A salut to Birds of Chicago

 "Farewell is not Goodbye..."

 ...was the news 'Birds of Chicago' gave us last week. For an indefinite period of time they will put this project to rest, and walk other paths. The most important in that is Alli's solo career, with her first record coming up later on the year.
I remember the first time I spoke with them in 2016, Alli already mentioned an idea of a solo-record. Do you remember that, Alli ? Because that idea,... I hope it will be made one day... And with the same enthousiasme I'm looking forward to your first one.

 

 

It is no surprise that 'the Birds' crossed my path when Joe produced 'Real Midnight'. I had to look it up again, it was January 2015 when I mentioned them for the first time. They had just announced a crowdfunding-campaign for that Joe Henry-produced album.

Verry quickly, continuing over the years, I fell in love with their music. Their spirit and kindness. I've seen them connecting with their audience. I remember the first time I saw them perform in Belgium. It was not long after the ISIS attack on Brussels Airport. There was a lot of fear among people over here in those days. And in that moment;  especially Alli had an amazing openness. People came to her with their sorrows, and she comforted them and gave them strength. 

You start with being as loving and kind to the people that you come in to daily contact with. (Allison Russel, 2016)

The last time I got to see them perform was in 2018 for the 'Love in Wartime' tour. After a wonderful show, I found it for myself a little 'over-the-top' to purchase both : and the CD - and the Vinyl, so I just went for the CD. Looking back I should have gotten both it seems.
You see, even today, I still genuinly love the artwork of that album. (Designed by Fetzer Design, photography by Yves Assad). It reminds me of Vinyl-artwork from Blue note records in the 60's, combined with a 70's moviestill.  That design passes the test of time. It remains wonderful. The CD is still on display in my house, but it deserves even more. 

They would be back in April 2020, but the corona pandemic made that impossible. So actually guys... You owe us a last set of concerts over here.
... I'll leave that hanging in the air....

And look now, 6 years later, The birds have grown, and it's time to leave the nest.

JT and Allison have become friends over the years. I just don't get to see them a lot. There is an ocean between us, and I am not really a globetrotter. So I was always looking forward to the moment when their schedule hit European grounds.
I had the privilege to enjoy their company over here, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again in whatever constellation. (This Pandemic has to end someday...) 

Tonight they are going out with a blast !

Much love and greetings,
Stefan

Our “Farewell is not Goodbye” show is this Wednesday in celebration of @SigSoundsRec 25th Anniversary - we’ll be joined by the inimitable @Nailbiter16 - we love y’all
To stream: https://t.co/PIUziwThDZ pic.twitter.com/sUaamQwdVC

— birdsofchicago (@birdsofchicago) February 9, 2021

Songs From Quarantine

 Joe shared a new song called 'Mission' on a digital album called : 'Songs from Quarantine'. 

Besides Joe, the album features Rodney Crowell, Ry Cooder, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, John Leventhal, the Milk Carton Kids,....

The album will only be available for 2 weeks. (It was released on February 5th, 2021) Find it on bandcamp.

Your purchase is helping the Music Health Alliance :

All proceeds will benefit Music Health Alliance, who offers support to the music community nationwide, including critical mental health and COVID-19 resources in addition to access to healthcare, medicines, diagnostic tests, health-related debt relief and more. Every $1 raised equals $30 in Healthcare Resources to #HealTheMusic!

 

Surrendering Into Song: A Joe Henry Songwriting Workshop Series

 Old Town School of Folk Music is hosting a 3 part Workshop with Joe Henry. 

This 3-part series starts with a 90min presentation Surrendering Into Song: A Joe Henry Songwriting Presentation on January 21. Then, on January 28 and February 4 Joe will meet for 120min with a limited number of students to get in-depth with their own songwriting. Students should plan on bringing ideas to the table, solve problems with each other, devise strategies as a group, talk broad philosophies about songwriting, and just generally roll up their sleeves!

 

Find all the info, and register on their Website. 

Founded in 1957, the Old Town School of Folk Music provides a wide range of music, dance, theater, and visual arts courses to people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Whatever one's interest, the Old Town School provides broad access to more than 700 accredited class offerings, private lessons, and workshops that span an array of artistic genres.

 

Much Love,
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' .

