Ty Gilpin Releases “Crooked Hollows” ~ A Solo Project Featuring Pickers from the Asheville Music Scene

Ty Gilpin Releases “Crooked Hollows”

A Solo Project Featuring Pickers from the Asheville Music Scene

www.TyGilpin.com

Crooked Hollows on iTunes

A veteran of the Asheville music scene, Ty Gilpin steps out with a solo project that aims to capture the essence of the Asheville Roots music world with his new release Crooked Hollows.

Gilpin is no stranger to any aspect of the music business. He is a performer, songwriter, vocalist and player with multiple groups and has worked for over a decade on his own and with Crossroads/Mountain Home Music doing marketing and promotion for some of the biggest names in Bluegrass. Now he has recorded his own songs with a select group of talented peers.

Don’t get it wrong, this is not a Bluegrass album, although there are cuts that lend itself to the genre. Gilpin’s release Crooked Hollows is an eclectic mix of Americana, Folk-Rock, Irish and even includes an electronic remix.

All the tracks feature names that are not just a staple of the local music scene but rather a Who’s Who of folks that are known both in North Carolina as well as nationally.

“With all the different types of songs the cd has, I felt like each one called for different vocalists.” Gilpin says. “I wanted each track to have it’s own identity and include my talented friends to give the songs a special feel but also to make the recording a community event that celebrated what I believe to be some of the best artists here or anywhere.”

The lead off track “Queen of the Crows” includes Cody Kilby, guitarist from Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, noted banjo picker Steve Sutton and female folk troubadour Jen Duke who joins Gilpin on vocals. The dynamic selection of songs moves to country themes including “Smiling for the Camera” featuring the vocals of Darren Nicholson of Balsam Range and the song “Losers Like Me” with Town Mountain vocalist Robert Greer. Other contributions come from the vocals of Amanda Platt of the celebrated Asheville group, The Honeycutters, as well as from Buddy Melton of Balsam Range, Lance Mills, Sav Sankaran and singer-songwriter Taylor Martin.

Keeping to the diversity of the music, there is an Irish element on the track “Going to the West”, sung by Duke and concludes with an even further musical departure featuring a re-mix of “Queen of the Crows” by Danny Peck (aka dep) who blends acoustic and electronic elements for a hauntingly beautiful finale.

The line-up also includes, Charles Humphrey III of the Steep Canyon Rangers, Josh Haddix of the Greasy Beans, Rick Cooper, Jessica Smith, multi-instrumentalists Matt Smith, Duncan Wickel and Tim Gardner as well a studio drummer extraordinaire Tony Creasman.

All tracks were written and arranged by Gilpin and produced by Gilpin and Tim Gardner. Tracks 2-7 were recorded at Coyote Ridge Studios in Asheville with the lead off track recorded at Omni-Artists Studios in Weaverville by Eric Willson. The album was mixed and mastered by Van Atkins at Crossroads Studios in Arden, NC.

The official street date for Ty Gilpin’s Crooked Hollows is September 18th. The album is available at CD Baby and iTunes. Visit www.tygilpin.com for information on the release and links to buy.

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Dreamspider, Barbie Angell, and Joe Kendrick on WNCW’s “What is Is”

WNCW’s “What It Is” recently had me ad a guest  along with Barbie Angell and host Joe Kendrick. We discussed all sorts of things including New Weird America, The Asheville Music Scene, Earbits & Tubify, Low-Powered Radio and more. “What It Is” Airs weekdays on WNCW at 10:15am.

Click to  listen to more podcasts

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The Asheville Music Scene

08 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMT

What It Is examines the burgeoning, diverse music scene in Asheville, NC with new panelist Erin Scholze and Barbie Angell.

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The Weird American Music Scene

04 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMT

What It Is welcomes new panelist Erin Scholze to the conversation with Barbie Angell and host Joe Kendrick in a quest to bring out our inner weirdo. From Harry Smith to Snake Oil Medicine Show and from the early 20th century to today, we’ve got plenty of niches to scratch.

