This episode combines a few tour stories AND a Check-In with Mikael Jorgensen, keyboardist of Wilco. It all starts off with some words for the recently passed Chick Corea. Next we hear Mikael's views on collaboration, the importance of making a mess in songwriting and why he loves improvisation, even if it's in "slow motion" due to a pandemic. He also tells us what it's like to do a 12 day tour with a song in the set that he never knew how to play. We learn his threshold on drinking absythe and Joe and Mikael exchange some ridiculous humble brags on their Bridge School Benefit experiences. All this and a new tune from Mikael's project Expandards. Music by Expandards, Palm Fronds Nobukazu Takemura, and Joe Plummer. Episode sponsored by Izotope. Izotope.com
Expandards "River" Featuring Jamie Drake and Paul Mertens
Hot off the presses for this holiday season: Expandards version of Joni Mitchell’s timelessly brilliant song “River” re-imagined by Mikael, Isaac + Mario Calire, featuring guest vocals from Jamie Drake and tenor sax by Paul Mertens.
Lizard Music "ARIZONE!"
You might be looking for “ARIZONE” by Lizard Music and you’ve come to one of the right places. We needed to take down our newest record but don’t worry, it’s for a really good reason that we’ll get to soon enough. In the meantime, you can take a listen to all the old Lizard Music records on Bandcamp
https://lizardmusic.bandcamp.com/
Stay tuned…
What happens when you ask the internet to overdub on a bassline & beat?
I asked people on Instagram & Facebook to download this track:
Then overdub themselves onto it. I only gave the Tempo of 120 bpm & the key of G and that was it. No other direction. Whatever they felt over this baseline groove was what I wanted. I asked that they would send me just the files of their recordings.
I got 31 submissions from all over the world resulting in an Ableton session with nearly 150 tracks.
This is a sprawling piece of music and was an absolute delight to work on. I want to thank all the contributors for making the time and taking this seriously. I made sure that everyone who contributed is included in this final mix.
Enjoy.
Clarque Blomquist - 808 Beat - Synths - Drum Machine - Vocals
Rob Burger - Bass Harmonica + Ebow Electric Guitar
Mario Calire - Drum Kit
Kate Jackson Charlow - Cicada Field Recording
Dave Cipriani - Electric Slide Guitars
Scott Cole - Electric Guitar
Andre Costantini - Synths & Electric Guitar
Brian Craig - Ambient Electric Guitar
Andy Day - Electric Guitar
Austin Donohue - Vocals
Graeme Gibson - Bass + Solina
Scott Hirsch - Acoustic Guitar & Harmonium
Seth Kauffman - Percussion + Electric Guitar
Jason Koth - Samples and Pads
Dustan Loque - Synths, Synthbass & Vocals
Scott Mattingly - Delightfully Demented Fuzz Guitar
Meg McCormick - Electric Guitar
Cheyenne Medders - Electric Guitar & Synth Solo
Paul Mertens - Bari Sax & Alto Flutes
Tim Nodar - Vocals
Brian Obernesser - Drum Machine, Synth & Guitar
Rain Perry - Vocals
Steve Puddle - Vocals
Mrs. Adam Schatz - Sax Solos
Sam Sentivan - Drums, Bass & Electric Guitars
John Shields - Wurlitzer 120 Electric Piano
JShogren - Resonator Guitar
Jesse Siebenberg - Musique Concrete Flourishes
Sam Small - Electric Guitar
Jeff Stultz - Beer Can Percussion
Jason Stumpf - Electric Guitar
Ray Wilko - Electric Guitar
Expandards - Cycling | Nature Boy • OUT NOW
Cycling
Words and music by Mikael Jorgensen & Isaac Koren
Mikael Jorgensen - Keyboards / String Arrangement / Production
Isaac Koren - Vocals
Mario Calire - Drums
Jeremy Turner - Cello
Mixed with Scott Hirsch at Echo Magic, Ojai, CA
Mastered by Ian Sefchick at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Nature Boy
Words and music by Eden Ahbez
Mikael Jorgensen - Keyboards
Isaac Koren - Vocals
Mixed by Mikael Jorgensen at Expandards HQ
Mastered by Ian Sefchick at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Expandards: "Nature Boy" Official Music Video
“NATURE BOY” Directed by Trevor Tuttle
A woman steps into the Record Parlour and loses herself in a fantasy.
CAST
Her - Tari Elegele
Him - Isaac Koren
Customer - Michael PiccirillI
Customer - Chadwick Hemus
Customer - Skip Heller
Clerk - Lula Barneche
NATURE BOY performed by
Vocals - Isaac Koren
Keyboard - Mikael Jorgensen
CREW
Production Coordinator - Lula Barneche
Production Manager - Jon Giacalone
Production Designer - Chris Honetschlaeger
Editor - Barrett “Baz” Heathcote
Editor - Michael Matzdorff
Stylist | Wardrobe - Mara Carrizo Scalise
Costume Design - Jennifer Eve
Cinematographer - Brent Mata
Assistant Camera - Sam Kim
Gaffer - Scott Smith
Grip - Alex Gracie
Steadicam Operator - Quaid DeBaca
Colorist - Dante Pasquinelli
Craft Service - Molly Tuttle
Sound Mixing - Michael Beliveau
Special Thanks - Robert Bailey, Robert Bryant, Chandra Feltus, Andrew J. Amato, NEER Motion
©2019 BOSA
Unreleased Pronto Tracks 2006-2012
This is a collection of recordings that I made with Greg O'Keeffe between roughly 2006-2012 when we both lived in Brooklyn. Our rehearsal space / recording lab was on Prince Street just off the Manhattan Bridge in a building that was trying to convert storage spaces into artist studios while spending as little money as possible to make them habitable.
It was less than ideal for many reasons, but there are so many stories about that building that we'll get into in some of the videos.
As you will hear, these songs cover lots of ground, from thick buzzy electric guitar jams to abstract atmospherics to pure electronic creations to folk songs. I'm restless and curious and my creative pendulum continues to swing from acoustic, human performed songs to completely in-the-box electronic compositions.
This constellation of recordings aren't polished and perfect, but the spirit of these recordings endure despite the occasional clam or a vocal melody that's not quite accurately sung or a section that goes on too long or a lyric that's not 100% fully cooked.
I hope you find these recordings enjoyable and receive them in the spirit that they are offered.
released May 6, 2020
https://mikaeljorgensen.bandcamp.com/album/unreleased-pronto-tracks-2006-2012