CountryNY

OCTOBER IN LOUISIANA

Sitting here at my desk in Seattle, wrapped in a sweater, sipping on Market Spice Tea, watching the skies crystalline tears slide down the windows of my corner Capitol Hill apartment, I remember the life I left behind in Louisiana. A state I return to once or twice a year in order to get my fix of community, loving friends, music, dancing and incredible food.

October is coming up, maybe one of the best months to travel to Louisiana, and you bet I'll be there. It's the month when the weather starts to change, nearing the end of hurricane season. The 90-degree temps move into the 70s and 80s. The nights are chillier the deeper into the month you go, but the days are sunny and warm, filled with the scent of Sweet Olive. And just as everyone eases back into their routines, the musicians return home from summer tours and camps, life becomes normal again and the month is showered with festivals and events.

Louisiana is full of festivals. For tamales. For crawfish. For all kinds of music. And that's not even a spoonful. October is one of the best months, embodying the spicy sounds of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles and Black Pot Festival, both in Lafayette, Louisiana.

If you're into Cajun and Zydeco music, then Festivals Acadiens et Créoles is a MUST, set this year October 14 - 16, 2011 in Lafayette, Louisiana's Girard Park. Getting its start in 1977, and growing throughout the years, the festival is now a three-day jam-balaya of top Louisiana Cajun and Zydeco musicians, plus a food feast, crafts fair, Louisiana Folk Roots sessions, Cajun and Créole culture fest and fun for the whole family. This year, the festival kicks off Friday night with the magical sounds of Geno Delafose and Christine Balfa and waltzes through the weekend with Bonsoir, Catin, Joel Savoy the Pine Leaf Boys and Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, to name only a few of the magical acts scheduled. It's all about enjoying yourself, kicking up some dust and seeing your favorite bands. Oh, and it's FREE! Yeah, you heard right.

Black Pot Festival, first created in 2006 by talented artists including the Red Stick Ramblers, is set the last weekend of the month in Acadian Village, an authentic replica of an Acadian-style settlement. A conglomeration of Cajun, Zydeco, Old-Time and other soupçons of music here and there, it's also an accordion contest. It's a cast-iron cook-off gathered around the grounds, filling the air with scents of gumbo, cowboy stew and other exquisitely prepared robust concoctions. (Anthony Bourdain would flip his lid, it's so good. Oh wait, he already has! Check it out here.) It's a family reunion whether you know anyone or not. It's a community of musicians, cooks, dancers, singers, campers, pickers, grinners, friends, families and those just wanting to hear some good tunes and meet some fine folks. 2011 celebrates the sixth year of the two-day festival with incredible artists such as Betse Ellis, Brass Bed, Jesse Legé, Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwarz and Rafe and Clelia Stefanini. This year also includes a camp at Lakeview Park & Beach in Eunice, Louisiana the week prior (Sunday, October 23 - Wednesday, October 26).

Suddenly the sun starts to come out in Seattle. Even the Emerald City sky is excited about October in Louisiana. How to get there? Fly into Lafayette, Louisiana, or New Orleans two hours east if you want to experience some Crescent City good times before heading across the Atchafalaya. There are hotels and B&B's throughout town, and don't even get me started on where to eat. Lawd! Start with food at the festivals (y'all, it's good!) and then make your way out to spots in town. Don't be shy, just ask people. They'll tell you. Writing about restaurants would take another few pages. But I will give you a few links to help you out.

Accommodations

Food

Music

Language

Raised on Rice and Gravy

The Best Stop

Of course there are also Louisiana Crossroads events, the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff in New Iberia, the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta, etc. etc. I say just take the whole month of October off and attend them all. You'll find me on the dance floor. See y'all there! 

 

- Julia Price
(Video c/o Black Pot)
(F.A.& C. poster designed by Toby Rodriguez) 

Lady Antebellum - Latest Single Release - Touring Fall 2011

Hilary, Charles and Dave of Lady Antebellum have just released the second single "We Owned the Night" (now available on iTunes) off their latest album and will be bringing their sound, life experiences and inspiration to you beginning this fall starting in Knoxville, Tennessee on November 11, 2011. In stores September 13, OWN THE NIGHT is their third album and follow-up to the smash success NEED YOU NOW, which has sold over five million copies world-wide and earned the group five Grammy's (making six total). 

