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Monday, August 11, 2008

Giant Sand Returning in the Fall


I have long been a huge fan of the music of Howe Gelb. Every one of his variety of musical incarnations highly creative and wildly entertaining ventures. The Arizona-based musician has remained the principle creative force behind the ever-fluid configurations of Giant Sand as well for over a quarter century. The band along the way sprouting an extended musical family tree that fostered the likes of The Band of Blacky Ranchette, The Friends of Dean Martinez, OP8, and Calexico.

Following a nearly four year hiatus, Howe Gelb's Giant Sand project returns with the release of proVISIONS on September 2, 2008 on Yeproc Records. Produced by Howe and Kent Olsen (Arizona Amp and Alternator, Marie Frank), the album's 13 tracks were recorded during a summer in Denmark, and features the Danish musicians Thoger T. Lund (bass), Peter Dombernowsky (drums), and Anders Pedersen (slide guitar). As with past incarnations of the band, the current lineup utilizes a more natural form of playing, relying heavily on improvisational techniques as well as exploring the latent melodic variations within the songs themselves.

Also lending themselves to the casual mix are a host of talented friends/collaborators--such as Neko Case, M. Ward, Isobel Campbell, Henriette Sennenvaldt, Lucie Idlout and Lonna Kelley. ProVISIONS might just be the perfect soundtrack as shadows get a little longer and our nights begin to cool.

Dates were announced today for a short jaunt through the US with Neko Case and Chad VanGaalen on several dates!

15-Sep Omaha NE Sokol Auditorium w/ Neko Case
16-Sep Des Moines IA Hoyt Sherman Place w/ Neko Case
17-Sep Duluth MN Mitchell Auditorium w/ Neko Case
18-Sep Minneapolis MN First Avenue w/ Neko Case
19-Sep Madison WI Orpheum Theatre w/ Neko Case Forward Music Fest
20-Sep Chicago IL Hideout Block Party
21-Sep New York NY Blender Theater at Gramercy w/ Chad VanGaalen
23-Sep Cleveland OH Beachland Ballroom w/ Neko Case
24-Sep St. Louis MO The Pageant w/ Neko Case
25-Sep Oxford MS The Lyric Oxford w/ Neko Case
26-Sep Oklahoma City OK Diamond Ballroom w/ Neko Case
27-Sep Dallas TX Granada Theater w/ Neko Case
3-Oct Phoenix AZ Modified
4-Oct Tucson AZ Club Congress
8-Oct Los Angeles CA The Echo
9-Oct San Francisco CA Cafe du Nord
11-Oct Portland OR Doug Fir Lounge w/ Chad VanGaalen
12-Oct Seattle WA Triple Door w/ Chad VanGaalen

2 comments:

Barbara Bruederlin said...

This band sounds intriguing and what a pedigree it has spawned.

And touring with Neko Case AND Chad VanGaalen? Well somebody obviously has very good taste.

Sean Wraight said...

Indeed it has spawned some amazing music Barbara. What a treat it would be to see them too. I thought you might appreciate the Calgary angle to the story too.

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