Happy holidays, and holy-days, from brisk northern California, where you’ll be happy to know I’m still vying to catch a good sunburn or two before the solstice.  I hope you are all more than tip-top and maintaining a sense of peace and clarity as we together ramble through the befuddling commercial hecticism that is December in the USA.

That said sincerely, there is a *sale* (woohoo!) on my very first album, the oh-so-mysteriously-named Celtic Fiddle, completed when I was but a lad of sixteen.  I’ve been told it has touched a heart, or two, and it’s only $10 plus shipping for now.  What’s more, if you order three or more CDs from my website at one time, we will refund your shipping entirely (when we fill the order).  Just visit the shop by clicking here to easily order some music for your friends and loved ones.

It was so great to see many of y’all at concerts recently.   I’ve been bopping all over the country the last couple months, touring mostly with the Turtle Island Quartet and some as the Jeremy Kittel Band.  I’ve been everywhere, man (Johnny Cash, anyone?).  Indiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Wisconsin, California, NYC, Virginia, many states in the northeast, not to mention an intense tour through the sand hills of Nebraska!   … Which is where we encountered the fabled, mystical Carhenge; take a look.  Surprisingly low in kitsch; high in heart.  Better than the orig?

The coming new year promises to bring much excitement and opportunity.  In early January, I’ll be out performing in Virginia and North Carolina with my own band for a weekend, featuring the fantastic musicians Josh Pinkham (mandolin), Nathaniel Smith (cello), and Simon Chrisman (dulcimer).  I expect to see all of you there (no excuses, Alaskans!)  Shortly afterward, I’m looking forward to spending some time in Kentucky doing some recording for friend and cellist/songwriter extraordinaire Ben Sollee’s next album.  Definitely check out Ben’s music if you haven’t heard him yet.  Last but not least, Turtle Island will be swinging through LA, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Deutschland early in the new year, so come hear some great music and say hello.

For now; wishing all the best to you and yours!  Stay well,

-Jeremy

As violist for Turtle Island, sometimes I get to wear more than just one hat. I mean, violist is by far my largest hat with el Turtles (literally speaking it might be a gigantic chrome sombrero), but I also get to take that off sometimes and put on a much smaller, equally comfortable hat, as sound amplification expert for our live shows (nice title, eh?)! Meaning I work with the sound engineer at each venue to make us sound as glorious as possible out in the “house,” or audience. I like to think that this hat would be a deerstalker, the precise kind of hat worn by Sherlock Holmes, because doing live sound is kind of like being a sleuth. Well, recently, Los Turtle-inos and myself performed at an amazing venue for many thousands of wonderful people in the distant land of Chicago. Seriously, it was cool. Really cool. Here, why don’t you just take a look:

What in heavens name is that, do you ask? Why, what great, shining billows of steel it has! What majestic tresses, what impressive angles – what noblest efforts of man must have resulted in its creation! Well, calm down just for a moment so I can tell you about it. Designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, this is Chicago’s own Pritzker Pavilion, in the heart of Millennium Park, which is in the heart of Grant Park, which in turn is in the heart of – you guessed it – Chicago. We performed there a few weeks ago for some five thousand fabulous humans. A good time was had by most, to be sure, and not least due to the state-of-the-art sound system, unlike any we’ve ever encountered before.

Designed by the Talaske group of Oak Park, IL, the LARAS sound system is the first of its kind implemented in the US. Essentially, the system recreates an indoor acoustical environment for listeners in the park. See that trellis of beams curving over the audience? Each of those beams has multiple speakers attached, forming a web of sound amplification stretching along the entire field. If you’re within that web, then noise from the city will be quieted, and the music will sound very much as though you are actually inside a world-class theater.

Although we often use some amplification, we in Turtle Island are essentially acoustic musicians, and giving a great performance for audiences in outdoor settings can be tough because of the lack of natural, beautiful acoustics. Performing at Millennium Park was outstanding and gave us the best of both worlds – performing outdoors for a big crowd surrounded by all the beauty of downtown Chicago, whilst both the audience and we enjoyed an immaculate, intimate sonic experience.