With so many folks hitting hard times these days, Lady Antebellum's latest release reminds us to "Be confident, live in the moment and enjoy the experiences you're going through--own them." Check out this video for a glimpse inside the heartfelt thoughts of Lady Antebellum, and be sure not to miss them this fall in a town near you. And hey! Lady A wants to hear from you! For more info on sending in your "Own the Night" story and how to win prizes, click here. 

11/11  Knoxville, Tenn.  - Knoxville Coliseum*

11/12  Macon, Ga.  - Macon Centreplex*

11/13  Pikeville, Ky.  - East Kentucky Expo Center*

11/16  El Paso, Texas  - El Paso County Coliseum*

11/17  Phoenix, Ariz.  - Grand Canyon University*

11/18  Las Vegas, Nev.  - The Joint @ The Hard Rock*

11/25  Huntsville, Ala.  - Von Braun Civic Center**

11/26  Florence, S.C.  - Florence Civic Center**

11/27  Savannah, Ga.  - Savannah Civic Center**

12/1  Colorado Springs, Colo.  - Colorado Springs World Arena**

12/2  Lubbock, Texas  - City Bank Coliseum**

12/3  Wichita Falls, Texas  - Kay Yeager Coliseum**

12/4  Belton, Texas  - Bell County Expo Center**

12/8  La Crosse, Wis.  - La Crosse Center Arena**

12/9  Sioux City, Iowa  - Tyson Center**

12/10  Springfield, Mo.  - JQH Arena**

12/11  Murray, Ky.    - CFSB Center**

12/15  Amherst, Mass.  - The Mullins Center**

12/16  Wilkes-Barre, Pa.  - Mohegan Sun Arena**

12/17  Roanoke, Va.  - Roanoke Civic Center**

12/18  Morgantown, W.Va.  - WVU Coliseum**

*Tour Dates with Randy Montana
**Tour Dates with Eden's Edge

 

GARY CLARK is already…THE MAN.

 

GARY CLARK is already…THE MAN.

http://www.garyclarkjr.com/

 

I have seen Gary Clark 3 times and no two shows are ever the same. Even if Gary is playing some of the same tunes from show to show he brings something special and different to each and every performance. He shifts easily from Blues to Soul to Groove to Psychedelic riffs sometimes reminiscent of a Strat playing guitarist of the 60’s.

 

Throughout his set he makes it look effortless but almost anyone can tell that besides his many musical gifts he has worked long and hard on perfecting his smooth and seamless style.

 

As most will attest the New York audience can be a tough one but Gary took the overflow Rockwood crowd to another place and time and had them howling for more. My advice would be that if you see the name Gary Clark Jr. coming to your town, don’t even think of not going.

 

 

Ray Wilson

 

Americana Music Festival & Conference - October 12 - 15, 2011 - Nashville

 

Robert Plant & Elizabeth Cook Lead Nominee Class of '11

 The Americana Music Association saluted the year’s best today as Rosanne Cash announced the list of 2011 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards nominees during a moving and emotional event at the Gibson/Baldwin Showroom in New York City.  

Live music anchored the revelry: gripping performances by The Civil Wars, was followed by a plush set from Levon Helm and His Dirt Farmer Quartet featuring Jim Lauderdale and then Cash, with Benmont Tench on keys.  Nashville Mayor Karl Dean also joined the New York celebration, offering praise of the Music City-Americana Music Association.  T Bone Burnett, also on hand, gave a poignant statement saluting the artists for "telling the truth" through their music. 

 

A cultural crossroads of groove and grit, Americana music is the home of spit-polished tradition and original risk takers, and the artists tapped for the 2011 Americana Music Association Honors and Awards reflect the genre’s multi-generational emphasis on story and soul.

 

Elizabeth Cook and Robert Plant lead the pack with three nominations each: Cook’s Welder was tapped in the Album of the Year field, while her “El Camino” earned a Song of the Year nomination. Robert Plant and the Band of Joy will compete for Duo/Group of the Year, while their effort Band of Joy received an Album of the Year nod. Both Cook and Plant are also up for Artist of the Year. 

