I am pleased to announce the release of my GIG 365 : MJWB recording.
In 2011 I performed at least one gig on each day of the year in a wide
range of venues.
I performed extensively throughout North America,
and also in Europe and Venezuela. The songs on this recording
represent music that was meaningful to me during the journey,
interspersed with a few conversations I had along the way.
The
material is rooted in New Orleans and the Greater Mississippi Delta
region. The culture, history, music and people of this region left a
profound impact on me during my GIG 365 travels.
The recordings
took place in Bucharest, Romania and Cleveland, OH in 2012. I was
blessed to have my friend Ionita Manole organize some of the finest Roma
Gypsy musicians in the world to record three tracks with me. The
remaining musical tracks were recorded with drummer Jamey Haddad. I
studied hand percussion at the feet of Jamey while I was attending
Berklee College of Music. We found ourselves on some of the same gigs
after I graduated and became great friends. I was also backed up on
two tracks by a trio of fine, delightful vocalists from Gainesville, FL
directed by Timothy Mulberry, Jr : Ryoanne McKnight, Cedrica M. Daniels
and Shalita "Shae" Colbert. I can't thank all of these musicians enough
for giving themselves so completely to the music.
The
conversation tracks are from videos that were taken during the year of
GIG 365. They represent some of the memorable people I was fortunate
enough to meet and speak with.
The quite stunning GIG 365 drawing was done by Kate Cragoe Mayfield.
I met Kate during GIG 365 and she offered to do a drawing for me.
She asked me for a list of some of the more memorable gigs I had done
and picked the six which adorn the cover. They are clockwise from top
right:
GIG #99/100 & #316/317 Square and Compass, Worth Matravers, UK w/Groanbox
GIG #124 @ St. Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, London, UK
GIG #43 @ Floyd's Country Store, Floyd, VA
GIG #151 Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In, Seligman, AZ
GIG #68 @ Jackson Square, New Orleans, LA with fiddle player Joseph McGinty
GIG #149 @ Old Town Square, Albuquerque, NM with Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ Franciscan Charismatic Religious Community
You can listen to excerpts from the recording at Apple Music.
You can buy a CD or download tracks from there, Amazon,
and other online music retailers. If you dig it, please spread the
word and like my GIG 365 page and leave some feedback. I will be posting concert appearances, reviews, interviews and more there and on the GIG 365 blog.
It’s about time I congratulated you - both on releasing the CD and on your recent marriage. May 2013 bring you ever more wonders. Also my thanks – for sharing in a delight of Kate’s work, for acknowledging her in this way & for triggering lines of thought that still remain with me. I’m still looking forward to reading the book …
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, (Aunty) Wendy
Hi Wendy. I look back on all of our exchanges in 2011 with great fondness. Introducing me to Kate was a gift, as was her remarkable drawing. So, thank you! The book is lost in the mist of the future. I hope I am drawn to it and it to me. best, Michael
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