August 3, 2011 Download FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Record Release Parties Set For New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall On Sept. 17 And Hollywood’s Hotel Café On Oct. 11 I Can Hear You, the new album from Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Chris Pierce, will be released on October 11th. The record follows Walking on the Earth, which was named one of the Top 10 albums of July 2008 by Nic Harcourt, formerly of KCRW, and 2009’s Chris Pierce Live at the Hotel Café. Pierce, who has opened for such artists as Seal, B.B. King, Al Green, Toots and the Maytals, and Colbie Caillat, will perform at record release parties on both coasts. He’ll play Rockwood Music Hall in New York City on September 17th and Hotel Café in Hollywood, CA on October 11th. “Pierce, whose work has been compared to that of musical elder tribesmen Van Morrison, Jimmy Cliff, Bill Withers and Otis Redding – engages his audiences with his rich vocals and heartfelt tunes,” said LATimes.com, which included Pierce on its list of “homegrown artists you ought to know.” Co-produced with GRAMMY® award winner Seth Atkins Horan, who has worked on each of Pierce’s previous releases, most of the album’s 10 tracks were captured live on the first take, underscoring the raw emotion of the material. “This album is for the strugglers, the invisible people – those who make light out of the darkest of times even when it seems like no one is listening,” says Pierce, who penned five songs himself and four with long-time collaborator Marvin Etzioni. A poignant version of Bill Withers’ “Hope She’ll Be Happier,” featuring simply vocals and piano, completes the collection. I Can Hear You is a bracingly honest examination of the challenges we face in these times – and a testament to the indomitable power of the human spirit. From the anthemic album opener and focus track “Looking for the Spark” to the rousing closer “Invisible People,” it celebrates our capacity for renewal. Musically, the album showcases Pierce’s tremendous musical dexterity as he effortlessly shifts from R&B (the title track, a heartbreaking plea for a second chance at love), to soul (“Too Heavy”), pop (“Looking for the Spark”) and jazz (“Play with Me” and “Let Yourself Smile”). “Soul music is deeply rooted in so many American musical styles – gospel, work songs, blues, rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm & blues,” says Pierce. “But to me, it’s speaking from your gut, speaking your truths. That’s what soul music is to me.” Pierce recorded I Can Hear You in three Los Angeles studios, bringing in some of his favorite musicians, including guitarist Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams, Tracy Chapman), keyboardist Deron Johnson (Miles Davis, Seal), bassist David Piltch (Aaron Neville, Madeleine Peyroux) and drummer Tamir Barzilay (Shabak Samech, Moshav), among others. You can get a preview of the new songs at: http://vimeo.com/26896657 Although Chris developed otosclerosis, a rare hearing disorder that led to the loss of hearing in one ear at age 15, a journey he addresses in “Thunder or the Rain,” music continued to be his passion. He was awarded the prestigious Ella Fitzgerald scholarship for jazz studies at USC when he was 18. Shortly thereafter, he introduced himself to one of his idols, Jon Butcher, who invited Pierce to tour with him as a background vocalist, an engagement that would lead to other gigs for chart-topping acts such as Sonia Dada. Impressed by his performance at a small Hollywood party, Seal invited him to open on a string of worldwide tours, launching his career to a new level. His music has been heard in the film Soul Men and on Music From and Inspired by Crash and been licensed by Banana Republic and such shows as “Brothers and Sisters,” “Eli Stone,” “In Plain Sight” and “Army Wives.” He has also ventured into winemaking, with his recently released Ledbetter Dry Creek Valley Syrah eliciting rave reviews from food and wine industries. The track listing for I Can Hear You is as follows: Looking for the Spark For more information on Chris Pierce, contact: or visit: www.chrispierce.com |
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