Step Forward And Be how it was

"Step Forward And Be" originated in February 1996, when A. Molotkov and S.B. Reda organized a band for spoken word recordings, which consisted of Rodney Haley (saxophone), Scott Mayfield (keyboards), and Byron Rynes (guitar).  A number of 4-track recordings were made over a span of two or three months.  Several of them were selected for a cassette edition of "Step Forward And Be", which was released in summer 1996. 

A. Molotkov and S.B. Reda have never been completely happy with a 4-track mix.  On May 5, 2000, they began a digital remix of “Step Forward and Be” for a CD release.  The tracks were transferred to a computer from the original 4-track recording.  At that point it became obvious that the spoken voice tracks were the ones to have suffered the most in terms of recording quality.  (A cheap mike + recording in your living room will do that to you.)  Therefore, a decision was made to rerecord all spoken word tracks, which took place on June 2, 2000.  The instrumental tracks have survived the transfer well and have been preserved.

Some changes were made to the contents of the album.  The original 90-minute version was too long for a CD.  A decision was made to remove two instrumental jams.  Newly recorded was a bonus track “Déjà vu Premonition”, featuring guest vocals by Pamela Zero, as well as S.B. Reda on guitar/bansuri and A. Molotkov on doumbek/tabla/bell/finger cymbals - and text based on the preliminary ideas for their upcoming novel "A. Molotkov and S.B. Reda meet Zabda Rect in the Hierarchy of Evil". 

In a series of summertime sessions, the album was digitally remixed and remastered by A. Molotkov, S.B. Reda and Justin Weis at Trakworx in San Francisco.  The project was finished on September 1, 2000.  Essentially, "Step Forward And Be" was given a new face – and a much more attractive one.  This new version of "Step Forward And Be" is 57 minutes long. 

An independent CDR release of "Step Forward And Be" is planned for 2004.