Holly Bowling has shared the first single off her upcoming Grateful Dead cover album, Seeking All That’s Still Unsung, available November 20th. Released on Friday, the track finds Bowling taking on an instrumental rendition of “St. Stephen”.
Announced back in July, Seeking All That’s Still Unsung comes as the Ghost Light keyboardist’s latest tribute to the Dead. Throughout her accomplished solo career, she has interpreted the work of the founding fathers of jam into pieces for grand piano, including on her 2016 album Better Left Unsung.
Related: Holly Bowling Finds A Change Of Scenery With The ‘Wilderness Sessions’ [Interview]
In her take on the classic Grateful Dead 60s track, Bowling comes down hard on the iconic opening to the psychedelic stomper. Soon enough she is off and running, as her use of overdubbing becomes immediately apparent. Even somebody as talented as Bowling can only do so much with two hands. Inspired by Bill Evans‘ Conversations With Myself, Bowling described the overdubbing technique as, “Playing solo, but not playing alone” when the record was first announced.
“With this being my second album of solo piano Grateful Dead music, there was a sense of trying to look for what I hadn’t said on the last album,” Bowling said in a statement with Friday’s release. “After a few more years of exploring these songs in the solo piano context, I felt free to take more liberties with how I approach the arrangements and improvisation. The album keeps the exploratory energy of a live performance but accomplishes things that would be impossible outside of the studio, including the use of overdubs and exploring piano-on-piano improvisation as a conversation with my own playing.”
On Seeking All That’s Still Unsung, Bowling takes on some of the Dead’s most celebrated hits like the eternal pairing of “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider”, as well as the complexities of such tunes as “The Eleven” and “Sage And Spirit.” Listen to Holly Bowling’s take on “St. Stephen” and pre-order Seeking All That’s Still Unsung, available November 20th.
Holly Bowling – “St. Stephen” (Grateful Dead)
[Video: Holly Bowling – Topic]
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