Age of Apathy by Aoife O'Donovan

 Age of Apathy is th title of Aoife O'Donovan's upcoming record. It is produced by Joe. 

The album will be released on January 21, 2022 

Produced by fellow GRAMMY-winner Joe Henry (Bonnie Raitt, Rhiannon Giddens) and featuring guest appearances from Allison Russell and Madison Cunningham, Age Of Apathy finds O’Donovan’s gift for poetic imagery and unconventionally alluring melody in full bloom as she confronts the sense-dulling barrage of the digital age. Amid symphonic arrangements that reveal a stunning mastery of her craft, Aoife puts forth a statement of defiance and radical love — one that reaffirms her as one of our most vital songwriters today.

O’Donovan recorded Age Of Apathy through a unique arrangement with Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL, logging daily hours on-site at their studio with GRAMMY-nominated engineer Darren Schneider (Deep Purple, Koryn Hawthorne, Trivium) - who also mixed the album - all the while collaborating entirely remotely with Henry. While her previous albums were composed and recorded in an adrenalized rush between tours, the creation of Age Of Apathy was more deliberate and methodical — a rare silver lining amid the stillness of COVID living.

O’Donovan found the routine freeing. Remote collaborations — particularly with bassist David Piltch and drummer Jay Bellerose — introduced unexpected rhythms and textures into the architecture of the songs, allowing O’Donovan to bend her sound into more expansive shapes. And with the expert guidance of Joe Henry, she was able to develop the dreamy, richly orchestrated — but never overwrought — soundworld that gives Age Of Apathy its distinct and enveloping aesthetic. (aoifeodonovan.bandcamp.com)

 Listen to a wonderful version of 'Prodigal daughter' eaturing Allison Russell. 

Aoife O'Donovan Collaboration

 Aoife O'Donovan has recently released 2 new song: "More Than we know" and "Captain's Clock". (source)

Both songs are produced by Joe, and more songs will follow.  "More Than we know" was co-written by Joe, and features the Milk Carton Kids as special guests. 

During AmericanaFest;  Aoife O'Donovan and Joe Henry will be joined by Darren Schneider to discuss this project. (For more details : follow AmericanaFest)

And now for something completely different...
Yesterday Joe confirmed that after this 1,5 year pandemic it is finally happening : Joe's concert at City Winery is (re-)scheduled for November 14.

Enjoy it all !

1 year 'Springtime in the Heart'

 Hello Everyone,

Today, 1 year ago, Heath Cullen's album 'Springtime in the Heart' wasd released. The album is produced by Joe. It was in fact Joe's first new production after dealing with a cancerdiagnosis. When it was released the world went in lockdown, and Heath couldn't present the songs in front of a live audience. And for me 'Springtime in the Heart' has been my companion the entire year.

So this anniversary made me wonder how Heath and Joe looked back on it, and continued through this extraordinary year. 

I invited them to share from in our own homes a coffee to reflect on it. 

And then I realised we live in 3 different timezones, so Heath was the only one with a morningcoffee, while I enjoyed a glass of wine before going to sleep. For Joe the evening was still young.

I hope You'll enjoy this talk as much as I did. (At whatever time in the day). 

P.S. :  I miscalculated the timedifference, and Heath and I started a wonderful talk. Joe joined us a little later.

 

 

The Album is available at www.Heathcullen.com

 

Greetings,
Stefan

Expanded Edition of 'Our New Orleans' Benefit Album coming up

From Nonesuch records :

A remastered, expanded edition of the 2005 record Our New Orleans will be released for the first time on vinyl on January 29, 2021, available to pre-order here. The two-LP set, also available then digitally, includes five previously unreleased tracks: “Do You Know What It Means,” by Davell Crawford; “Let's Work Together,” by Buckwheat Zydeco and Ry Cooder; “Crescent City Serenade,” by Dr. Michael White; “Walking By the River,” by Dr. John; and “Do You Know What It Means,” by The Wardell Quezergue Orchestra featuring Donald Harrison.

