The Spring Explosion, 2020: Facebook Live Week of April 26, and New Music

CarlosDavid Corley News, Hadley McCall Thackston News, Hugh Christopher Brown News, Lara Taubman News, News, Paul J Bolger News, Pros and Cons Program News, Stephen Stanley Band News, Suzanne Jarvie News, The Mermaids News

Spring does drive creativity, and on Wolfe Island, we are nurturing new work while watching out for those on the island at risk — making sure everybody has enough food in a time when many are isolated and others can’t work.

Where we can, it feels like our best role is to try and inject some positivity into lives that have been so upended. To that end we are holding 4 Facebook Live online concerts next week:

FACEBOOK LIVE: WEEK OF APRIL 26th

 

We will be holding nightly 1 hour concerts each starting at 8pm in part so our European friends don’t have to stay up too late…. Well 1am is a bit late for sure. Make sure you are following each artist on FB and tune in this week.

Stephen Stanley: Wednesday April 29th
Suzanne Jarvie and Sara Jarvie Clark: Thursday April 30th
Chris Brown and Jason Mercer: Friday May 1st
David Corley: Saturday May 2nd

NEW MUSIC!

 

THE ROPES

Chris Brown, Jason Mercer, Pete Bowers and Kate Fenner are finishing up a debut release for their new recording under the band The Ropes. It is the first time Chris, Jason and Kate have been on a recording together since The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir. Release and online listening party will be announced soon.

Here are links to some live Ropes takes from the cabin with Kate Fenner, just before the world changed: Methods, and Kate’s beautiful ballad The Yield.

 

LARA TAUBMAN, PAUL J BOLGER AND SCARLETT GRAHAM

Three new Wolfe Island musicians, Lara Taubman, Paul J Bolger and Scarlett Graham are releasing new records later this spring, partnering again with Continental Record Services in Europe. More news on all of these shortly.

 

THE PROS AND CONS PROGRAM

The Pros and Cons Program continues to grow with two albums slated for release May 15th: Paint In The Forest from Joyceville Institution and Private Town recorded by Aimee Copping at Grand Valley Institution for Women. This marks the first time music from the prison will be available across streaming platforms so we hope to see songs shared on playlists to spread the word and help grow the work of restorative justice globally.

Here is a recent article from the American Journal Kosmos:
https://www.kosmosjournal.org/kj_article/prison-music-set-free/

 

THE MERMAIDS

The Mermaids are weathering the COVID-19 storm with their families. Like countless other people, Josh has rediscovered a love of baking and taking long walks. He has also been spending a lot of time with his almost three-year old son. As a result, he knows what kids are into these days: vacuum cleaners and cello videos featuring Yo-Yo Ma. Hillel, meanwhile, has been spending a lot of time talking to people on video calls, in between client meetings with the local neighborhood cats. It turns out they are also into vacuum cleaners and cello music, although they prefer Pablo Casals recordings. The Mermaids have been digging Sarah Harmer’s new record, “Are You Gone?”

 

SUZANNE JARVIE / DAVID CORLEY / HADLEY MCCALL THACKSTON / STEPHEN STANLEY

Right now, all of the above have enough material for new albums. Expect new releases in 2021 but in the meantime, enjoy some of their new music via Facebook Live.

Stephen is going live on Facebook “Every Other Wednesday” at 8pm including April 28th. Come and join in on the conversation, ask questions, make requests and chat, chat, chat.

 

EARTH DAY 2020

Today (April 22) is the 50th Anniversary of the original Earth Day — Wolfe Island Records heartily supports taking emergency action to build a more sustainable and just world, and support the COVID-19 relief effort. Click the banner below to join the online activities from April 22-24.

Earth Day 2020 banner

 

Please stay tuned to the Wolfe Island Records website where all this music and more will be made available.

We hope that all of this music helps bring love, joy and connection during this extraordinary time, and take these moments to be present and become more deeply aware of ways to participate in better relationships, with yourselves, other humans and the planet.

For more on this, please reference Chris’ pets’ online philosophy course: