DEVOCEAN by Levi Chen

Having met a successful German producer named Manfred Praeker (Nina Hagen - 99 Red Balloons), I asked my Dad to lend me $3000 to cut my album. Once again, he agreed. Moving back to Los Angeles in October that year, we moved into a house in Hollywood together. I was planning to help him write a book. Not about politics, nor even his own storied life, but about his beloved island of Taiwan. I bought the equipment to finish my album at home, and we were going to work and enjoy out time together. We did…

Unfortunately, his health prevented any real progress on the book, and I was concentrating more on my band than the album at the time. In late February 2005, as his health deteriorated rapidly, we decided for him to return to Taiwan, where he would receive VIP health care. That decision was the most difficult of my life. We knew that if he crossed the Pacific again, it would be his last time.

In May 2005, I went to the recording studio to cut tracks and started fresh on the album. I planned to take a new approach, and finish in 4-6 weeks. Two years later, it is done. Often, producers say that “projects aren't ever finished, just abandoned." Budgets, schedules, losing one's mind and other factors all lead to this phenomenon. I am happy to say that this was not the case; I finished and I can truly say that any more mixing or fiddling or tweaking would be ridiculous. I am fortunate to have had the luxury of time and resource to get it done right.

As 7 is the metaphysical number of completion, I consider this (my 8th) album to be my first. This recording took place on 3 continents, in 5 studios, with 6 engineers, and over 30 talented musicians. I think you will find it a very different experience than my other albums, more varied yet peacefully familiar. The guest instrumentation includes; bass, drums, percussion, piano, organ, sax, harmonica, violins, cellos, oboe, flute and brass... and a special guest vocalist!

The first song is entitled "Memory" and it starts out with the sound of a needle dropping on a 78 rpm recording, as I imagine my dad heard his first album as a youth. It is just myself on an electric guitar, accompanied by an orchestra. This song I composed as my father lay in the Critical Care Unit over 3 weeks. Each day, I would place my little battery powered amps on either side of his head. He would lay there peacefully, very conscious, until he slept. I often played him "Ceremony," his favorite composition of mine (new version also on Devocean). The first time he heard it, back in 1995, he immediately commented that it was his favorite, though he thought it sounded like a "requiem."

My father was a passionate lover of music, and he loved my music as well. He tried not to feel that it was because I am his son, though no doubt he was partial too! My grandfather was well off and at 15 my father had the first phonograph in his hometown of Taichung, Taiwan. He would daydream away to classical music, while most of his peers cared less, or liked pop music of the day.

One day at Borders Books in Ann Arbor, during a summer art fair 1996, I was performing at the cafe. He came and watched, and after 30 minutes he came up and placed a note on my harp as I played, and walked away. When I took a break and read it, it said "Lee, the last 10 minutes is one of the most moving beautiful music I have ever heard." Another time he called to congratulate me on "Alhambra", and in all earnestness told me he thought I had "surpassed Segovia" in technique (easy now Dad!).

Not being able to speak as he lay in the hospital, he would write on a note pad to me. On a Tuesday afternoon, we were chilling out when he noted he was tired and didn't feel like talking anymore. He strummed the air, his way of saying "Why don't you play some guitar?" I agreed and started to play. A minute later, he asked to write again on the pad. I asked what he was trying to write, as the medication made it sloppy. It looked like it started with an "L". "What is it Dad? 'Later?' 'Longer?' "

The last word communicated from my father was... "Louder."

He died on Friday 3/25/05 at 3:30 pm. Thank you for thinking of him.

I know that my Father will enjoy this music each time it is played.

Levi Chen

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