New Single Comes Out Friday 1/19
"Palmetto" migrates from Bandcamp to the Streamers, a few shows this weekend, Robert Burns, Back 2 Mac, and Flashman
Hey everybody, getting right to it, I’ve got a new song coming out tomorrow. It’s called “Palmetto.” Some of you might have already heard it on Bandcamp, where it’s been percolating for a couple weeks. Tomorrow it hits the streamers. I’ve been using Tidal myself, but I suppose Spotify still reigns free over the landscape.
A quick story about the track:
I wrote it during the Pando, on a trip down to Florida. It was my first time on a plane since- you know- and I was grappling with a heroic hangover, hardly assuaged by the compulsory N95 mask. Waiting in the security line, a well suited gentleman behind me was conducting important business with my inner ear, in a volume which suggested the microphone on his device might have been compromised. I was close to committing my first felony, and decided a better course of action would be to try my hand at some light songwriting. I worked out the theme in my head and started writing it down that evening. The general vibe of things down there (what pandemic?) led to the rest , and I had the song finished in a night or two.
I recorded it last October in a little Brooklyn basement called the Moose Lab. John Fatum (Jacksonport) was in town, so I asked him to come by and play drums, alongside the mighty Rob Jost on bass. After much tinkering and mixing, ta-da! Hope you like it. There’s another song from that session in the pipeline - Gullwing - which I wrote with Dennis Lichtman. Keep an ear out :)
Another Thing:
I never mentioned this record I produced with Lucia Comnes, way back in December 2023, at Crinale Lab studios in Emilia-Romagna. I’d go back to Italy anytime and make a record. Or not make a record, for that matter. Come to think of it, I am going back there in May; watch this page! Anyway, we co-wrote a bunch of songs; newish territory for me, but it turned out to be easy-breezy with Lucia. I’m particularly fond of the title track. Have a listen:
A Video:
Liz Hanley and I were trying to get a gig, so we “filmed” this rendition of St. Stephen in my apartment. We used an actual microphone for the audio. See what you think.
Some Shows:
Thursday, 1/18 - Prospect-Lefferts, Brooklyn, NY - The Owl Music Parlor (with Elise Leavy, Isaac Gillespie)
Saturday, 1/20 - Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, NY - Coffee Mob (with Liz Hanley)
Sunday, 1/21 - NY, NY - The Scratcher Bar (Scratcher Sessions, also with Vincent Cross)
Thursday and Friday, 1/25-26 - NY, NY - The McKittrick Hotel - Burns Distilled (Robert Burns Night with many special guests, including Hannah Read)
Back 2 Mac
I’m putting on my Lindsay Buckingham hat! What kind of hat does he wear exactly? Hmm… doesn’t seem to be a hat guy…
Thursday, 1/30 - Lexington, KY - Cosmic Charlie’s
Friday, 1/31 - Bloomington, IN - The Bluebird
Saturday, 2/1 - Louisville, KY - Headliner’s Music Hall
Speaking of hats, I just finished reading Flashman and the Angel of the Lord, George MacDonald Fraser’s humorous take on the John Brown raid, featuring his well-traveled antihero Harry Flashman. Not my favorite of the series- a bit windy, actually- but still remarkable considering he published it in 1996, 30 years after the original. If you’re not already familiar, well… don’t say I sent you.
Catch you later,
Jefferson