Several years ago, at a time when Trevor McShane was contemplating his future as an artist he approached session pianist/drummer John H. Barnard and his paramour, singer-guitarist-writer Merrily Weeber to collaborate on an album. John and Merrily had seen McShane at one of his rare gigs and were familiar with McShane’s debut album, First Love Last Love.
Barnard, also a talented Engineer and Producer, suggested a project studio often used by charting Los Angeles songsmiths. The principals assembled for their first session. McShane recalls, “So there we were in the hills of Mount Washington by Dodger Stadium (in Los Angeles) on a cold and rainy weekend for our first session ... and I didn’t have a tune. On the spot, I wrote “Moonlight and Roses” and we were off to the races.” “Once Upon a Kiss,” is a weeper McShane wrote about an old girlfriend after walking the streets of San Francisco. “Party Tonight” is a feel good song. McShane smiles, “I envisioned myself as an 18 year old guy who just got back together with his cheerleader girlfriend in a little town in Texas. Not sure where that idea came from, but it rocks.” “Dizzy”, with all its swampy southern ring was penned by Michael Jarrett, hit songwriter for Elvis. McShane and Jarrett have been friends for decades. McShane talks about Jarrett remembering “We had lost touch but reconnected during the period I was recording and he suggested I cut it since I’ve loved the song since I first heard it.”
The title track “Dizzy” features jazz guitarist Fred Sokolow and pop producer and East of Sideways Music label mate Barry Keenan on guitar. Francisco Aguabella whom has recorded and toured with Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra is featured on Congas.
“E the B of F” was written in the mid 90's and has enigmatic lyrics to be interpreted however the listener wants. Merrily came up with the opening line and basic riff for “Holding Me Back”. McShane thinks for a moment, “When I first heard it I was knocked out and advised I want in.” “Holding Me Back” is a hooky boy-meets-girl and as Trevor puts it, “let’s get out of here and have some real fun” rocker. Merrily and Trevor duet on “Paradise”, a fun collaboration between Trevor, John and Merrily which is evident in listening as you consider those times when a lost love is suddenly encountered and how we deal with the experience. “Lost Until I Found You,” is a song of hope written for a then-disillusioned Trevor.
Accredited Pop songsmith and producer Barry Keenan, co-produced and mixed the collaborative work. McShane remarks that the album “Dizzy” was a joy to work on with not one disagreement among all the contributors and that making this sound recording was an honor, a true collaborative effort, and doing so was as much fun as is legally allowed.