Play:

Low Power FM Spreads As College Radio Stations Are Sold

28 Jan 2011 05:00:00 GMT

As the Local Community Radio Act enables low power FM stations to expand into new areas, many colleges and universities are selling their student-run stations for millions of dollars. What It Is examines the sea change for radio in this conversation with new panelist Erin Scholze, Barbie Angell and host Joe Kendrick.

Play:

Tubeify and Earbits

28 Jan 2011 05:00:00 GMT

What It Is examines two new means of music discovery in this conversation with host Joe Kendrick and panelists Barbie Angell and Erin Scholze

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Poetry In Music

16 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMT

What It Is welcomes poet Barbie Angell and new panelist Erin Scholze to this conversation focusing on the many intersections of poetry and music. From artists like Leonard Cohen to spoken word artists with musical accompaniment, there are plenty of places where these two worlds meet.

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Click to listen to more podcasts from “What it Is”

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The Best Of The Mindtonic Music Series: Sanders, Cardine, Pond & Guerguerian at the Grey Eagle Wed, Nov 3rd with The E.Normus Trio

 

Jay Sanders has long been a staple in the Asheville music scene. One of the “go to” bass players in the area, Jay has toured extensively with Acoustic Syndicate, Donna The Buffalo, Snake Oil Medicine Show, and countless others.

Throughout the spring of 2010, Sanders lead the Mindtonic Music Series on Tuesday evenings at the Rocket Club in West Asheville. He brought together a dynamic edge of collaborative players, each performance resulting in a completely different sound than the week before. Groups were assembled to bridge various music scenes and to showcase the co-creations that form when unlikely musical companions of contrasting styles are set free in an open environment.

On Wednesday, November 3rd, the Best of the Mindtonic Music Series will be making a special appearance at The Grey Eagle in Asheville. The new combination of Jay Sanders, Bill Cardine and Andy Pond will be joined by special guest percussionist, River Guerguerian. The improvisational spirit of The E.Normus Trio opens the show. The show starts at 9pm. $8 Advance, $10 Door.

Collectively, Sanders, Cardine and Pond are three of the most celebrated talents in Western North Carolina. Dobro master Bill Cardine has long been a signature sound of the Biscuit Burners and was recently featured on Jerry Douglas’ tribute to Tut Taylor. Andy Pond is one of the banjo world’s best kept secret, making his sound known through the Snake Oil Medicine Show. The Porous Borders of Music was an experience that brought together the musical talents of Andy Pond and Bill Cardine and could easily describe their continued odyssey as they expand upon infinite creative horizons.

For a sneak peak at what they have to offer, check out these videos from their first show at Pisgah Brewing with Jeff Sipe sitting in: http://wp.me/pxjHY-HR.

Some of their music is also available to download at http://mindtonic.net/media/SCPS. Just right click on the link from the index page and you can save it to i-tunes.

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Formed in 2007, The E.Normus Trio is an adventurous Jazz spirit comprised of Steve Alford on alto & bass clarinet, Billy Seawell on drums, and Jay Sanders on bass. Steve Alford is the director of the jazz program at Mars Hill College and a frequent participant in the Asheville Jazz Orchestra. One of the most expressive drummers you will ever see, Billy Seawell is best known for his work with the Snake Oil Medicine Show. The essence of creativity is emphasized in collective improvisations that traverse a wide musical spectrum. The E.Normus Trio has held residencies at the Jolie Rouge and The Rocket Club, making weekly performances the stuff of legendary exploration.

For more info visit: www./mindtonic.net

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Celebrating the Life of Margaret Lauzon… or as she would have me say ~ Love RawkAss! ♥

My dear dear friend Margaret Lauzon passed away a couple of weeks ago. We had worked together on LAAFF and Music Video Asheville; and we hung out a lot talked about music, film, asheville, dogs, health, careers, men… you name it. She was always an inspiration to me in so many ways, and still is. Margaret is a true friend and I will always remember her dearly. She is already so missed by all that knew her… LOVE! Please visit her YouTube Channel and Check out some of her films http://www.youtube.com/user/meglauzon.