“Our New Orleans is a testament to the power of music to heal and provide a sense of community,” said Marguerite Oestreicher, Executive Director of New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity. “Musicians helped the city heal after Hurricane Katrina, and Musicians’ Village helped them come home. We’re grateful to Nonesuch and everyone who worked on this album. 

 

Joe Henry prooduced songs for this record by 'Allen Toussaint', 'Irma Thomas' & 'The Dirty Dozen brassband' .

Behind the scenes of Heath Cullen's upcoming album

Heath Cullen has released a trailer for his upcoming album. The album will be released on April 17. (2 weeks later then earlier mentioned).
Besides producing, we find out that Joe also has written the lyrics for Song that I know on this album.

It was also Joe's first active producing session after the cancerdiagnosis. Like he says himself in the clip : "When you see Heath Cullen, thank him!"


Anyway; I ordered my copy, now it's up to you !










And have you heard Heath's version of Time is a Lion  ?

A playlist of Joe's work

Hello Everyone out there,

(I assume like a lot of people,) I find myself at home with much more time on hand then I'm used to.

Anyway, It gave me some time to prepare something I wanted to do for a long time, and at the same time, it will give you 6+ hours of listening pleasure.


I've made a playlist,... a totally incomplete, but still impressive list spanning Joe's entire career. You'll find a unique mixture of songs, with 1 thing in common. Joe Henry was involved in it.

Now that it is made, I'll keep on adding songs to it as they come.

Enjoy the listen,
and take care of yourselfs and others.
Greetings,
Stefan

T Bone Burnett & Joe Henry at Carnegie Hall

On November 13, Joe Henry and T Bone Burnett will join the stage at Carnegie Hall. It is an event hosted, and curated by Rosanne Cash.
The event is booked for the Zankel Hall, (Capacity : 599 seats). 

Tickets are currently only available for Carnegie Hall subscribers.  

Since it opened in 1891, Carnegie Hall has set the international standard for musical excellence as the aspirational destination for the world’s finest artists. From Tchaikovsky, Dvořák, Mahler, and Bartók to George Gershwin, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Judy Garland, and The Beatles, an honor roll of music-making artists representing the finest of every genre has filled Carnegie Hall throughout the years.

An album, produced by Joe and T Bone Burnett, for Jerry lee Lewis is in the makes.  

Well people : Get yourself organised I would say !

Bob Dylan @ Carnegie Hall

Springtime in the Heart; Heath Cullen

Could be filed in the section : 'Is there news about this one... ?' :  Suddenly I was thinking : "Is there news on the Heath Cullen Album ?"

And there you go, The album will be entitled 'Springtime in the Heart'. It will be released on April 3rd.

You can pre-order the album ath his website : https://music.heathcullen.com/



further info : 
Produced by Joe Henry.

Recorded & mixed by Pete Min at Lucy's Meat Market, Los Angeles, CA. Mastered by Kim Rosen at Knack Mastering, NJ.

Heath Cullen: vocals, guitar right
Adam Levy: guitar left
Jay Bellerose: drums & percussion
Jennifer Condos: bass guitar
Levon Henry: reeds
Patrick Warren: keys

A new co-producing project

Startribune wrote a review of Joe's show in Minneapolis. Those who've read it, couldn't miss the following :

Henry shared another reaffirming recent moment in his life: co-producing a gospel album in Nashville for Jerry Lee Lewis, whom he described as “frail, quickly fading and only half-way in this world” but still able to give voice to powerful music.

Rolling Stone has some more info on it. From them we learn, that it is produced, also, with T-Bone Burnett.

picture from rollingstone magazine

 Late last month, the 84-year-old Lewis booked a recording session — his first in more than five years — to see if he could still make music. The idea was to begin a long-planned album of gospel classics that he’d known since his childhood in Ferriday, Louisiana — songs he knew before he helped kick-start rock & roll with hits like “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire.” Before the session, Lewis told his team and producer T-Bone Burnett that he didn’t want a piano in the room at all: his right hand wasn’t working, and he just wanted to sing. But they kept one in the room just in case. When Lewis sat on its stool, he couldn’t help but lift his right hand onto the keys. To his own surprise, his fingers started moving.

