
Michael Ball & Alfie Boe • Together At Home
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe are back for a sixth studio album, released on 8th November 2024.
I was hired to arrange and record all backing vocals for the album. I also contributed programming and keyboards to the tracks. I created the track Proud in my studio, which because the first single, launched on BBC Radio 2.
Production Approach:
It was a pleasure to be invited by record producer Nick Patrick to join the project, and to have seen it through from song selection and rehearsal through to final vocal performances and relase.
It was great working in the team, with Dave Arch leading on the arrangements, with engineers Pete Schwier and Simon Hanhart, and some of the country’s best session pros, not to mention the phenomenal Nick Patrick at the helm. I particularly enjoyed the process of vocals with the talented duo in the studio. Being absolute pros, their instinctive skill in delivering song after song was remarkable. I arranged, recorded and performed the backing vocals in my own facility featuring a winning blend of Jules Rendell, Miranda Mills and myself. I also recorded the guitar overdubs with Will Cragg, and Michael Ball’s vocal overdubs in my studio.
In addition, it was nice to be able to record my choir Eclipse, in the recording of the What’s the Craic? (An Irish Medley)
The Sound:
Once again the song selection and the quality of musicianship and arrangement makes this album an absolute joy to listen to. The duo reached No. 1 again in the UK charts. There are some really tender-hearted moments – particularly the two singles: Proud, which was chosen by Michael to express his pride at his niece’s performance in the rugby 7s at the Olympics in Paris. And for Alfie, the track Welcome Home, a little known song, really pulls the heartstrings.