Tue, 07/12/2016 - 11:31 am

Comin’ at you September 9 straight outta Nashville: The Time Jumpers radiant third album, Kid Sister, on Rounder Records.  This treasury of 14 tunes—new and classic—is both a sweet tribute to the band’s late “girl singer,” Dawn Sears (the “Kid Sister” of the title), and a sparkling celebration of western swing and traditional country music.

For the uninitiated and yet-to-be dazzled, The Time Jumpers is a 10-piece band made up of superpickers who normally work recording sessions and/or tour with major artists.  On Monday evenings, their usual night off, they convene at the 3rd & Lindsley nightclub in Nashville for shows that routinely pack the house and attract big name artists, many of whom join them on stage.

“A Nashville institution," The New York Times raved, “with fans often making pilgrimages from abroad.”

The band members are Vince Gill, vocals and guitars; Kenny Sears, fiddle and vocals (and Dawn Sears’ husband); Joe Spivey and Larry Franklin, fiddles and vocals; Paul Franklin, steel guitar; "Ranger Doug" Green, guitars and vocals and founding member of the Grand Ole Opry’s Riders In The Sky; Billy Thomas, drums and vocals; Jeff Taylor, accordion, piano and vocals; Andy Reiss, guitars; and Brad Albin, bass.

Gill produced Kid Sister with the entire band creating the arrangements. 

Kid Sister track listing

1. “My San Antonio Rose” (Freddy Powers)

2. “I Miss You” (Vince Gill, Ashley Monroe)

3. “We’re The Time Jumpers” (Vince Gill)

4. “Table For Two” (Vince Gill, Max D. Barnes)

5. “Empty Rooms” (Doug Green)

6. “All Aboard” (Paul Franklin)

7. “Blue Highway Blue” (Debi Smith Cochran, Billy Thomas)

8. “I Hear You Talkin’” (Cindy Walker)

9. “The True Love Meant For Me” (Vince Gill)

10. “Honky Tonkin’” (Vince Gill, Troy Seals)

11. “Bloodshot Eyes” (Hank Penny)

12. “Sweet Rowena” (Vince Gill, Pete Wasner)

13. “This Heartache” (Kenny Sears)

14. “Kid Sister” (Vince Gill)

The Time Jumpers will take selections from Kid Sister and other crowd favorites to the people starting Thursday, July 21, at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, OK.  From there, it’s to the Globe Performing Arts Center, Amarillo, TX, July 22; the Civic Center Theatre, Lubbock, TX, July 23;and 16 more dates, including a West Coast swing in September and October. 

Pre-order information will be available later this month.

Mon, 12/05/2016 - 11:44 am

The always witty Vince Gill and the reliably wry Lyle Lovett are reuniting for a nine city tour that will take place  March 2017.  After teaming up for a series of concerts in 2015 and 2016, Gill and Lovett saw that the shows were so successful that they decided to extend the tour.

A reviewer for Elmore Magazine raved, “The evening reminded me of the Rat Pack, with pals Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra doing comedy and music and having a great time. . . . This was not the show I had looked forward to—it was much better.”

Each show will be a series of  intimate solo and duo performances, during which the artists will serve as their own accompanists.

"For a night like this, there is no plan," Gill said. "I know Lyle won't have a plan, and I won't either. What he plays will inspire me, and probably vice-versa. It'll be like playing ping-pong. Whatever song he chooses to sing will inspire the next song that comes out of me."

“I enjoy shows that are not planned out,” Lovett observes. “This will be two songwriters in the round. It’s informal, so there will be lots of ad-libbing. It will be like little snapshots of our experiences.”

Both performers have reaped armfuls of Grammys and kindred laurels for their musical versatility and memory-engraving songwriting.

 "Just two guys sitting on stools, telling stories and singing songs," Gill says. "No big bands.  I saw James Taylor once with just him and his guitar, and after that show I felt like I knew him a whole lot better than I ever did before. That's what'll happen between Lyle and me, too, and I'm looking forward to it."