 

Two recent New/Emerging Artist of the Year honorees are fulfilling that award’s prophecy: 2009 recipient Justin Townes Earle garnered two nods, including Album of the Year for Harlem River Blues and Song of the Year for the album’s title track, while last year’s winner Hayes Carll received taps for Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Kmag Yoyo.” 

 

The Civil Wars and Mumford and Sons each earned nominations in both the New/Emerging Artist and Duo/Group of the Year categories, while Buddy Miller also secured two nods: Artist and Instrumentalist of the Year.

 

The Album of the Year field also includes Lucinda Williams’ Blessed, while the Song of the Year category is rounded out by The Decemberists featuring Gillian Welch’s “Down by the Water.” The Avett Brothers are up for Duo/Group of the Year—an honor the band took home in 2010—while Sarah Jarosz, Will Kimbrough, Gurf Morlix and Kenny Vaughan will all also compete for Instrumentalist of the Year.

 

THE 2011 AMERICANA MUSIC ASSOCIATION HONORS AND AWARDS NOMINEES:

 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Band of Joy, Robert Plant

Welder, Elizabeth Cook

Harlem River Blues, Justin Townes Earle

Blessed, Lucinda Williams

 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Buddy Miller                                                      

Elizabeth Cook                                                  

Hayes Carll

Robert Plant 

 

NEW/EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR

The Civil Wars

Mumford And Sons                                        

The Secret Sisters                                                     

Jessica Lea Mayfield   

 

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR

The Avett Brothers

The Civil Wars

Mumford And Sons                                        

Robert Plant and the Band Of Joy

 

 

SONG OF THE YEAR

Decemberists with Gillian Welch- "Down By The Water"

Elizabeth Cook - "El Camino"                          

Hayes Carll - "Kmag Yoyo"

Justin Townes Earle - "Harlem River Blues"

 

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR

Buddy Miller

Gurf Morlix                                                         

Kenny Vaughan                                                

Sarah Jarosz                                                 

Will Kimbrough 

 

The cornerstone of the Americana Music Conference and Festival, the 10^th Annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, October 13 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Americana music has always been about cherishing history even as it pushes boldly forward, and the Americana Music Association’s decade of song and camaraderie embodies that balance.

Slated for Wednesday, October 12 through Saturday, October 15, 2011, the 11^th Annual Americana Festival and Conference offers daily seminars, panels and networking opportunities at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. The event brings more than 100 stacked musical showcases to key venues throughout Nashville.

 

    

About the Americana Music Association

The Americana Music Association is a professional trade organization whose mission is to provide a forum for the advocacy of Americana music and to promote public awareness of the genre to support the creative and economic viability of professionals in this field. Dedicated to building and promoting the Americana genre and the individuals who participate in that industry, the Americana Music Association works closely with artists, labels, radio stations, retailers, print media, festivals, agents, publishers and more to help organize and build the infrastructure necessary for the Americana genre to achieve success both creatively and financially.

 

 

FIDDLE TUNES: A CORNER OF HEAVEN IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

It’s about 9:30am. I didn’t get to sleep last night until around three or four. I’m feeling it, but not so much that I want to stay in bed all day. I can’t.

I’m anxious to feel the sun on my face, the wind against my skin, and the warmth revived in my heart. I know there’s a song in there somewhere. I emerge out of The Bricks, where I’ve crashed for the night, and walk down the steps and onto the lawn passing the tennis courts of Fort Worden State Park. En route to grab my morning mocha in the Commons Café, I encounter wild deer grazing in the grass. They look up at me briefly, unfazed that I’m staring in awe, and return to their breakfast. Am I still sleeping? What was in that whiskey last night? To the left of me, to the right of me, pockets of fiddlers, banjo pickers, guitarists, accordionists and mandolinists rehearse, filling the air with sweet summer sounds. Pinch me, am I in heaven; a fairy tale? What a switch from my preceding melancholy weeks working from home amidst the grey, rainy, Seattle Freeze. People say “good morning” here. They make eye contact and smile. Everyone is happy, filled with life, love and childlike magic, and it’s contagious.

