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Alejandro Escovedos New Album ECHO DANCING is an Adventure in LifeNo one has really ever been able to define themselves and their music like singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo does. His life in music of all kinds sometimes feels like a swirl through the sky, where his songs point out all the majesty and mystery of how he sees the world. The sounds he makes take him places that he might not even predict, but once there, greatness always follows. Its just the way Escovedo is. It has happened over and over for decades, almost like a fateful agreement he has with the cosmos. There is a good chance it cannot be explained, especially by him.Maybe thats because this is a musician who feels magic, both in himself and the world around him, and is open to the experience of whatever comes his way. It is not always easy, and can have a high demand on how a person lives. But it is the way that Escovedo is always moving forward.On this new album, Alejandro Escovedo has taken a road rarely traveled, which is totally in keeping with how he has lived his life in music. Echo Dancing is an experiment in how to use the past to shape the future. By recording completely new and repurposed versions of songs from his past, Escovedo actually gets a chance to rewrite his own history. Its also an idea that pushes growth into the present, and asks an artist to see themselves anew. I always feel that a well-written song can withstand a lot of abuse, Escovedo says. It is an area of creativity that the man has always honored. Turning a past song inside out leads to discovery of new ideas you might not have understood about the song, he says. Even lyrical refurbishing has proven helpful and effective. Its like interpreting your own work anew. The songs never seem to be complete. They are always evolving.And with those words, Alejandro Escovedo succinctly explains the new levels of artistic exploration hes undertaken on his new album. Its a unique adventure into recording new versions of songs from his past, and approaching them as challenges to totally express what the music means to him today. Songs like Bury Me and Castauelas, while they were powerful in their original form several years ago, now announce themselves as highlights of Escovedos long career. They speak to an eternal world that lives inside so much of his music, like it was formed in a way that cannot age. There is something very permanent in the career of the Texas-born artist, an inner flame that is always there. It feels like it is a part of musical history that is rarely captured at such peak performance, let alone reappears with a new life. If the life of an artist is always to push ahead, to leave what was done alone in favor of contemporary creations, then Escovedos basic concept of Echo Dancing is a revolutionary concept of high beliefs. That the past can live again as a reborn entity.
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Paul
June 3rd 2024
Fantastic show, including a special unplugged mini set in the middle of the audience!
Houston, TX@The Heights Theater
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Alejandro Escovedo Biography
ACCOLADES
2006- Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Performing
1998- Named No Depression Artist of the Decade
1993- Musician of the Year at Austin Music Awards
DISCOGRAPHY
RANK & FILE
1982- Sundown
TRUE BELIEVERS
1986- True Believers
1994- Hard Road (2 discs; included repackaged True Believers)
BUICK MACKANE
1997- The Pawn Shop Years
SOLO
1992- Gravity
1994- Thirteen Years
1996- With These Hands
1998- More Miles Than Money: Live 1994-1996
1999- Bourbonitis Blues
2001- A Man Under the Influence
2002- By the Hand of the Father
2005- Room Of Songs
2006- The Boxing Mirror
2008- Real Animal
2010- Street Songs Of Love
2012- Big Station
2016- Burn Something Beautiful
SOUNDTRACKS
2004- Robbing Peter
2007- Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains
BANDS
-He began his music career with The Nuns, a mid-'70s punk band based in San Francisco.
*The Nuns opened for Sex Pistols’ last show at Winterland in January 1978
*played with Judy Nylon in 1978
*The first show he played with Nylon was a pivotal moment: opening at Max’s Kansas City for former Velvet Underground guitarist John Cale.
*co-founded the pioneering alt-country band Rank and File (w/ Chip and Tony Kinman ) in 1980
*formed True Believers (with brother Javier and Jon Dee Graham) 1983
*played national tours supporting Los Lobos
*Buick MacKane 1987-90
*a nod to the influence of the 70's on Escovedo's musical tastes and reflects an edgier, harder rocking sound than any of his solo releases.
*Alejandro Escovedo Orchestra 1987-90 (3-15 piece renowned Austin band)
FACTS
-Lived at Chelsea Hotel during Sid & Nancy days
-Worked at Waterloo Records after True Believers broke up
-Steven Bruton produced his first solo albums
-John Cale, one of his idols, produced THE BOXING MIRROR
-subject of an upcoming documentary by Jonathan Demme
-2008 photoshoot by legendary rock n’ roll photographer Mick Rock
-Tony Visconti produced REAL ANIMAL & STREET SONGS OF LOVE
-In 2003, after having lived with Hepatitis-C for many years, Alejandro fell critically ill and nearly died.
-Friends and admirers around the country organized benefit shows to help the songwriter. This effort grew into the album POR VIDA: A TRIBUTE TO THE SONGS OF ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO in 2004. The 31 contributing musicians included Steve Earle, Jon Dee Graham, Lucinda Williams, John Cale, Jennifer Warnes, Ian Hunter, The Jayhawks, Los Lonely Boys and Son Volt, as well as family members Pete Escovedo, Javier Escovedo and niece Sheila E.
-In 2005, Escovedo's song "Castanets" appeared on the iPod playlist of George W. Bush, prompting a self-imposed ban on live performances of the song.
*Alejandro performed "Castanets" on December 29, 2007 while opening for Patti Smith in New York City's Bowery Balloom.
THEATRICAL WORK
BY THE HAND OF THE FATHER is the music and selected stories from the theatre-work created by Alejandro Escovedo in collaboration with playwrights Theresa Chavez, Eric Gutierrez and Rose Portillo. The play and music explore the relationships between immigrant fathers and their children. The theatrical work grew out of songs he had written about his father, Pedro Escovedo
FAMILY
-His parents emigrated to Texas from Mexico
-His father played in local mariachi bands in the 1930’s, as sang in major East Bay bands
-Brothers Coke Escovedo and Pete Escovedo, both percussionists, have played with Santana, Azteca and Malo
-Longtime Prince collaborator Sheila E (Pete's daughter and Alejandro's niece)
QUOTES
"Alejandro is an abstract expressionist historian of his and our past, of emotion and desire."
