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 CD BABY. You can buy a CD or download tracks from there, or on Itunes, 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.
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