Gerry Hemingway - Songs (2002)

There comes a time where after lingering on the edge of the cool water you dive in overcoming the hesitation to enjoy the inherent pleasure that lies beneath its surface. The desire to create songs has been lingering in me for some time. It is not so surprising considering that my listening diet has been dominated by many wonderful songwriters for as long as I can remember. Songs have been a chief source of inspiration for me as a composer in addition to the phrasing of vocalists which have influenced me as a player. The enjoyment that comes with listening to popular song is also something I share regularly with my wife and son.

I have alluded, in previous liner notes, to the influence of my personal life on the music I compose. In this period of my life I have been undergoing a lot of change within myself so it seemed natural to expand my palette of expression to include lyric in addition to sound organization.

My awe for the art of song deepened as my process unfolded. At first the elements were disparate, one lyric one day, or a title, then maybe a groove would surface, with no lyric attached. Some of the first tracks, in this case, performed by Wolter Wierbos, were recorded over sequenced sketches, in hotel rooms while I was traveling. This was not by design but completely a practical choice as I knew there would be no other opportunity to include his playing in the production. As each element was added, one track at a time, cells multiplied, and these pieces began to take a form.

Some pieces are set in historical frames. "Emperor" found its inspiration in a book by Julia Blackburn called "The Emperor's Chair" which chronicles and reframes the peculiar story of Napoleon’s final years imprisoned on the Island of St. Helena. "Anton" opens its lyric on the tragic moment of Anton Webern's untimely death at the hand of an overzealous American soldier, after WW2 had officially ended. The rest of the songs revealed themselves as I attempted to etch below the surface of my own life's experience.

This process of self reflection might not have ever happened if it were not for my wonderful wife Nancy, to whom this recording is dedicated. Marriage, at least to me, seems a lot about the willingness to face one's self honestly, to keep it alive. It has always been easy for me to be 'in the present' in the context of making music. Only more recently have I been able to apply this to be the rest of my life. This shift of perspective has allowed me to better enjoy the full dimension of the person whom I married. In the course of our many dialogues she came up with imagery that inspired some of the ideas I slowly fleshed out into full song.

Speaking of my fortunes, the artists on this record took the ball and ran with it. What more can one ask for? I am forever grateful for their willingness to participate, their sustained energy, creative input, not to mention the butt shaking grooves they helped create. Doing this live will be a ball, I'm sure!

My hope is that you find something to relate to in the lyric and that the music will groove you out of your chair. Having taken the plunge, may we all find strength in the willingness to change and joy in moments least expected.

Gerry Hemingway

LISA SOKOLOV (VOICE)
JAMES EMERY (GUITARS)
KERMIT DRISCOLL (AC & E-BASS)
GERRY HEMINGWAY (DRUMS, SAMPLER, VOICE)
JOHN BUTCHER (TENOR SAX)
ELLERY ESKELIN (TENOR SAX)
THOMAS LEHN (ANALOGUE SYNTHESIZER)
HERB ROBERTSON (TRUMPETS)
WOLTER WIERBOS (TROMBONE)