HERE ARE THE DATES AND LOCATIONS:

March 22 -- Thousand Oaks, CA --  Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza 

March 23 -- Mesa, AZ -- Mesa Arts Center - Ikeda Theatre

March 24 -- Las Vegas, NV --  The Smith Center for the Performing Arts - Reynolds Hall

March 25 -- Reno, NV --  Reno Ballroom

March 26 -- San Francisco, CA --  Nourse Theatre

March 27 -- San Rafael, CA --  Marin Center

March 28 -- San Jose, CA --  City National Civic

March 29 -- Visalia, CA --  Visalia Fox Theatre

March 30 -- Santa Ynez, CA --  Chumash Casino 

Wed, 02/08/2017 - 12:06 pm

Jenny Gill will release her debut EP, The House Sessions, February 17.  The autobiographical collection of songs—five of the six of which Gill wrote or co-wrote—blends blues, Americana and country to create a sound and style as unique as she is.

“Every song on this project takes me to somewhere in my past,” she says.  “My favorite songs to write are those that reflect personal experiences instead of just telling a story.”

Rolling Stone Country recognized Jenny as one of the “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know” commenting that Gill “sounds like a magical mixture of good genes, hard work and the discovery of one’s own voice.”  Gill also released a music video of the track “Lonely Lost Me,”  a clip that features her adorable 2 1/2 –year-old son Wyatt.

Gill, of course, springs from country music royalty.  Her father is Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill, and her mother is Sweethearts of the Rodeo’s Janis Oliver. Her step-mother is Christian and pop superstar Amy Grant, with whom she has toured as a backup singer for the last six years.

"Jenny and I were camping at Bonnaroo the first time she played me a work tape of 'Your Shadow,’ stated Grant.  "The song stopped me in my tracks. That she had waited months to play it for anyone was a mystery to me. In that moment I knew she was a creative force to be reckoned with. Her lyrics are thought provoking, her melodies effortless and haunting. I am a true fan."

“People have a preconceived perception of me because of my name, that I am country or that my talent should be at a certain place because of my parents’ accomplishments,” she says. “It’s hard to get people to notice you on your own and not for being a plus-one. So that is what The House Sessions is attempting to do. I am done waiting in the wings wondering what could happen.  I’m ready to try and build something all on my own.”

In producing The House Sessions, Vince Gill tapped some of Nashville’s finest musicians, among them Sheryl Crow, Willie Weeks, Jack Pearson and Jon Randall.

Jenny will be performing in support of her album release.  Upcoming appearances include:

Saturday, February 11    The Grand Old Opry

Tuesday, February 14     Bluebird Café/Nashville, TN

Friday, February 24        The Listening Room/Nashville, TN

Friday, March 10             Franklin Theatre/Franklin, TN

Saturday, March 11         TN Kidney Foundation Presents "Bright Lights, Nashville Nights"

Wed, 07/05/2017 - 6:42 am
One of America’s most beloved songwriters will be honored September 15 with the release of the Vector Recordings album A Tribute to John D. Loudermilk.
 
Among the more than two dozen musicians memorializing the composer of  “Tobacco Road,” “Abilene,” “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye,” “Waterloo,” “Indian Reservation,” and “A Rose and a Baby Ruth” are Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Ricky Skaggs, Rodney Crowell, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and renowned guitarists Tommy Emmanuel and John Jorgenson.  The evening was hosted by songwriter and music historian Peter Cooper.
 
A Tribute to John D. Loudermilk was recorded live March 24, 2016 during a concert at the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee, near Nashville.  Although ailing at the time, Loudermilk was on hand to witness this outpouring of love and respect.  He died September 21 at the age of 82.
 
A film of the concert will be released as a PBS special. Grammy-winning John Jorgenson produced the album and was musical director for the concert.  Dixie Gamble, who organized the concert, is co-producer of the album and is overseeing production of the PBS special.  A Tribute to John D. Loudermilk will be distributed by BFD in association with Sony/Red Distribution.
 
