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Archive Jules Halfant (1909-2001), artist for 80 years, became the art director for Vanguard Records in 1953 and remained in that position until the mid 1980s. He designed the covers for all of Eric's Vanguard titles. Maynard Solomon, the co-founder and co-owner of Vanguard Records wrote about Jules, "He was a stalwart presence at Vanguard for most of its existence and he single-handedly created or commissioned most of the visual images by which Vanguard became known. Although he was not a musician he loved music, and this gave his work a special sensitivity - he often burst into song as he worked, vigorously and with a voice strong enough to resound through the halls." Pastel portrait drawn from life at Jules' home, circa 1966.
Collection of Rachel Halfant. FALL NEWS 2001 Spring and Summer Round-up 2001 This past spring and summer Eric played shows and festivals in New York and Europe including a fantastic double-bill with Tom Rush at New York's new club the Village Underground in early May. A New Release and Re-Release: In April, BMG Norway re-released the first Danko Fjeld Andersen trio album that includes a second bonus CD, "Live at the Molde Jazz Festival," both recorded in Norway in 1991. The back-up musicians at the show were the same ones who recorded on the album. In Eric's solo section, he sings a stunning version of his song, "Sheila" and a rousing "Hey Babe, You Been Cheatin'". A tour: The album release in Scandanavia was followed up by a 12-date Norwegian tour by Eric and Jonas' new quartet. Singing Rick's harmonies and even great new versions of Rick's famous signature songs "Twilight" and "Makes No Difference" was Eric's daughter, Sari Andersen. Sari has appeared singing harmonies on Eric's album "Memory of the Future" and has a new writing and recording career on her own. The blend between Jonas, Eric and Sari was magical. "Uncle" Rick would have certainly been smiling and proud, having known Sari since she was a one-year old in Woodstock, NY. When playing in California, Rick would often call Sari up to sing the harmonies at HIS gigs. Musician extraordinaire, Garth Hudson, rounded out the quartet, playing keyboards, accordian and tenor sax. The audience reaction was tremendous. The music and harmonies definitely stood up on their own. Eric and Garth did a classic and haunting duet on "Trouble in Paris" with Garth on sax. Garth Hudson: Eric wrote lyrics for a song he co-wrote with legendary Band-member Garth Hudson called "The Breakers." The Album, "The Sea to the North", is Garth's first solo album and was released in September. It has been eagerly anticipated. The six lengthy tracks contain all the musical brilliance, grace, power and magic Garth has been associated with and celebrated for, for over the past 40 years. Highly recommended. European Action: In June, Eric flew south where he played the Frutigen Music Festival in Switzerland, followed by 5 shows in Holland and 1 in Norderstedt, outside Hamburg, Germany. At the end of June, he headlined the Kris Kristofferson 65th birthday tribute concert in Kvinesdal, Norway. Eric played several concerts and live national TV shows while summering in Norway, including NRK's Sommers Apent. He visited Bob Dylan for a couple hours before his show in Langesund, Norway. Bob, looking thin and fit and smiling, was singing in top form. He mentioned at one point that he wrote a song that said "you CAN repeat the past." Eric scrambled for a pen to write down the phone number of Bob's connection and is hoping to see him soon. AUTUMN LEAVES Italy: Kicking off the fall, Eric played the Mantova Literary Festival in northen Italy on September 5 and 6. The concert was held in a medieval piazza in front of 1,000 people. He brought two Norwegian musicians bassist Frode Larsen on bass and slide guitarist Helge Hovland to accompany him for this special trio performance. They did a superb version of "Ghosts Upon The Road" along with songs like "Blue River", "Violets of Dawn", "Sudden Love" and "Is it Really Love At All." The following day he did a reading from his essay in the "Rolling Stone Book of the Beats." The festival hosted over 100 authors from all over the globe. In Mantova, he met festival guests Gore Vidal and Frank McCourt. United States and Canada: Beginning in October he will perform select dates in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada. Stops will include Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, Toronto and Hartford. There will be a special concert at the Woodstock Guild that will include special guests at the end of October. A perfect time in Eric's old hometown in the Catskills. In November, he will play shows in Belgium with celebrated British singer-songwriter Allan Taylor. Stops will include Antwerp, Brugges and Brussels. He will complete the month by playing soon to-be-announced shows in Holland. (Be sure to check the tour schedule) On December 17 and 18, it is planned that he return to Italy to perform at Premio Ciampu, the country's biggest songwriter's festival in Livorno, Tuscany. Around that show he may do some more Italian dates including some in Sicily. The new double Danko Fjeld Andersen trio