Former LED ZEPPELIN Bassist/Keyboardist Checks In
December 21, 2006, 17 years ago
Former LED ZEPPELIN bassist/keyboardist JOHN PAUL JONES has issued the following update:
"So it's Christmas, and it seems like only yesterday since I wrote the last message! The main focus for the past year seems to have been acoustic music. In March I produced an album for UNCLE EARL, an old-time string-band (www.uncleearl.net). I had the best time ever with this record, the girls are great musicians and brilliant fun to work with. We started pre-production at banjoist BÉLA FLECK's house, then went up to Seattle and Tacoma where the g'earls were playing at Rockygrass. This is a big bluegrass festival in a hotel in Tacoma and it was totally amazing. There were hundreds of musicians everywhere, in the lobby, in the rooms, in the elevators, anywhere there was a space, and concerts thru the days and evenings. After that there werejam sessions in peoples rooms on every floor till the early hours. Madness! I met many friends there and also got to play acoustic bass guitar on stage with Mike Marshall and Hamilton di Hollanda.
We then went back down to Nashville and moved to Karian studio in Hendersonville, about 35 miles north of Nashville. It was then a few weeks of acoustic heaven before mixing at Sound Emporium in Nashville with our ace engineer Dave Sinko. Apart from getting a load of work down I basically spent the whole month laughing, it doesn't get much better! The record will be out in the US March 13 on Rounder records.
I also attended Sore Fingers, a bluegrass camp in the UK as a mandolin student! John Moore was the teacher, he taught Chris Thile mandolin and Sean Watkins guitar, a chance I couldn't pass up. Rayna (from Uncle Earl) was also teaching old-time fiddle there, and we had many great jams together. Now I've caught the fiddle bug... I've also been playing with Robyn Hitchcock and sat in with Glenn Phillips (TOAD THE
WET SPROCKET, MAS) at the Troubador.
The autumn saw us in Lunel, and I ended up playing with Italian bluegrass musicians, Venezuelan traditional players and HAMILTON DI HOLLANDA'S BRASILLIAN BAND, I guess I should stop having so much fun...
Ok, so the album is coming slowly, but it's coming!
Wishing you all Happy Holidays"
