheck. When drafting the script, I mistook the first “i” in Dan Feiszli for an “r,” leading me to call him “Dan Ferszli” while back-selling “Full Sail” by Lawson Rollins.
Instrumental Invasion, 11/17/21: 40th Birthday Special! November 18, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Basketball, Football, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, News, Personal, Radio, Sports, Technology, TV.add a comment
The November 17 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded one hour per day on September 29 and 30. I would have started recording on the 28th, but deferred to the next day due to insomnia the night before. Pickups were recorded on October 21 while remixing segments to 18:30 in length. (The first segment is still 18:40.)
The playlist was created and annotated, and the script was drafted all on September 27.
The format for this week would have been used in my Homecoming Weekend prerecord if I was also granted a live show. Instead, it fit right in on my 40th birthday. I had a great birthday, by the way, and will have a separate recap post at a later date.
I didn’t realize how many males named Kim were in the show until recording began. It was a fun running gag. I was also surprised to learn that Dave Grusin wasn’t the one playing George Gershwin‘s “That Certain Feeling” at the start of his The Gershwin Collection album. It was a player piano playing a roll punched by George himself! Also, the Bryant Reeves “Big Country” reference tied in nicely with a Wayman Tisdale song to follow. As noted, they played basketball at rival colleges.
I made sure to play “Remember When” by Dan Siegel since Ed Alton played bass on it. That way, I could refer to Head of the Class, a show Ed composed for, which I rediscovered on HBO Max two weeks before recording. The reboot premiered earlier this month. (5/13/22 UPDATE: It was canceled in December.)
My use of the phrase “knock on wood if you’re with me” was an homage to (at the time of recording) Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden. About a week after recording, unflattering e-mails from Gruden’s past were leaked to the public, which led him to resign.
In case you missed it, this was the first show without a David Benoit song. Don’t worry. He’ll be back next week.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 11/10/21 November 11, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Art, Audio, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, TV, Video, Video Games.add a comment
The November 10 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded over four days for the second week in a row: one segment per day on September 20 and the 21st, and two per day on the 22nd and 23rd. The latter pair of days were also when pickups were recorded. Additional pickups were recorded on October 21 while shortening segments to 18:30 or close to it.
This was the first show recorded with a new shock mount, which seemed to muffle my mic’s audio. In some talk breaks, I sound like I’m in a hollow tube. It’s because the mic was facing the wrong way, which I didn’t notice until afterward. I had to apply a “denoise” effect on the last talk break as construction machinery was running next door.
The playlist was created on September 19 with annotations and the script draft on the 20th.
I ended the show with Scott Wilkie‘s cover of “Eu Vim da Bahia” (I Came from Bahia) to make up for not crediting percussionist Gibi dos Santos in the February 3 show.
I’d been meaning to play “Buckle Up” by Nick Colionne ever since I heard it on SiriusXM’s Watercolors on July 3 while on the way home from my first cousin once removed’s first birthday party.
My reading of “Smartypants,” while back-selling the David Benoit and Russ Freeman collaboration, was a nod to an infamous TV ad for the original Sonic the Hedgehog game:
The glasses and voice led me, and several others, to believe Andy Dick was the actor playing the H.A.G. president. I learned while drafting this post that it was really Larry Cedar. I mostly know Larry through his voice over work, but have followed him, and his artist daughter Jaqueline, on social media.
As for my show, click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Not included in the scope is a community calendar spot that ran during the first break:
Instrumental Invasion, 11/3/21 November 4, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Audiobooks, Books, Comedy, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, Weather.add a comment
The November 3 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was recorded over four days: one segment per day on September 14, 16, and 17, and three segments on the 15th. Pickups were recorded on September 18 and October 21. You can tell what time of day I recorded based on the sound of my voice.
The playlist was created on September 12 and annotated on the 13th, followed by the script draft.
As I noted at the top of hour 2, I was inspired to play the Bob James Trio version of “Billy Boy” after hearing John Byner recall, in his memoir (I ducked away from the mic while shouting the title), that he sang it in a school play. I said “Billy Boy” twice while talking it up to reflect the first lyric:
Oh, where have you been, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
I had no idea in mid-September how timely Chris Standring‘s rendition of “Autumn in New York” would be. Seasonable autumn/fall temperatures arrived Monday night with daytime highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s and 40s.
A technical glitch during the second segment of hour 2 made this the second show in three weeks where the last segment got cut off before its natural end; 1:33, in this case.
Click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
Instrumental Invasion, 10/27/21 October 28, 2021
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Comedy, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Radio, TV.add a comment
The October 27 Instrumental Invasion on WCWP was the latest show recorded over three days. Two segments were recorded on September 7, three on the 8th, and one on the 9th along with pickups. Additional pickups were recorded on October 21 while shortening segments to 18:30 or close to it. The plan worked as the last segment was not cut off toward the end.
The playlist was created on September 6 with annotations carrying into the 7th followed by the script draft.
I had to replace a song in the second hour’s second segment. I originally planned on including Will Donato‘s cover of “Play That Funky Music,” but didn’t realize I only had the digital version of the album it appears on, Universal Groove. Not knowing who played what, outside of Will on saxophones, I swapped it for “Easy Does It” by fellow saxophonist Darren Rahn. I did have the CD version of his Talk of the Town album to reference.
The audio for my talk breaks sound different because I forgot to switch the hard limit setting back to light. I had it set on medium to record audio via HBO Max. The Nanny was one of many 1990s sitcoms to repeatedly insert two stock laughs, both by a tenor male. The first laugh is a guttural “ha!,” the second is this:
That godforsaken laugh, and its shorter duration sibling, was used upwards of three times in every episode from the second season on. It’s more irritating than “kind of,” “sort of,” and “at the end of the day!” I returned to it after a month of watching Head of the Class, but the laughs reared their ugly head and I quit during my second episode back and don’t plan on re-returning. It’s a shame because the scripts are hilarious and Fran and Maxwell do ultimately link up and, in the finale, have twins. Even Niles and C.C. are paired up, to the chagrin of Daniel Davis. In place of The Nanny, I’ve been watching Full House. The stock laughs debuted in 1994-95, which was the last season of Full House. So, I’m hoping I don’t hear it then. (11/17 UPDATE: Whoops, I’m wrong. It debuted in the 1993-94 season of Full House! So much for that show.)
Anyway, click here to download the aircheck MP3 or listen below:
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