About this project

This is an album of music for piano, drums, orchestral percussion, and voice. My name is Chris Black, and I make gadjo bango music.

UPDATE: NEW REWARDS!

Friends, we reached the goal, but there's still time until the deadline, and I've added two new rewards! The first is a beautifully bound narrative written by Drew Burk (see more on the right). The second is an update to an existing reward, and I can't edit it on the right so I'll tell you here:

The $20 reward CD packaging will arrive in the form of a letterpress invitation to the funeral, and inside will be a handwritten note from me, apologizing for my disgraceful behavior there. (The funeral had an open bar.) Think of it as a keepsake of the occasion. All backers at the $20 and above will receive this reward!

Both of these rewards will be available to backers of this album only, and never made again. 

THE SOUND: WHAT AND WHY

I was bored with myself for a while. This happens to all of us, I think, where we ask ourselves, "What is this thing I'm doing? And why?" I was blocked! I was stuck.

And then, in that vulnerable, open, and frightening place, I discovered the music of the Dresden Dolls, and then, hot on their heels, the music of Erik Satie. I was instantly destroyed by both of them, in a marvelous way. New music arrived every day, like birds through the window. I was saved! I was inspired. I've been working very hard for months now catching those birds!

The music is deep, sometimes sad, sometimes comical, sometimes roaring, and sometimes whispering. Despite the inspiration, it's not Amanda Palmer, or Satie -- it is uniquely my own, and it represents a complete departure in my music and the way I create it. It's exciting, and I think very good. I want to do it justice: I've never worked so hard before, composing, refining, rewriting, improving, and practicing.

I'm very proud of it, and I can't wait to share it with you.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

More inspiration arrived in the form of a film called Cave of Forgotten Dreams, a documentary by Werner Herzog about 30,000 year-old cave paintings in France. The paintings were so beautiful and captivating that I ran out and bought charcoal and paper and started trying to make my own.

The result is that each song in the album is illustrated with my idea of what the music looks like to me. These illustrations are included in the album.

WHAT IT WILL BE

I don't want to make any more CDs in plastic jewel cases -- none of us do, and the zeitgeist has taken hold. Count me in! Let's make something beautiful.

"Drunk at the Funeral" will arrive as a volume of art, lyrics and piano music bound between wooden covers, with screen printed cover art and a cloth spine. Inside, each song is represented by an illustrated packet that you can take out, unfold, and explore, nicely printed on good paper, complete with the lyrics and sheet music for the piano. (Let the grid go down! If you have a candle, a piano, and a pianist, you will hear this music!)

If there's a drawing you particularly like, you can frame it and hang it on the wall. If there's one you hate, you can wad it up and throw it out the window! The point is, it's a real physical thing, and it's yours to hold in your hand and use as you see fit. And it won't smell like plastic. 

There will be a CD included, of course. We can't change everything!

My friend Drew Burk of Spork Press will design and produce these albums (see the "updates" above for a video of Drew at work). Spork Press is a literary press here in Tucson specializing in original, innovative hand-bound books, and Drew Burk is a true craftsman and artist, and can grow the beard to prove it, if challenged to do so. 

HOW WE WILL CATCH IT

I am delighted to say that I'll be returning to my home town of Austin, Texas, to record this music with my friend Graham Reynolds, of the Golden Arm Trio, a composer and performer known for his film scores, chamber and orchestral compositions, and his heartfelt, fiery performances of the music of Duke Ellington. He is a good friend, and a great inspiration, not only by showing what music can be, but also by scaring me half to death (he is one of only two musicians whose talent can frighten me into practicing -- the other is Sxip Shirey).

In his home studio, Graham has allll the goodies: pianos, orchestral bass drums, vibraphones, chimes, gongs, a sprawling Gretch drum kit -- we are going to go to TOWN, and we'll be joined by my friend and frequent co-conspirator Jeremy Bruch, a true force of nature behind the drums. He is the only living being who routinely makes me change ALL of my plans in mid-performance. I never play with him anymore without carrying my passport and a change of socks.

A video of both of them in action can be found here. You can imagine that I'm eager to get to work!

THE BREAKDOWN

The $2400 funding goal for this project includes: 

• $1000 for recording and mixing.
  
• $350 for mastering.
  
• $650 for the production of the initial short run of albums/CDs.
• About $280 for shipping CDs and other rewards to you!
  
• $120 for Kickstarter fees. 
  

$2400 will get me there, and any amount over that will get me there with a Shriner parade in my soul, and a lot more breathing room.

I won't get there at all by myself, though! With your help, this will happen.

FOLLOW ALONG

I've been posting demo recordings of the works-in-progress as I compose and refine the music in a section called "The Lab" on my web site. I've been posting new illustrations as well, as they arrive. I've never thrown the process open to the public before, and I'm enjoying it, so drop by and see how things are going. Think of it as the big construction project downtown where every once in a while you notice the building has grown three stories.

DATE OF COMPLETION

If everything goes perfectly, this album will be finished by mid-December. Add one hour for everything that wants to go sideways between now and then, but that said, I'm working very hard, practicing, preparing, second-guessing, and generally trying to out-think entropy, so I have faith that we'll get this done in a timely way.

Thank you! I am honored and grateful for any help you can give to make this a reality. And please, tell your friends!

/s/ Chris Black