Loudermilk found inspiration for his songs in the raw material most people overlook—a lovesick teenager’s peace offering, the magnetic pull of birthplace, the inevitability of personal failure. In addition to hosting the live event, Peter Cooper was also tapped to write the liner notes for the project.  “In life and love and song, Loudermilk hated moderation,” writes Cooper.  “He wasn’t just a seeker of truth and beauty, he was a finder. He found it, he learned it, he kept it, and then he shared it with us seekers.”
 
Equally adept at writing rock, pop and country hits, Loudermilk had songs recorded by the Allman Brothers, Edgar Winter, Jefferson Airplane, the Animals, Johnny Winter, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Casinos, the Everly Brothers, Petula Clark, Perry Como, Brenda Lee, Roy Orbison, Sammy Davis Jr., the Box Tops, Rick Nelson, Stonewall Jackson, Ernie Ashworth, Eddy Arnold, George Hamilton IV, Skeeter Davis, the Browns, Connie Smith, Webb Pierce, Barbara Mandrell, George Jones, Bobbie Gentry, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Doc Watson, Sonny James, Anne Murray, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson, James Brown, Solomon Burke, Nina Simone, Norah Jones, Jay Z and Kanye West.
Fri, 09/15/2017 - 8:10 am

One of America’s most beloved songwriters is being honored today, September 15, with the release of the Vector Recordings album A Tribute to John D. Loudermilk.

Among the more than two dozen musicians memorializing the composer of “Tobacco Road,” “Abilene,” “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye,” “Waterloo,” “Indian Reservation,” and “A Rose and a Baby Ruth” are Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Ricky Skaggs, Rodney Crowell, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and renowned guitarists Tommy Emmanuel and John Jorgenson.  The evening was hosted by songwriter and music historian Peter Cooper.

A Tribute to John D. Loudermilk was recorded live March 24, 2016 during a concert at the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee, near Nashville.  Although ailing at the time, Loudermilk was on hand to witness this outpouring of love and respect.  He died September 21 at the age of 82.

All artist royalty proceeds will be donated to MusiCares. MusiCares was established by the Recording Academy to safeguard the health and well-being of all music people.

A film of the concert will be released this Fall as a PBS special. Grammy-winning John Jorgenson produced the album and was musical director for the concert.  Dixie Gamble, who organized the concert, is co-producer of the album and is overseeing production of the PBS special.  A Tribute to John D. Loudermilk will be distributed by BFD in association with Sony/Red Distribution.

Loudermilk found inspiration for his songs in the raw material most people overlook—a lovesick teenager’s peace offering, the magnetic pull of birthplace, the inevitability of personal failure. In addition to hosting the live event, Peter Cooper was also tapped to write the liner notes for the project.  “In life and love and song, Loudermilk hated moderation,” writes Cooper.  “He wasn’t just a seeker of truth and beauty, he was a finder. He found it, he learned it, he kept it, and then he shared it with us seekers.”

Equally adept at writing rock, pop and country hits, Loudermilk had songs recorded by the Allman Brothers, Edgar Winter, Jefferson Airplane, the Animals, Johnny Winter, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Casinos, the Everly Brothers, Petula Clark, Perry Como, Brenda Lee, Roy Orbison, Sammy Davis Jr., the Box Tops, Rick Nelson, Stonewall Jackson, Ernie Ashworth, Eddy Arnold, George Hamilton IV, Skeeter Davis, the Browns, Connie Smith, Webb Pierce, Barbara Mandrell, George Jones, Bobbie Gentry, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Doc Watson, Sonny James, Anne Murray, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson, James Brown, Solomon Burke, Nina Simone, Norah Jones, Jay Z and Kanye West.

Thu, 01/18/2018 - 12:50 pm

“The question is not, how do we get diversity into bluegrass, but how do we get diversity back into bluegrass?” asked Rhiannon Giddons during her keynote at the 2017 IBMA conference.  The answer is Nefesh Mountain.  Yes, Beneath The Open Sky is a bluegrass album. Yes, some of its lyrics are sung in Hebrew. No, it isn’t a gimmick or a parody. And, no, it’s not klezmer music. 

