Class project leads to second album
By Heidi Heater, a junior from Jackson, Ky.
WILMORE, KY—The Nougat Café Band, an easy listening instrumental group, produced their first album as a media project at Asbury College about a year ago. With encouragement from friends, the group of three became a full-fledged band. On Dec. 10 they release their second album, "Bells and Whistles: A Christmas Collection."
As a student in the audio production class, then junior Marshall Young was required to record several minutes of music. He invited his friend Shane Tracy to play for him.
“While I was in the recording booth, I just kept getting these great ideas for songs,” said Tracy, a junior from Tolland, Conn. “I said to Marshall, ‘Hey, while I’m in here, if you’ve nothing else to do, let’s just make an entire album.’” They did.
Although the band, consisting of Tracy, guitarist; Young from Greenville, Pa., drummer; and senior David Stillwell from Contoocook, N.H., guitarist, played a few gigs before their first production, this album laid the groundwork for the future.
“The first album was the foundation of the band, but 'Bells and Whistles: A Christmas Collection' is the house that it’s built on,” said Tracy, the band’s producer. “With all the blood, sweat and tears, it’s definitely the house that I’m building our band on.”
This CD is a compilation of 12 well-known Christmas songs, arranged with the group’s creative flavor.
“They are nothing like anyone’s heard before. Trust us,” Tracy said. “It is a professional-quality album, with pro-quality recording and all the ‘bells and whistles.’” The group is joined by the Asbury College Jazz Ensemble for “Silver Bells” and the Wesley Memorial Handbell Choir for “Carol of the Bells.”
The new release also includes an original composition by Tracy titled, “Christmas Star,” which he wrote seven years ago. Tracy said his brother wrote a song for Christmas, which compelled him to write one as well.
“The Lord gave inspiration about what to write and how to write it,” Tracy said. “My freshman year of college, I sat down and wrote two more verses and a bridge.”
According to Tracy, the group worked on this production since last semester and spends an average of four hours per night on it this semester. In the spring, The Nougat Café Band plans to release a third album with a bonus disk.
"Bells and Whistles: A Christmas Collection" sells for $10. If you would like more information or would like to pre-order, please contact the band at thenougatcafeband@hotmail.com. Samples of their music are available at the following links: www.purevolume.com/thenougatcafeband and www.myspace.com/thenougatcafeband.
Released: Nov. 29, 2007
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Tagged: features, media-communications and music
