[2008-10-28] Susan Tedeschi “Back To The River”

pghmusiclover · **Joined:** 15 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 3360

1. Talking About
2. 700 Houses
3. Back To The River
4. Love Will
5. Butterfly
6. People
7. Learning The Hard Way
8. Revolutionize Your Soul
9. True
10. There's A Break In The Road
11. Can't Sleep At Night

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E2PTJK/?tag=imwan-20

‘Back To The River,’ (Oct. 28, Verve Forecast), the forthcoming release by Grammy nominated vocalist/guitarist Susan Tedeschi features collaborations with a bevy of roots rock royalty. Susan’s earlier releases featured a limited number of original songs but on her new record she co-wrote on all but one of the 11 tracks. The record features writing credits by everyone from the legendary Tony Joe White to up and coming singer songwriter Sonya Kitchell, from songwriter/producer John Leventhal to Gary Louris of the Jayhawks. Susan worked with each of these artists in person rather than the now common practice of collaborating remotely.

In Nashville Susan visited Tony Joe White where they wrote together in his studio, a converted civil war hospital on the outskirts of the city limits. Tony Joe asked Susan to tell him about her life and she said “I feel like I am constantly trying to get home and back to the river and back to my family.” Susan lives on the St. John’s River in Jacksonville, FL with her husband Derek Trucks and their two children. Tony Joe suggested she write about that and “Back To The River,” the album’s title track was born.

Susan co-wrote two of the most riveting songs on the album with John Leventhal (Rosanne Cash, David Crosby, Michelle Branch) at the Pilot Recording Studios in NYC. Revolutionize Your Soul a song inspired by “A Long Walk Home,” a memoir Susan read about boy soldiers in Africa and “700 Houses” a lament for all the recent natural disasters happening all over the world. Susan explains “John’s writing style differs from mine in that he likes using strong visualization in his lyrics. I learned a lot from writing with him and I think these are two of the most powerful songs on the record.”

Up and comer Sonya Kitchell is one of the artists that traveled to Susan’s home to write with her. “I’ve known Sonya since she was 16 years old, I’ve been a fan of her song writing and always wanted to collaborate with her.” Together they wrote the anthemic track “People” which has already become a highlight of Tedeschi’s live shows.

"I think it's a pivotal record for me - I like this one a lot,” Susan Tedeschi says of her new Verve Forecast release Back to the River. “I think it's really emotional, but it's not really a blues record. The blues is still in there, but there's a lot of other stuff too. I definitely put a lot into this one and worked really hard to put a lot of ideas across."

Indeed, Back to the River—produced by George Drakoulias, whose resume includes work with the Black Crowes, the Jayhawks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers—is a mature, soulful work that demonstrates how much singer/guitarist/songwriter Tedeschi has grown in the decade since she burst onto the scene.

Back to the River's 11 songs encompass a broad musical and emotional palette, and showcase Tedeschi’s multiple talents as a deeply expressive singer, a soulful and melodic guitarist and a distinctive, evolving songwriter. The album is partially the product of Tedeschi's work with a stellar assortment of songwriting collaborators. She journeyed to Nashville to work with legendary swamp-rock godfather Tony Joe White, with whom she co-wrote the album's raucous title track (whose homesick lyrics refer to her home on the St John's River in her adopted hometown of Jacksonville, Florida). She went to Minneapolis to write “Learning the Hard Way" with the insightful Jayhawks leader Gary Louris.

The album's assertive opening track "Talking About" was written by Tedeschi and stellar guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, who also plays guitar (and sings) on that song and plays guitar on two more Back to the River tracks. She composed the rousing, socially conscious "People" with acclaimed young singer/songwriter Sonya Kitchell, and wrote the anthem "Revolutionize Your Soul" with noted musician/producer John Leventhal (of Rosanne Cash/Shawn Colvin fame). They also collaborated on “700 Houses," written as a reminder of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina with relevance to all natural disasters. "True” conveys a significant message of universal truths and how each person's actions have an effect on the harmony of the world. The chord and guitar parts on that song mix a Carlos Santana feel with a Stevie Ray Vaughan rhythmic approach. Another highlight of Back to the River is Tedeschi's fiery take on the Allen Toussaint-penned New Orleans soul classic "There’s a Break in the Road," originally recorded in 1969 by Betty Harris.

Tedeschi co-wrote the exotic funk workout “Butterfly" with husband and fellow guitar-slinger Derek Trucks, (of The Allman Brothers Band and his own Derek Trucks Band). Derek—who plays slide guitar on four Back to the River tracks and co-leads the part-time combo Soul Stew Revival with Susan—produced "Butterfly" in the couple's home studio prior to the commencement of the album's main recording sessions at L.A. Sunset Sound studios. Trucks also co-wrote the infectious "Love Will" with Tedeschi and renowned lyricist/bassist Tommy Sims (who co-wrote Eric Clapton’s “Change the World,” winner of 1997’s Grammy® for Song of the Year).

Tedeschi and Trucks are also the parents of a young son and daughter. Becoming a mother, Susan says, was an influence upon some of Back to the River's more thoughtful, introspective lyrics, which take a humanistic view of a variety of sociopolitical issues.

"These songs," she says, "are about real life issues that have been on my mind. I don't think it's my job to impose my opinion on people, but I do feel it's my responsibility to write songs that reflect the times and how I feel about them. Becoming a parent makes you start to think on a different scale, and it made me realize that you can write more than love songs. Even if a song can't change the world, you can still capture a little tiny bit of truth and deliver it to people."

Tedeschi's knack for musical truth-telling has been apparent in the years since she first captured the public's musical imagination. Growing up in the Boston suburb of Norwell, Massachusetts, she began singing with local bands at the age of 13, and subsequently pursued her passion for music while studying at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. After establishing herself as one of New England's top-drawing live acts, and making her recording debut with her embryonic 1995 album Better Days, Tedeschi achieved an impressive musical and commercial breakthrough with her 1998 indie release Just Won't Burn. The album became a massive grass-roots success, with a minimum of hype and plenty of old-fashioned word of mouth. Just Won't Burn achieved Gold sales status and won Tedeschi a Grammy® nomination for Best New Artist, alongside such unlikely company as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Macy Gray and Kid Rock. Her next release, 2002's acclaimed, Grammy®-nominated Wait for Me, was produced by legendary studio veteran Tom Dowd. She moved to Verve Forecast for her fourth album Hope and Desire, which marked a substantial departure for the versatile artist, presenting her in the role of interpretive vocalist.

Now, with Back to the River, Susan Tedeschi takes a major musical leap forward. "I worked really hard on this one," she states. "I've enjoyed writing with so many different songwriters and loved working together with musicians to get across my ideas and visions.” "I'm really excited about this record, and I'm anxious to have people hear it," Tedeschi concludes. "People have been waiting for new music from me for awhile, so I look forward to touring, to bring these songs to as many people as I can."

Jeff Leventhal · 12 Jan 2007

I'm DEFINITELY on for this one!
:yay:

rrbbkk · **Joined:** 26 Jul 2007 **Posts:** 367

I pre-ordered what was supposed to be a signed vinyl copy from Hittin' The Note but never got a confirmation e-mail. Makes me a tad nervous.

[2008-10-28] Susan Tedeschi “Back To The River”

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