GRIOT

In West African music tradition, a griot is a musician/singer/poet/storyteller who sings songs about the history of his people and then passes them on as part of an oral tradition. The word itself is from the old French meaning “symbol” as in the symbols used in the language of poetry, song and other writing. The word came to me in a dream and for me refers to the powerful communal sense of music.

The community of music was never so important as in the days after September 11, 2001. I had been playing in the western United States with the Kerry Kearney Band and after an incredible series of shows, awoke on the 11th to the news of that tragedy. When I arrived home, I turned to music for strength to help me deal with personal loss.

The new album was released in late October of 2001. I was joined by some very special and inventive musicians indeed - Chris Marshak on drums, Bakithi Kumalo on bass, Richie Guerrero on percussion, Matt Marshak on guitar and John Ward on the African djembe are just some of the players who contribued unique colors to Griot.

Griot is dedicated with love and respect to my mother. (The song Gaia-o most directly speaks of my feelings towards her.) Each of the songs here expresses something of the grace I feel in her presence as well as the shared strength with which she and I dealt with the loss of my father, her husband. In addition, Griot celebrates the emotional depth of other relationships in my life. LISTEN TO TRACKS FROM 'GRIOT' IN MP3 FORMAT:
COLD RAIN
GAIO-O