Suppressing The Muse

So I have been relatively disengaged with music over the past year or so. While I play my guitar daily, I haven't made an effort to really learn anything new or to push myself in the way of writing or performing. Not sure why exactly. In fact, I haven't even listened to much music over the past year, and haven't bought any music in OVER a year. I've been engaged in some cathartic life-altering decision making and there just wasn't much room in my brain for music. Regardless, I'm playing a show here in Santa Monica at McCabe's Guitar Shop on January 6th as an opener for Ernest Troost. Ernest has coaxed me into playing some banjo on a couple of his tunes, so here I sit, practicing my banjo and trying to write a tune or two. I've also started listening to Elvis Radio and Classic Soul on the free XM radio that came with my car (by the way, the XM radio was supposed to be active for only a three month trial period, yet it still works. Is it, that if I were to pay I would receive more channels, or did they neglect to shut me down...? In any case...) I have to admit that I'm feeling the pull a bit more, so maybe I'm "back"... maybe...?

Rant

I'm out of a job. Now you would think that unemployment would be the perfect time to maybe get some songwriting done, right? Wrong. Apparently, the time one lacks whilst slogging through successive workdays is not nearly as much an impediment to creativity as are the impending financial woes that could result from joblessness. So as I sit with my resume, and several unfinished songs before me, I decide--cathartically--to write in my little online journal. Why? I have no idea. I suppose I just wanted to feel what it was like to actually write something for a change; you know, to formulate thoughts, put them into words, and see if they make any sense. How am I doing? All the while, CNN is broadcasting perpetual coverage of the civil unrest in Egypt, and I have the volume turned down. Every now and then I turn it up and revel in the fact that I am witnessing the collective power of people to effect real change, whatever that change might be... Then, slowly, cynically, I realize that the end result will, in all likelihood, be some sort of compromise in which an opportunistic demagogue will be "elected" to power; one who is sympathetic to either pro-Israeli western interests, or to some branch of fundamentalist Islam. Either will ostensibly be in favor of some vague notion of democratic reforms, but will simply reinforce the path of least resistance; that is, the path that furthers the interests of the rich, powerful, and devout. The day-to-day lives of average Egyptians with modest aspirations probably won't improve... ok, I guess I'll try and write a song now.

Me at McCabe's Guitar Shop

Sound check at the hallowed folk venue. This was actually a real gig... they paid me and everthing! Pretty spooky... from the green room all the way down the steep nautical-grade stairs to the stage, the erie tension of heros, musical history, and ghosts. The pictures that-literally-fill the walls of upper McCabes, pictures of just about anyone you can think of from the folk/singer-songwriter world, e.g., Peter Case, Tom Waits, John Hammond, Townes Van Zandt, etc... serve as cruel intimidation, inspiration, and validation. We'll just have to see if they'll ever have me back... sigh...

So... I've given a bunch of CDs to a radio-promotions liaison named Jared Ingersol. Jared has sent my CD to some 180 people for airplay and print/blog review. So somewhere near you a song from "Folk-Worn Prose" is--hopefully--being played on a volunteer staffed folk-radio program, at a community station, broadcasting on a relatively low-watt signal, out of some building that was originally otherwise-purposed (like a strip mall unit or school-district-owned facilities management shed) and hundreds of people who would not have otherwise heard, say... "The Rise And The Fall Of It All" will be either basking in the sweet sounds; professing utter indifference; or... something much worse. So if you know of such a radio station, feel free to call 'em up or email them and request a track or two from the new album. Thanks, in advance...

Shaun

Folk-Worn Prose

New CD is out!

You can find it at CD Baby as both a physical product and as a download

It's also at iTunes and probably some other places.

Also, if you find a little time, please give it a review at either place; helps make

it look legitimate... check it out.

Just finished a 7 day tour of British Colombia as part of Trisha Gagnon's band that consisted of both the eminent John Reischman, and the ubiquitous Jim Nunally. It was a tour in support of her debut recording "A Story About You And Me" which I sang on, along side such luminaries as Vince Gill, Peter Rowan, Tony Furtado, i.e. Why me? you ask, not sure exactly, but as the story goes, she typed into Google something about "best country singer in California", and my name was, like... third!!?? I know, weird right? In any case, she gave a listen and apparently liked what she heard; next thing I know, I'm on the album. Then, the NEXT thing I know, I'm on stage in Penticton, B.C. with John Reischman, Jim Nunally and Trisha Gagnon who, besides being part of the 10 year juggernaut "John Reischman And The Jaybirds," have played along side many of the greats of Bluegrass (David Grisman, Tony Rice, etc...). Anyway, it was an honor, as well as a good time. I'll let you know if anything else springs forth...