That being said, let’s hear Beneath The Open Sky for what it really is: a soulful, euphoric, folk-flavored outpouring of hope and joy, propelled by the kind of crisp, crystalline picking that gives lyrics wings. It’s a distinctively Nefesh Mountain sound.

On March 2, the husband and wife duo of Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg, will release Beneath The Open Sky, their second full length album and follow up to their critically-acclaimed self-titled debut Nefesh Mountain. The recording was very much a hands-on undertaking for the couple, writing or arranging all 11 songs, as well as co-producing the entire project from start to finish. They recorded it with the instrumental backing of Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Tony Trischka and David Grier, aided by Nefesh Mountain’s touring band members, Alan Grubner on fiddle and Tim Kiah on bass.  A dazzling picker in his own right, Lindberg provides lead guitar and banjo throughout, while Zasloff soars with some of the most melodic, incisive and soul-stirring vocals we’ve heard since Mary Travers first took the spotlight.

Using original material, along with four tracks drawing from the folk and old time traditions, Lindberg and Zasloff ingeniously create a beautiful arc throughout Beneath The Open Sky which defines their own genre and world as they see it. Their message is clear from the album's opening track and rousing call for universal equality “Bound For The Promised Land," to the closing of their haunting rendition of Irving Berlin’s “Russian Lullaby." Throughout these songs, you can hear the foundational similarities between bluegrass and Jewish traditions, notably the lure of “home,” the love of nature and the comforts of a like-minded community. Jerusalem Ridge, Rocky Top, Flint Hill and Nefesh Mountain are clearly parts of the same eternal chain. 

Both native New Yorkers, Lindberg and Zasloff have long and strong ties to bluegrass. “I grew up in Brooklyn,” says Lindberg, “but my dad’s side of the family, which was not Jewish—he converted when he married my mother—lived in rural Georgia. I would go down and hang out with my uncles, who were great guitar players. We’d hike the Appalachian Trail and listen to old-time music. Something in my soul always responded to this deep, ancient, and undeniable feeling that I had from being down South in this heartland of America.”

“We want to have a chance to share our story with everybody,” Zasloff adds. “There is this word ‘Americana’ that we all know well and is used a lot these days, bridging the gaps somewhere between Old-Time, Bluegrass, Folk, Blues and Jazz which all have deep roots in this country. For me, the beauty of all of these forms of music is that at their core they are about people, they are about this amazing world, and they are about life. That is where we are coming from with Nefesh Mountain; somewhere in the long chain of music and ideology that gives us the opportunity to open people’s minds and hearts to our culture and heritage. We’re all in the same boat here. We’re all trying to figure it out.”

Sun, 02/28/2021 - 2:27 pm

Pasadena Records’ artist Sean Della Croce is a songwriter with a voice powerfully tuned to every story she tells. Her debut album, Illuminations, is released today.

Della Croce (pronounced Della Crow-chee) has forged a style all her own with this latest project. Illuminations is a blend of folk wisdom with Americana heart and a truly alternative soul. The record is rooted first and foremost in Della Croce’s poetic lyrics—the 12-track album is comprised entirely of original songs. Della Croce plays guitar on the album as well. 

“There have been a few instances in my career when listening to a song or a collection of songs reveals a talent for songwriting so immense that I cannot contain myself or my desire to immerse myself so completely in the music, says label head Bob Divney. “That has been the case with Sean Della Croce. The sublime vocal performances and the artful lyrical turn of phrases is what makes Sean’s forthcoming album, Illuminations, great art. Songs like ‘Then, Now,’ ‘Monument,’ ‘Rebecca Henry,’ and the title track ‘Illuminations’ reveal a craft so subtle that it’s hard to believe this is Sean’s first studio album. Careers in music are made from capsules of time and place, and I have no doubt these songs will mark this time when Sean’s music will become part of the greater culture.”