album will be released world-wide in early 2002 on Appleseed Recordings. Keep a look out for the date. On big blue end of summer note, Eric mourns the loss of good friends and musical comrades Fred Neil and Mimi Farina. We also pray for those heart-broken souls who grieve the loss of friends and family in the recent attacks in New York and Washington were praying too that this won't be a replay of the medieval crusades, that seemingly endless religious war (the cross versus the crescent). Freedom: Keep your eyes and ears open, dear friends, and all fingers crossed that more security and protection in our future won't be a permanent swap for less civil rights and freedoms. Concerning the central idea of America being a land created to build and protect our freedoms, don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Amen. Eric Andersen Spring and Summer News 2001
Eric and Jonas will take the show on the Norwegian road with the assistance of one of the Trio album's musicians as well as the venerable member of the Band, Garth Hudson, for a 2-week tour in Norway in May. There are plans underway to have the double album released in the US, Canada, Japan, Europe and the rest of the world this coming summer. Winter and Spring News 2001After a 3-month fall tour that included places as far-flung as Italy, Norway and Holland, Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and across the U.S., including Alaska, Eric returned from the December holidays again to play some U.S. shows in late January. In early February he spent 10 days in Montréal to relax and write new songs. While there, he returned to the Club Zone and played a show with Chris Smither and a concert with Shawn Mullins at the Club Soda.
In December, EXILE, his new compilation album of European and Canadian recordings, 1980-1984, was released. Almost all the songs on this new CD have never been heard in the U.S. or Canada. At the time of this writing, this 18-track double-length CD is only available at his live performances or at his Website. Then in January, the first album inaugurating the new Be There Now series became available. LIVE AT THE PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL, a real live field recording opens with a rousing version of "Close the Door Lightly" and features 7 tracks with his band from the 1982 Philadelphia Folk Festival, including a classic duet of "Thirsty Boots" with Taj Mahal on harmonica (photograph of Eric and Taj performing is included in the CD booklet). This special performance is the first of many of Eric's live performances that will only be available on MP3.com. Other performances under consideration for imminent release on his new Be There Now series include a solo and band show from New York's alternative Mudd Club that features a duet with Joni Mitchell; a live solo concert in Bolzano, Italy; Band shows from New York's famed Lonestar Café; and Band shows from the Unicorn Club; and a live show with wind instrument maestro and composer, David Amram. These recordings are shows ranging from the late 70's through the mid-90's. Other live Be There Now Eric Andersen CDs will follow.All exclusively on MP3.com. Eric is also writing new songs for his new studio album and a possible live album. His first planned live album. More on that soon. SPRING-SUMMER GIG PLANS AND TRAVEL From mid-May through Middle June, Eric will be performing solo shows in Germany Holland and Switzerland, including the Frutigen Folk and Writer's Festival in Switzerland. European dates and venue details to be provided soon. FALL NEWS 2000: Eric starts his 2 1/2 month fall tour on October 1st, beginning in Italy, He will be playing 7 dates, from Bolzano, in the north, to Rome, in the south. From there he will stop over in Holland for some shows, including the Gemet-Naked Song Festival on October 14. Starting October 18, he commences a long tour of the U.S. and Canada which will continue until the first week of December, and possibly include Germany. (Check out the gig calendar for schedules and details). New Recordings: In September, the long-awaited Smithsonian Folkways Broadside box set is finally being released after years of preparation. The 5 CDs contain 89 tracks that were originally recorded for Folkways in New York and contain the songs first published by the legendary and revolutionary Broadside songwriting magazine started in the early 60's by Gordon Friesen and Sis Cunningham. Both were Oklahoma friends of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Sis sang in the famous Almanac Singers. Broadside was the mimeographed New York publication where many new songwriters first saw their songs published. This comprehensive Smithsonian box set features tracks by Pete Seeger, Peter La Farge, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Janis Ian, Len Chandler, Gil Turner, and Bob Dylan. Others who recorded later include writers like Lucinda Williams. Eric was first introduced to Gordon and Sis soon after his arrival in 1964 by New York Times music critic, Robert Shelton. Broadside had printed many of his early songs, including "Thirsty Boots"" and "Violets of Dawn." He lived with Gorden and Sis, in their upper west side apartment, for 6 months