Oh... here's a picture of me with John's Lloyd Loar...

Nova Scotia w/ Cahalen Morrison

Ahhh, Nova Scotia in January; perfect time for a tour. I was here with Cahalen Morrison as part of the "In The Dead Of Winter Music Festival." Good times, cold, but good.

They have giant Kit Kat bars in Canada, who knew?

Why is Cahalen stunned? This is why...

Them Canadians sure know how to porridge!!!

This is at a place in St. Andrews, New Brunswick called Salty Towers. It was old, crooked, and really cold, and possibly haunted, but very cool. I'm told it's quite the place during tourist season!

A Little Chesnutt...

Several years ago, when I first moved to LA from Detroit I got a job in a studio as a tape op/Pro Tools guy. The studio (Penguin Recording) did mostly transfers, that is, transferring audio from one format (usually analog reel-to-reel tape) to another (usually digital files and/or CD references). We did a lot of work for all the major record companies and, as a result, did a lot of the transfers for various reissue projects from their massive catalogs. As you can imagine, I got to hear the original masters of some pretty incredible music, stuff that the general public will never get to hear; stuff like out-takes from a recording session with Aretha Franklin and a four piece funk band; In-studio performances by Bonnie Raitt; the multitrack masters from various Paul Simon sessions; every single 1/4" stereo recording of just about every Yes concert (from Steve Howe's personal stash)... Anyway, one of my top-five all time projects at that studio was when a funky little 4-track cassette came in. We had to rent a Fostex four track to do the rough mixes and transfers (due to the fact that 4-track cassette isn't really considered a professional format). Now, for every completely awesome, incredible, mind-blowing project that came through the door, there were at least 8 or 9 nightmare projects that were anywhere from mediocre to unbearable, so this little cassette didn't seem very promising. I hit play on the deck and began trying to get some basic levels and do some EQ-ing (I would usually get 1 or 2 passes with this stuff). By the time I got to the 3rd or 4th song I was slightly hooked and by the time we got to the 5th or 6th track, "rabbit box", I was a rabid fan! It was definitely unlike anything I had ever heard. In fact, the barely credible guitar playing and quirky dialect screamed at my rational mind to hate it, but instead, I thought it was one of the most amazing things I had ever heard. I couldn't quite explain it. The words painted such unusually vivid pictures and the language was completely unique, colloquial and sophisticated at the same time... That cassette was the "Little" session for Vic Chesnutt, produced by Michael Stipe (of REM); it was one of the maybe dozen musical-paradigm shifting experiences of my life... seriously.

Vic Chesnutt died on Christmas and as someone who is usually pretty unaffected by death, even untimely ones, I was truly saddened. Sad for his family and his friends; sad that the exorbitant cost of healthcare in our country played a large role in his passing; sad that I won't get to hear any new Vic Chesnutt songs; sad that I won't ever get to see him perform live; sad that, seemingly, only shitty music prevails (where did that one come from...); and just... sad, I guess... maybe it's partly the holiday blues or whatever... whatever. Anyway, I'm going to go listen to West Of Rome; that song "Steve Willoughby" kicks ass...

I opened for John Hammond and David Lindley down at Brixton Southbay in Redondo Beach. It was fun and an honor to meet and get to share the stage with the legends!!! In short... twas badass.

Here I am in-the-round with Randy Sharp, Jack Wesley Routh, and Dillon O'Brian. Collectively these guys have written some incredible songs, songs that people have recorded... people you've heard of!!! People like Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Susanna Hoffs, Joe Cocker, et. al. So you might ask yourself, "what the hell is Shaun doing up there"?

Not exactly sure myself, but Randy asked me to do it, so I wasn't about to decline. It was real fun by the way!!!

