John Raymond Pollard: Notes

As I prepare for the release of my next album, I invited a few people to give it a listen. Morry Campbell, the originator of Song Talk podcast, accepted the offer last Thursday. Some of his reaction: "From the whimsical, thoughtful Living an Alternative Dream, to the austere, haunting The World of Tarot, to the final rocker The Divide (By the Time I Get to Phoenix), this is a trip worth taking."
If you are a songwriter (or want to be), please check out Morry's Song Talk podcasts.

Last night Boa Noite, Gente Boa, the first cut on my current release, Brasilience, was featured on the Unashamed Faith Cafe radio broadcast. Many thanks to host Arizzona for sharing the music with her audience. Although the song has a Portuguese lyric, language is not necessarily a barrier in communicating the message. The song states that music is spiritual energy that animates dance and ritual...The crystalline water of this capital city blesses love.

Memorial Day weekend and my new single: Not on My Space (the "A" side) and Like a Like a Rolling Stone (the "B" side). Try on the new sounds and let me know what you think.

You probably know that my songs often serve as a vehicle for social commentary. In the next month or two (depending on how fast CD Baby, iTunes et al move) I’ll release a new single. I’ll tell you more as the release date approaches.

Four months in Bahia passed quickly. Tourists, many from cooler climes, take their germs with them on vacation in Bahia each year. This year popular singer Evete Sangalo named the virus that affected people “Dalila.” Well, I admit that Dalila got me and hung around for weeks – but not the worst flu I have experienced. And early in 2009, a hemorrhagic form of dengue arrived in Bahia. So, I thought I would be away from these threats when I returned to New York.

Of course, life is full of surprises. Now that I am in New York, so is swine flu. And mosquitoes here carry West Nile virus.

Seems like these bugs have taken globalization seriously!

You may know that I began the new year in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. From what my friends tell me I have been fortunate to escape some very cold weather in New York. One of the things I enjoy in Brazil is the fruit. In recent years I have become accustomed to capping off my afternoons with a glass of açai juice.
Many people outside Brazil may not have tasted a number of the fruits one can enjoy here. Caja, umbu, cajarana, jambu, cupuaçu … When I heard of a fruit called jabuticaba, I was enchanted with the name. Eventually I wrote a song called jabbticaba that appears on Brasilience. And I have a video to share with you. Watch it and you’ll meet violinist extraordinaire, Joe Deninzon, see images of jabuticaba, learn about blues names, and hear the song. You’ll find the video on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6JaYeqUjVk .

The new album, Brasilience, is now available just in time for the change of seasons. You'll find it at CDBaby.com http://cdbaby.com/cd/pollard7 and from iTunes. If you need a quick get away around the holidays, Brasilience can take you to a tropical paradise.

The wonderful holiday song, Wintertime Sky, a collaborative effort of Drew Paralic & John Raymond Pollard, is being featured on the Broadway Bullet final podcast of 2008, Volume 224, December 11, 2008. If you enjoy theater news, interviews with the stars, and hearing songs from shows, you’ll be pleased to know that Broadway podcasts are free. http://www.broadwaybullet.com Check out volume 224 and listen to Wintertime Sky!

I wrote Tango de los Desaparecidos in honor of those who had "disappeared" in the 1970's and early 1983's under the repressive regime that ruled Argentina. The Spanish version of the song appears on Map of the AmericAs Linhas da Mao. Recently Martín Calvo of FM 98.5, Tango Rosario, www.fmtangorosario.com.ar‏ wrote to let me know that the song was included in a broadcast earlier this year and will be aired again.

Check out the new video that documents Rob Mosher playing oboe on Wintertime Sky. The video includes a brief interview -- and you'll get to hear Wintertime Sky! It is at YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmuwKi7mPiI

The latest John Raymond Pollard CD, Brasilience, is planned for release in December, 2008. Brazilian influence is apparent. Six songs are bossa novas. The album will feature a number of songs with Portuguese lyrics and others with English verse. The album is now available from CD Baby and hopefully will be available from iTunes before Christmas.

Wintertime Sky and Winter Holiday are now available from CDBaby.com and iTunes. I am very pleased with the recordings. It was a pleasure to work with talented musicians in bringing the songs to life!