To be continued of course. 

 Edit February 24 : 
Joe has confirmed this info.

T Bone and I produced this collaboratively; and it was an incredibly moving experience for me.

— Joe Henry (@JoeHenryMusic) February 23, 2020

 

Podcasts for you !

There are 2 great podcasts to listen to these days when you appreciate Joe's work, and the people close to his 'music-making-proces'.

Allison Russel (Birds of Chicago) in 'Musings of the Artist, (Honest) conversations with Montse Andrée'

 

It's a wonderful conversation to listen to.... The importance of Art, (Personal) history and how to deal with it, Gender, love, resilience, life, connection,... 

Music Makers and Soul Shakers with Steve Dawson, Episode 78 Kim Rosen

For those interested (like I am) in the practical side of getting a recording to its audience, wether it will be on CD, LP, Digital Format.... (Don't worry, it's not getting to technical.)

Kim Rosen is a Mastering Engineer, and has worked numerous times with Joe Henry, Ryan Freeland, Birds of Chicago,... 

Hear her talk about what Mastering is, and how it is evolving, the challenges in the Digital era and the constant changing business,  and how she came to work for Ryan Freeland.... 

If you are new to Music Makers and Soul Shakers : Make sure to dig in to other episodes. Joe himself, but also Ryan Freeland, Kenneth Pattengale, and many more have already been a guest. 

Enjoy the listen !

Greetings,

Stefan. 

'There is no other' concert in Belgium (And the fragility of it all)

Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi made an incredible album entitled 'There is no Other'. It was produced by Joe. 

Last weekend the 'There is no other' Tour came to Belgium. It will not surprise you, it was a concert I couldn't miss.

I have seen Rhiannon play a few times over the last few years, and it was again a joy to hear her sing, and see her perform. It was, as always, a privilege to enjoy her music, her storytelling, her wisdom, Grace and joy. Off course this time, I got to see and hear Francesco Turrisi also perform live. The fact that he is an incredible musician is already documented on their (and other) album(s). It is even more incredible to see him perform. You'll never find the Tambourine a simple instrument to play after you've seen this. (And I think Freddy Mercury is verry proud a 'Queen' song made it in to the set).
But besides that, we also got to know Francesco Turrisi, the Entertainer. It was wonderful to hear his stories and funny anecdotes. And Yes! I do hope that projector will be arranged next time you come over. (Just kidding of course).

Jason Sypher exquisitely completed them on Upright Bass. Like Rhiannon told us : "It is not easy to explain a trio in a duo-show".

Anyway, Rhiannon advised us, for our own good health, to take a walk during intermission towards the merchandise table, and off course I'm a good boy...

In my albumreview I wrote about seeing and hearing those songs in a more 'formal' enviroment. Yes, I did got to sit in a soft red seat, and I really had all those lovely people around me. But then the path of reality and fantasy took different directions. And it was a wonderful reality we received. But that evening, that reality, also displayed for me once again, the fragility of live performances. (Whether it is music, dance, theater, .... ).
I deliberately say 'for me', because these are all thoughts that go through my mind. So, it's OK if I've lost you from here on in this post.

The music we received on sundayevening can not be ordened in a specific box. Like Rhiannon also explained us, they try (and succeed) to blend so many forms of music. Not only Popular, but also f.e. Opera and so on.
I'm sure, for an artist, it is important to surround that Art with all those same intentions. Just like trying to give the right surroundings to your children.

And then you go on tour...

