The Note's Charlie Blasberg chats with Amy Bellamy, keyboardist for the A-Beez, about their new record Say Goodbye and what is new for the group.
CB: What was the main inspiration behind Say Goodbye and how does it differ from your last record Never Going Back?
AB: Say Goodbye is a conglomeration of old tunes (one I wrote over 10 years ago) and some tunes we had started writing after Never Going Back, in addition to some brand new ones. The notion is that we're "saying goodbye" to things that didn't serve us in the past - whatever that may be - including negative relationships, bad choices, hard times, regrets, etc. We also have some tunes on here that address some of the huge societal issues like racism, gun violence, discrimination, etc.
CB: How do you write your songs? Is there a group member that takes the lead on that? Is there a formula you have or is it different every time?
AB: Well, Aaron [Bellamy] (bass and Amy's husband) and I do all the writing and arranging, and each of our processes are different. Aaron can crank out an entire tune - chords, melody and lyrics - all at once. It's as if it all comes to him suddenly, and he can't put it down until it's done. I, on the other hand, will have a cool chord progression and maybe a melodic idea brewing for a long time (maybe months) and then lyrics always come last. And usually I need some assistance with lyric writing which is where Aaron comes in. We balance each other really well in that way. The only time that may differ is when we bring in a vocalist to interpret a song, and they come up with an idea or a change in lyric or melodic line.
CB: You are one of the top bands in New England right now. Where are your favorite local places to play?
AB: We love the [Isabella Stewart] Gardner Museum's new space where we did our album release. The acoustics there are incredible which forces us to be mindful of dynamic energy. Sometimes that gets lost in our bar gigs where everything can be super loud all the time. We also enjoy our weekly residencies. Tuesday night at Wally's Jazz Cafe have been a staple for us for over a decade. That's where we really showcase our instrumental arrangements and improvisation, honing our cohesiveness with our musicians. We also do 2 Wednesdays a month (2nd and 3rd Wednesdays) at Bull McCabe's in Somerville where we showcase more of our songwriting with various singers in an intimate pub setting. Bull McCabe's has a loyal base of music heads. Very supportive.
CB: How do you get such great energy on your records?
AB: Thank you! We try to do as much of it in a live environment as possible - especially rhythm section stuff. We also try not to get too much into the "Studio magic" which has a way of sucking the life out of a recording. Good players, good gear, good vibes.
CB: What is next for the A-Beez?
AB: We're definitely hoping to reach new audiences and expand our fan-base. We'll see where this album takes us.
The A-Beez' Say Goodbye came out March 25 and is available everywhere. Be sure to catch one of their sets at Wally's and Bull McCabe's. To listen to and learn more about The A-Beez, check out the April 12 edition of The Note.
AB: Say Goodbye is a conglomeration of old tunes (one I wrote over 10 years ago) and some tunes we had started writing after Never Going Back, in addition to some brand new ones. The notion is that we're "saying goodbye" to things that didn't serve us in the past - whatever that may be - including negative relationships, bad choices, hard times, regrets, etc. We also have some tunes on here that address some of the huge societal issues like racism, gun violence, discrimination, etc.
CB: How do you write your songs? Is there a group member that takes the lead on that? Is there a formula you have or is it different every time?
AB: Well, Aaron [Bellamy] (bass and Amy's husband) and I do all the writing and arranging, and each of our processes are different. Aaron can crank out an entire tune - chords, melody and lyrics - all at once. It's as if it all comes to him suddenly, and he can't put it down until it's done. I, on the other hand, will have a cool chord progression and maybe a melodic idea brewing for a long time (maybe months) and then lyrics always come last. And usually I need some assistance with lyric writing which is where Aaron comes in. We balance each other really well in that way. The only time that may differ is when we bring in a vocalist to interpret a song, and they come up with an idea or a change in lyric or melodic line.
CB: You are one of the top bands in New England right now. Where are your favorite local places to play?
AB: We love the [Isabella Stewart] Gardner Museum's new space where we did our album release. The acoustics there are incredible which forces us to be mindful of dynamic energy. Sometimes that gets lost in our bar gigs where everything can be super loud all the time. We also enjoy our weekly residencies. Tuesday night at Wally's Jazz Cafe have been a staple for us for over a decade. That's where we really showcase our instrumental arrangements and improvisation, honing our cohesiveness with our musicians. We also do 2 Wednesdays a month (2nd and 3rd Wednesdays) at Bull McCabe's in Somerville where we showcase more of our songwriting with various singers in an intimate pub setting. Bull McCabe's has a loyal base of music heads. Very supportive.
CB: How do you get such great energy on your records?
AB: Thank you! We try to do as much of it in a live environment as possible - especially rhythm section stuff. We also try not to get too much into the "Studio magic" which has a way of sucking the life out of a recording. Good players, good gear, good vibes.
CB: What is next for the A-Beez?
AB: We're definitely hoping to reach new audiences and expand our fan-base. We'll see where this album takes us.
The A-Beez' Say Goodbye came out March 25 and is available everywhere. Be sure to catch one of their sets at Wally's and Bull McCabe's. To listen to and learn more about The A-Beez, check out the April 12 edition of The Note.