Anyone who has been around me has been hearing the word “Shelter” from me for several years. Ever since Anne Hwang first sent me the picture that inspired The Somewhere Bridge over 8 years ago, the concept of “Shelter” has been looming over me. So even while I was finishing Eclipse, I knew there was another album that wanted to be written.

The writing for Shelter was in spurts. Most of the music had been written by the middle of 2004; the words came as late as two years after that. The songs had titles, so the challenge was finding words to fit the titles. Also, unlike Eclipse, I added the constraint that I would write all the songs just using the piano and once done, I would figure out how to record them.

I took time off from Shelter to finish recording Eclipse and rode that album as far as I could. As Eclipse went off for pressing, I began searching for a band to help me record Shelter. All I had was a piano/vocal recording and the musicians I approached were intimidated by the challenge of having to create accompanying parts for the music. Unlike previous projects, I really wanted to have a band work with me to create the arrangements. After several failed attempts, I retreated back into the studio to begin production of the album on my own.

During this time, I started working on a film called Haunted Prison with Ludek Drizhal. The scenes I was in charge of writing for all required a blend of industrial and techno music, sounds which I was familiar with but had never written in. Needless to say, the experience revealed an entire new sonic palette to me, one which found its way onto Shelter. Thus, Shelter now had a sound sphere from which to work with.

I began recording Shelter in 2007 and finished the bulk of recording by the end of that year. For a variety of reasons, Shelter sat on the shelf for all of 2008. Work began again in 2009 and by September of 2009, the album was essentially finished. But it did not feel finished.

As fortune would have it, my Fullerton College students rose to the occasion and fed me ideas, leading to additional overdubs featuring the talents of Charlene Gibbs, Carlos Morales, and Vince Hizon. The recordings took place early this year and mixing began in March 2010.

The live performance next week is an added bonus for this album. The band is made up of Fullerton College students, all who have put a considerable amount of time into this concert. The experience has been especially rewarding for me and it is a great honor to be working with such young talent. I sincerely hope all of you make it out to the show. It will be an evening to remember.

My deepest thanks to Robyn, John, Charlene, Lindsay, Trevor, Carlos, Eric, Adrian, Chang, and Mayra; this would not have been possible without all your efforts.