Davey Faragher – Bass
Pete Thomas – Drums
Remarkable. Infectious. Soulful. Just some of the words critics have used to describe Stop Time, the new album by singer, songwriter and pianist Jon Regen, out April 28, 2015 on Motéma Music.
Produced by Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney), and featuring Davey Faragher and Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello’s band the Imposters, Stop Time finds Regen at the peak of his songwriting and pianistic powers, with ten original tunes that brim with humor and heart. Songs like “I Will Wait,” “Morning Papers” and “Stop Time” prove Regen a master of the sticky lyric and the penetrating piano hook, recalling the work of forbears like Billy Joel and Randy Newman while simultaneously showcasing Regen’s singular take on modern love. In the words of storied Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell, “Stop Time never stops pleasing the ears.”
“The album really began after I met the actor Jeremy Irons at a party in London,” Regen says. “We started talking over ample amounts of wine and soon after, he asked me to play the piano for him. Not wanting to disappoint an Oscar winner, I sat down and started playing a bluesy, New Orleans kind of vamp. Without warning, he grabbed a cello off the wall and started playing it like an upright bass. We jammed together on that one song for nearly fifteen minutes! When I returned home to New York City, I married the bluesy feel of that jam session to a set of lyrics I had written about a guy who becomes dismayed watching his youth slip away. The resulting song “Stop Time” became the anchor for the album that was to come.”
A few weeks later, Regen debuted “Stop Time” to a New York audience that included Motéma Music President Jana Herzen. Intrigued by the song and by Regen’s wit and musicianship, Herzen signed Regen to the label and made plans to record a new album of his original material. When Regen learned that his original producer had to pull out due to a scheduling conflict, a twist of fate led him to Mitchell Froom.
“Right after my producer left, I got an email asking where I had found a particular photo of Mitchell for a profile I had written on him years back in Keyboard Magazine,” Regen recalls. (In addition to his burgeoning musical career, Regen is also a much sought-after music journalist). “I immediately knew he was the guy for the job.” Soon after, Regen reached out to Froom to produce.
“I’ve been a fan of Mitchell’s since I was a teenager,” Regen continues. "I remember literally wearing-out albums he produced for Crowded House and Paul McCartney. The funny thing is, Mitchell actually produced Jimmy Scott’s 1995 album Dream, which I had on heavy rotation for months when I became Jimmy’s pianist back in 2001. His albums always take you somewhere unexpected. Plus, he’s a vintage keyboard freak like me! So it’s a perfect pairing.”
read more: http://subculturenewyork.com/event/jon-regen-stop-time-cd-release/
0 Comments:
Post a Comment