Aubrey Logan Talks New Album, Instruments And More

 Musician and songwriter Aubrey Logan is no stranger to us at JLTT. Her new album ‘Aubrey & Her Bigger Than Average Band’ is out now via MWO Records so it felt like the best time to chat to her about it:

When did you begin songwriting?
I began dabbling with songwriting when I was in high school (age 16 or so), but really got serious about it in my college years while I was a student at Berklee College of music. I was inspired by my peers who were writing songs, getting together, and workshopping their lyrics.

What is your earliest musical memory?
My dad had a fancy 6-CD changer when I was about 2 years old. He was maybe the first person to ever have one! He made a mix of Beethoven, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Oscar Peterson, and Buddy Rich. We listened to this diverse eclectic mix, or something like it, daily. As a child, I thought everyone did this.

Your new album ‘Aubrey & Her Bigger Than Average Band is out now via MWO Records. How did you want to approach the making of the album?
This is the most collaborative album I’ve ever made. I have always orchestrated everything myself, but this time I had help. I’ve also never made an album with so many people involved. It’s huge. It sounds huge. The approach HAD to be collaborative. I had Mike Sailors at the helm of being the bandleader and main arranger. And other songs arranged by Gordon Goodwin, Casey Brefka, and Andrew Neu. I essentially took all my rhythm section arrangements and handed them over to the guys who eat, sleep, and breathe big band orchestration. I also needed to hire the best sound engineer in Austin, TX, perhaps one of the greatest ever, to pull of getting such a quality capture of several horn players in one room. That’s Charlie Kramsky. This album is the first I’ve done with so many experts. I could really get used to this!
Also, the approach of song-choices came from my history. Songs I’ve loved forever, and songs I’ve written that fans have told me they love. Except… with a big band on it.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?
I recorded the album in Austin, TX at Spectra Studios. It was produced by myself and Mike Sailors. Executive produced by MWO Records. Mastered by Kevin Butler at Test Tube Audio.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the album recording sessions?
HA! The hardest part of the day was figuring out a time to take a break to feed the band chipotle. We were working so hard and so diligently and we only had 2 days. I would sing my face off, then get on my Chipotle app to order food for 18 people, and then sing again, and get back on the app to finish the order… I think they showed up with our food and I had missed 2 people, or I had so many orders that Chipotle couldn’t fulfill them all electronically or something. It was hungry chaos.

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

I am THE WORST at sound engineering. There was so much hot air in the room. Literally. I had to hire Charlie Kramsky to make every recording decision. Just about everything is acoustic, so everything had to be mic-ed. I wouldn’t for a second try to name one microphone in that room. I play trombone, I arrange and write music, and I sing. But I have never studied how to record the right way.
Instrumentally, it’s a traditional big band. A Trumpet section, a saxophone section, a trombone section, piano, bass, drums, guitar. The bassist played electric bass where it made sense (the more funky pop stuff) and acoustic bass otherwise (for the swing stuff). We had rhodes instead of piano on the more 60’s style songs. This is pretty much in the tradition of your 1960’s/1970’s big band.

One of the tracks is the original song ‘Airport Codes’. What is the story/inspiration behind the track?
I wrote some of the lyrics to make fun of my millennial generation. “Nobody told me it’d be easy” but somehow I got the impression that life, owning a business, etc would be easy and just handed to me! The song came about when I was delirious from exhaustion, a little discouraged, and on the bring of tears at various airports and layovers around the world during a tour. I was homesick. I was trying to balance an impossible tour budget. Make a band happy on the road. I didn’t know if I had made the right choice being an independent artist. I was lost. So I wrote Airport Codes. I’m glad I did. It’s now the most requested song at shows. That’s why it’s on the big band album. But it took a little suffering, and dare I say self-pity, to get it written.

Who is in the band on the record and what do they play?
Lead Vocals & Trombone – Aubrey Logan
Band Leader: Mike Sailors
Piano & Rhodes:
Andy Langham, Sean Michael Giddings

Guitar:
Eli Menezes

Upright and Electric Bass:
Ryan Hagler

Drum Set:
Daniel Dufour

Trumpets:
Eric Johnson, Mike Sailors, Santana Rojas

Trombones:
Jordan Jacques, Leo Guana, Sam Dimov

Alto Saxophone:
Gene Centeno

Tenor Saxophones:
Elias Haslanger, Joey Collarusso

Baritone Saxophone:
Eric Hargett

Special Guest Benny Benack III trumpet and vocals on “The Remembering Song”

Produced by Mike Sailors & Aubrey Logan

Engineered and mixed by Charlie Kramsky at Spectra Studios, Austin, TX

Mastered by Kevin Butler at Test Tube Audio

Arrangers:
Aubrey Logan
Mike Sailors
Sean Michael Giddings
Andrew Neu
Casey Brefka
Gordon Goodwin

Was it a difficult album to write and choose which songs to include?
It wasn’t a horribly difficult process to decide, no. I had been dreaming this album up for years. It was an almost-complete puzzle once it was time to make it. The latest decision was to include “Anything for You” by Gloria Estefan. I LOVE the synth horn like on the Miami Sound Machine version. It really lent itself to big band in my head. Again, not a hard decision.

Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?
Happiest: I Feel the Earth Move. Angriest: Airport Codes. Most Reflective: Amazing Grace

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?
I hope I have left the audience 1) weeping from being moved deeply and 2) laughing with joy because they noticed a sense of humor.

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?
I am a simple gal. I need a microphone to sing on and a trombone to play. I am a Rath Trombones artist.

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?
Snohomish, WA. Five words: Breathtaking, homey, American, supportive, and humble.

How do you look after your voice?
It’s not easy with all the travel. But I get a lot of physical exercise. The rest of my body and it’s condition definitely affects my voice. I try to eat well. I’ve never smoked. I just try to use common sense and a bit of a sense of humor when I’m sick and things are out of my control.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?
I love this question. The novel is Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.” The book had me deceived into thinking the true murderer was actually the nicest guy. I’d have fun with that musical score.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?
My biggest ones are Ella Fitzgerald and Linda Ronstadt. Ella for her straight traditional swing. Linda for the genre diversity. I’d recommend the same to any young jazz singer. Immerse yourself in these voices!

 Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2024/2025?
As soon as I do, they’ll be mailed out to my fans on my mailing list at aubreylogan.com

Who created/designed the album artwork?
That was Jenna from Lionhearted Creatives. She took my idea for a 70s looking big band cover and make it awesome.

What makes Aubrey Logan happy and what makes you unhappy?
A great show with a band who loves what their doing makes me happy. Flight delays and lost luggage make me quite sad.