of that year. Eric is heard singing his song "Plains of Nebrasky-o" in duet with Phil Ochs. He also sings a previously unrecorded song he wrote for Peter LaFarge called "Long Time Troubled Road." A large booklet with commentary and photos is included in the box. David Fricke's lead music review, in the August 31st issue of Rolling Stone magazine, gave the box set a Classic 5 star rating. You can hear tracks and find out more by accessing Smithsonian Folkways at http://bestofbroadside.com/andersen.htm. Other Smithsonian Folkways recordings featuring Eric Andersen are: Broadside Ballads Volume 3 (Folkways 05303) Broadside Ballads Volume 6 (Folkways 05315) Fast Folk Musical Magazine Volume 1- FF101 Fast Folk Musical Magazine Volume 6 No. 9-FF609 Final note: Please check out the June, 2000 issue of the British music magazine, Mojo. The lead feature story was written by James Cullingham about the historic Canadian Festival Express, the 1970 festival tour, where the performers all traveled, lived, and jammed on their own train. Appearing on these stellar shows were an amazing collection of performers that included Janis Joplin, The Band, Buddy Guy, The Grateful Dead, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Ian and Sylvia, Delaney and Bonnie, Tom Rush, Stevie Winwood, and others. Eric was the only solo acoustic artist to perform at the festival shows. There is a photo and interview with Eric. The long-awaited movie of the festival concerts and train footage plus the Sony soundtrack CDs are being prepared for release, at the time of this writing. P.S. Don't forget to sign up for the special email list on the "To Contact Us" page in order to receive latest updates of shows and new CD products. "Exile," a special set of his 1980's European and Canadian recordings, is being planned for imminent release. These CDs have never been released in North America will not be available in retail stores. Summer 2000 News Play-Back In early June, Eric played the main stage one evening of the 3-week long Texas Kerrville Folk festival. Other performers on hand were Butch Hancock and Vance Gilbert.
The 3 shows included one at the celebrated Nashville Bluebird Café where he co-billed with country songwriter Garry Burr. Then, at the club Lindsley and 3rd, he shared the evening with Tony Joe White, the famed Louisiana swamp-rocker, and composer of "Polk Salad Annie." Spotted in the audience were Lucinda Williams, Ramblin' Jack Elliot and Guy Clark. Eric met Lucinda, a big fan of his album "Blue River." His final performance featured him at the Billy Block show at the Exit Inn where he played alongside country legend, Porter Wagoner. He also sat in with Ramblin' Jack at his afternoon performance at the Blue Bird Café. They sang a duet of "Champion of Keeping Them Rolling." All shows were sold-out. In June, Eric signed a publishing administration deal with Bug Music so he is officially a Bug Music artist now. Returning to Europe, in July, he played 4 shows above the Arctic Circle in Norway, including one in Bodø. He got to witness the famous Norwegian maelstrom in action. Edgar Allen Poe had once written about this unique phenomenon in his 1840's short story-thriller by the same name. Eric recalls that the appeared to be "billions of tons of water surging wildly from the open sea into a fjord through a narrow channel. It happens twice a day when the tides change direction. Then huge masses of water erupt into mountainous sprays of colliding surfs causing lethal whirlpools and thousands of fish to jump from the surface in their frenzied attempts to escape the raging currents, as hundreds of birds circle and divebomb from overhead." He laughed at the recollection. "Those fish sound familiar? A little like us folksingers floundering in music business hell? Tryin' hard to keep our heads above water." In August, Eric returned to the States again for a month of gigs and travel. While stopping in New York, he played a concert at the Bottom Line and attended the New York premier of the documentary film on the life of his old friend, Jack Elliot, called "The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack." The movie theater was packed and the film, directed by Ramblin' Jack's daughter, was truly excellent. Word had it that it won an award at the Sundance film festival and is scheduled to play at select theaters around the U.S. this fall. At the terrace reception afterwards, Eric performed "Girl in a Belgian Bar" on stage with Ramblin' Jack, Odetta, and Dave Von Ronk. Folk-blues hero Eric Von Schmitt came down for the premier and folklorist-musician John Cohen and one-time Village Gate owner, Art De 'Lugoff, were sighted in the audience. After the Bottom Line, Eric hit the road for some southern gigs in Virginia (with Tom Paxton) and North Carolina (solo). While stopping over in Nashville, he saw and met Texas performing songwriters Steve Earle (a close friend of Townes Van Zandt, and currently on world tour) and songwriter/producer Gary Nicholson. Gary is well known for his productions of Delbert McClinton and the Judds. Eric and Gary did some co-writing, along with singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen-Chapman. After Nashville, Eric headed