“Gig”, in acronymic, means “Get It Going”. There wasn’t much of that during the years of full pandemic. Members of the Take2Day Quartet wondered when they would gig again. The CD project was generated by the recording of one song, “Pandemic Time”, with lyrics gleaned from emails among the band. Guitarist Dale Freberg’s recording studio enabled production of a YouTube version in 2020. That was springboard for a plan to record Pesek-Herriges originals (a great reason to play together despite pandemic restrictions). Live performance would have to wait.
The result, now is when, has been released in Menomonie on the Juggler/DYI label. It includes 12 jazz idiom songs, ranging topically from love to social commentary to consumer complaints. Vocalist Barbara Lyon sings 11 of the 12 (all but one dedicated to her and sung by the composer).
Other musicians in the group are Dale Freberg (guitars) and David Kile (drums). Kile is a veteran of U.S. Marine Corps bands, where he taught music theory along with ensemble performance. In Menomonie, he is a bedrock of the Ludington Guard Band. Freberg plays acoustic, electric, and bass guitars; he is an anchor musician in “pit” bands at Mabel Tainter, UW-Stout, Menomonie and other area high schools. Both Kile and Freberg are featured soloists on many tracks of the new CD, along with Pesek-Herriges on keyboards. Guest musicians are cellist Erin Hall-Rhoades and drummer Tim Stanton.
The album was recorded by def studio, Menomonie, of which Freberg is proprietor. He served as recording and production engineer through every step to the mastered CD. (Only copying and printing were jobbed out.)
Songs from now is when will be featured in a live performance by Take2Day Quartet on July 28, at the Menomonie Public Library’s Music Over Menomin. Showtime is 7:00 pm, no charge for admission.
The CD is available for streaming and download on Bandcamp (https://patrickpesek-herrigestake2day.bandcamp.com/ ) or by email to take2day@fastmail.com for purchase of the physical CD. Sale price is $10 for downloads, $13 for hard copies by free mail.