Sean Della Croce

Illuminations was produced by LA-based musician and producer Alan Deremo. Della Croce is joined on the album by a crew of amazing musicians including renowned steel guitar player Greg Leisz and vocalist Mollie Weaver. 21-time Grammy winner Vince Gill also appears on “Break in the Rain,” where he adds his signature lead guitar to her arresting vocal. Della Croce’s light-touch fingerstyle playing shows flashes of influence from her late stepfather, the well-known guitarist Pete Huttlinger.

Illuminations is available on all digital platforms.

Sun, 04/11/2021 - 2:30 pm

Bluegrass/Americana band Nefesh Mountain announced today the release date of their much-anticipated upcoming album. Songs For The Sparrows, on Eden Sky Records, will be available through all platforms on June 11. The record is the follow-up to their previous releases, Beneath the Open Sky (2018) and Nefesh Mountain (2016). Recorded at Nashville’s historic Sound Emporium, Songs For The Sparrows was produced by band founders, husband and wife team, Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff.

Since their arrival on the scene in 2015, Nefesh Mountain has been hailed as one of today’s formative boundary-pushing bluegrass Americana bands. They're among the first to truly give voice and openly represent Jewish American culture, tradition, values and spirituality in the world of American roots music.  In a testament to the unbridled imagination and extraordinary grace of their musicianship, each track on Songs for the Sparrows ineffably evokes the sensation of roaming through the unknown. True to the album’s spirit of loving inclusivity, Lindberg and Zasloff have created an elegantly wayward sound by melding elements of everything from Americana and Appalachian bluegrass to Celtic folk and Eastern European music. Not only a reflection of their vast musical knowledge, that open-hearted embracing of so many eclectic genres also speaks to the joyful curiosity that animates every aspect of their artistry.

L-R: Grubner, Lindberg, Zasloff, Johnson, Goldenberg (Photo credit: Lawrence Rickford)

Writing 13 of the 14 tracks, the duo looked back on a life-changing trip to Eastern Europe in 2018. “We tracked down the towns where our families are from, and it was devastating to see the destruction of the Holocaust firsthand, and to know that we’re not so far removed from that time,” says Lindberg. “Songs For The Sparrows ultimately came from that experience, and from thinking about the many groups of people who are horribly discriminated against in the U.S.” Zasloff adds, “To us, sparrows represent a small but mighty voice. That’s why we chose to name the album for them—they’re often overlooked, but they’re beautiful and everywhere.” Lindberg and Zasloff are the heart of this eclectic band, alongside longtime bandmate and fiddle player Alan Grubner, David Goldenberg on mandolin, and Max Johnson on bass.

In addition to the core band, the album also features an all-star lineup of musicians including Jerry Douglas (Dobro), Sam Bush (mandolin), and Bryan Sutton (guitar). “Jerry and Sam are part of this amazing group of bluegrass musicians who really blew the doors off the whole genre back in the ’70s and ’80s, and paved the way for folks like us to bring in all kinds of influences,” says Lindberg. “So, while this record is in many ways a celebration of American music, it’s also our attempt to introduce some otherworldly elements that you may not get from pure Americana.”

In that spirit, Lindberg and Zasloff brought aboard Celtic phenoms John Doyle (guitar/bouzouki) and Mike McGoldrick (whistles) to help achieve this global sound. “Celtic music is such an integral part of our lives as American roots musicians” says Lindberg. “We wanted to share our love of Scots-Irish music in a number of these songs as a way to bring in a European influence, and for us was such an honor to record and collaborate with two of our favorites, John and Mike” 

Additionally, the album features stellar players Jeff Taylor (accordion, piano, dulceola), Wes Corbett (banjo), and John Mock (bodhran).

Nefesh Mountain amps up to the release of Songs For the Sparrows with the majestic lead single and video titled “Wanderlust”—a gloriously cascading tale of two perpetual travelers setting out on a new voyage, slightly wary but unshakably determined. “We wrote this song as a reflection of our lives as touring musicians out on the road, and the trials of being away from home so often,” explains Lindberg. ‘Wanderlust’ also draws inspiration from the ancient words of ‘Traveler’s Prayer’ which were said by our ancestors—a prayer offering protection for the journey ahead.”