Hey all, just wanted to put up a quick post to tell what I’ve been up to.  I flew to Nashville last week to spend a few days arranging and recording strings for My Morning Jacket – a powerful, honest, and thoughtful band that’s been called “the best thing to happen in rock music in years.”  They had finished recording all the other instruments, so strings were the last element to add before mixing.  It was a truly great crew of guys to work with – Jim James (lead vocals, guitar), Patrick Hallahan (drums), and Carl Broemel (guitar) from the band; Tucker Martine producing (I met Tucker working on Abigail Washburn’s record last year); and good ol’ Ben Sollee came down from Lexington, KY to play some cello.

What did I play?  Bass, of course.  Well…. I *did* lay down some wicked arco bass on one tune, which was seriously too much fun (have I been playing the wrong instrument?), but most of the time I was oscillating between a couple violins and a viola, layering sometimes dozens of parts to get a big, glorious string sound.  We were at legendary Blackbird Studio – and they had a sweet-sounding echo chamber we used as well.

The songs are beautiful, real, and often immense – the five songs I heard and worked on, anyway, and the little I heard of the rest of the album was so exciting.  Hopefully we’ll get to hear the whole, finished album soon -  maybe as soon as the spring if all goes well!

Peace…

-Jeremy

“Compass Recording Artist and violist for the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet, Jeremy Kittel leads an exceptional band whose musical roots transverse the world. With the drive of Celtic fiddling, spontaneity of jazz, soul of the blues and intricacies of chamber music, the Jeremy Kittel Band consistently captivates audiences.  Jeremy is joined by some of the most dynamic young performers on the American acoustic music scene – the four-piece band usually includes the core members Josh Pinkham (mandolin), Nathaniel Smith (cello), and Simon Chrisman (hammered dulcimer).

Josh Pinkham took to the mandolin at age twelve and in a very short time has made a true mark for himself as a player, composer, recording artist and concert performer; by the time Josh was just 14 he had played on stage with nearly all of his mandolin heroes.  He continues to push his mandolin into new and old territory; excelling in Bluegrass, Newgrass, Jazz and Classical music, Joshua was named “the future of the mandolin” by Mandolin Magazine in their review of his CD, “Solo Mandolin Duets.”  Scott Tichenor of Mandolin Cafe described Josh’s solos on the Youtube videos with Frank Vignola and Jascho Stefan as “Jaw Dropping”.  And mandolin forefather David Grisman, with whom Joshua has just completed a recording, named him “as certainly one of the most important young improvisers on the acoustic scene today.”

Hammered dulcimer wizard Simon Chrisman tours with the Bee Eaters, has performed with Mike Marshall and Darol Anger, opened for Bill Frisell, and at 16 was a scholarship guest artist at the Augusta Heritage Festival in West Virginia. His sophisticated rhythmic sense and ingenious tonal flexibility, on an instrument usually considered limited, has created a buzz among musicians all over the world.

Nathaniel Smith began touring with Mark O’Connor in 2006 and has been the cellist for Natalie MacMaster since 2007. He has toured both the US and Canada extensively. He has been the recipient of the ASTA Alternative Styles award and has performed on the national public radio program, From The Top. In 2008, he collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma on his recording, Songs of Joy and Peace. He released his first CD of original music for cello, “Arrhythmia,” in December 2009.

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Bluegrass Jam

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Hey Joe

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The Chase

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Irish Jig Medley

]]> http://jeremykittel.com/2010/12/new-dudes-in-band/feed/ 0 http://jeremykittel.com/2010/12/chasing-sparks/ http://jeremykittel.com/2010/12/chasing-sparks/#comments Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:53:10 +0000 admin http://jeremykittel.com/?p=705

Purchase

Praise for Chasing Sparks

Over an hour of fiddle music, from the devilish to the divine, played by a consummate musician whose style and repertoire sit somewhere between Nashville and Nairn.…Let me stress again that he is a brilliant and exciting young fiddler… More than half the material here is credited to Kittel, and there isn’t a weak link in the chain. It’s fresh, it’s fun, and it’s technically excellent… Chasing Sparks? Jeremy Kittel kicks up enough of his own.  Very highly recommended.  Alex Monoghan, Folk World Read full review

