All voices and instruments/samples on the demos featured here on his MySpace page were performed/programmed by Claflin. He is working towards putting together a small group to perform with, to represent some of this music live.
Influences
Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Bonnie Raitt, John Lennon, Randy Newman, Willy Claflin, Jesse Winchester, Jamie O'Hara, Los Lobos
***NEW SONGS***
Live duets by Brian with fellow storyteller-spawn & "Musical Mutt" Suzannah Park.
Suzannah & I met at a rehearsal for the Christmas Revels in Cambridge, MA, only to discover that we'd just met each other's parents a week earlier at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN, where Suzannah's mom & my dad & I had just performed (look for "Brian Claflin" and "Willy Claflin" on YouTube for performance footage). Children of storytellers make up a peculiar breed, and given our similar tastes and extraordinarily well-matched musical abilities, we rushed to collaborate in performance before everyone we knew in town was either gone on vacation, or fatigued from rehearsing with us in the show.
But Suzannah was only in town for that one day in October, & not due to return until Tech Rehearsal Week for Revels. Furthermore, she was on call to assist in the birthing of a friend's baby, while *also* frantically trying to finish the mastering & artwork for a new CD. So we barely exchanged an email or two: "do you know this song? how about this one?" At the time of our only rehearsal just 3 nights prior to this December 6 2009 performance, we'd met only once, and had never sung a single note together.
I have sung with many wonderful people & terrific singers, but never have I found such a natural & seamless blend of both basic vocal tone (the voice as "instrument") and equivalent abilities in terms of stylistic range, ornamentation, sensitivity to dynamics, etc. The lady must be psychic, the way she comes in with harmonies perfectly phrased on my song "Ash Ridge Lullabye" - despite the fact that I never sing it the same way twice.
I have a new favorite song: whatever Suzannah is singing with me at the moment. I look forward to further collaboration - as of Dec 28, we are discussing plans to create a duo performance for storytelling audiences on the theme of "Adult Children Of Storytellers". :-)
Suzannah was our Appalachian musical consultant/ featured guest artist (in more or less the role taken previously by Sheila Kay Adams, established originally by Jean Ritchie) in the 2009 Cambridge Christmas Revels. She is a singer, teacher, clogger, and natural comedienne. She has a new CD out with her husband, tenor, pianist & clawhammer-banjo player Nathan Morrison.
www.suzannahpark.com
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My CD with my Pa, Willy Claflin:................................................................ http://www.willyclaflin.com/store.php ...........................................................................Willy & Brian's Duo MySpace page:
myspace.com/brianandwillyclaflin ..................................................................................................Brian co-wrote "Going Back To Georgia" with Nanci Griffith and Adam Duritz. He has has written and produced advertising and television theme music, performed at venues from New York to Nashville, and is a published children's author & musician: http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=105216 He has worked with artists including Adam Duritz, Nanci Griffith, Peter Yarrow, Mila Drumke, Virtuoso, and Willy Claflin. .......................................................................................................
Brian is equally at home working in roots music like traditional country & gospel, as he is with contemporary soul-based styles.........................................................................................................
"In Yonder's Wood" is a duo CD with his father, award-winning storyteller & folksinger Willy Claflin. The collection spans hundreds-years-old folk songs from the U.K., to early American ballads from Southern Appalaccia and the Dust Bowl era. Silly Sisters meets Gillian Welch & David Rawlings....................................................................................................
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Hello Brian, Welcome to *space*. Excellent set this evening at Java Joe's. Thank you for adding me as a friend. Hopefully, will cross paths again and often. -Peace, -Tom
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