You know that with songs like King George, Guantanamo, and The Government’s Got You, some of my songs have a political bent. As the US election draws near I worked on song and video with Michael Gilboe, who hosts the Next Big Hit and Broadway Bullet podcasts and with Mike McGinnis – whose horn playing is featured on Character, Map of the AmericAs Linhas da Mão, and my soon to be released Brasilience album. Check out our “Accentuate the Negative” video on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF06zRjs5bE

It is autumn in New York, so winter can not be far behind. I have working my way towards the holiday season by recording a song titled Wintertime Sky. Drew Paralic composed the melody and I wrote the lyric. As we get closer to winter, I'll make this song available with another I wrote, Winter Holiday. I hope that you will enjoy them.

Seven years ago I was about to head to Lunchbox recording studio in Brooklyn to work on my Passion, Poison, and Politik album. Unfortunate events that day prevented my getting there.
This morning as I left my Manhattan residence, a crowd was gathered to remember and honor the 11 firefighters from Rescue #1 who perished that day at the World Trade Center site. Well, shortly “9/11” after I wrote and recorded a healing song, Angels Watch Over, that appears on Passion, Poison, & Politik.

On this September 11 I made it to the recording studio that is within two blocks of Rescue 1. I worked on 3 songs, including a holiday song called Wintertime Sky. Award winning jazz composer, Drew Paralic, composed the melody and I wrote the verse. I expect to release the song as a single in time for Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the other holidays that happen towards year-end.

I am delighted to report that Simone Sampaio, Bahia’s most popular singer of dance music, has been singing “Be on Your Way” which I wrote with Ranulfo Vila Flor. Simone (http://www.simonesampaio.com.br) previewed the song in Pelorinho, the historic center of Salvador, Bahia on Friday August 15. She and her band, singers, and dancers treated a sellout crowd of 20,000 to Be on Your Way this past Saturday at the Festival do Inverno, the largest winter festival in the state of Bahia.

I enjoy the array of music that Brazilian star Sylvia Patricia includes in her podcasts. So, I was honored when Sylvia included my song, King George, as the first song on her current podcast. If you do not know Patricia’s music you owe it to yourself to listen and learn at http://www.sylviapatricia.com.br/.

And you can get her podcasts for free. Simply click on the Speciarias Musicais icon on Sylvia’s home page. You can get the current edition that includes King George at http://sylviapatricia.mypodcast.com/2008/08/Speciarias_Musicais_episode_6_Viva_Tia_Florinha-132118.html.

It has been steamy in New York and we have been cooking up some great sounds in the studio. Just completed are demos of 3 dance songs, “Depth of Love” and “Oh, Darling,” which I composed, plus “Be on Your Way,” on which Ranulfo Vila Floor and I collaborated. In process is a song called Not on MY Space, sort of an ode to Rupert Murdoch – yes, another political ditty.

Please check out the new YouTube video of Mike McGinnis playing saxophone on “My Only Vice Is You (I’m Addicted to Your Kiss).” The piece features Mike talking about and showing a number of the instruments he plays on the Character album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsCynSSwOZk.

The US Supreme Court says that prisoners have a right to defend themselves. Now we know that 5 of the 9 justices have read the constitution!
To celebrate the continuation of liberty, I posted a new video. It shows keyboard player, Gabriel Aldort, in the recording studio working on Guantanamo. You can watch it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjL8exiv6Go

Back in New York a little over a month, I ventured back to the studio today after making a few basic recordings at home.
To date I have not recorded any dance music, but that is about to change. Work on 3 songs is about to commence!

If you want a glimpse into the recording process, you may be in luck. I have a few video clips that document how the album Character was made. Please check out a few that have been posted on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHO6LPmzMQo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrTpQAxoffA

An enlightened music shop in Canela, Salvador - Bahia is now carrying my CD's. Stop by and check out the venue. Have a cafezinho and listen. Rua Marechal Floriano, 28.

A provocative heading, no?
The CD release celebration was great fun. I was humbled by the audience members' kindness and enthusiastic reception.
Thanks to all the special people who participated.

Mark your calendar: March 16 from 3 to 5 PM, Barra, Salvador, Brazil. Join the celebration marking the release of John Raymond Pollard’s fifth album, Character, in South America. Live performance begins at 3:30. E-mail for information and to reserve your place.

Well, I finally did it. I added my first video clip to YouTube: a live performance of King George. My friends from the 21st Street Sessions songwriters group help me out during the performance. So, you’ll see and hear me as well as Morry Campbell, Amy Clark, Mary Edwards, Paul Alexander, John Manion, and Terry Christopher. You can find us at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwvST9HYo-w