Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

It is close to midday on Thursday. Off Red Hills Road at the B-Rich base, Richard 'Shams' Browne is adjusting the microphone for the drums, set up in their own booth, Gumption band's drummer Rolando 'Phanso' Wilson in place and at the ready.

In the main section of the studio, the guitarists are quietly plucking at their strings. They are not yet amplified, so although bass guitar player Isaiah 'Bassie' Palmer and rhythm guitarist GT '16' Thompson are studies in concentration as they flex their fingers, the only sound is the muted twang of their instruments' strings.

Gumption's keyboard player, Dwight 'Duke' Dawes, is waiting for his turn and producer Abidan is looking satisfied.

Perfectionists

The session is to produce a rhythm for a song to be done by Ra Deal, who is not there - in the flesh. He will soon be - in the voice. After all, cellphones have many uses.

Abidan told The Sunday Gleaner that he is in the process of working on some ideas that "have been bugging me for quite some time". It helps that when Ra Deal, with whom he is working towards putting out an album, comes to him with a song Abidan can conceive of and play a bassline, so they do not go to the studio figuratively empty-handed.

"Then me just go for the right rhythm section. Me work with people me look up to, who me respect as perfectionists in them craft," Abidan said, describing the song for last Thursday's project as "an atonement to herbs".

Browne has been working on the drum sound, from snare to kick to hi-hat, and Duke is now in place at the keyboards, fingers bouncing The sound is coming through the speakers now, not yet turned up but clearly audible. "You remember the bassline?" Abidan asks Bassie. A reminder is required and it is hummed.

Clarification

Before the session can get going, though, there is another reminder needed and that is where the cellphone comes in. Ra Deal delivers and all listen in (speakerphone is essential). But Duke has a major concern. "Whe de hook deh?" he asked. "Here it there," Abidan said.

"This is a verse," Duke sought clarification at another section and Abidan said "yeah".

Still, Duke has another concern. "A two different key him a do it inna," he said, but he is advised at that particular point "no watch dat". It is soon addressed.

They are counting the length of the verses, figuring which one is shorter than the rest. Then the phone is dispensed with, the bassline is nailed down, all the instruments are being played, the sound is put on the big speakers and Abidan smiles. "Beautiful!" he said.

Duke checks that Bassie knows where to make the relevant changes, Abidan goes to Phanso and explains how he wants a particular roll played. Now everything seems to be gelling and Duke asked "where you want to start, verse or chorus?"

The starting point is agreed on and off the rhythm goes - as does The Sunday Gleaner.