2009 FAR-West Conference

This is me doing my Premiere Showcase sound-check at the 2009 Folk Alliance Region West Conference. My actual showcase went pretty well and was well attended. I think people dug it and I got a few local gigs out of it... Below is Nicole Gordon, Ernest Troost and me getting ready to sing "Prayin' On What Goes Down Must Come Up," a song that Nicole and I wrote for an independent film called Gaia. Ernest wrote an awesome mando part for it... we should record it!!!

I'm not keeping up with this blogspot stuff very well, but I will attempt to make up for it in the next couple of weeks...

In any case, here's a photo of me at the Key Club in West Hollywood...

Yes, that is a naked woman above me, and yes there were far more graphic photos that I could have chosen. I'm not positive, but I'm somewhat sure that I'm the only folk-based-singer-songwriter to have ever played an Adult Industry Party (to you non-Hollywood types, that would be a PORN party...) In any case it was a good time. Thanks to Matt of Matt's models for being a fan and for asking me to play his shindig. Unfortunately I wasn't able to stick around for the panties and pasties contest that was hosted by none other than Ron "The Hedgehog" Jeremy himself, perhaps next time...

Well, where do I start? These past couple of months have been action-packed...
I'm currently in the middle of what I'm calling a West Coast Tour, a significant part of which
is spent doing television work here in LA, where I live... (they are shooting Dexter on the lot where I work, that's a picture of me with his boat 'Slice Of Life' above...) . In any case I still managed to log some 8000 miles! My jaunt took me to Central and Northern California where I played some great venues, met lots of new friends and bonded with some old(er) ones. I even got to play for some kids at a Native American Reservation school where they start their day out with a drum circle and the burning of sage! Of note was Evangeline's Café run by Evangeline Elston. The place is up in Colfax, California, a great little town up near Grass Valey/Nevada City. Evangeline was incredibly hospitable and the venue is all about the artist. She runs it a bit more like a house concert. I joked with her that I didn't know whether to tell everyone that I knew, or to keep it a secret; it's really that kind of place. I should also mention Kenny Schick, Sabine Huessler, and David (DB) Walker. Sabine and Kenny set up an incredible show for us and really brought out an amazing crowd. They are incredibly dedicated artists and they work their asses off. They also happen to be REALLY GOOD; you should check them out. DB is also incredible. He started our 2 hour round with a dead-on-cover of a Chris Whitley tune and ended it with a tune about masturbation... beat that... no, not THAT!
I then camped in Ashland, OR and stayed at a Motel 6 outside Portland, mainly because it was new and smelled ALMOST like a NICE hotel! While up in Portland, I coaxed the incredibly adept fingerstyle blues-woman, Mary Flower, into coming out to my gig at The Mississippi Pizza Pub. The next day I went to a centennial bridge ceremony for the Hawthorn Street Bridge that she played a few songs at, the mayor was there and a woman they call the Bridge Lady. Very interesting. Definitely not the average experience of a person just traveling through. Afterwards Mary let me do laundry at her house, made us a salad and we jammed a bit. I think we're friends now. After Portland I headed over to Sisters for the Dave Carter Memorial Song Contest... that is perhaps a post in-and-of-itself; more on that later. Oh, I didn't win, but it's OK... many other great things happened.

Healdsburg Guitar Fest

This is me and friend/luthier, John How (maker of my guitar). This is in front of his booth at The Healdsburg Guitar Festival. Below is me doing a demonstration of John's guitars. I think that's one of his little concert size guitars, they're all nice!

How Now Brown How...

Here it is! My new custom John How Grand Concert delivered straight to my door. I've been breaking it in since I got it, and it sounds sweet! It has a very dark, warm, even tone; incredibly balanced with a good bass presence. The best thing is that it also sounds amazing plugged-in! This baby has a K&K pure western in it and, I have to say, it suits the guitar perfectly. I've gotten more unsolicited compliments on this guitar's sound than on my Gibson or Collings, both of which sound damn good. In a couple of weeks this here guitar and I will be up in Healdsburg, California at the bi-annual Healdsburg Guitar Festival. I'll be demonstrating this and other excellent John How guitars to an audience of enthusiastic guitar nerds (much like myself). By the way, I go on right after 1993 National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion Tim Sparks, maybe the last guy you want to follow doing Guitar Rags, as he is the undisputed master (along with a dozen other genres, including Fado, Brazilian, and Klezmer!!!). But no matter, it will be fun and exciting and hopefully a chance to meet some good people. I'll be sure and do a post about it from the road...