You step in to a van, and a part of your Art becomes dependent on the circumstances of the places you visit. Take for example a Chef who spreads his own reccipe around the world, but the final spices are left open to choose by whomever cooks the dish.
It is only those, who truly understand the recipe, and the intentions of the Chef that will choose the perfect spices. That will make the difference between receiving that great meal, and receiving, as if it was cooked in heaven.
I don't think we (I speak in name of my Country) could offer the circumstances to Rhiannon, Francesco and Jason that emphasised their Art on sunday. I'll leave the details of that for when we can talk in real life, but subtleness is not helped with standard services.

To worsen it all : After the break, 2 loud feedbacks occured through the monitor, within 2 minutes. Just when Francesco started playing the piano, a loud noise shot out of his monitor. For us, it was even loud! How it must have been for him, sitting only 1,5m away from it.... He literally jumped 2 meters back. As if he felt the need to justify his reaction towards the audience, he explained how dangerous that can be for your hearing. But Francesco : "There was no need to explain it. It is indeed dangerous."
(It is only fair to mention that I am working almost my entire professional career now, on the technical side of entertainement, so I have the advantage of that extra knowledge, in comparison to the bigger part of the audience.)

Naturally, when this happen to you, as a musician, you are thrown out of balance. You have to regain your trust in the equipment around you, and the people handling it. It affects your performance. But also the audience itself feels it. We all know technical stuff can provide technical issues, but suddenly we are verry aware of it, and it takes a while to forget about the practical side of shows again. The atmosphere in the room has to be rebuild again...

That's why I think, 'I'm on my way' didn't have the power it can have.
That's why I think we didn't spontaneously jump up, clap our hands, and sing along with the last song.

It is all so fragile.....



Rhiannon, Francesco and Jason : "Don't let it come to your hearts. I am looking forward to seeing you again. You are one of the best !"

With Love,
Stefan.

Grammy nomination for Rhiannon and Francesco

'I'm on my way', from the album 'There is no Other' is nominated for the grammy Best Americana Roots Performance. 




Not only did Joe produce the album, but he also wrote this song.

The other nominees are :

SAINT HONESTY by Sara Bareilles
FATHER MOUNTAIN by Calexico And Iron & Wine
CALL MY NAME by I'm With Her
FARAWAY LOOKby Yola

On January 26th we will find out who the winner is. 
good luck !

News about the Heath Cullen Album

It's little over 1 year since there was news of Heath Cullen making an album with Joe as producer.
We found out the news because Australian fundings had been made public.It was presented as a project of Heath Cullen with Joe Henry and Jim Keltner.

A few months ago I asked Joe what the prospects where for this project.

Heath and I continue to look for an opportunity of time that works for us both. As well, we collectively have some grand ambition for this project, and a number of very particular people (Jimmy Keltner not least of which) who we are still figuring how to get all in the same room together.

Since a few days, you can help in a crowdfunding campaign (Pozible) to help and make this possible. A record to be called 'River Caught the Flood'.
Remember : Public fundings help, but don't cover it all.

I’ve been working hard to save my pennies for the last couple of years to make this dream come true, and I’m grateful to have the support of The Australia Council of the Arts and Create NSW to help a little ways towards this project.

BUT.. I still need a helping hand from my Pozible people to get this dream together and out into the world. I have no record label to pay for this stuff, no people behind the scenes pulling strings for me. My hope is that enough of you want to hear this record as much as I want to share it with you. (Heath Cullen)

It seems like Jim Keltner will not be on board, but Joe's regular tribe will be there : Adam Levy, Jay Bellerose, Jennifer Condos, Patrick Warren and Levon Henry.  And I assume Ryan Freeland will be there also... ?
The recordingdate is set : July 15th in L.A.
And to give you and idea, there is a first song co-written between Heath and Joe.



So go and contribute to this. Visit : https://www.pozible.com/project/new-album-produced-by-joe-henry/

Greetings,
Stefan. 

Sound is the artform

Ever since performances were held indoor, people have been trying to control the light for their shows. But many people consider Adolphe Appia(1862-1928) as the founder of Lighting Design. His approach towards this element of stage play changed the game forever. He didn't use lamps only to make something visible. No, he used the light itself as a scenographic element. It was not (only) the items that were shined upon that were important. It was the light itself... 

