Hatch Farm Studios

The place where Jerry records every time he goes to England is called Hatch Farm Studios. There is a large farm with horse stables, cottages, and a variety of other enterprises on the premises including a state of the art recording studio. All set in the tiny village of Addlestone in the Surrey countryside. I spent many happy hours curled up on the couch in the corner of the studio listening to great music being created. Everybody is so professional it is amazing to watch and listen. In fact the sax player was a bit bored and so offered to play bass. Normally the keyboard player "kicks bass" or plays a bass line with his left hand. John Goforth did a tremendous job as bass player. He sounded like that was his instrument.

There were some magical moments in the studio and some tedium too.
All in all a memorable couple of days.


Ponies in the meadow at Hatch Farm Studios

England is so lush. A forked vine covered tree.

Which came first? The tree or the roof?

Donny Marrow and Jerry Cortez consulting

I loved this! An American Western from the Fifties... How fitting???

This was my vantage point in the cramped control room. Jerry Cortez, John Goforth's hand and Dana Sedgwick singing a reference vocal. If she were actually recording vocals she would have been sequestered in an Iso booth.

Brian Withycombe and Jerry Cortez

Musicians plus recording engineer: Donny Marrow, Brian Withycombe, John Goforth, John Burns, Jerry Cortez and Dana Sedgwick in front.

The whole group. From left to right: Jerry Cortez, Brian Withycombe, Dana Sedgwick, John Goforth, Kathy Cortez, Donny Marrow

One of the resident peacocks.
The white feathers signify that this one is a baby

Daventry

Jerry and I spent a week in England. There is something magical about England for us. First of all Jerry's main musical influences in the sixties came from the British Invasion. For Jerry England is mecca. For me it is the homeland of most of my ancestors. I relish being able to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors. This trip I visited the tiny village of Daventry in Northamptonshire. I found the street where my ancestors lived, but the houses had been rebuilt in the 1890's. I tramped through the church graveyard. The ancient Norman church made of ironstone which has the color of rusted metal is like nothing I have seen before.