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Listen: Jackson Browne Creates Epic Love Song from Woody Guthrie’s Diary
August 31, 2011
Stream the radio edit and full-length versions of ‘You Know the Night’ by: Rolling Stone
Click to listen to Jackson Browne’s ‘You Know the Night (Edit)‘
Click to listen to Jackson Browne’s ‘You Know the Night (Album Version)‘
Jackson Browne and Rob Wasserman are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Woody Guthrie‘s birth by releasing “You Know the Night,” a new piece of music based on a 30-page notebook entry penned by the revered songwriter just after meeting the woman who would become his second wife. “There’s a great photo of me with like 12 sheets of music taped to two stands and trying to sing this stuff and figure out when to sing, so in a way it was a real editing job,” Browne told Rolling Stone. “There wasn’t too much you could take out because it’s his story.”
“You Know the Night” has been edited down to four minutes for radio, but the full performance – and the version that will appear on Notes of Hope, a collection of other musical interpretations of his writing – clocks in at just under 15 minutes. “The four-minute version came out really good but the 15-minute version is, like, impossible to cut down,” says Browne. “We took out all the biographical stuff, really. They should be providing everybody with both.”
“[Guthrie] used to bully people’s spirits,” Browne says. “The people he sang for needed that. People he sang for needed to hear that one, they were not alone and two, there’s better times possible down the road. So, this song, the 15-minute version, is infused with that. There is something about him sitting on a park bench and playing with the curls of this beautiful girl’s hair and talking about what kind of life they wanted. I think it’s so universal. It’s what people do when they fall in love. It’s gigantic. It’s a love song but at the same time a kind of an idealist trek.”
Reporting by Patrick Doyle
Link to Article Listen: Jackson Browne Creates Epic Love Song from Woody Guthrie’s DiaryOn The Music Path Ipad App Offers Users In-Depth, One-On-One Lessons Taught By Master Musician Jackson Browne And Others
April 28, 2011
Imagine taking in-depth, one-on-one guitar lessons from Jackson Browne or Richard Thompson. These are among the rarefied experiences offered by On The Music Path, a new iPad app designed to teach users to play real instruments with instruction from world-class musicians. Lessons are shot in high-definition video by award-winning cinematographer Alan Kozlowski, who developed the app with business partner Derek Penn. On The Music Path offers insight and inspiration to students from beginners to advanced players, building an archive of wisdom from master practitioners passing down their art to future generations.
In addition to Browne and Thompson, world-renowned artists teaching On The Music Path master classes include: Marcia Ball, Roscoe Beck, Michael Chapdelaine, Luis Conte, Steve Ferrone, Steve Postell, Lee Ritenour, Vonda Shepard, Leland Sklar, Kenny Sultan, Scott Tennant, and even the legendary Ravi Shankar. The range of lessons will continue to grow as the app’s repertoire evolves.
“In an age when more people are learning to play virtual guitars than real guitars, On The Music Path is unabashedly old school and proud of it,'” says Penn. “There are no machine-generated jam tracks, game leaderboards, or polyphonic note-detection algorithms-just lessons from extraordinary players, and technological teaching tools used in service of appreciating great music and understanding how to play it.”
Jackson Browne breaks down some of the essential elements of his distinctive style on “Fingerpicking
and Alternate Tunings,” for intermediate to advanced players. Richard Thompson, a guitarist Rolling Stone has cited as one of the Top 20 of all time, teaches “Folk Rock Guitar.” Each of these two lessons features four of the artist’s signature songs. Also among the initial slate of lessons are “Fundamentals of the Guitar” from singer-songwriter Steve Postell; “Intro to the Blues” from blues guitarist Kenny Sultan; and “Intro to the Classical Guitar” from Scott Tennant, member of the Grammy-winning L.A. Guitar Quartet.
For the start-up company On The Path (LLC), Kozlowski is On The Music Path’s co-founder, creative director, and director of photography; Derek Penn is co-founder, chief software architect, and chief operating officer. “On The Music Path embodies our passion for great musicianship,” says Kozlowski, “and for the tradition of apprenticeship between a student and teacher that goes back thousands of years, and that I have
personally experienced through my mentor and teacher Ravi Shankar, who is the embodiment of this path.”
