I am happy to say that the official release date for the new Singers disc on Cryptogramophone, DRAW BREATH, is nearly upon us. I am out here on the road with Wilco at the time of this writing, and Moday, those who attend our show in New York will been able to buy this rather attractive and multi-faceted document a day before the official release date of June 26th.
The CD package is adorned with artwork by painter Angela DeCristofaro, most of it done just for this release. I suggest that you visit her website (www.beznic.com) to see and learn more. As for the music, it's the usual mix of loud, soft, structured, free, trad, avant... There are two pieces on which I play acoustic steel-string guitar only, which is a bit of a departure for The Singers. It is rather amusing to me to note how many people are surprised to learn that I play acoustic guitar, but these people knew nothing of my efforts in the eighties with Quartet Music and the like. They were barely even born! But I actually played MOSTLY acoustic guitars in those days. Weird! Anyway, Devin Hoff and Scott Amendola do their usual cogent-verging-on-visionary contributions (OK, I like my band!), and Glenn Kotche, best known as the octopus-like tubsman in Wilco, adds a panoply of sonic wonders to the last piece on the disc. Thanks, Glenn!
I want to thank my pal and constant enabler Jeff Gauthier for continuing to release this music at a time when it is such a blatantly quixotic (read:insane) endeavor. His support and commitment to the music and artists he cares about is non pareil in the extreme. And I encourage all of you out there to continue to seek out non-pop expressions such as ours and, if you dig it, to support it. Maybe buy a CD! These Cryptogramophone ones look really cool! And they sound good, too...
Some people are wondering when/if The Singers will come to their town on tour in support of DRAW BREATH. In light of all the touring I am doing to support the new Wilco record, coupled with the financial unfeasablility of such ventures these days, it might be awhile before a Singers tour can be mounted. Devin has also joined Oakland band Xiu Xiu and will tour extensively with THEM next year. But the desire is there. Don't rule it out! In the meantime, we will be trying to squeeze in as many little gigs this year as we can.
OK, it's almost time to hear another set by one of the best bands ever in this land, Low. And if you like connecting the dots as much as I do, check out their influence on my music as represented on the three Singers discs (all on Crypto) - it's there.
By the way, for all you guitar geeks out there, I am adding a list of all the guitars I played on DRAW BREATH, but I am not going to tell you where I used them.
Love to all, N
6/20/07 Charlotte, NC
Guitar Geeks - click below...
Addendum:
GUITARS USED:
- Fake Fender Jazzmaster (Fender neck and vintage hardware, mystery body, Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups)
- 1952 Martin 00-17
- 1977 or '78 Taylor 12-string
- 1996 Jerry Jones 12-string
- 1996 Jerry Jones baritone
- 1968 Hofner Galaxie
- Electar lap steel (old...)
- National New Yorker lap steel (old...)
- 1966 Eko (forget the model name/number, sorry)
- homemade (not by me) Silvertone/Teisco hybrid electric sitar
Yes, I used a bunch of effects pedals, but by now all you gear freaks know my preferences!
There were 2 pieces recorded for DRAW BREATH that didn't make it on the disc, and it's still to long! They were "Revenge of the Pinata" and Thelonius Monk's "Jackie-ing". They may emerge as treats/coercion some day.
As was reported on my website, we also recorded a series of 13 free pieces on which Scott and I used no electronics/effects, and I played a jazz guitar with flatwound strings (!) only. I call it "The Nels Cline Singers Go Tangent!", and maybe we could release the 10 best improvisations someday on the 'net or on vinyl in tribute to the late great Howard Roberts. That said, this overflow has just whetted my appetite to do more in this vein, so who knows? More to come. Bye for now...
