Congratulations! You’ve fully explored Everything I Know About Love and you’re still curious. First off, I must tell you more and show you all the fabulous people who helped me make this record.

The usual suspects:

mike 2 angela 2
Mike Grow Angela Hessler

Obviously Mike and Angela were integral parts of my last CD, So Many Me’s and once again have made amazing contributions to this one. More info on Mike can be found elsewhere on my website as his many talents continue to support my music live. Angela has moved to Austin, Texas where she will raise her three lovely children, and if the town is lucky will find some cool people to make music with.

 

Featured Players:

amber2 k2 sam
Amber Lee Baker Ken Maffeo Samantha Olson

I met Amber  in late 2011 and  liked her music immediately. Certainly not just a wonderful singer, she is also a great accordion player and a fine songwriter. As part of the “Accordion Babes” revue she tours the country regularly and is featured in their quite spectacular calendar. To learn more about her visit her website: http://www.amberleeandtheanomalies.com/

I’ve known “Cousin” Ken Maffeo all my life. Ken and I first worked together musically in my coffee house days in Los Angeles. He accompanied me on saxophone and harmony vocals. Over the years we’ve collaborated on a variety of musical projects, but this is our first time working together in the studio. Drums are his first instrument, but he too is a talented singer-songwriter, guitarist and solo performer who plays regularly around the Bay Area. Check out Ken on the web:  http://www.kenmaffeo.com/

Samantha Olson is another old friend of the family who I first met when she was a teenage violin prodigy in my brother Jimi’s band Realize. She too is a fantastic singer as well. Like me she has found her way to rootsy music in recent years and is something of a bluegrass fiddle phenom! Currently Sam plays in the Sacramento area with Natural Drift. Learn more about them at:  http://www.naturaldrift.net/

Let’s not forget:

skunkrich2-300 danah
 Rich Brodsky  Danah Olivetree

I met Rich Brodsky 30 years ago when he came to audition for my band, The ‘Lektrik Submarine. He collaborated with me on one my favorite songs from that era, “Carry Me Home”. After I left, that band became The Vicious Hippies and had temendous success including a nationwide tour in 1988 as part of Wavy Gravy’s “Nobody for President campaign. Over the years Rich has played lead guitar for me at solo gigs and added his fiery lead guitar to “Some Say” from  So Many Me’s.  His current project is the ever intriguing, psychedelic, ambient music of Atomic Skunk. Learn more about his current work:  http://www.atomicskunk.com/fr_home.cfm

Danah Olivetree is an accomplished studio musician who has  has recorded with a diverse range of artists including Suzanne Vega, Trans Siberian Orchestra, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. She also appeared live in orchestral settings from New York to Seattle. Currently based in Oakland she also teaches cello, viola, and violin. Please visit her website: http://danaholivetree.com/index.html

The Artists:

The fantastic cover design and artwork was coordinated by one of my oldest pals, Howard Penner. Howard also deigned my first EP, Five Reel Film. Howard is a whiz at computer art, but has also done a ton of fantastic poster work in collaboration with the renowned poster genius, Stanley Mouse. Howard works freelance, so feel free to hire him. Send him an email at pennerh@androidsdream.com

Kane Lynch came to me recommended by Howard and I cannot express how much I love his cartoon for “The Barefoot Girl”.
You can see more of his art and read his blog at http://www.kanelynch.com/.

Last, but certainly not least, my back cover photo was done by another old and dear friend, Alan Zucker. His job: make me look pretty for a CD cover.  Now, that’s a joke, but in a photo session that entailed over 900 images he did an amazing job of making me look decent and helping me represent the visual image I was aiming for. Check him out at www.alanzuckerphoto.com