Deep Water is the spectacular new studio collaboration between progressive rock stalwart Neal Morse and former Genesis drummer Chester Thompson, alongside guitarist Phil Keaggy and bassist Byron Home, often known as Cosmic Cathedral. Morse and Thompson focus on the formation of the band and the album that provides a lot promise for the longer term.
Age is not any obstacle to creativity and virtuosity. Such is the case with Cosmic Cathedral, a brand new collaboration between Neal Morse and erstwhile Genesis drummer Chester Thompson, with veteran guitarist Phil Keaggy and bassist Byron Home. The typical age of the 4 members heard on debut album Deep Water is 70.
But regardless of the advantages of that a lot expertise, it’s not all the time straightforward to take care of your chops, as Thompson explains: “For me, practising is an ongoing factor. I’m at an age now the place a part of my observe is to retain what I’ve all the time carried out. However I’m all the time seeking to enhance and go to new locations.”
Since he left Spock’s Beard in 2002, Morse has loved a prolific solo profession that’s included epic productions with ideas centred round his Christian religion. However there have additionally been extra secular-oriented collaborations, together with Transatlantic, Flying Colours and The Resonance. And whereas Cosmic Cathedral provides sonic facets acquainted to Morse followers, the artistic course of was somewhat completely different.
“I’d gone to see the Steve Hackett Band right here in Nashville,” Morse explains. “I went backstage and Chester and Steve had been collectively within the dressing room. I used to be like a fly on the wall, listening to them speak in regards to the outdated days. As I used to be driving away, I felt like I ought to collaborate with Chester one way or the other.”
Thompson continues: “We had lunch, then we got here to my place and jammed for a bit, simply to see the place it went. Neal stated it might be good so as to add another guys. So we began kicking round who to ask. It seems the folks that I had in thoughts had been individuals he had historical past with – Phil and Byron.
“We bought collectively and jammed simply to see the place the music would go naturally. We simply began taking part in; a few of it ended up on the ultimate recording. Neal is a good arranger, so he was capable of take the bits and items we did and provides them form and kind, and he additionally added some bits.”
Morse is filled with reward for Thompson’s means to adapt to any taking part in location or fashion. “Chester had a bit Triton keyboard. I’d by no means performed with him earlier than and I didn’t wish to play too loud, however I used to be amazed that we might jam collectively in the identical room with reside drums and be capable of hear the whole lot.
“Chester performs within the room to style, and I simply thought it was so cool and completely different. With many of the drummers I play with, you gained’t hear your self in case you’re in the identical room, until you had a Marshall stack.”
Thompson says it’s a part of his musical DNA. “Ranging from the very first drum set classes, I’ve performed plenty of acoustic jazz, so I’m used to performing in a room with an acoustic piano and bass. I actually take pleasure in that. I taught for 20 years at a college right here in Nashville, and one of many issues I’ve all the time labored on with my college students is studying methods to pay attention.”
Thompson, who’d been reintroduced to progressive music a number of years in the past, toured Europe in 2023 with Australian band Unitopia. It was a baptism of fireside since he was nonetheless recovering from a critical leg damage. “I’m again taking part in and the whole lot’s effective now,” he says. “I’m nonetheless having to work on being more healthy; for some time I needed to again off a bit bit.
“Doing the tour with Unitopia was the primary time I performed after the damage – I used to be in excruciating ache after each present, however I knew I wanted to get by way of it. It was nice that Neal refused to simply accept a pedestrian strategy. Neal pushed me in a path I hadn’t visited in a number of years, which was to essentially dig in and go for it.”
“I cracked the whip!” Neal says. “I believed it was all flowing fairly effectively. We had been working with Jerry Guidroz, the engineer that I’ve used for a very long time. I’ve bought to present him plenty of credit score for modifying all of the jam session tapes, as a result of we did plenty of taking part in with simply Byron and myself and Chester. So there have been plenty of issues to drag out, however that included some lovely little sections.”
“Jerry was just about part of the band,” provides Thompson. “His instrument was the recording tools. He was very current –he’s a drummer himself and he bought it. Some guys are actually technical however have by no means performed an instrument. Jerry understood precisely what we wished.”
