THE STORY OF THE RECORD

I was at Winter Grass 2023 when I first got to hear Dirk Powell, Cedric Watson and Amelia Powell.  Fast forward to the Swannanoa Gathering Fiddle Week in June of 2023 when a chance meeting over lunch with Dirk began the odyssey to the creation of the album “The First Day of December”.  Later in the week I had asked Dirk, Katie Glassman and Darol Anger to back me on a tune at the student concert at the end of the camp.  After rehearsing our tune “Deep River Blues,” Dirk started playing “My Silent Love”; Katie and I joined in and it was like we had been playing together forever, it just worked.  Dirk was showing me pictures of his studio, Cypress House in Bayou Teche and encouraged me to come down and do a record. Bayou Teche had lived in my imagination since reading all of James Lee Burke’s “Dave Robicheaux” novels and I thought that it would be so cool to record an album there.

We stayed in touch and I was excited that not only would Dirk play on the album but so would my old friend and mentor, Michael Doucet.  We locked in some dates for the recording sessions and in early December I drove down from Athens to make a record.  Michael offered me the use of his guest house and I spent 4 days recording, eating boudin and gratons and patronizing the shops in Lafayette and Breaux Bridge.

Dirk assembled a fine cast of musicians as the back-up band; Jimmy Breaux on drums and Cajun accordion, Trey Boudreaux on bass (and drums) Chas Justus on guitar and Dirk on piano and mandolin (I’m convinced Dirk can play any instrument including the manzello and stritch should he wish to) Michael played fiddle and did vocals on a three tunes, Dirk honored me by writing two tunes for the album, one of them, First Day of December is the title track.  Amelia Powell, Dirk’s daughter and a star in her own right sang harmonies and played triangle.  Cedric Watson joined me on fiddle for a couple of tunes and the great Zydeco accordionist, Corey Ledet played on my reimagining of Minor Swing.  I was in awe of these great players and their commitment to the project which was mostly recorded live.

The concept of the album was to create an authentic snapshot of the music I like to play, from Jazz Manouche, swing, Cajun, R&B, blues, bluegrass and some rock and roll.  Dirk sang, I sang, Michael sang and as I sit today listening to the final mastered mixes, I am very happy with the results.  I will be ever grateful to Dirk and Michael for their commitment and support and friendship, and I left Louisiana with a group of new friends and a renewed commitment to making more music.