Northern Roots

The peepers are out and the sugar houses are full. It’s been a busy month- I’ve been enjoying a much-needed break from touring, but in the “downtime” I’ve been working on seven separate CD projects. The biggest news is that my new solo CD Soul of the January Hills is coming out in a little over a month on Appleseed Recordings! In my next newsletter I’ll include a coupon you can use on my website to get the CD at a friends and family price. (Well, I usually don’t charge my kids anything at all, but that’s different).

"Soul of the January Hills" cover, beautifully designed by Sonya Cohen

Soul of the January Hills, in case you’re new to the email list, features 14 songs for solo voice recorded in a single take in a tower on the perimeter wall of a Benedictine abbey in southeastern Poland. It’s really a different experience to listen to the songs done this way. I’d almost say it represents a different way of life with a slower pace, tighter focus and deeper engagement. For me the stories come to life in a way they rarely do in more elaborate arrangements (although I love doing that too). The songs are a mixture of old hymns, ballads and love songs, the main theme being that each was exactly what I felt like singing in the moment. The whole thing flows really differently from a studio CD or even a live CD.

Here’s a description and brief status update of the other six projects:

- Josh Billings’ Voyage: the long awaited northern roots solo CD featuring appearances by Laura Risk, Peter Irvine, Eliza Cavanaugh and hopefully a surprise or two. It’s finally almost done, but I have no idea when it’ll come out or on what label.

- Hope: This is the even much longer awaited Northampton Harmony CD of songs from D.H. Mansfield’s American Vocalist (recorded in 1997!) The original plan was to have it out for the book’s 150^th anniversary in 1998, but 2010 is Mansfield’s 200^th so it seems as good a time as any. It should be out by summer on Bison (suitably located just a few miles from Mansfield’s home in Hope, Maine).

At D.H. Mansfield's grave in Hope, Maine, September 2008

- The Old Burying Ground: done and coming out in June on Dorian! Keep an ear out for this amazing symphonic piece by composer Evan Chambers.

- Star in the East: a solo Christmas CD of old standards and cool shape note tunes mostly for voice, bajo sexto and hand frame drum with a little dulcimer and maybe some handbells for good measure. Hopefully it should be something of an antidote to the trans-Siberian orchestra. It’s also just about done, but I don’t have a label for it yet.

- Cordelia’s Dad double live CD: “in the can” as they say, but no label yet. We’re trying to get it out before the summer and will probably end up just putting it out ourselves. The band will be doing a reunion show in Sidmouth, England in July- the first time we’ve played with Cath in 10 years, so book your flights today!

- Speaking of Cordelia’s Dad, a version of the band just recorded a track for an English compilation called Oak, Ash and Thorn. More news to come.

Along with all the recording work I’ve had some great singing opportunities. I had a great time singing at the Ohio State Sacred Harp Convention near Dayton last month, a couple of weeks ago at the Western Mass convention and a few days ago we had a little Harp of Ages singing at the house. In Dayton I taught the longest one day singing school ever -from 9 until 5:30. It was exhausting, but fun, and I really appreciated the singers there bringing me out. We had a really nice singing the next day and ridiculously good food both days.