Early one Saturday, two days before the abovementioned morn, I found myself on the Victoria Clipper with two Louisiana friends, bound for Sidney, B.C. John was in the market to buy a 1969 Swedish-made sailboat he’d fallen in love with via the Internet. Heading up to check it out, he said he felt excited and nervous, like he was en route to meet his mail-order bride. When we finally arrived, and met her face to hull, she was everything he’d dreamed of and more.

John, Harold and I set out for a short sail around the Strait of Georgia that afternoon. And the Merry Dance was his. We celebrated with a seafood dinner near the marina, and the next morning we set our course for Port Townsend, WA. Some friends were participating in Fiddle Tunes, so we thought we’d crash the party and surprise them. Little did we know P.T. had NOT been an entry port for six years. The customs’ official wasn’t too thrilled to be dragged away from his evening meal, but checked us in and let us enjoy our Fourth of July weekend without too many complications. He also appreciated us being low maintenance so he and his wife could continue eating their ice cream in peace.

After a walk up the hill and a hitched ride with a lovely couple about a mile in the rest of the way, we landed at Fort Worden State Park. Named after Rear Admiral John L. Worden, and noted as the film site for An Officer and a Gentleman, Fort Worden is a majestic place, formerly an 1890s Navy fort constructed to protect Puget Sound land targets from enemy intrusion. Funny, I felt I had no enemies here. Located in the northern edge of Port Townsend, it is surrounded by beautiful beaches, secluded nature walks, and historic military barracks and bunkers. And this week, it would become home to hundreds of musical artists gathering to learn, jam, dance and teach the sounds and rhythms that make them come alive from Cajun to Irish to Honky Tonk to Bluegrass. There was even some Swedish thrown in – pretty fitting for the Pacific Northwest.

Master performances ranged from the finger pickin’ good tunes of Virginia Bluegrass guitarist and luthier Wayne Henderson to the spicy Louisiana gumbo of the Savoy Family Cajun Band to the legendary Irish fairy-dusted magic of Liz Carroll and John Doyle. Then sprinkle in performances by the George Jones of Cajun Country, Courtney Granger, the Hank Williams-infused voice of Caleb Klauder and his Country Band, and the melodic Cajun and Old-Time sounds of Fiddle Tunes Artistic Director Suzy Thompson. All of this while hanging out in a historic setting complete with wild deer, music-filled breezes, the beach and morning espresso-filled sunshine? Well, in my opinion, you’ve reached heaven.

Centrum has been hosting the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes for 35 years. The weeklong fun in July combines camps, workshops, dances, jams, meals, Forth of July fireworks, and quality time with friends old and new, and includes performances by over 50 nationally and internationally recognized artists. If fiddlin’ ain’t your bag, Centrum offers other weeklong options throughout the year including writers’, voice, jazz, blues and dance workshops along with artist residencies. Check out the site for scholarships as well. Guests can camp out, grab a place in town, or rent out a room in the barracks housing where they have the option of cooking their own meals.

This year, the late Warren Argo – Fiddle Tunes partner, manager, participant, and friend – was honored during a procession after the week’s final concert; a touching ceremony where anyone could join in and contribute. For a video of the procession, stay tuned to Centrum’s Facebook page.

Leaving Fiddle Tunes early on Sunday morning, the last day, wasn’t easy. It had unearthed a feeling inside of me I wasn’t sure still existed. But I guess a few days’ visit to a magical music-filled world complete with beautiful folks, exceptional tunes, and an ethereal setting can do that to a soul. Arriving at this precious community on a sailboat didn’t hurt things either.

HUGE thanks to Peter McCracken, Ruby Fitch, Mark Livingston, Suzy Thompson and all of the many, many lovely people at the 35^th Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. Special photo thanks to Gabrielle Savoy and Roz Powell for their beautiful vision. You can see more of Gabrielle's work by clicking here. Cheers, y’all!

Centrum, in partnership with Fort Worden State Park, is a gathering place for artists and creative thinkers from all cultures, and in all phases of their development; for students of all ages and backgrounds; and for audiences seeking extraordinary cultural enrichment. Centrum promotes creative experiences that change lives.