“Jeremy Kittel is at the Vanguard of a whole new movement in fiddle music. In times past fiddlers stayed within their assigned genres and didn’t manage to cross over very effectively. Jeremy is a new kind of hybrid musician that is equally versed and comfortable in many genres. He has a tremendous capacity to seamlessly blend inventive ideas and techniques from other genres into Irish and Scottish tunes. He does this with stunning virtuosity.” Martin Hayes

“From the opening track (the Celtic fiddle medley, “Taking it On/Up Downey/the Curious Beetle”), violinist and violist Jeremy Kittel (of the Turtle Island Quartet) brings on the heat in his solo album, Chasing Sparks (Compass).  There’s an all-star lineup of guests – including cellists Natalie Haas and Tristan Clarridge, fiddler Brittany Haas, bassist Edgar Meyer, and mandolinists Chris Thile and Mike Marshall – but the spotlight belongs to Kittel, one of the most accomplished and gifted string players of his generation. This is a fiddle disc that sizzles!” Greg Cahill, Strings magazine  ***EDITORS CHOICE***

“I believe the mixing of folk, Jazz and classical violin playing and composition is an ideal path for the 21st century string player, and it is one I have pushed for from the beginning. Jeremy Kittel has the insightful knowledge and training along with superb talent to give us some great examples of this cross-pollination.” Mark O’Connor

“The latest CD from Jeremy Kittel, released through Compass Records, is a perfect blend of fiddle goodness. Jeremy’s background in Scottish and Irish fiddle shines through each track and is uplifted by loops and swirls of Jazz and Folk woven throughout. This 25-year-old American’s prodigy and masterful understanding of music is obvious, making this a must-listen for any fiddle fan. The unique compositions of the songs on the album never stray too far from Celtic traditional style, however there is an exciting freshness to the songs that will keep listeners wanting more. If you’re up for some toe tapping, here’s a CD for you!” Reel Roots Folk Music Alliance

“…The music on Chasing Sparks crosses multiple musical boundaries. Classical formality meets new-age textures and modern acoustic jazz inflections. Some of the tunes, such as “Remember Blake,” remind me of Darol Anger and Barbara Higbie Quintet’s work on early Windham Hills’ releases. Other songs, like “The Chase” sound more like some of Mike Marshall’s forays into Brazilian Choro music. Still other tunes, like “Disconnect” point in the melodic direction of Chris Thile’s latest classical compositions. But regardless of the genre, all the music on Chasing Sparks displays a level of innovation and intelligence that is largely lacking from most contemporary music…  The recording’s quality reminds me of Chris Thile’s most recent release, Punch Brother’s Punch. Chasing Sparks sounds as if it was recorded in a large acoustically transparent space. The room’s natural reverberance gives the music the same level of immediacy you would hear at a live concert. And what a concert it is.” ✭✭✭✭ Steven Stone, enjoythemusic.com Read full review

The musicians

Jeremy Kittel, fiddle/violin
Edgar Meyer, bass
Chris Thile, mandolin
Mike Marshall, mandolin
Kyle Sanna, guitar
Bodek Janke, drumset & percussion
Tristan Clarridge, cello
Brittany Haas, fiddle
Natalie Haas, cello
Tyler Duncan, bodhran
Andrew Kratzat, bass
Cali McKasson, piano
Nic Gareiss, foot percussion

The story

Jeremy Kittel says the centerpiece of his newest album, Chasing Sparks, grew with the 25 year-old fiddler-violinist-composer for years before finally gelling on the stage of Carnegie Hall. Kittel had the “aha” moment while playing his song “Disconnect” with some of the most dominant players in acoustic music: MacArthur “Genius” bassist Edgar Meyer, along with guitarist Kyle Sanna, an arranger for Yo-Yo Ma. Kittel, who is rapidly earning a reputation as one of the nation’s most creative young musicians, had parts of the melodies in his mind for years before the song found its own way in that moment on stage. The track found further depth in the recording process with mandolin prodigy Chris Thile.

