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Newsletter
Year End Update (2005)
Ricky & Bruce
Depending on who you talk to and on what day you ask them about it, the R&B
bluegrass record is close to half-way mixed (a nice nebulous noncommittal
statement). The principals will convene in mid and late January to
hopefully finish work on the project, for tentative release in May 2006. Thirteen
songs have been recorded: New B.H. originals “The Dreaded Spoon” and “Gulf
of Mexico Fishing Boat Blues,” a Skaggs original instrumental “Stubb,” Roscoe
Holcomb songs “Across the Rocky Mountain” and “The Hills
of Mexico,” re-worked B.H. songs “Crown of Jewels,” “Night
On The Town,” “The Road Not Taken,” and “Mandolin
Rain,” a new gospel song “Come On Out,” two old-time songs “Little
Sadie” and “Sheep Shell Corn By The Rattling Of His Horn,” and
a bluegrass version of Rick James’ “Super Freak,” with
special guest John Anderson on vocals. Ricky and Bruce duet on four
songs, and Bruce has now added a Bill Monroe impression to his arsenal of
mediocre phone pranks and voices.
Bruce & Bruce
Bruce Springsteen was talking so much mess at the Constant Center in Norfolk
in November that the other Bruce had to come onstage to clear his name. The
two quickly moved into a piano and vocal duet, complete with a New York
Times newspaper as a “stage prop,” on the Springsteen classic “You
Can Look But You’d Better Not Touch.” Bruce H. got
lost, then Bruce got lost, and they stopped. The Other One entered
later to accompany the Bossman on “Across the Border,” and
then fled into the night.
Viba Femba
If anyone would like to hear an amazing a capella vocal version of Bruce
and Chaka Khan’s “Love Me Still,” check out the Swedish
group Viba Femba. It’s a beautiful, transcendent sound.
Bruce, Christian & Jack
The decades-long badgering of Bruce to make a jazz record can hopefully stop
-- he will record with jazz giants Christian McBride (bass) and Jack
De Johnette (drums) in early April and late May for a trio album, probably
for release in early 2007. Needless to say, he’s practicing,
and practicing some more.
Gilmore Keyboard Festival
Bruce will make his second appearance at the great Gilmore Festival on April
22 in Kalamazoo, MI. Several years ago he played a duo concert
with Bela Fleck on banjo; this time he will play a solo piano concert.
Box Set
The long-discussed box set is virtually completed and is slated for an August
2006 release. It will serve several purposes at once: as a new
live album, with approximately 16 Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers
live tracks from 2002, 2004, and 2005; a new solo concert album, with
8-14 live and studio solo piano tracks; and a compilation of special
projects, tribute records, soundtrack songs and rarities like a Grateful
Dead “Valley Road” performance from Wembley Arena in London,
1991, and a newly recorded “Lost Soul” duet with Shawn Colvin.
Also, there will be a
DVD with lots of rare performance footage from B. H. with Bonnie Raitt,
Pat Metheny, more Dead, (maybe Roger Waters and Robbie Robertson), Chaka
Khan, Branford Marsalis, Gregory Hines, etc., plus some of the old videos,
including three Spike Lee productions (or “joints,” as he
likes to call them).
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