straight for the Mississippi Delta and the fabled Hill Country of Sid Hempill and Fred McDowell, to visit the musicians who played on his album, "You Can't Relive the Past." He met his friends at Fat Possum Records and spent time with Kenny Brown, R.L. Burnside, James "Super Chikan" Johnson, Big Jack "The Oilman" Johnson (Chikan's uncle), and drummer Sam Carr and his wife, Doris. In the Delta, he had the opportunity to work with Sam on some new material while visiting his house for a couple of afternoons in Lula, a stone's throw from the Mississippi river. "Sam played some guitar and some drums. Along the roads, the fields were full of baby cotton and the Japanese-imported kudzu vine that they planted to prevent erosion. It covers trees, fields, smoke shacks, and telephone poles, turning them into eerie shapes. Kudzu seems to be burying Mississippi into a green ghost of itself." Eric recalled. July was hot. The average temperature was 102 and from the Mississippi state side of the river, the sandy bottom extended from the bank over a hundred yards out into the channel on each side of Helena bridge. "There's been no rain for almost 2 months," Sam said. On a day trip to Memphis, Chikan showed him Beale Street and the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King had been shot 32 years before. It's now a civil rights museum and Dr. King's two cars are still parked beneath the balcony where they were on that day. He paid a visit to the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale. On the final night before he left Mississppi, Eric caught a great show of Fat Possum artists Paul "Wine" Jones and T Model Ford, in Oxford. Big Jack was playing at Red's juke in Clarksdale on Friday and Otha Turner's famous annual picnic was coming up that weekend. Othar is in his early 90's. It's the place to be if you like fife and drum music. "Mississippi to me is like coming home again," Eric said. Eric hopes to do another recording project down in the Delta. Over the course of the spring and summmer, "You Can't Relive the Past" received excellent reviews from all over the world. (Check reviews section). Note: If anyone is interested in seeing Eric's classic rare album "Ghosts Upon The Road" re-released, please don't hesitate to email Plump Records in New York at comments@plump.com. It has been inexplicably and ruefully out of print for the past 8 years. Rolling Stone called it "one of the best albums of the Eighties," rating it 4 1/2 stars. What is Plump Records waiting for? Summer 2000 News This past year saw the release of 3 albums by Eric Andersen. Starting with the long-awaited remastered release of "Blue River" last July on Columbia/Legacy Records. That was soon followed by the 18 track remastered compilation "Violets of Dawn" on Vanguard Records. Then finally, this year's acclaimed new studio album "You Can't Relive The Past," recorded in New York and at the Fat Possum studios in Mississippi, was released. It featured 4 songs co-written with the late Townes Van Zandtand a duet with Lou Reed on the title track. Musicians included FatPossum'sSam Carr, "Super Chikan" Johnson, and famed R.L. Burnside slide player, Kenny Brown. Artie Traum held the guitar chair in New York and Lucy Kaplansky provided her angelic harmonies. It came out in the stores this past February. It was an exceptional follow-up to last year's "Memory ofthe Future." Both on Appleseed Records. The new album has gotten excellent airplay in North America, including heavy college radio play, and has received great reviews in the U.S., Canada, Holland, Belgium, Norway and Italy. It will soon be released in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland this coming summer. Eric's U.S. spring tour took him to over much of the country that included the Bottom Line in New York and other shows in the east; the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, Chicago, and other midwestern cities, and finally, 2shows in the Rockies. The tour also included one sold-out show at the famed El Macombo in Toronto. Rick Danko's step-son, Justin, came along to help with the road work for the eastern swing of the tour. Eric has now just got back from doing a national broadcast in Basel, Switzerland, in May, in addition to playing 3 shows in the country. He's looking forward return to Switzerland for more concerts and festivals next spring. Over the summer months Eric will be playing shows in Norway, both above and below the Arctic circle. In August he returns to the U.S. to play 2concerts with Tom Paxton and other solo dates in the American southeast. Be sure to check Eric's tour schedule. In the fall there are plans for a long tour in the U.S, and Canada. Show dates in Holland, Germany, and Italy are now being considered for November. There is also talk of a new "live" album. His first ever. Inside News: While in Cleveland at the Folk Alliance last February, he met with Jeff Place who is compiling a major Smithsonian CD anthology of the New York Broadside years. Jeff plans to include artists who contributed songs to that legendary New York songwriters magazine in the Sixties. The recordings were done in New York for the original albums on Folkways. But some material will be