Track 01 "Sleepy Dream" - 'One Way' Album Preview

NOTES
"Sleepy Dream" might be my favorite lyric on the album. Discussing the unconscious, spirituality and nature, this was the first song I wrote for the One Way project back in 2004 - a new sound I wanted to pursue with depth and textural arrangements. But ironically, this song was held off the record because we couldn't find a place for it. Only at the last second did I ask our mastering engineer Dave McNair to throw it at the very top and it worked out great.

It was the one lyric I had to rewrite from the One Way college thesis project, and it took months to finish. In fact, I read some haiku to see how they packed so much sensory information in such a short space. I had only 10 lines of space to accomplish 2 basic things: 1) To invoke nature and spirituality without being banal, like Nick Drake did so well 2) To make sure the words fit in the melody and the words physically sounded right in the song.

Also the piano intro is something I came up with when I was about 16 years old and threw away until my high school friend Jill Hochstrasser (holla Jilly!) told me it was great. What do I know.

FACTS
Music, String Arrangements and Lyrics by Danny Ross
Written in 2004 (Age 20)
Inspired by: Nick Drake, Duncan Sheik
Produced by Rob Guariglia and Danny Ross
Piano Recorded at The Bunker Studios;
Engineered by Aaron Nevezie
Strings/ Guitar Recorded Spring 2008 at Galuminum Foil Productions; Engineered by Jeff Berner

Instrumentation:
Danny Ross – Vocal, Piano
Carl Basler – Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar
Leo Adamov - Violin
Rachel Golub - Violin
Corrina Albright -Viola
Jody Redhage - Cello

LYRICS
I wait to find a simple melody
A quiet night, a childhood memory
Like august trees in the yawning breeze
A bed of stars playing symphonies
I'm waiting for a sleepy dream

I try to find what it means to pray
A holy light my eyes cannot explain
A weightless trust, the flowing stream
My senses lost in ageless harmonies
Like waking from a sleepy dream

"One Way" will be available October 6, 2009. Play "SLEEPY DREAM” now at the new http://www.dannyrossmusic.com

And buy tickets now to the ‘Danny Ross Presents One Way’ Record Release Show Saturday September 12, 2009 with a 15-Piece Band and Orchestra at The St. Mark’s Church: https://dannyrossmusic.ticketleap.com/oneway