#4912, Music for Pedal Steel
Hear atmospheric soundscapes using pedal steel guitar from Nashville-based Luke Schneider, Baltimore-based virtuoso Susan Alcorn, California composer Chuck Johnson, and Norwegian pedal steel player Geir Sundstøl, who offer new approaches to pedal steel guitar.
Guitarist Luke Schneider plays pedal steel, dobro, and banjo with Orville Peck, Margo Price, Caitlin Rose and Natural Child, in addition to session work. But his solo pedal steel-based music might be described as atmospheric soundscapes that are an unholy fusion of outlaw country’s weepy twang and Brian Eno drones. Hear some of his music from the album Altar of Harmony. Plus, sample other tracks from a compilation record of pedal steel players, curated by Schneider, called Chrome Universal - A Survey of Modern Pedal Steel.
Then, from California-based Chuck Johnson’s latest, Sun Glories, listen to a blend of pedal steel, synths, organs, strings, and drums, on the track, "Sylvanshine", an “appreciative nod to Rachika Nayar, whose recent works have re-opened the electric guitar for me and inspired me to play that instrument again after a hiatus of several years," (Bandcamp liner notes).
Also on the show is music by composer, improviser, and serial collaborator, the Baltimore-based pedal steel guitarist Susan Alcorn. From her record Pedernal, with a quintet including guitarist Mary Halvorson, hear the title track, which evokes "the wide-open landscape of northern New Mexico and the mesa for which the piece is named", (AllAboutJazz.com). Then, listen to North Carolina-based kora player Diali Cissokho with the band Kaira Ba, a band combining West African traditional music and a southern pedal steel guitar player. Plus, music from Norwegian pedal steel player Geir Sundstøl, ambient country from the NYC-based trio SUSS, and more. - Caryn Havlik
Program #4912, Music for Pedal Steel (First aired 8/13/2024)
ARTIST: Brian Eno, with Daniel Lanois and Roger Eno
WORK: Deep Blue Day [1:00]
RECORDING: Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks
SOURCE: Editions EG CD-53
INFO: Available at Amazon.com,Spotify, YouTube, AppleMusic
ARTIST: Chuck Johnson
WORK: Sylvanshine [6:20]
RECORDING: Sun Glories
SOURCE: Western Vinyl
INFO: chuckjohnson.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: SUSS
WORK: Drift [5:57]
RECORDING: Promise
SOURCE: Northern Spy Records
INFO: suss.bandcamp.com/album/promise
ARTIST: Geir Sundstøl
WORK: Leben [3:44]
RECORDING: Brødløs
SOURCE: HUBRO Music
INFO: hubromusic.com
ARTIST: Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba
WORK: Saya [4:35]
RECORDING: Routes
SOURCE: Twelve | Eight Records
INFO: kairabamusic.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Luke Schneider
WORK: Lex Universum [7:18]
RECORDING: Altar of Harmony
SOURCE: Third Man Records
INFO: lukeschneider.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Maggie Bjorklund
WORK: Lysglimt [3:24]
RECORDING: Chrome Universal - A Survey of Modern Pedal Steel
SOURCE: Tompkins Square
INFO: https://www.tompkinssquare.com/iaxi.html
ARTIST: Barry Walker Jr.
WORK: I Will Tread Upon the Lion and the Cobra [4:37]
RECORDING: Chrome Universal - A Survey of Modern Pedal Steel
SOURCE: Tompkins Square
INFO: https://www.tompkinssquare.com/iaxi.html
ARTIST: Susan Alcorn Quintet
WORK: Pedernal [5:43]
RECORDING: Pedernal
SOURCE: Relative Pitch Records
INFO: susanalcornquintet.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Brian Eno, with Daniel Lanois and Roger Eno
WORK: Deep Blue Day [3:36]
RECORDING: Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks
SOURCE: Editions EG CD-53
INFO: Available at Amazon.com,Spotify, YouTube, AppleMusic