Whereas the opposite musicians had been essential to the tone of Deep Water – though neither come straight from prog backgrounds. “Phil Keaggy is a virtuoso guitar participant; he’s an actual legend and he’s gained an enormous variety of awards,” Morse says. “I’m primarily conversant in his music that he created with [70s jam band] Glass Harp. I’ve carried out some improvisations with him and he sang and performed on my One album in 2004, and I’ve been eager to do extra stuff with Phil for years. I used to be particularly excited for us to sing harmonies collectively – that’s a very magical factor.
“Byron performed on [2003’s] Testimony as a employed standup bass participant. He’s additionally native; I wished to have native Nashville guys so it wouldn’t be such an extravaganza simply to get collectively. Phil urged Byron as a result of they’d made a jam album. I didn’t know Byron was such improviser, however I had a very good feeling about him straight away. I believe you’ll be able to hear that on the report.”
I simply say what I really feel in that second… It’s a problem as a Christian and as an artist to attempt to say it in a means that’s sincere
Neal Morse
Deep Water treads a effective line between the extra structured prog acquainted to Morse ffans – particularly within the 38-minute titular suite – and the fabric that originated from their jam classes, with its looser, open really feel, nearer to the softer jazzier rock of classic Steely Dan or Toto.
Opener The Coronary heart Of Life begins with a startling burst of jazz fusion earlier than settling right into a extra acquainted prog construction. In the meantime the beautiful Time To Fly and the catchy Strolling In Daylight (with lyrics by Keaggy) could be labelled – for need of a greater phrase – yacht rock. Prog wonders if these shifts in tone had been intentional and if the entire album might need been extra in that jazzier fashion.
“I believe as musicians, we don’t label it a lot,” says Thompson. “We play what we hear, then it’s as much as the patron to resolve what to name it. I’ve gotten in bother often as a result of my background is so diverse. It’s like, ‘What are you? Are you a jazz man? Are you a rock man?’ However I get it. If I purchase a field of corn flakes I would like corn flakes – I don’t anticipate one thing else within the field. However on the identical time, I believe this album was a very sincere reflection of what got here out of this mixture of gamers.”
One other side of Deep Water that will intrigue listeners is the lyrical content material, which balances between Morse’s favoured Christian inspiration with materials of a extra fluid that means. For example, the heartfelt ballad I Received’t Make It might consult with the affect of a deity, however may equally reference a beloved one or pal. Morse admits it may be a tough steadiness to attain.
Many of the issues I’ve deliberate fall by way of after which one thing significantly better comes alongside!
Chester Thompson
“Once I’m writing lyrics, I don’t know the way individuals are going to take issues. I simply say what I really feel in that second, and likewise what appears applicable to that piece of music. It’s a problem as a Christian and as an artist to attempt to say it in a means that’s sincere.
“Generally issues may be too ‘on the nostril,’ as one collaborator of mine calls it. They’ll say, ‘That’s a bit too on the nostril. Can we go round that a bit?’ And I respect that. Generally this album will get fairly on the nostril; different occasions, it doesn’t. However hopefully it’s mix.”
Each musicians see Cosmic Cathedral as greater than only a studio venture. “It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how individuals obtain it,” says Thompson. “If there’s an viewers for it, I’d like to play these items reside. However then, I’ve bought to memorise it – we did plenty of it in sections.”
Morse needs to take Deep Water on stage too: “We’re taking part in Morsefest and we’ve bought feelers out for another festivals. One of many issues about bands is in case you take pleasure in being with one another, it’s nice to get out and play, so that you get to spend extra time collectively.”
After all, each musicians stay busy. Morse reels off a string of actions together with a joint tour with The Resonance and The Flower Kings scheduled for the summer season.
Thompson continues to work with Unitopia, and does plenty of recording work from his residence in Nashville, in addition to some native jazz gigs. “However I’m not a giant planner,” he admits. “Actually, many of the issues I’ve deliberate fall by way of after which one thing significantly better comes alongside!”