included that was never-before released. People like Phil Ochs, Buffy St. Marie, Peter LaFarge, Gil Turner, Tom Paxton, and Bob Dylan will be represented. Eric will have 2 songs and a duet with Phil Ochs on the album. Release date is not known at the time of this writing. Stay tuned... Spring/Summer 2000 Wrap-up: Eric spent 3 days in a New York recording studio last May, and 2 days at the Fat Possum recording studios in Oxford, Mississippi, last June, laying down tracks for his new album, The New York musicians included percussionist Ismael Bruno (Memory of the Future fame); singer, slide player Dan Hovey; singer Lucy Kaplansky; and Artie Traum, his long time friend from Woodstock, on Spanish guitar.The Mississippi musicians were 73-year-old drummer, Sam Carr, the son of legendary Delta slide guitarist, Robert Nighthawk; James "Super Chikan" Johnson (nephew of Big Jack "The Oilman" Johnson on rhythm guitar; and Kenny Brown, R.L. Burnside's slide guitarist for 28 years. The musical chemistry worked in both cases. Eric said, "It felt like magic. "The album features four rare songs co-written by Eric and Townes Van Zandt called "The Meadowlark", "The Road." "Blue March" and "Night Train"; and the album's title song, "You Can't Relive The Past," which was co-written, played and sung, and recorded (in duet) with Lou Reed, in New York. The recording approach and production this time is rawer and more "stripped-down."Recent Album Releases: This past July saw the long awaited re-issue of his classic album, Blue River, which included 2 bonus tracks from the period: Hank Williams's "Why Don't You Love Me" and a version of his early song, "Come To My Bedside," featuring David Bromberg on dobro. The liner notes were written by Rolling Stone's Anthony DeCurtiss.On the heels of Blue River came another surprise release: The new 18-song Vanguard compilation, Violets of Dawn. It features hand-picked songs from all of his Vanguard albums in the Sixties, including "Thirsty Boots" and Violets of Dawn," and others not released in the original album format, like "Rambler's Lament" and "Boot of Blue." Music writer Billy Altman furnished the liner notes. John Gorka did a sterling version of Eric's song "Thirsty Boots" on the May-released, Bleecker Street. Other artists recording songs from Village 60's-era writers included Chrissy Hynde, Suzanne Vega and John Cage, and the group Cry, Cry, Cry, singing songs by Dylan, Ochs, Simon, Cohen, and others. On The Publishing Front: Eric's essay ""My Beat Journal" appeared in the Rolling Stone Book of The Beats, in July on Hyperion Press. Be sure to look for his article on Norway's west coast in the National Geographic Traveller magazine. The special issue is devoted to "50 Favorite Places" and he shares the writing spotlight with Salman Rushdie, Rick Bass, Gore Vidal, and others. His essay, "Chasing the Muse," about songwriting, will be published in Sing Out magazine. Both articles are due in October. Spring/Summer Performances: Eric performed to a packed house at the Phil Ochs tribute concert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last May 15. Other artists who sang Phil's songs included old friends Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, Janis Ian, and Dick Gaughin. Eric sang "When I'm Gone." The Brooklyn Academy of Music's "Joni's Jazz" concert became a wonderful evening at Central Park Summer Stage, July 1st. Despite threats of rain, the music conquered all. A crack New York band of rock and jazz musicians backed many great singers performing Joni's songs from her four "jazz period" albums: Heijira, Mingus, Hissing of Summer Lawns, and Court and Spark. Artists included Chakha Khan, Joe Jackson, Jane Siberry, John Hendricks and Annie Ross, and also featured musicians like saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, the son of John. Eric performed "Furry Sings the Blues" and "Just Like This Train." A smiling Joni got up on stage at the end and sang and scatted on the finale, "Help Me."Coming Up Fall 99: Eric will begin mixing his new album in September, in New York, in. The album is scheduled to be released in February on Appleseed. Rumor has it he is scheduled to appear at the Folk Alliance taking place in Cleveland, early next year.Beginning also in September, he will play some select shows in the Northeast and the West Coast in the U.S., from middle of September to the end of October. He will do shows in Alaska for the first time in his career. Shows are also scheduled for Oregon and California (please check the tour schedule page).In November, he will begin touring in Norway. It is his first solo tour 10 years. Some shows will be with a trio; bassist Frode Larsen and slide player, Helge Hoveland.Other Rumors: Harmony trio Danko Fjeld Andersen is talking about recording a new (their third) album next year. There are rumors of some co-billed shows next year with John Gorka and a week of solo shows in Japan. Look for Rick Danko's new live album "Breeze Hill" coming soon (that's a fact!). REPORT FROM THE HUSTINGS Dear Val, Eric Andersen Stay tuned for further Archive material |
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RECORDINGS and the New MP3.com Be There Now ® Series 
