'The Gathering' by Laurelyn Dossett, Rhiannon Giddens, Mike Compton, Joe Newberry, and Jason Sypher. Meanwhile, the only performance by the band outside of North Carolina will be Saturday at City Winery. Here are some of the reviews we're reading:
"A breath of fresh, pine-scented air."
- LA Times
"What the season must have sounded like before shopping and Irving Berlin."
– The Wall Street Journal
"Superb."
– Chicago Sun-Times
"****"
– American Songwriter
"****1/2… It's a fresh approach to wintry music, with mountain-music instrumentation and crystalline harmonies."
– Houston Chronicle
"A nice change of pace, bluegrass style."
– Detroit News
"A welcome departure from the usual acoustic holiday fare [with] many highlights."
- Metromix
"A lovely piece of music."
- Raleigh News Observer
"It has a certain magic about it, this music, in the seeming ease of its instrumental virtuosity coupled to a spirit of friendship and common cause—there is not a moment on The Gathering that doesn’t sound free and impassioned, musicians having a great time playing with each other and giving their hearts to the task at hand."
– The Bluegrass Special
Click here for a video of Giddens and Dossett dueting on "String of Pearls."
Showing posts with label the gathering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the gathering. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
"String of Pearls" from 'The Gathering'
Rhiannon Giddens (of the GRAMMY-winning and Newport-playing Carolina Chocolate Drops) and Laurelyn Dossett (who wrote "Anna Lee" on Levon Helm's GRAMMY-winning album 'Dirt Farmer' and newly GRAMMY-nominated album 'Ramble At The Ryman) playing "Streams of Pearls" from their "superb" (Chicago Sun-Times) new holiday album 'The Gathering':
String of Pearls from Harvey Robinson on Vimeo.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
CHRISTMAS SHOW OF BEAUTIFUL FOLK MUSIC SET AT CITY WINERY DEC 17
ONLY NYC SHOW FOR ONE OFF GROUP OF CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROP, SONGWRITER COVERED BY LEVON HELM, MANDOLIN MASTER, PIEDMONT BANJO PLAYER, AND NEW YORK JAZZ BASSIST EXTRAORDINAIRE TO PERFORM MUSIC FROM STUNNING FOLK CHRISTMAS ALBUM 'THE GATHERING'
A one-off group of master folk musicians – including Carolina Chocolate Drop Rhiannon Giddens; Laurelyn Dossett whose song "Anna Lee" was covered by Levon Helm; master mandolin player Mike Compton whose credits include Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, John Hartford, and Elvis Costello; North Carolina banjo player Joe Newberry; and New York upright bass man Jason Sypher will perform their only New York concert December 17 at City Winery.
Of the album, Larry Campbell said, "The combination of heart and intimacy on 'The Gathering' feels like a warm wood-smoke fire on a cold North Carolina winter's night."
Metromix has already called the album "a welcome departure from the usual acoustic holiday fare."
Stream "Light In The Lowlands" here.
Check out video from the NC woods.
WHO: Rhiannon Giddens, Laurelyn Dossett, Mike Compton, Joe Newberry, and Jason Sypher
WHAT: A one-time only celebration of Christmas music from 'The Gathering'
WHEN: December 17, 2011
WHERE: City Winery, 155 Varick Street New York, NY
TICKETS: $25 in advance, $30 at door via City Winery box office or CityWinery.com
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Gathering publicity photos
L-R: Joe Newberry, Rhiannon Giddens, Mike Compton, Laurelyn Dossett, Jason Sypher
L-R: Joe Newberry, Rhiannon Giddens, Mike Compton, Laurelyn Dossett, Jason Sypher
Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens
Joe Newberry
Laurelyn Dossett
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
'THE GATHERING' A FICTIONAL STORY OF FAMILY COMING TOGETHER AND REAL STORY OF MUSICAL KIN
OR HOW A CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROP, A SONGWRITER COVERED BY LEVON HELM, AND A JOHN HARTFORD BAND MEMBER FOUND THEMSELVES IN THE NC WOODS RECORDING A WINTER & CHRISTMAS MUSIC ALBUM
'The Gathering' is both a song cycle of the prodigal daughter's return on a North Carolina winter night in the mountains and a story of six remarkable folk musicians coming together for a one-time only collaboration and finding uncommon personal and musical kinship.