- Jonathan Demme
"Musically, Alejandro Escovedo is in his own genre."
-David Fricke, Rolling Stone
“Escovedo has blended the lyricism of Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne with the raw power of the Stooges and the Velvet Underground…the result is music with heart, brains, and a burning sense of adventure.”
- Mark Kemp, Rolling Stone
“A masterwork from one of the genuine lights in rock music.”
-Billboard
“Escovedo’s songs brim with beauty and suffering, love and fear, anger and determination — in short, with life.”— USA Today
“Escovedo keeps getting better at an age when most artists are on cruise control.”
- Chicago Tribune
“Tom Waits. Bruce Springsteen. Bob Dylan. They’re master singer-songwriters who thousands have tried to emulate. This John Cale-produced album proves there’s another name ready for the list.”
- Penthouse
Read More2006- Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Performing
1998- Named No Depression Artist of the Decade
1993- Musician of the Year at Austin Music Awards
DISCOGRAPHY
RANK & FILE
1982- Sundown
TRUE BELIEVERS
1986- True Believers
1994- Hard Road (2 discs; included repackaged True Believers)
BUICK MACKANE
1997- The Pawn Shop Years
SOLO
1992- Gravity
1994- Thirteen Years
1996- With These Hands
1998- More Miles Than Money: Live 1994-1996
1999- Bourbonitis Blues
2001- A Man Under the Influence
2002- By the Hand of the Father
2005- Room Of Songs
2006- The Boxing Mirror
2008- Real Animal
2010- Street Songs Of Love
2012- Big Station
2016- Burn Something Beautiful
SOUNDTRACKS
2004- Robbing Peter
2007- Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains
BANDS
-He began his music career with The Nuns, a mid-'70s punk band based in San Francisco.
*The Nuns opened for Sex Pistols’ last show at Winterland in January 1978
*played with Judy Nylon in 1978
*The first show he played with Nylon was a pivotal moment: opening at Max’s Kansas City for former Velvet Underground guitarist John Cale.
*co-founded the pioneering alt-country band Rank and File (w/ Chip and Tony Kinman ) in 1980
*formed True Believers (with brother Javier and Jon Dee Graham) 1983
*played national tours supporting Los Lobos
*Buick MacKane 1987-90
*a nod to the influence of the 70's on Escovedo's musical tastes and reflects an edgier, harder rocking sound than any of his solo releases.
*Alejandro Escovedo Orchestra 1987-90 (3-15 piece renowned Austin band)
FACTS
-Lived at Chelsea Hotel during Sid & Nancy days
-Worked at Waterloo Records after True Believers broke up
-Steven Bruton produced his first solo albums
-John Cale, one of his idols, produced THE BOXING MIRROR
-subject of an upcoming documentary by Jonathan Demme
-2008 photoshoot by legendary rock n’ roll photographer Mick Rock
-Tony Visconti produced REAL ANIMAL & STREET SONGS OF LOVE
-In 2003, after having lived with Hepatitis-C for many years, Alejandro fell critically ill and nearly died.
-Friends and admirers around the country organized benefit shows to help the songwriter. This effort grew into the album POR VIDA: A TRIBUTE TO THE SONGS OF ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO in 2004. The 31 contributing musicians included Steve Earle, Jon Dee Graham, Lucinda Williams, John Cale, Jennifer Warnes, Ian Hunter, The Jayhawks, Los Lonely Boys and Son Volt, as well as family members Pete Escovedo, Javier Escovedo and niece Sheila E.
-In 2005, Escovedo's song "Castanets" appeared on the iPod playlist of George W. Bush, prompting a self-imposed ban on live performances of the song.
*Alejandro performed "Castanets" on December 29, 2007 while opening for Patti Smith in New York City's Bowery Balloom.
THEATRICAL WORK
BY THE HAND OF THE FATHER is the music and selected stories from the theatre-work created by Alejandro Escovedo in collaboration with playwrights Theresa Chavez, Eric Gutierrez and Rose Portillo. The play and music explore the relationships between immigrant fathers and their children. The theatrical work grew out of songs he had written about his father, Pedro Escovedo
FAMILY
-His parents emigrated to Texas from Mexico
-His father played in local mariachi bands in the 1930’s, as sang in major East Bay bands
-Brothers Coke Escovedo and Pete Escovedo, both percussionists, have played with Santana, Azteca and Malo
-Longtime Prince collaborator Sheila E (Pete's daughter and Alejandro's niece)
QUOTES
"Alejandro is an abstract expressionist historian of his and our past, of emotion and desire."
- Jonathan Demme
"Musically, Alejandro Escovedo is in his own genre."
-David Fricke, Rolling Stone
“Escovedo has blended the lyricism of Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne with the raw power of the Stooges and the Velvet Underground…the result is music with heart, brains, and a burning sense of adventure.”
- Mark Kemp, Rolling Stone
“A masterwork from one of the genuine lights in rock music.”
-Billboard
“Escovedo’s songs brim with beauty and suffering, love and fear, anger and determination — in short, with life.”— USA Today
“Escovedo keeps getting better at an age when most artists are on cruise control.”
- Chicago Tribune
“Tom Waits. Bruce Springsteen. Bob Dylan. They’re master singer-songwriters who thousands have tried to emulate. This John Cale-produced album proves there’s another name ready for the list.”
- Penthouse
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