Spanish version of 'Flesh and Blood'

Spanish musician Luis Moro has released this year his 8th album 'Norteamericana aquí'.

 It is an album with Spanish versions of songs by Calexico, Iron & Wine, Devendra Banhart , Sharon van Etten, Ani Difranco, Wilco, Warpaint, ... and Joe Henry. 

He translated 'Flesh and Bone' from Tiny Voices.  It is entitled  'Carne sangre y hueso'

Come over here, and let me carry you

First day of the Autumn holiday,
First day of our second lockdown.

Hello you all,

A few small things passed by for me these last few days. Maybe it was coïncidence, maybe it had to be. Who knows. 

It gave me the necessity to write this post. 

Feeling more and more worrying people around me, about everything that is going on, I offered them as comfort Birds of Chicago's 'Real Midnight'.

Real midnight’s gonna come

But yeah that’s alright

We will be as the stars

And put holes in the night

In 10,000 years

they’ll see our love shine

When they’re lying on their backs

Looking up through the pines

Lift me up lift me up

Don’t cut

Me down

Suddenly I noticed the connection of this song's task with one of the most beautiful songs in my own language : 'kom hier da'k u draag' by 2 brothers, known as Kommil Foo. Freely translated it means : Come over here, and let me carry you. 

Today, for us over here, I believe it to be the most important song to listen to. And actually, I think the words of this song can also offer comfort to you, dear reader.

So I took the liberty to translate it. (I hope the Brothers Mich and Raf feel OK with this. If not; just let me know). 

So here it is for you : 

For the man who wake's up early in the morning
Who'm life has hit him hard in the face
Who drinks his coffee with courage in despair
Reads his paper, walks his oversized dog -

For the mother on a bike with her child,
Fighting fiercefully against the rain and strong wind,
Who wonders when that long awaited
dreamlife will finally begin.
For the busdriver

For the baker on the corner and his Thai wife
 - Who smiles so beautifully
and talks on and on - but
you can't understand a word she says, even though you try
For the garbagemen behind the truck

For the boys on the subway-
For the worker on the roof eating his lunch

For that man, that brave man
Who refused to hate, although
the biggest injustice was layed upon him

For the poet
Who had to remain silent,
who  had to crawl, but who, in his head,
kept his head up straight all the time

For every Godforgotten drunk
in every Godforgotten bar
who shouts along with the refrain
For the minister and his rest at night
The farmer and his toothache
For the people in the room, each one of you
All of you

Come over here,
And let me press you to my chest
Touch my heart, let me move my hand through your hair
So that I can ask you if you'd like a drink,
coffee maybe, perhaps a glass of wine ? -  and then you can say
You'd rather be left alone,
That's OK - but maybe
you do want to talk

You do want to tell me what's on your mind
What presses your shoulders
Every doubt
Every missed opportunity
Every question you didn't ask
Everything you believed in all those years which you regret today
Every victory, every defeat -

Come over here, and let me carry you -
Come over here, and let me carry you -

For the skinny girl,
For the boy on the bridge -
For the elderly lady with here purse and her back straight up proud

For the neighbour and her incompetence
to simply be content -
For the newborn child who already knows everything
For Marc, who never fiited in, simply
because he tried too hard -

For Mary, Lisa,  For André,
For you

Come over here,
And let me press you to my chest
Touch my heart, let me move my hand through your hair
So that I can ask you if you'd like a drink,
coffee maybe, perhaps a glass of wine ? -  and then you can say
You'd rather be left alone,
That's OK

Or perhaps
You ask me if I'd like a drink
Because maybe I want to talk
I want to share my heart
What presses my shoulders
Every doubt, every missed oportunity
Every question I didn't ask
Everything I believed in all those years and I regret today
Every victory, every defeat -

come over here, and let me carry you -
come over here, and let me carry you -

Original Lyrics : Mich and Raf Walschaerts

 

The Working Songwriter

 Listen to a great podcast with Joe Henry.

Joe Pug hosts a monthly conversation with one of today's best songwriters. 

The acclaimed songwriter and Grammy winning producer joins us to talk about his journey and his creative process.

This week's episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle (https://bandzoogle.com) and Coresound (https://coresound.onelink.me/SKgp/13a3994f)