“Disconnect” exemplifies the diversity of Kittel’s approach on Chasing Sparks, recorded over the course of two years and four cities – New York, Nashville, San Francisco and his hometown of Ann Arbor. Kittel, originally classically trained, has studied Irish, jazz, folk and traditional music – winning a host of varied awards. He’s won multiple US National Scottish Fiddle Championships, six Detroit Music Awards for Outstanding Folk Artist, Jazz Recording and Jazz Composer, a Masters of Jazz Violin from Manhattan School of Music, and a Stanley Medal from the University of Michigan School of Music to name just a few. He has performed over 1,000 concerts as soloist or guest, and is now part of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet.

One might expect the music to leap from one style to the next in a kind of overt demonstration of musical adventures. Instead, there is an uplifting fluidity to the sound of the music on this disc thanks not in least to contributions by some of the most highly regarded acoustic musicians around. In addition to the previous players mentioned, multi-instrumentalist wizard Mike Marshall (formerly of the David Grisman Quintet) also makes an appearance, as does the auspicious cello-fiddle duo of sisters Natalie and Brittany Haas (Alasdair Fraser’s musical partner, and Crooked Still band member, respectively).

But the core musicians on Chasing Sparks are Kittel’s own bandmates, who shine throughout. In addition to guitarist Sanna, there is also cellist Tristan Clarridge, who is a member of bluegrass sensation Crooked Still and is actually a three-time National Fiddle Champion himself. And cosmopolitan drummer Bodek Janke (he’s fluent in five languages) lends deep, visceral grooves with echoes of Africa, India and Eastern Europe.

Each track is woven with earthy, Celtic-inspired melodies; sometimes as a jumping-off point for intricate compositions; other times inducing heady improvisations; still other times maintaining a simpler, more traditional feel. And always, bounding above the expansive textures that pervade the album is the utterly searing optimism of Kittel’s violin.

“I wrote most of these tunes with no intention of combining styles – rather, they were just embellishments of melodies and sounds that were floating around in my head” says Kittel. “One of the toughest challenges for me is to learn to trust my instincts, my own judgment; but sometimes I don’t even hear those instincts – I’m not paying attention. I find that this is important when composing anything. You have to listen to your inner voice or you will miss it.”

“There is a completely overwhelming amount of great art and music, and it’s so accessible that it is impossible for me to ignore”, says Kittel. “I can be a bit quixotic for sure – I have plans to study Indian classical music, Western classical music, bluegrass and blues/rock language. In fact, I’ve just been transcribing Stevie Ray Vaughan this last week. It’s tricky on violin. Wish me luck.”

Listen

Click on a title to play (3 minute excerpt, mp3, approx. 4MB).

• The Curious Beetle Medley (Kittel/Custy/Kittel)
• The Golden Plover Set (trad/Kittel)
• Remember Blake (Kittel)
• The Chase (Kittel)
• The May Morning Dew (Trad Irish)
• Disconnect (Kittel)
• The Biting Reel / Lost Time (Kittel)
• The F Chunes (Kittel/Cassel)
• Woods (Sanna/Kodheli)
• Bear Island Reel (trad Irish)
• The Napkin Tune (Miller, arr. Kittel)

Some of the great composers we’ve been working with include Jonathan Mayer (from Sony), Jim Dooley, Tim Davies, Brain (of the band Primus), and the New Orleans-based band Galactic.

There’s a trailer out on youtube, and you can hear us playing some of the music – an early version, to be sure, but bumpin’ nonetheless, and the game is pretty fun to watch:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video games are obviously becoming increasingly complex and brilliant; I hope that in the near future we’ll begin to see this medium of entertainment turn towards ever more artful ways; giving us an immersive, dramatic experience that brings us enjoyment, perspective, and knowledge that we can take back with us into our real lives.  It’s really just the beginning…  In the meantime I guess I’ll just use my electromagnetostatico superpowers to hurl this Volvo towards that dastardly helicopter.  BAM!!