The aggregation came together because Dossett (who wrote "Anna Lee" from Levon Helm's GRAMMY-winning album 'Dirt Farmer' and the new 'Ramble At The Ryman' album); Mike Compton (of Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, The John Hartford Band); Rhiannon Giddens (a member of the GRAMMY-winning and Newport headlining Carolina Chocolate Drops), famed old time musician Joe Newberry, and engineer and bassist Joe DeJarnette had all taught at the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, WV. Laurelyn has long been a mentor for Giddens as they are neighbors in Greensboro, NC. Bassist Jason Sypher (Irma Thomas, Clarence Gatemouth Brown) was a late but necessary addition to the crew.
The chemistry between musicians was immediately apparent when they gathered in the North Carolina woods to rehearse and record during a five-day period in August. Laurelyn Dossett says, "This record should not really have worked, but there were six on-the-job collaborators in one room. That we had not really played together and didn't really know the material was secondary to the fact of their incredible talent and true hearts."
Check out video on the making of the album.
Stream the song "Lights in the Lowlands."
Many of the musicians were introduced to the material, centering on a six-song cycle by Dossett commissioned by the North Carolina Symphony, the same day as they recorded it live in one room and virtually without overdubs.
New York-based bassist Jason Sypher said, "We have never all sat down knee to knee and played together and it was immediate chemistry from the first note on." He continues, "Respecting the music and each other created an atmosphere of warmth and fun that you can hear and feel on the final record. Recording live can be a little nerve wracking, but the immediacy of the music is worth the extra tension."
Engineer Joe DeJarnette observed, "This record captures the magic moments of true discovery, where everyone is listening closely and responding to each other in real time. The record feels as though you have the finest stringband pickers and singers in your living room sharing music, stories, and life at a holiday gathering. It was a rare and delightful opportunity to work with such talented creative musicians who were willing to just go for it live."
Roots music star Larry Campbell responded to both elements, saying "The combination of heart and intimacy on 'The Gathering' feels like a warm wood-smoke fire on a cold North Carolina winter's night."
'The Gathering' is both a song cycle of the prodigal daughter's return on a North Carolina winter night in the mountains and a story of six remarkable folk musicians coming together for a one-time only collaboration and finding uncommon personal and musical kinship.
The aggregation came together because Dossett (who wrote "Anna Lee" from Levon Helm's GRAMMY-winning album 'Dirt Farmer' and the new 'Ramble At The Ryman' album); Mike Compton (of Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, The John Hartford Band); Rhiannon Giddens (a member of the GRAMMY-winning and Newport headlining Carolina Chocolate Drops), famed old time musician Joe Newberry, and engineer and bassist Joe DeJarnette had all taught at the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, WV. Laurelyn has long been a mentor for Giddens as they are neighbors in Greensboro, NC. Bassist Jason Sypher (Irma Thomas, Clarence Gatemouth Brown) was a late but necessary addition to the crew.
The chemistry between musicians was immediately apparent when they gathered in the North Carolina woods to rehearse and record during a five-day period in August. Laurelyn Dossett says, "This record should not really have worked, but there were six on-the-job collaborators in one room. That we had not really played together and didn't really know the material was secondary to the fact of their incredible talent and true hearts."
Check out video on the making of the album.
Stream the song "Lights in the Lowlands."
Many of the musicians were introduced to the material, centering on a six-song cycle by Dossett commissioned by the North Carolina Symphony, the same day as they recorded it live in one room and virtually without overdubs.
New York-based bassist Jason Sypher said, "We have never all sat down knee to knee and played together and it was immediate chemistry from the first note on." He continues, "Respecting the music and each other created an atmosphere of warmth and fun that you can hear and feel on the final record. Recording live can be a little nerve wracking, but the immediacy of the music is worth the extra tension."
Engineer Joe DeJarnette observed, "This record captures the magic moments of true discovery, where everyone is listening closely and responding to each other in real time. The record feels as though you have the finest stringband pickers and singers in your living room sharing music, stories, and life at a holiday gathering. It was a rare and delightful opportunity to work with such talented creative musicians who were willing to just go for it live."