Adolphe Appia - Orphée et Euridyce de Glück

“I don’t want to make the same record over and over again,” Rhiannon Giddens said to Rolling Stone Magazine about her latest album with Francesco Turrisi. 'There is no Other' is indeed something else. To say even more : It stands out !

Like all of the new albums I buy, I also listen to this one now mostly in the car. While driving I noticed something peculiar started to happen. When traffic was easy, I noticed there were parts of the drive I hadn't been aware of, because of the music. Well now, for traffic safety it is probably not OK, but it actually proofs how deep I'm sucked into this music.

I don't really listen to these songs separately, don't really focus on the lyrics, but I am deeply absorbed by the music itself. Music that is defined by each sound you hear, and it is so well stored on tape for us. That's amazing...! As if the energy of those days in Dublin has been recorded. With different energy, we probably would have had a different audible experience.Rhiannon and Francesco have created their universe with this album.

Just like Appia made light itself the expression,
...Like poetry can be defining by the words itself
...Like so many dancers with whom the movement itself is more exciting then the total choreography,
 I received an album where each sound is more defining my experience then the whole... I received an album where sound itself is the artform.


It is therefore that this album stands out. I enjoy it the most when there is nothing to distract me. I am going to listen to this one in the dark one day I think, with nothing else but sound, as if it is being played in my living room. It can only be better with Rhiannon and Francesco being really in the room, and nothing distracts me...

'There is No Other' deserves to be performed with the grace of a classical performance, on the program these wonderful songs.

There goes the bell to take your seats. Do you hear it ?
Parterre, seat D22,
and I slight in to my soft red seat, with all these lovely people around me.

Lights go out...
We forget the world around us for a little while.

Total dark, and then there is sound.
Gently a lightbeam becomes visible, and leads me to hands moving on an instrument. Oh to see these subtile human movements.

A beautiful voice from somewhere...
"Ten Thousand Stories..."
And slowly that voice gets an equally beautiful face.
Each expression, movement, note, sigh,... We are in that world.

Rhiannon and Francesco's world.

My first listen to 'There is no other'

What you will be reading is actually an experiment. I am typing my stream of thoughts during my first listen of this album. I also feel it honest to not edit too much of all this. You will be able to read this within the hour after I have done listening to it. 

This could possibly become one of my strangest posts, but I was thinking, that maybe there is no more honest way to write about a record. 

OK, here we go.  

With high expectations it is only right now that I'm hearing this album for the first time. 'Ten Thousand Voices' has just begun, and I'm immediatly struck by the clarity of the recording. It genuinly sounds like Rhiannon and Francesco are standing in front of me, but strangly and in contrast with that fact : Rhiannon's chanting takes me away in to an imaginary reality.

These songs are taking me, like a Gypsy, around the world. It is the untouchable proof that there is beauty all over the world, and if all this beauty comes together, magic happens. It truly is overwhelming ! If you sit down with this, and listen actively, then "Where are we ?"  Yes, I am sitting in my livingroom, and I know this was recorded in a studio. But these are physical facts. Where in this world is my mind ? A word of advise : Close your eyes when you listen to this record. It will put a spell on you.

I don't know how close these recordings are to the ideas Rhiannon and Francesco had, but it feels so genuine, so true! I believe every sound I hear.

Wow ! 'Pizzica di San Vito' is shaking me out of my mindstream. I didn't see that one coming. It feels like a I'm being pulled into a dance, where my bones are not yet accustomed to. Neither can I resist it. The same thing happens with the piano in 'Black Swan'. I just thought I absorbed that song, and then that Piano happens. It's amazing.

I really love these Arabic influences. You know something ? This album is really hypnotising me. How do you do that Ryan and Joe ? How do you put this atmosphere on tape ? And I know you'll say something like : "It takes musicians like Rhiannon and Francesco, and magic happens !" . But how do you channel that magic in my livingroom, in my mind ?