The Victorian seaport community of Port Townsend, WA, is home to Centrum, and is easily accessible by highway or ferry service. Washington State Ferries operate between Port Townsend and Coupeville, WA (Whidbey Island) daily. In addition, Seattle residents may travel by ferry from the downtown terminal to Bainbridge Island and visit Port Townsend via the Hood Canal Bridge, or take the ferry from Mukilteo in North Seattle to Winslow. A full schedule of ferry options is available on the Washington State Department of Transportation website at www.wsdot.com/ferries/schedule/. Chartered flights into nearby Port Ludlow are available via Kenmore Air – more info is available at www.kenmoreair.com. 

(Photo: Gabrielle Savoy)

(Robin Miller bringing a little Louisiana flavor to Fiddle Tunes. Photo: Gabrielle Savoy)

(Peter, Suzy, Ruby and Robin. Photo: Gabrielle Savoy)

(Community. Photo: Gabrielle Savoy)

(Rick Good & Alice Gerrard. Photo: Roz Powell)

(Ed Littlefield, Jr. Photo: Gabrielle Savoy)

(Show stealer. Photo: Gabrielle Savoy)

(Courtney & Joel. Photo: Gabrielle Savoy)

(On their way. Photo: Gabrielle Savoy)

(Gypsy Java girl. Photo: Julia Price)

(The dancers. Photo: Julia Price)

(John Doyle & Kelly Jones. Photo: Julia Price)

(Fiddle Tunes! Photo: Julia Price)

(The Procession. Photo: Julia Price)

  
(Merry Dance. Photo: Julia Price)

Deborah Allen - Anything Other Than Love

Ok folks, are you ready for a boot-slidin', booty-shakin' good time? Then be sure to check out Deborah Allen's latest single "Anything Other Than Love" off of her 2011 album "Hear Me Now." Allen was a major contributer in the writing, recording and production processes and wrote or co-wrote every song including this single along with Gary Burr, BMI's songwriter of the year.

"Deborah is singing better than ever, which is saying a lot!," says Allen's close friend and legendary CMA Hall of Fame songwriter Bobby Braddock, the producer of three of the album's tracks. "'Anything Other Than Love' is one of the best Country singles in years. It just keeps rockin' my brain!"

"Hear Me Now" mixes Deborah's Memphis Soul, Graceland Gospel, Delta Blues and Nashville Country roots. In addition to Allen's latest album, she continues to work on other projects including a collaboration with her latest discovery Mississippi native, Margaret Phillips, which she hopes to have completed by the end of this year.

Discovered by Roy Orbison, collaborated with Prince and written for a list of greats including Conway Twitty, LeAnn Rimes and Fleetwood Mac, Grammy-nominated Deborah Allen is stronger than ever.

Check out her latest single and album and the video below, and be sure to friend her on Facebook!

Abrams Brothers - Prospect Park - July 7th

 

The Abrams Brothers are releasing their fourth studio album, Northern Redemption (United For Opportunity/Fontana North) in Canada on Tuesday, June 21, 2011. Known for combining bluegrass, country and folk-rock, brothers John and James along with cousin Elijah have taken their traditional musical roots and made it more accessible. Produced by Canadian singer-songwriter Chris Brown (Ani DiFranco, Barenaked Ladies), Northern Redemption contains nine tracks including their version of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.” The first single, “Nothing at All,” was released on Tuesday, May 10. The Toronto Star raves, “The Abrams Brothers have been blowing away audiences with their virtuoso playing and effortless harmonies drawn on a long family tradition of bluegrass and folks music.” Although they are only between 18 and 20 years of age, the band has already been performing live for a decade and will take their new album on the road this fall for a Canadian tour.

July 7 - Prospect Park Bandshell opening for Courtyard Hounds - Free show

July 10 - Caffe Lena - Saratoga Springs - w/ John Hammond

THE BAND OF HEATHENS - Wednesday, August 3

 

THE BAND OF HEATHENS
• touring behind new CD, Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son
• as seen last year on PBS’ Austin City Limits series on bill with Elvis Costello
• two consecutive #1 albums on the Americana airplay chart, currently in Top 5


Wednesday, August 3 • BROOKLYN • Union Hall
702 Union Street at 5th Avenue, Park Slope
Time: 8 p.m.; Tickets: $10 adv. + $12 DOS
<http://www.unionhallny.com/calendar.php>

THE BAND OF HEATHENS FOLLOW BANNER YEAR WITH NEW CD,
TOP HAT CROWN & THE CLAPMASTER’S SON

Produced by George Reiff (Chris Robinson, Courtyard Hounds, Ray Wylie Hubbard),
new album comes on heels of Austin City Limits (PBS) appearance, festivals and #1 Americana record

AUSTIN, Texas — 2010 was a year of making noise and news for the Band of Heathens. With 200-plus show dates, a fifth anniversary celebration, appearances at Lollapalooza and other top national festivals and a taping of Austin City Limits with Elvis Costello, it is remarkable that the Heathens even found time to write and record a new studio album, but they did.
 
