It's been awe-inspiring & enlivening to work on To Gentlemen (EP) & To Love To Leave To Live with this crew since last fall. Such creativity and care! The core players are captured in the polaroid above. L to R: Pat Keen on upright & electric bass; Shane Leonard on drums, percussion, assorted guitars & organs and co-production; myself on vocals, pianos, organs, guitars and co-production. And at the helm, a most delicate, dedicated and musical engineer, Brian Joseph. That man is a secret sonic weapon and unquestionably the 4th band member.
The other players:
Rob Moose (string arrangements & performance)
Mike Lewis (saxophone)
Alec Spiegelman (baritone clarinet & alto flute)
John DeHaven (trumpet & flugelhorn)
Ben Lester (pedal steel)
/// WHAT A FINE BAND & CREW MIXTAPE ///
1. The Blind Boys of Alabama w Shara Worden – I'll Find a Way (To Carry It All) // B. Joseph (engineer), M. Lewis (tenor & alto sax and bass)
2. PHOX – Slow Motion // B. Joseph (producer, engineer)
3. Bon Iver – Michicant // B. Joseph (engineer, mixing), M. Lewis (saxophone)
4. Cuddle Magic – Kiss You // A. Spiegelman (band member, songwriter, production, vocals, guitar & woodwinds)
5. Alabama Shakes – Guess How // R. Moose (arrangements, violin & viola)
6. Laura Marling – Soothing // R. Moose (arrangements, violin & viola)
7. Kalispell – Parting Ground // S. Leonard (songwriter, vocals, guitar, banjo, drums, percussion, programming), B. Joseph (producer, engineer, mixing)
8. The Tallest Man On Earth & yMusic – There's No Leaving Now // R. Moose (yMusic band member, strings & string arrangement)
9. Field Report – Marigolden // S. Leonard (drums, percussion, programming), B. Lester (pedal steel)
10. Anna & Elizabeth – Hop High // A. Spiegelman (production, woodwinds, programming)
11. Bon Iver – For Emma // J. DeHaven (trumpet)
12. The Stray Birds – Where You Come From // S. Leonard (drums, percussion)
13. Gayngs – Cry // M. Lewis (saxophone)
14. yMusic – Bladed Stance // R. Moose (yMusic band member, composition, strings)
15. Jennifer Kimball – Reedy River // A. Spiegelman (production, woodwinds)
16. Pat Keen – Albatross // P. Keen (songwriting, production, vocals, bass, guitar)
17. Humbird – August // P. Keen (bass)
18. Indigo Girls – Spread The Pain Around // B. Joseph (mixing)
19. J.E. Sunde – Wedding Ring // S. Leonard (drums, percussion), P, Keen (bass)