Both native New Yorkers with a lifelong affinity for bluegrass, Lindberg and Zasloff founded Nefesh Mountain in 2014 and released their self-titled debut in 2016. “Bluegrass and acoustic music have always spoken to us—something about the sound of acoustic instruments creates the perfect landscape for very truthful storytelling,” says Lindberg. Through the years, they’ve built a devoted following on the strength of that storytelling and their spirited live show

“This album is very much a celebration; it’s about adventure and endurance and pushing through the difficult times,” says Zasloff. “We’re looking at some painful things in these songs, but it always comes back to the idea of persevering and letting love be your fuel.”

Sun, 05/02/2021 - 2:03 pm

“Somewhere On This Mountain” premieres today as the second song and video from Nefesh Mountain’s upcoming Songs For The Sparrows album. The track features award-winning musician Jerry Douglas as special guest.

Throughout Songs for the Sparrows, Nefesh Mountain illuminates its gift for imbuing old-soul wisdom into songs with a potent sense of urgency. On “Somewhere On This Mountain,” written by the bands’ founders Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff, they deliver a confessional performance that precisely captures the anxiety so endemic to modern times, but in the end provides some much-needed solace—thanks in no small part to the track’s softly shimmering tones and soul-soothing harmonies.

“The song is a duet, and since we are also husband and wife, it is somewhat autobiographical in nature,” says Lindberg. “But it also speaks to any two people who are trying to connect in a world where it is all too difficult and seemingly impossible. The idea is that even if we disagree, don’t see eye to eye, or can’t even physically see each other, we still all have to coexist on the ‘mountain.’”

So I don’t mind the days

I’m on the uphill climb

Or when I’m lost

Among the mist and the trees

Or when I lie awake

Under a lonesome sky

If you’re somewhere on this mountain with me

Zasloff adds, “We’ve had the amazing privilege of collaborating with some of our very favorite musicians for this album, and Jerry Douglas is not only a long-time hero of ours but has also become a very dear friend over the years, as well. “Somewhere On This Mountain” begins with Eric playing one the song's central themes; a hypnotic, looping, cross-picking guitar part, while Jerry paints these broad strokes in the background evoking images of forests, rivers, and clouds passing by. I think people will see that visual come to life in the video."

Fri, 11/26/2021 - 1:25 pm

Boundary pushing Bluegrass/Americana band Nefesh Mountain is kicking off the holiday season with a new one-time series for Hanukkah called 8 Nights with Nefesh Mountain! Beginning this Sunday, November 28 the band will begin an eight-night run, releasing new music videos from its recent album Live From Levon Helm Studios: A Hanukkah/Holiday Concert. Each video and accompanying story from the band will be released at 6:00 PM EST for each night of Hanukkah, and will be posted on its YouTube channel, as well as Facebook and Instagram pages.

Additionally, the band's televised special, Nefesh Mountain Live: A Hanukkah Holiday Concert, will air nationally on JLTV between November 28 - December 4. Recorded at The Barn at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY in 2020, the concert special features original material, a selection of handpicked classic bluegrass tunes, and other often-overlooked Hanukkah songs. Here’s a complete list of dates and times:

Nefesh Mountain Live: A Hanukkah Holiday Concert on JLTV
Sunday, November 28, 9:00PM ET and PT
Monday, November 29, 1:00PM ET
Thursday, December 2, 1:00PM ET
Saturday, December 4, 8:00PM ET and PT

On the first night of Hanukkah, Nefesh Mountain will be performing at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA. The venue will be streaming the show live, and the band founders Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff will light the first candle of Hanukkah. Streaming information can be found HERE.

Nefesh Mountain is currently on tour. You can find tour dates HERE:

Their latest album, Live From Levon Helm Studios: A Hanukkah Holiday Concert, is now available wherever music is streamed, and on their website HERE.