It feels wonderful.

Here’s the first of a series.  I call it Sway. It’s a six color, reductive block print using only one block.  I made a limited edition of 25 numbered prints.

If you are interested in purchasing a print, contact me.

LaTosha Brown and Mark Growden. Photo by Peter Varshavsky

Myles Boisen, Peter Harris, and LaTosha Brown. Photo by Peter Varshavsky.

Mark Growden, Wendell Brunious, Loren Pickford. Photo by Peter Varshavsky.

LaTosha Brown. Photo by Peter Varshavsky.

Peter Harris. Photo by Peter Varshavsky.

Mark Growden, Eric Traub, Wendell Brunious, Loren Pickford. Photo by Peter Varshavsky.

Charlie Kohlmeyer. Photo by Peter Varshavsky.

Peter Harris. Photo by Peter Varshavsky.

Loren Pickford on the banks of the Mississippi River

I’m about to make my third record for Porto Franco Records.
I’m calling this one  In Velvet and I’m recording it with my New Orleans band.  They are incredible and I’m honored to work with them.

Here’s the lineup:
Wendell Brunious – trumpet and voice
Loren Pickford – alto saxophone and voice
Eric Traub – tenor saxophone
LaTosha Brown – voice
Larry Sieberth – piano/organ
Myles Boisen – guitar
Peter Harris – upright bass
Charlie Kohlmeyer – drums
Your’s Truly - voice and baritone saxophone

Both Saint Judas and Lose me in the Sand were recorded live-in-studio, but we’re taking In Velvet to another level.  We are recording the album live-to-two-track.  That means no separate tracks for the different instruments and no edits.  The process is immediate, transparent, and old-fashioned.   It also means that all the musicians will be standing in the same room and more of the magic of the moment will make it on to the tape.  To record this way, the ensemble needs exceptionally well rehearsed .  A major part of our rehearsal process is performing the material live in front of an audience.  So to that end, we’ll be playing three shows in New Orleans on June 13, 14, and 15 with the full 9 piece band.

Here are the details:

Photo by Rus Anson

The first two months of my Lose me in the Sand national tour take us through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. I’m bringing a trio featuring Clay Koweek on guitar and Colin Vance on fiddle and banjo. I hope we’re coming to a town near you.

Here are the details:

Wed. Feb. 23, 10pm – Taix Lounge – Los Angeles, CA
Th. Feb. 24, 9pm – LeStat’s – San Diego, CA
Fri. Feb. 25, 9pm – 9pm Club Fais Do Do – Los Angeles, CA
Sat. Feb. 26, 8:30pm – The Screening Room – Tucson, AZ
Sun. Feb. 27, 9:30pm – The Lost Leaf – Phoenix, AZ
Mon. Feb. 28, 7pm – Mothership Yoga Lounge – Truth or Consequences, NM
Tues. March 1, 9pm – Marfa Book Company – Marfa, TX
Wed. March 2, 8:30pm – The Starlight Theater – Terlingua, TX
Th. March 3, 7pm – House Concert – Call 512-789-3522 for reservations – Austin, TX
Fri. March 4, 8pm – Heights Ashbury Coffeehouse – 242 W.19th St. – Houston, TX
Sat. March 5, 8pm – Heights Ashbury Coffeehouse – 242 W.19th St. – Houston, TX
Days off in New Orleans for Mardi Gras.

Weds. March 9, 8pm – The Coop, 25 Carolina Lane – Ashville, NC
Th. March 10, 8:30pm – Vanuatu Kava Bar – Asheville, NC
Fri. March 11, 7pm – The Chalet Club – 532 Washburn Road – Lake Lure, NC
Sat. March 12, 8pm – Barking Legs Theater – Chattanooga, TN
Sun. March 13, 8pm – Relix Variety Theater – Knoxville, TN
Tues. March 15, 7pm – Blue Moon House Concert – Oklahoma City, OK
Wed. March 16, 8pm – Istvan Gallery – Oklahoma City, OK
Th. March 17, 8pm – Amala Foundation – Austin, TX
Fri. March 18, 8pm – The Kessler Theater – Dallas, TX
Sat. March 19, 3pm – Carousel Lounge – Austin, TX
Th. March 24, Looking for a show in Albuquerque, NM
Fri. March 25, 7:30pm – Santa Fe Community Yoga Center – Santa Fe, NM
Sat. March 26, 7pm – Santa Fe Performance Exchange – El Dorado at Santa Fe, NM
Sun. March 27, 8pm – KTAO Solar Center – Taos, NM
Th. March 31, 9pm – The Laughing Goat – Boulder, CO
Fri. April 1, 8pm – The Chrysalis House – Boulder, CO
Sat. April 2, 10pm – The Mercury Cafe – Denver, CO
April 4 and 5 – Shows in Salt Lake City TBA
Th. April 7, Time TBA – Studio on 4th – Reno, NV
After this we’ll be playing shows in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. Details coming soon.

You can always find my tour schedule here.

It’s free to download here: http://t.opsp.in/PGuW

Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Karen Kuehn – http://www.karenkuehn.com/

photo by Rus Anson

Singing Together :: a workshop for people who want to sing with other people

Explore the interplay of your embodied voice with others in this 
three night workshop with singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Growden. 
Through play, vocal exercises and songs from a variety of traditions 
and cultures, the two-hour sessions will join a wide range of 
disparate voices in wholly transcendent singing experiences.

Singing Together emphasizes the release of fear, the expansion of 
the heart and the liberation that singing brings.

No prior musical or singing experience required.

As a special bonus in conjunction with Mark’s CD Release concerts at 
the Brava Theater on February 18th & 19th, singers from the Singing 
Together workshop will have the option of joining Mark on stage at the 
shows to perform a song from the workshop. Singers will also receive 
a discount code to invite friends and family to be part of the 
audience for these special performances.

Explore the interplay of your embodied voice with others in this 
three night workshop with singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Growden. 
Through play, vocal exercises and songs from a variety of traditions 
and cultures, the two-hour sessions will join a wide range of 
disparate voices in wholly transcendent singing experiences.

Singing Together emphasizes the release of fear, the expansion of 
the heart and the liberation that singing brings.

No prior musical or singing experience required.

As a special bonus in conjunction with Mark’s CD Release concerts at 
the Brava Theater on February 18th & 19th, singers from the Singing 
Together workshop will have the option of joining Mark on stage at the 
shows to perform a song from the workshop. Singers will also receive 
a discount code to invite friends and family to be part of the 
audience for these special performances.Three nights: February 8, 13, & 15

7:30pm to 9:30pm

$75 – $125 sliding scale for the series.

Tickets for the series here: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/154344

For questions email Mark at markgrowden@gmail.com

Taos Mountains

I’m writing from my two week artist residency at HEREKEKE, about an hour north of Taos in Northern New Mexico.

This residency is just what I needed.  I’ve had lots of time to reflect on the past year and four months of touring, catch up on administrative work, take long walks, catch up on rest, and write.  I’ve already written four new songs in the week I’ve been here.  The people who run the residency have asked me to return for a longer period next year.  I’m gonna work it into my schedule.  It’s such a gift.

Here are some photos from around the ranch:

The acequia that brings us our water.

One of the ponds frozen over with the sunset behind it.

Sunset

The dome up the road at the Lama Foundation.

The milking goats.

The sheep with the curly horns are Navajo Churro Sheep.

Norwegian Fjord Ponies.