I listened to this album over and over while I worked yesterday. It’s that kind of an album, you can’t get enough, it’s so beautiful. Originally released only on cd by Island Records in 1998, last year the album was made available on vinyl, on Record Store Day. The artwork, yellow record, and even liner notes are all so beautiful.
Here’s a track from the album:
FROM THE LINER NOTES: “TEATRO”:
On February 6, 2014, we were lucky enough to share a few minutes with Willie Nelson and Daniel Lanois, reminiscing about the good ol’ days of Teatro. Below is what unfolded. A big thank you to both Willie and Daniel, along with Seth Loeser, Meredith Louie, Henry Owings, Mark Rothbaum and Elaine Schock for making this possible.
— Matt Sullivan and Patrick McCarthy
WILLIE: Hey, Daniel. How you ‘doin?
DANIEL: Oh, Willie, I’m good. Nice to hear your voice. Are you on the road?
W: Yeah, we’re uh… somewhere out here. I think we’re in Oklahoma.
D: Right, right, right. Well, that’s good. Looks like we’re gonna put a little bit of life back into Teatro. That’s great, isn’t it?
W: Well, yeah. Heck yeah.
LIGHT IN THE ATTIC: To start, how’d the record come about?
W: Daniel, what do you remember about how it came about?
D: I’m sure Mr. Rothbaum was at the helm, but all business aside, when we decided to make the record, I wanted to make sure that Willie felt comfortable in the studio and that it did not feel like a usual recording session. I met Willie in Las Vegas, and we rode on his bus to California, where at the time I had the Teatro Recording Studios, an old cinema in Oxnard. We rode from Vegas, and Emmylou Harris joined us on the bus, and we went over some of the material on the bus.
I kept in touch with my crew back in California to make sure that the studio had a nice dance hall feeling because I talked with Willie on the bus, I said, “What was it like when you were getting started man?” He said, “Well, we were kind of a dance band, and people just were providing music for people on the weekends to dance to and have a nice time.”
And I thought, wouldn’t it be nice to provide this tone for Willie? Have a kind of dance hall feeling in the place. So I set up three little stages — one for WIllie, one for Emmy, one for me. And then two drummers. It was a very beautiful, almost like a Cuban nightclub setting. And I think that really helped to set the tone of this album. Whatya think, Willie?
W: Yeah, that’s exactly it. And of course Emmylou was fantastic. We did a video, too. What song was the video, do you remember?
D: Well, we filmed the whole things with Wim Wenders.
W: Yeah, that’s right. Wenders.
D: It’s a beautiful film that goes with the whole thing. It never got aired a lot, but maybe we should try and knock on somebody’s door and say this is a good time to play the film. [laughs].
W: You’re absolutely right. Yeah, I think it deserves to have a chance out there.
D: Yeah. It was really a lovely, harmonious process. I was happy to be on Willie’s bus. We were just chillin’ and workin’ out the songs. When I got to the destination, I made a decision to ask Willie to… the theatre had a nice parking lot, so there was plenty of room outside. We sorta camped out outside, and Willie had his trailer there. I just wanted to make sure that we didn’t burn out Willie, so I said to him, “Don’t even be in in the studio. You stay out on the truck, and I’ll come out and get you, so that when you come in everything’s gonna be fresh.” So I was rehearsing the band on the inside, and when I felt like the moment would strike, I’d go out and get Willie, and we’d get it in one or two takes. [laughs] We did that whole record in four days!
W: Well, you know, when you’re having fun it don’t take long.
LITA: Well said! Willie, what are some of your memories of the album and the recording session?
W: Well, I remember that we had some great rhythms there — I think two drummers and maybe a couple of bass players. I’m not sure. Who all played bass? Did we have two or just one?
D: No, no, no, Willie. I played the bass. I overdubbed the bass after! So we had the two drummers, and then we had two keyboard players. We had Aaron Embry, and then from Toronto a guy named Brian Griffiths on the guitar, the great slide player. I think bass players must make too many mistakes, so I knew the arrangements, so I overdubbed the bass myself.
W: Well, it turned out great. I liked it. I think it should have had a bigger run back there. It was kinda quick — it came and went pretty quick, but maybe it’ll get another shot.
D: Yeah, maybe it’ll get another shot. And Willie, you’re absolutely right. There was a very rhythmic foundation that we laid out which was petty sweet. Those two great drummers, Victor Indrizzo and Tony Mangurian. There was some kind of genius in inviting these two guys because one is a left-handed drummer and the other ne is a right-handed drummer, so they could sit at one big drum kit together and not get in anybody’s way!
[both laugh]
The one guy’s high hat is on the left, the other guy’s on the right. it was pretty fucking funny. But because they were literally sitting together, their rhythms were locked, so we had some very nice grooves going. It’s hard to describe the full sensation of it.
W: The theatre where we shot it, too, was perfect. There was a great feel. It was like a big nightclub or dance hall.
D: Exactly.
LITA: One of our favorite songs on the record is one that you wrote, Danel — the song, “The Maker.” It’s a song that really captures the cinematic expansiveness of the album.
W: I love, “The Maker.”
LITA: It’s so cinematic and big.
D: The good thing about “The Maker” is… I thought it was a good song for Willie because it gave him an opportunity to play with the phrasing. The lyric lines are quite brief: [sings] “Oh, deep water, black and cold like the night,” so it’s not a soaring melody. It’s more of a standing melody, and I think that really suits Willie’s way of looking at vocal phrasing. Willie, thanks for doing the song, man.
W: Well, it was a lot of fun to sing.
LITA: It’s been sixteen years now — what do you guys think of the record? Do you feel it stands up?
W: Definitely. I’m just glad to see some folks payin’ attention to it again and thinkin’ about puttin’ it out there again. It certainly deserves another shot.
D: Is it sixteen years already?
LITA: Yeah, 1998!
D: Oh boy. Well listen man, we have no shortage of passion and power and devotion to the music, s if an opportunity comes upt for us to go another rund sometime, Willie can count on me, how ’bout that?
W: Well, you can count on me, too. I’d love to do it. Sounds like a good plan.
LITA: That was our next question, so thank you!
D: Well, we’re very driven by quality and magic. I mean, we hope t get it… It helps when people are talented [laughs], so we had a little bit f an advantage. I think we had Mr. Nelsn in there on the vocals, so we had a pretty good chance.
LITA: Any thoughts, Willie, on maybe performing the album live one of these days?
W: Oh, that would be great. I would be glad to do that sometime. When it comes out, if we can promote it someway and showcase it, I think that would be a good idea.
LITA: Maybe back at the theatre! I think it’s for rent again. I eventually moved outta there. It’s been a church since we had it, Willie, but I saw a “For Rent” sign on it, so…
LITA: Well, the sound you guys got there was just magical. We’re so thankful for your time and for your music. You’ve brought a lot of happiness to us over the years, so thank you.
W: Thank you very much. It was good to hear from you, my friend.
D: Willie, nice to hear your voice, and I’m looking forward to putting a little bit of juice back into Teatro, so if you get any additional ideas, gimme a call, ok?
W: All right, same to you.
LITA: Thanks so much.
D: Thank you so much for your time, guys.