Roots music star Larry Campbell responded to both elements, saying "The combination of heart and intimacy on 'The Gathering' feels like a warm wood-smoke fire on a cold North Carolina winter's night."
Monday, October 31, 2011
LAURELYN DOSSETT: FROM NC SECRET TO NATIONAL STAGE VIA LEVON HELM'S BARN
DOSSETT BRINGS TOGETHER ROOTS ALL-STARS FROM CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROP TO JOHN HARTFORD BAND ALUM FOR 'THE GATHERING,' GORGEOUS ALBUM OF OBSCURE AND ORIGINAL WINTER AND CHRISTMAS MUSIC
If it weren't for Levon Helm, Laurelyn Dossett might still be one of North Carolina's best-kept secrets. Helm included Dossett's "Anna Lee" on his GRAMMY-winning album 'Dirt Farmer,' a surprise to her until its release, and his new concert album 'Ramble At The Ryman.' When she later opened a Midnight Ramble, Helm says, "There's the lady that wrote that beautiful song that sounds 300 years old."
This month, 'Dirt Farmer' producer Larry Campbell heard Dossett's most recent project, 'The Gathering,' a gorgeous union of Piedmont- and Appalachian-style musicians Rhiannon Giddens (of the Carolina Chocolate Drops), Mike Compton (John Hartford Band, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes), Joe Newberry (Big Medicine), Jason Sypher (Susan McKeown), and Dossett in a cycle of original and obscure music capturing a North Carolina winter night. Campbell said, "The combination of heart and intimacy on The Gathering feels like a warm wood-smoke fire on a cold North Carolina winter's night."
Check out video on the making of the album here.
Stream the song "Lights in the Lowlands."
Dossett has also graced the stage of Prairie Home Companion, with her band Polecat Creek.
Yet despite her status as a national artist, she captures the visions, characters, stories, smells, and kinships of her home state. 'The Gathering' grew out of – and revolves around – a six-song cycle commissioned by the North Carolina Symphony.
She is a recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Music Fellowship. North Carolina's Our State has praised "that crystalline, heart-tug of a voice that still makes people weep," continuing, "Dossett writes about our South and our dance with religion and nature, love and loss… She’s become a songwriter people say they can’t forget." Another local magazine O Henry echoed those comments, saying, "Dossett has a gift: storytelling. [And] her voice is pure honey."
If it weren't for Levon Helm, Laurelyn Dossett might still be one of North Carolina's best-kept secrets. Helm included Dossett's "Anna Lee" on his GRAMMY-winning album 'Dirt Farmer,' a surprise to her until its release, and his new concert album 'Ramble At The Ryman.' When she later opened a Midnight Ramble, Helm says, "There's the lady that wrote that beautiful song that sounds 300 years old."
This month, 'Dirt Farmer' producer Larry Campbell heard Dossett's most recent project, 'The Gathering,' a gorgeous union of Piedmont- and Appalachian-style musicians Rhiannon Giddens (of the Carolina Chocolate Drops), Mike Compton (John Hartford Band, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes), Joe Newberry (Big Medicine), Jason Sypher (Susan McKeown), and Dossett in a cycle of original and obscure music capturing a North Carolina winter night. Campbell said, "The combination of heart and intimacy on The Gathering feels like a warm wood-smoke fire on a cold North Carolina winter's night."
Check out video on the making of the album here.
Stream the song "Lights in the Lowlands."
Dossett has also graced the stage of Prairie Home Companion, with her band Polecat Creek.
Yet despite her status as a national artist, she captures the visions, characters, stories, smells, and kinships of her home state. 'The Gathering' grew out of – and revolves around – a six-song cycle commissioned by the North Carolina Symphony.
She is a recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Music Fellowship. North Carolina's Our State has praised "that crystalline, heart-tug of a voice that still makes people weep," continuing, "Dossett writes about our South and our dance with religion and nature, love and loss… She’s become a songwriter people say they can’t forget." Another local magazine O Henry echoed those comments, saying, "Dossett has a gift: storytelling. [And] her voice is pure honey."
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