Titel

Life in Music inspired by Joe Henry


zaterdag 22 december 2018

Songs and Photographs

Sometimes things drop in at the perfect moment…



I had an extremely busy last 3 months. When I came home from the last working day before the Christmas holidays, I found in the mail Anthony Wilson’s new record ‘Songs and Photographs’. It was an album I was looking forward to, ever since it was announced. These are maybe the two art-forms I love most. Both by an artist for whom I have a huge appreciation.

Anthony Wilson is a guitar player deeply invested in L.A.’s Jazz scene. Although he is better known as Diana Krall’s guitarist during her last tours and albums, he also performed with Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, Aaron Neville, Joe Henry, … But he deserves even more credit for his own work as a front man.

I really got in to Anthony’s work with his previous album ‘Frogtown’. An album that doesn’t get the amount of spins it deserves I must admit. We are taking care of that in the following months for sure!
Soon I discovered he is also an active photographer. Shooting the things he comes across during his daily life, capturing the beauty of simple things. Life as it is, non-staged, a way of looking at things in ways we didn’t see at first.



He has combined his 2 talents in to a wonderful record ‘Songs and Photographs’. 
When I received  it, our family life didn’t offer me a chance to hear it immediately. So, the following morning we dropped the kids of at school, and I ended up home alone, and time alone.

I don’t need more to relax than the combination of music and image. It’s the most complete gift…. OK, I’m exaggerating it’s not perfect. There is 1 thing missing and that’s the coffee. But I realize that logistically it would be very difficult to spread this record with a cup of coffee.

No worries, preparing coffee, is something I can handle.

So, there I was, spending some time away from it all, only jazz, images and coffee. The record even has a subtle physical experience. The artwork is not made from shiny smooth carton, but it has a fine raw structure. It’s something to feel for yourself. The subtle differences in color of the sleeve and box, the imprinted lines in the one, but not the other make the entire set a work of art on its own. It all makes sense for what this album has become.  Kudos to Nina Holland and Little Steidl for this. It is definitely a reminder that I need to find a way to give records like that also their deserved display in our home.

Musically it is, besides the greatness of the music, an honor to witness the collaboration of these fine musicians. It’s like their minds where connected during recording. This is what you get when you put Anthony Wilson, Gerald Clayton, Joshua Crumbly, Patrick Warren and Jay Bellerose in the same room. And this with producers Joe Harley and Anthony himself steering the ship.


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This complete work of art has won over my heart, and it will be present over here. (Beverages to be chosen in accordance of the atmosphere going along.)

go get it at :https://anthonywilson.bandcamp.com/

Greetings,
Stefan.

vrijdag 7 december 2018

2019 Grammy nominations

2 Albums, produced by Joe, are to be found among the Grammmy 2019 Nominees.


The Grammy winners will be announced on February 10, 2019.

Already congratulations for everyone involved in making these records !

Greetings,
Stefan.