The result is Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son, a surprising, multi-faceted gem of a disc. Their third studio album and the fifth release overall, Top Hat Crown displays the wide range of classic influences fans and critics have come to admire in the band, yet they’ve added, built and grown. Producer George Reiff, celebrated for his work with the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson, the Courtyard Hounds (Martie Maguire and Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks) and Ray Wylie Hubbard, tended to the album’s vibe and spirit, which is reaching, rocking, bluesy, funky and enjoyable as hell, from its rocking opening to its serene acoustic conclusion.
 
The Band of Heathens is constantly being compared to The Band because of the musical finesse that overlays their timeless, rootsy core. And the three founding members are all skilled multi-instrumentalists who can play almost any position in the field. But TBoH has reached so many fans so fast because of the echoes of and subtle homage to so many different artists at the core of the Americana canon, including Tom Petty, Tony Joe White, the Grateful Dead, Leon Russell, George Harrison, and other rarified stylists. You can hear a little of all that at a Heathens show or on disc, and Top Hat Crown feels like the most coherent and mature encapsulation of those elements so far.
 
Given the timelessness of their sound, one gets the sense that Ed Jurdi, Gordy Quist and Colin Brooks would have gravitated toward the same essential feel had they met in 1975 or 2045. As it happens, it was in 2006 after each songwriter had established residency gigs on the same night of the week at Momo’s, an eclectic-minded club on Austin’s famous Sixth Street. Friendship, semi-regular sit-ins and harmony jags gelled into something quite rare: a band with three frontmen, each with enough humility and passion to invest in the larger project. The sum transcended the parts. Bassist Seth Whitney was a member from the get-go. Drummer John Chipman joined in 2007 as their road calendar got heavier.
 
The Heathens took their time getting their first studio album out, but when that eponymous debut was released in 2008, they proved they could write and record a coherent statement that measured up to their show. They followed relatively quickly with One Foot in the Ether toward the end of 2009. Both shot to the top of the Americana chart and remained there for months, evincing a longevity rare in any format of music. Each added songs to the band’s set lists that have become staples and favorites: “Jackson Station,” “Cornbread,” frequent set closer “Don’t Call on Me” and the rocking, cathartic “L.A. County Blues.”
 
Other kinds of recognition and respect rolled in. TBoH was honored as Best New Band at the Austin Music Awards and nominated as Best Duo or Group by the Americana Music Awards. The Wall Street Journal’s Jim Fusilli called theirs the best set he saw during South by Southwest 2009. And the rest of the press has been equally effusive: The Dallas Morning News calls them “a must-see show.” Maverick magazine says they’re “magnificent.”
 
One can anticipate similar praise for Top Hat Crown, as it stretches without breaking faith with the feel and integrity that got the Band of Heathens this far. Opener “Medicine Man” sets a hoodoo tone with slappy upright piano and a swaggering lyric sung by Gordy Quist.
 
Another early Quist lead is “Polaroid,” which the guys say was influenced by the Jayhawks and mid-career Beatles. It coasts along on a robust acoustic strum decorated by jangly chiming electric guitar — a pluperfect fusion of pop and roots. Ed Jurdi gets his first lead vocal licks in with “Should Have Known,” a deeply bluesy slow shake that bolsters the regret of the song. Colin Brooks evokes current events and the craziness of modernity with “Enough,” whose mantra-like lyric and mid-tempo groove will have people nodding along in time. Brooks also shines with his lead on “Gravity,” a tour-de-force of forward motion and organ-generated psychedelic colors. Then some bone-rattle percussion ushers in a glowing, single-chord jam ride and a three-part chorus that swells with love.
 
