Come listen to our newest album, First Rain, a mix of beautiful homegrown folk and soulful jazz. I believe we’ve made a new genre, Swedish farm jazz :) and I would like very much to share it with you.
With beautiful string overlays by Ken Hustad and Brynn Albanese and engineers Chris Roberston (Blue Universe Recording) and Nolan Shaheed (No-Sound Studios) to capture the perfect sounds, First Rain is our personal stamp on jazz standards and bossa nova grooves with folk interpretations…I think you’ll enjoy it.
“April Afternoon,” the first song from Inga Swearingen’s new album First Rain. Featured in the video are Jeff Miley on guitar, Dylan Johnson on bass and Darrell Voss on drums. Directed by Barry Goyette.
Inga infuses her signature jazz style with a good helping of folk and finds herself right at home.
If you think you know Inga Swearingen’s musical style, think again. Her latest release, First Rain, enters new territory with songs rooted in family, farm, nature and love. It’s an upbeat mixture of smoky, bluesy jazz and beautiful down-home folk, with acoustic layers that bloom like a flower.
“This album is a departure for me musically and it feels very personal,” says Inga. “The lyrics are about the people, places and times that have been and still are most dear to my heart. The making of it felt like a community barn-raising. Friends contributed and donated to the project adding another layer of gratitude to the music.”
I will be traveling to New York for a few shows in August – see the tour page for more details. Diverse guitarist Jeff Miley and I will be joined by bassists Noriko Ueda and Zack Lober. Bringing some farm jazz to the big city!
Great news! I’ve added a show in Portland on Monday July 20th at 6:30PM at the Woodstock Wine & Deli Co. (just so you’re aware, their main website is acting up, but the link is to the Yelp page for this venue.) Come join us for some wine (no cover charge, just pass-the-hat), enjoy the music and relax…let us serenade you.
Let your friends know if they’re into the folky jazz experience. Although we’ll be in several places in Oregon and Washington, we have an opening on Monday night (July 20th) in Portland. If anyone in Portland or nearby would like to host a house concert, we’ll be there. Come see us at Egan’s Ballard Jam House (Seattle), Nich Anderson’s Jazz Vox (Auburn), Dockside (Olympia), Cozmic Pizza (Eugene), and–to end it all back in California–Freight & Salvage (Berkeley). Look for live tour videos down the road.
I’ve been working with some great musicians in the studio, like Jeff Miley, Darek Oles, Larry Koonse, Brian Kilgore, Dylan Johnson, Darrell Voss and of course my amazing sister, Britta. And adding some beautiful overlays with strings are Ken Hustad and Brynn Albanese. I wanted to record with all these talented players that I had to split up the sessions: Chris Roberston (Blue Universe Recording) and Nolan Shaheed (No-Sound Studios) helped with capturing the perfect sounds. Now, into the mixing, mastering, and post-production, it is almost ready. I’m so excited to share it will you all. Here I am on an April afternoon ready to lay down another track, which also happens to be the title of the first song.
…and into the final fundraising
As the next album comes together, I can’t thank enough, everyone who helped get this project to where it is now. I am so appreciative for every little bit. It wouldn’t have been possible without some amazing wonderful friends. Although I’ve kept these efforts local for the most part, I think it would be helpful to reach out to fans who’ve heard me on A Prairie Home Companion, listened to my music through the Internet, and talked about it with their friends. Again, I am forever grateful of the wonderful gifts from those who have already contributed to this project. If you would like to help to finish the project, you can donate using Paypal button or send me an message through my contact form for other options.
Inga Swearingen performs regularly on the live radio broadcast show, A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, which can be heard on public radio stations throughout the world. She also appeared on the Prairie Home’s 30th Broadcast Season Celebration DVD, along with the superb cast, gospel star Jearlyn Steele and country band BR5-49. Sign up for Inga Swearingen’s mailing list for upcoming shows and other updates.
Listen to Prairie Home performances online…
At New York Town Hall on Dec. 1, 2007, with singer/songwriter legend Joe Ely and his pal, Joel Guzman, Inga swings “I Hear Music” and pays tribute on guitar to Joni Mitchell with “The Crazy Cries of Love,” a song for lovers in apartment buildings. She gets the audience to sing along to a Bobby McFerrin-style a cappella version of “Blackbird” in two-part harmony.
Listen to “The Crazy Cries of Love” (81 minutes) Requires Adobe Flash plug-in.
At Tanglewood — Koussevitzky Music Shed in Lenox, Mass. on June 28, 2008, with The Del McCoury Band and poet Donald Hall, Inga drifts melodically over Mr. Hall’s poem “Summer Kitchen” and weaves the Flower Duet from “Lakme” into a summer camp diary script. With her acoustic guitar, Inga plays her composition “Two Trees,” which will be on the upcoming album due in October.
And again, at Tanglewood on June 30, 2007, with unpretentious superstar James Taylor, Inga sings her arrangement of “Skylark” with bassist Gary Raynor and cellist Owen Young, described as Stravinsky-esque with a repeated bass line and cello motive.
It’s here! FIRST RAIN has arrived!