Also, please feel free to leave a comment and share your story of Margaret 🙂 She truly did bring a lot of people together, some of whom are just now starting to get to know each other…

Photo montage our friend Jenny Greer

Several of Meg’s friends including Jessica Thomasin, Jenny Greer, Michelle Moog, Christina Aurea, David Bragg, Steve Wilmans, Woody Wood, Ryan Grant, Jake Frankel amongst others got together in person, over the phone and via email to plan an Asheville memorial service for her. We asked a local writer and friend of Margaret’s, Rebecca Sulock, to help us write something up special to remember her. I know Rebecca had a difficult time with the writing of this, but it is absolutely beautiful and much appreciated!!!

In Loving Memory of Margaret Lauzon 1975-2010

“Just cause you’re not present, doesn’t mean you’re not here.”

Margaret wrote that in a November 2008 blog.

Margaret as "Butterfly Jones" with our good Friend Rhoni Sampson

Margaret Lauzon isn’t present here for her 35^th birthday, on September 18th, 2010, but she’s surely still here:  Laughing until the furniture falls over (as Dan Ingenthron put it), surprising passersby with the fart machine on downtown streets (as Jessica Tomasin recounts), dancing in a giant afro wig as Butterfly Jones. Radiating a 100-watt smile. Her spirit and flair and passion are too strong to not be here. To borrow from e.e. cummings, we carry her heart in our hearts.

She’s remembered not just as a passionate, driven woman with incredible talent, and not just as a woman who made things happen — a woman who was “assertive but eloquent,” according to her friend Erin Scholze. The girl worked hard.

She’ll be remembered as a clever wit, an effervescent, talkative spirit and a gal who had her own way of talking about the world. Her way happened to be wicked sharp and cracked people up.

Meg and Jessica Thomasin at Film Awards

“She was one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life,” says Tomasin.

She’ll be remembered, too, through the many projects she spearheaded: “Many were purely out of love for her work,” notes Jake Frankel, who watched Meg put in tireless effort on a short film for Toubab Krewe. She drove by herself to Florida and Chapel Hill, just to get the footage she needed for the project. The project had its share of challenges, and Margaret tackled and beat every one: The film turned out to be incredible.

Meg with Chusy, Bragg & Brandon at Sundance

Lauzon had been working on a documentary on the Asheville music scene for years called “My Life Rocks”. She lives in the hours of band footage she shot, in the Studio South sessions with local musicians, in the side-splitting “Tear of the Beest” and in the other work that she produced with Villasonica.

She’d also been filming pieces on her experience with cancer. She chronicled doctors and treatments, and worked to make use of that struggle, even while it weakened her. That’s how tough she was, and how industrious. And even in sickness, Margaret had the strength to be a support to others who were struggling.

And through it all, she still laughed.

Her laughter doesn’t stop, just because she’s not present. She’s still here, and always will be. A spirit that strong doesn’t fade.

“She inspired me so much,” says Scholze, and that’s true of a whole lot of people.

We are hosting memorial service and Meg’s 35th Birthday Throwdown for her friends and family this Saturday at the API studio of Echo Mountain. Here are some of the details:

Margaret Lauzon was a unique spirit. She was passionate about local music and film: She worked with events and musicians through her Villasonica production company, she helped found Music Video Asheville, she served on the LAAFF music committee for several years, her Studio South productions captured local musicians in action, and she was working on a full-length documentary on the Asheville music scene. She helped produce one of the best films to ever come out of Asheville’s 48 Hour Film Project: Tear of the Beest. That’s just to list a few.

Lauzon died recently after a two-year bout with cancer. On Saturday, people will gather at Echo Mountain’s API studio to celebrate her life. It’s open to the public — there were lots of people in town who she worked with, who she filmed, who she advocated for and who she made laugh. A lot. Woody Wood, Jenny Greer and others will play music at the event, and some of Lauzon’s films will be shown.

The Margaret Lauzon Memorial & Birthday Throwdown will be Saturday, Sept. 18, at Echo Mountain API studio (second floor), 175 Patton Avenue. 5-9 p.m. Info at 232-4314 ext. 300. Here’s a link to the event on Facebook. Here is a link to her obituary.

My alltime favorite photo of Margaret with my Gracie who passed away this January of canine cancer

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