So Long Seven; up and running (almost)

These are exciting times. Yes, I love the beginning of the NHL season but that is not what I am referring to. (Go Leafs go!)

I love having a new record to share with the world. This is my 8th record. (I have taken to calling it MY record in hopes that the other guys in this musical collective will do the same. Own it!)

Not only is the record going to be released in CD and digital form early in November but we are starting to share it with all the great Canadian music festivals that we want to play at this summer.

When I was a young man I remember thinking that I would continue to make a new recording every year or two for the rest of my life. Well, things change. It has been quite a while since my last CD; Banjo Hockey was released on Vancouver's Black Hen Records. That band; the Tim Posgate Hornband is something I will always cherish. Such great memories (ten years worth!) including two records and touring internationally with the legendary tuba player Howard Johnson.

Now the focus of my musical life is So Long Seven. This band has had an unusual birth and then slow graduation towards being a toddler (?) We were originally called The Oolong 7 (for a couple years). It was led by our friend, fiddler Jaime McClyment. At a certain point Jaime decided he wasn't interested in being part of this ensemble any more.

We slowed to a halt. Talked. Jammed. Thought some more. Finally Ravi Naimpally our fantastic tabla player heard a young violinist named William Lamoureux playing at the Rex. We asked William to join us on our recording session as a special guest on half of the tracks. By the time we finished recording and playing a show together with him we all knew that he was the right person to make the group a quartet again.

Choosing a band name took us forever. There was a somewhat funny moment when we found out that Jaime was leaving the group someone said aloud; "So Long Seven!" There we were. Here we are.

Here is a little taste of our new CD; So Long Seven. This is called Elk Fable C (thanks to Scott Thompson for helping me name this one!)