Description
**THIS IS A VINYL LP**
Release Date: 2025
Label: Independent
Track List
- While We Were Sleeping
- Canal Street Revolution
- Electrophysiology
- Black Diamond
- (Required) Listening Required
- While We Were Sleeping And Dreaming…
- 747 Days
- Incremental
- Heart Bursts & Soul Grins
- While We Were Sleeping & Dreaming Of Now
- Reverberations
- Heart Bursts & Soul Grins (Reprise)
- Bayou Diversity
Notes
I interviewed New Orleanian culture bearers (historians, poets & musicians), including Dr. Raphael Cassimere, Jr., Kalamu ya Salaam, Abe Thompson, and Carl LeBlanc, who spoke on first-person experiences of the sit-ins and the culture of New Orleans from the 60s onward. Afterwards, I spent a lot of time digesting the concepts discussed and realized it was deeper than just snapshots of historical events themselves, and are tied to the complex humanity and diverse range of emotions felt throughout the years in this unique city.
Audio clips from the interviews themselves set the stage for each musical experience, offering a deeper perspective into the sonic landscapes. Before each track was recorded, the intention of the song was held in focus and brings an added dimension to the proceedings.
The album was recorded by 12 musicians over two days at Artisound Studios in April 2023, engineered by Keenan McRae. It was then mixed by Joseph Faison IV, and mastered by Joe Berg at Cherry Creek Music. The cover painting is by Alex Harvie.
This process has been transformative for myself in many ways and I believe it could make a cultural impact in ways currently unknown, but so important to share as it contains oral history of this city, to understand from whence we came to have a clear vision of moving forward.
Canal Street Revolution is a piece of history and a conduit for changing minds, an introspective way to challenge deep seated beliefs.
Featured speakers
Kalamu ya Salaam (2,3,5,10,13)
Raphael Cassimere, Jr (4,5,7,8,11,12)
Abe Thompson aka Nbugu Kenyatta (4,9,13)
Carl LeBlanc (6)
The musicians include –
Peter Varnado – drums (1,4,5,6,10,11)
Doug Belote -drums (2,3,7,9,13)
Matt Booth -bass (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10,11)
Michael Torregano, Jr. – piano (1,3,4,5,6,7,10), organ (2), Rhodes (11)
Glenn Hall – trumpet (2,3,4,5,7,9,13)
Bryce Eastwood – tenor sax (2,3,4,5,7,9,13)
David Bode – alto sax (4,5,11,13), bari sax (7,9)
Wes Anderson – trombone (8), tuba (7,9,13)
Edward “Juicey” Jackson – trombone (8,9,12,13)
Colin Myers – trombone (8)
Ari Kohn – flute (11)
Evan Oberla – composer, trombone (all but 12), piano (2,9,12), Rhodes (4), vocals (2)
Keenan McRae – tracking engineer (Artisound Studios)
Joseph Faison IV – mixing engineer
Joe Berg – mastering engineer (Cherry Creek Music)
Alex Harvie – cover painting
Evan Oberla – visual design
special thanks to the Jazz & Heritage Foundation, MACCNO, and generous patrons of the community for helping facilitate this project.