Oh wait, 'Little Margaret'. The fullness of that sound.... I'm letting it all come in, but that sound is going through my entire body. It has something to do with the frequency of the instrument that is interfering with the vains in my body. It's making them tremble. I already had that with the first single 'I'm on my way'. That song is the authority walking in the room, and you can do nothing else then accept it.

All that is left is Amen in 'He will see you soon'.

What have you recorded back in Ireland ! Were all the elements of th Universe exactly in place those days ? This is amazing !

It's quiet in the room now, but not in me. It doesn't let me go.

That's my favorite word to use about an artist

New Rising Appalachia single (featuring Ani DiFranco)

Listen to this wonderful new single from Rising Appalachia's upcoming album.

The single is entitled : "Speak Out", and was Premiered at brooklynvegan.com



The song features Ani DiFranco.

"Our all-time favorite righteous musician/activist/hero/babe Ani DiFranco textured it perfectly with her anthemic and potent voice, and brought our full vision to life here.”

Rising Appalachia 

In 2004, Joe co-produced together with Ani, her Album Knuckle Down.

Rising Appalachia's album is coming out this friday the 3rd.

Full Tracklist:

I Believe In Being Ready
Harmonize
Speak Out (Featuring Ani DiFranco)
Love Her In The Mornin’
Shed Your Grace (Featuring Trevor Hall)
Sadjuna
Make Magic
Sassafras
Sunny Days
Cuckoo
Indigo Dance (Featuring Maurice Turner)
Resilient

There is no Other

Oh Yes I'm excited !

Have you heard the first single I'm on my way from the upcoming Rhiannon Giddens &Francesco Turrisi album ?



It sounds impressive !
Really :  Rhiannon, Francesco, Ryan and Joe; What a powerful sound ! song !

I can't wait to hear the rest of the album entitled 'There is no Other'.

It will be released on May 3th, and is already available as a pre-sale.

Listen to a conversation with Rhiannon and Francesco on the label's website : www.nonesuch.com/

And now, you can find me knock-out somewhere in a corner. 

'Demon Seed' by Doug Seegers

Listen to the first single of Doug Seegers' upcoming album 'A story I got to tell'. The album is produced by Joe Henry.

Here is Demon Seed



The album will be released on May 31. You can already pre-order it.

Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi

Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi recorded an album last summer, produced by Joe Henry.

They are currently touring in Ireland and have given some info for this record in a few interviews.

Photo : Karen Cox

The duo have a forthcoming album, recorded with Joe Henry at Windmill Lane, and it is a musical voyage of discovery from Africa and the Middle East across to Europe and the Americas. They discovered a shared creative ground after their paths crossed a few years back, spanning gospel, jazz, blues, country and folk, but this is their first nationwide tour of Ireland.(source)

What we can expect from this voyage we can read in another interview. In this interview they speak about the current tour.

"We’ll play an Appalachian ballad with an Iranian frame drum normally used by Sufis for trance,” Turrisi says, “but you know, there’s almost a trance element to the ballad singing and the resonance of the large frame drum gives a kind of a drone effect. And we have a minstrel tune on the banjo with a Sicilian tamburello [an Italian tambourine]. And an old time American tune connected to a Brazilian forró sound. They seem to go hand in hand: we’ve discovered improbable connections that somehow work.”

further on in the interview Rhiannon explains :

I’m discovering so much about how invisible, othered and dismissed the Islamic world is, in terms of the massive effects it had on European music and culture,” Rhiannon continues. “For example, the massive impact it had on the African continent, the number of Muslim enslaved people there were in the Americas: way more than people think. It’s a really huge topic and we’re barely scratching the surface. But even having some of the rhythms and modes that Francesco has been working on through his music for so long match up so well. The way that both of us approach music is very similar because we’re both very educated about where the music is coming from. But when it comes to playing, we’re both just playing what we feel.

The interview for the Irish Times announces 'an' album for the coming month of May.
I must admit.
I'm intrigued by all of this, and looking forward to it.

Greetings,
Stefan.