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| David Brewbaker Announces New CD Release, A Sign Of Life David Brewbaker has released his debut, full-length CD, A Sign of Life on his own Off Road Music label. With keen storytelling and a hard-driving sound originating in American roots genres, Brewbaker blends in blues and jazz to lend exquisite style and color to the seven featured tracks. The album showcases the songwriter's lock on raucous arrangements commanded by lyrics that are both moving and muscular. In its title track, A Sign of Life examines the psychological toll that weighs on people living in a terror-targeted nation, where "tri-tones sirens deprive us of sleep" while "chasing the Party of God through all the suburban streets"; and where the singer/poet/street caller asks when the sleeper cells are "Gonna raise hell down at the 7-11? / Or take out the subway station in Sheridan Square? / When's the walls of Harvard or Disneyworld / Gonna yield to a dirty bomb - Goofy and Mickey / Just body parts on the landscape?" It also showcases Brewbaker's ability to give voice to human stories in songs like Sea of Cortez and Mary & Pete, which soulfully laments that it's "hard to find a little love in this world / Life don't put out like a chorus girl." The meticulous arrangements are a tribute to both Brewbaker's own studio efforts and the inspired collaboration with saxophonist Brian Graham of Sly Chi, Portland Maine's award-winning R&B/Funk band. With its perfect blend of roots-rock, blues and jazz, A Sign of Life will please devotees of Bruce Cockburn as well as Bonnie Raitt, Steely Dan, J.J. Cale, Mark Knopfler, and Dave Alvin, while at the same time reinforcing the artist's own genre-busting sound through inventive use of an eclectic musical palette. An American songwriter, singer and guitarist, David Brewbaker was born in Richmond, Va., and began writing songs when he was 13. He spent many years performing on stage and in clubs around New York, Colorado and New Mexico and has also worked as a composer of jingles, industrial music and documentary films. His work includes writing and recording with the late producer Norman Petty of Buddy Holly fame, and he has studied with guitarists Jack Wilkins, John Scofield and Steve Kahn. He currently lives and works in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. A Sign of Life was and mastered at The Studio in Portland (Tab Benoit, James Cotton, Patty Larkin, Ronnie Earl). A Sign of Life is now available online at CDBaby.com, Amazon.com and soon on iTunes. write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Jazz News :: home page |