Fans of the band will note one familiar song here. “Free Again” was written, recorded and released as a single in a blast of energy in the summer of 2010, inspired by the mind-boggling Gulf of Mexico oil spill. It’s sincere and sarcastic, playful and chastising. And it’s part of a Louisiana theme that closes out the album and ties the whole project together. “Hurricane,” the album’s lone cover, a Nashville-written tune from an old Levon Helm album, is a poignant portrait of an aging Gulf Coast salt reflecting on storms and eerily anticipating Katrina. And “Gris Gris Satchel,” the final cut, is a gorgeous and soothing acoustic tune that evokes old New Orleans and memories of great Crosby, Stills & Nash tracks.
 
Like that historic group, the Band of Heathens is distinguished by collaboration and load-sharing. And while songwriting and vocal duties are chiefly handled by the three guys across the front of the stage, they are decidedly a five-man band, benefitting from the equal input of all. This can lead to a lot of deliberation and creative tension. But it also means the music that emerges has been through five filters and enjoyed the collaborative creative power of five music-loving minds. “When I write a song with Ed or Colin, I usually hear it a certain way in my head,” says Quist about the power of the process. “When we bring it in to the band, the song almost always comes out turned on its head, leaning in another direction from where it started.” Music fans nationwide will hear that distilled quality upon the release of Top Hat Crown.

 

THE GREENCARDS - Saturday, July 30

THE GREENCARDS
Previewing their forthcoming album The Brick Album, out June 21.
Let us know if you’d like a physical CD or download link, interviews and/or photos.

Saturday, July 30 • NEW YORK • City Winery
also on the bill:
SUZY BOGGUSS
155 Varick St.
Showtime: 8 p.m. Tickets: $18 - $25
<http://www.citywinery.com/events/161034>



THE BRICK ALBUM FROM THE GREENCARDS
FUSES GRAMMY NOMINEES’ ECLECTIC INFLUENCES
WITH ONSTAGE ENERGY

Vince Gill and Sam Bush make guest appearances
on Justin Niebank-produced album, due for release June 21, 2011.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — From the first notes struck together in 2003 through tours with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, up to and beyond their fourth studio album in 2009, The Greencards have won steadily escalating acclaim for their multi-dimensional Americana vision. Each step they’ve taken has widened their appeal. Their releases have topped the Billboard Bluegrass charts. In both 2008 (for their Viridian album) and 2010 (for Fascination), they were nominated for Grammy Awards in the “Best Country Instrumental” category. They’ve earned ovations from “newgrass” music devotees at MerleFest and from indie-rock loyalists at Lollapalooza and the Austin City Limits Festival. RollingStone.com noted, “This imported band is creating some of the finest Americana around.”

But this four-piece band, spearheaded by Australians Carol Young and Kym Warner, is interested less in past accomplishments than in looking ahead for new goals to achieve. Produced and engineered by studio veteran Justin Niebank (Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Keith Urban), The Brick Album on the band’s own Darling Street Records is the first to successfully infuse The Greencards’ eclectic musical references with the excitement they generate onstage.

“We’ve been striving for this since our first record,” says mandolinist Warner. “We recorded totally in one room this time, with very little isolation. It was all about doing the performance now, without going back to add anything later on.”

“What you’re hearing is all one take,” bassist and singer Young adds. “If someone really didn’t like what we’d done, we’d play it all again from the top rather than drop the part in. When you drop in a part, you lose a little bit of the feel. You’ve got to get a run-up to it.”
That immediacy was heightened by the addition of two new members of the group. Tyler Andal, a young fiddle whiz from Tennessee, reinforces both The Greencards’ grounding in roots music and their eagerness to let in the fresh air of newgrass, rock, folk elements, Latin America and much more. “He thinks outside the box,” Warner explains. “We’ve always had a strong rhythmic aspect to our music, and Tyler definitely brings that.”
 
The other recent arrival, former National Flatpicking Championship winner Carl Miner, excels as a guitarist in that tradition but more importantly applies his virtuosity equally well beyond it. “He’s good at everything,” Warner says. “He’s one of the most versatile musicians, and probably the most consistent, we’ve ever played with. With Tyler and him in the band, everyone is pulling in the same direction.”

Make that “directions.” The Brick Album kicks off with “Make It Out West,” a rhythmically irresistible chant powered by guest artist Sam Bush’s slide mandolin, with lyrics conjuring restless dreams and far horizons. From there the songs take listeners through ever-changing vistas — the Spanish-inflected “Heart Fixer,” whose vocals by Young and guest artist Vince Gill stir memories of Marty Robbins; the slinky, teasing “Mrs. Madness,” written by Warner after a night of watching Bored to Death; the magical “Girl in the Telescope,” which floats like a feather in sunlight; “Tale of KangaRio,” an intimate Brazilian dance of mandolin and guitar; “Loving You Is the Only Way To Fly,” a dreamy evocation of the Louvin and Everly Brothers, the pillars of classic country duet vocals.

There’s much more, but two tracks bear special mention. The wistful “Faded” is a sweetly harmonized tune, so natural that you don’t even notice its unusual 5/4 time signature. Similarly, “Adelaide” is a brisk instrumental, built over a rushing stream of chord changes made accessible by melodies and solos of eloquent coherence.

“As we get older, the more I think about it, the more we want something in music you can cling to,” Warner says. “That comes with melody. What we do on The Brick Album allows us to have something not only on the record but also on our live show. It brings it back to “more than anything, this is about lyrics and harmony.”

It’s also about integrating fans more than ever into the band’s process. The Greencards followed an independent path with The Brick Album, partnering with its followers rather than with record labels to fund its sessions. In exchange for contributing to the “Buy A Brick” project, each donor had his or her name permanently inscribed on a brick within the wall that comprises its cover art.

“The times have changed a lot in the music industry, not so much in the creative side but in business side of making music,” Warner says. “We just wanted to give something unique and special to people, not just by sending them an early copy of the record by putting their names on the artwork. That makes them fully a part of it.”

But it’s the music that makes us all part of this journey. Warner and Young were both steeped in country music; she charted several No. 1 singles in her homeland as a solo artist and he won the Australian National Bluegrass Mandolin Championship for four consecutive years. They moved to Austin, put together the first incarnation of The Greencards there and today call Nashville home.

Along the way, they have picked up some influential fans. Their 2009 release, Fascination, prompted Rosanne Cash to say, “The Greencards are a little island of truth and beauty in a sea of artifice and mediocrity. What a fine group, and what a great collection of songs.” Buddy Miller called it one of the year’s “most inventive discs.”
 
With this new release, the world becomes more than ever The Greencards’ stage. Their sound defies category, balancing taste and technique, engaging lyrics and melodies and wildly creative arrangements. There may be a wall on The Brick Album’s cover, but the future suggested on these tracks knows no barrier.
 

Newcomer Rachel Holder Readies Debut Album, Embarks on Radio Tour

Upcoming album’s lead single, “Chocolate,” charts at Music Row

 

 

(Nashville, Tenn. – May 3, 2011)  Newcomer Rachel Holder has begun a radio tour of the southeastern U.S. in support of her current single, “Chocolate,” which charted last week on the Music Row chart at No. 72.

 

In recent weeks, Holder has been in the recording studio with producers Wilbur Rimes and Chuck Howard finishing not one, but two full-length albums.  The first project is a Country release, featuring her debut single, “Chocolate,” and a number of originals written by Holder.   The second is a Christmas album that includes her critically acclaimed 2010 holiday single, “Christmas Eve,” which garnered significant radio airplay last winter.  Both albums are scheduled for a fall 2011 release on Nashville-based independent label, All Entertainment.

 

The 18-year-old singer performs regularly in and around her hometown of Chattanooga, Tenn.  Future plans include finishing both of her upcoming albums at Rosewood Studios in Texas, activities at the CMA Music Festival in June and additional radio station visits in support of “Chocolate.”

 

For more information, visit www.RachelHolder.com.

 

About Rachel Holder: Chattanooga, Tenn., native Rachel Holder released her debut Country single, “Chocolate,” in spring of 2011.  The teenage singer possesses an extensive background in theater, having performed more than 800 Broadway-style musical shows in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., before pursuing her Country career full-time in Nashville.  She released a special version of Celine Dion’s “Christmas Eve” to Country radio in December 2010 and is preparing her debut album for release in fall 2011. For more information, visit www.RachelHolder.com.