On The Music Path’s simple, elegant user interface leverages the intuitive nature of the iPad’s touch-based operating system. Features include a built-in metronome, the ability for users to record themselves, and the functionality for users to slow the video down to of its original speed to practice at their own pace. At each lesson’s end, users have the opportunity to play along with the teacher. Lessons range from 45 to 85 minutes, and are accompanied by complete musical notation and tablature synchronized to the teacher’s playing. The application can be downloaded for free from the App Store beginning April 28, with lessons available from $2.99 to $19.99. Students can try out the first chapters of any lesson at no charge before purchasing.
“Learning your instrument doesn’t get any better than this,” says Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra Records, a company whose artist-friendly model inspired Kozlowski and Penn in establishing On The Music Path.
On The Music Path – Love the Music You MakeTM
For more information: www.onthepath.com
Jackson Browne Signature Model Handmade Acoustic Guitar By Gibson To Be Unveiled At Namm
January 12, 2011
AVAILABLE IN STORES NATIONWIDE ON JANUARY 12, 2011
On Wednesday, January 12, singer-songwriter JacksonBrowne will join Gibson Guitar in introducing Gibson Acoustic’s Jackson Browne Signature acoustic guitar during a press event at the 2011 winter NAMM Show (National Association ofMusic Merchants) in Anaheim, CA. Five years in the making-through a series of evolving prototypes-the handmade instrument was designed and is being produced at the Gibson Montana Acoustic MasterShop in Bozeman, MT. Browne collaborated with master luthier Ren Ferguson and Robi Johns at Gibson Montana throughout the process. It is the first guitar to bear Browne’s name.
“The Gibson team has thoroughly enjoyed creating this outstanding musical instrument with Jackson,” says HenryJuszkiewicz, CEO, Gibson Guitar Corporation. “We are confident that players seeking the very best in tone, whether in the living room, in the studio, or on the stage, will find this a must-have guitar.”
Distinguished by a red spruce top and sustainably-farmed English walnut back and sides, the Jackson Browne Signature model was inspired by Gibson’s legendary 1930s-era Roy Smeck model-several of which are among Browne’s own prized collection of vintage Gibsons-known for its big tone, pure traditional acoustic sound, and flawless projection during concert performance. Responsive and powerful, the “Jackson Browne” has a wide neck, deep round shoulders, and the scale of a classical guitar, with 12 frets to the body. It is as much a fully modern instrument as a vital link to Gibson’s heritage, with innovations including a sophisticated pickup offering unparalleled sound reproduction when amplified, and exceptional gain before feedback capability.
“It has been an extraordinary back and forth process with Gibson creating this guitar,” says Jackson Browne. “As a performer, I’ve learned over the last 20 years what I like, and what works for my music. To use the iconic Roy Smeck model as a starting point-as well as Gibson’s 1994 reissue-and build something that helps me bring my songs to life is really exciting.”
The Jackson Browne Signature Model A (msrp$7,738) comes factory installed with the Trance Audio Amulet true-stereo acoustic guitar pickup, Browne’s system of choice. Model 1, without pick-up-but with the capability for being retrofit-is also available (msrp $5,799).
Renowned worldwide for his acoustic performances, JacksonBrowne launches his 2011 Solo Acoustic Tour with a February23 concert in Santa Cruz, CA. The North American itinerary runs through April, with additional dates and regions to be added. For special benefitseating, visit www.guacfund.org.
Jackson Browne has written and performed some of the most literate and moving songs in popular music, and has defined a genre of songwriting charged with honesty, emotion and personal politics. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2007.
Press and media are invited to attend the official unveiling and product launch of Gibson Acoustic’s Jackson Browne Signature acoustic guitar at 12 noon on Wed., January 12, 2011 at the NAMM Show. The press event takes place in the private Gibson suite-Room303 AB-on the third floor of the Anaheim Convention Center.
Link to Article Jackson Browne Signature Model Handmade Acoustic Guitar By Gibson To Be Unveiled At Namm