Solitude. Funny strangers. Paper lanterns. Dinner parties. Dreams. Being driven around strange cities. Austin. Chicago. Big Sur. Paris. Virginia. Trains. Cornfields. Mountains. Skylights. Snow. Bloodlines. Lake Michigan. Music: Joni Mitchell. Cocteau Twins. Sundays. Taken by Trees. Joanna Newsom. Shawn Colvin. Mary Margaret O'Hara. Jane Siberry. El Perro del Mar. Dionne Warwick. Dolly Parton. Bonnie Prince Billy. Peter Gabriel. Talk Talk. Leonard Cohen. Habib Koite. Stina Nordenstam. Charlotte Gainsbourg. Bat for Lashes. Kaki King. Bill Callahan. Bon Iver. Ida. The Books. Tift Merritt. Fairport Convention. TV on the Radio. Vashti Bunyan. Thom Yorke. Catherine Howe. Kate Bush. M83. Land of Talk. Mercury Rev. Neil Young. Paul Simon. Sun Kil Moon. Bjork. Ryan Adams. Poets: Wallace Stevens. Gerard Manley Hopkins. Jane Hirshfield. David Wevill. Jean Valentine. Charles Wright. Mary Oliver. Tony Hoagland. Basho. Artists: Cy Twombly. Claire Degans. Georgia O'Keefe. Sally Mann. Andy Goldsworthy. Olafur Eliasson. Joseph Cornell. Odilon Redon. Nancy Gillespie. Actors: Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront. Robert De Niro in the Deer Hunter. Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice. Holly Hunter in The Piano/Broadcast News. Steve Martin in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Juliette Binoche in most everything (perfection.) Eric Rohmer. Other things: Green City Market. Laurel Canyon in the 60s. Children's books. Emotions changing. Wind. A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. Sunshine. Jem, Jem is outrageous. The Muppets, namely Animal. Language. Woody Allen. Owls. Pastel dust. Drums. The jazz clubs of Paris. The honky tonk bars of Texas. Flower shops. VCCA. Ballrooms. Castles. Vineyards. Seashells. The dictionary. Spontaneous dance parties. Forgiveness. Whiskey. Storms. Affection. My boyfriend.
"....despite the richness of the arrangements, the songs never feel over-indulgent, radiating instead a shimmer, sparkle and gentle sway that’s ever so beautiful and beguiling. In fact, the entire set is so unerringly mesmerizing, it’s a challenge to distinguish a single standout, although “Vanishing Point,” “Littleblood,” and “Hummingbirds” certainly vie for that distinction. However, with the songs maintaining such low wattage, it may also be necessary to submit to more than a cursory listening – in fact, several may be required before true seduction sets in. Yet be assured that once its given those repeated encounters, Light Year will shine that much stronger."
-Lee Zimmerman - Eat Sleep Drink Music
"Light Year displays much potential. It stands firmly as a solid testament to the natural talent of its creator, but even more so as the early imprint of a prepatent artist who could generate waves around the songwriting community in the years to come."
-Joe Koch - Fig and Mint
Jenny Gillespie continues to weave and bloom her dreamy, intricate songs on her new album "Light Year." "Light Year" is instrumented thoughtfully by world percussion, pedal steel, accordian, and more, but with the insistent thread of Jenny's inventively tuned guitar, piano, and a haunting, honest voice that heightens the stories wrapped within the lyrics. From the swelling chamber-pop of the lovestruck "Vanishing Point" to the fragile musings on grief on the acoustic "Shells," "Light Year" takes the listener on a cinematic inner journey.
Jenny recorded her first EP, 2004's Love and Ammunition, while living in Austin, TX where she was studying poetry at the University of Texas. She offered a free album download on Creative Commons Internet Archive, and it has since been downloaded 25,000 times. In 2004 Jenny moved back to her home state of Illinois, settling in Chicago. Over the first few years there, she put together a band and began recording in 2008 at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio.
"Light Year" features John Knecht on percussion, Josh Stewart on bass, cello, and strings arrangement, Steve Bernal on bass and cello, Jennifer Lee on violin, Adam Ollendorff (Madi Diaz, Cracklin’ Moth) on pedal steel, Alan Scalpone (The Bitter Tears) on trumpet and singer/songwriter Aimee Bobruk. Recorded mainly at Electrical Audio in Chicago, additional production and mixing by Darwin Smith of Austin's Cacophony Recordings brought out both sparkling and dark ambiances to the songs. The album has received critical acclaim with comparisons to Bon Iver, Cocteau Twins and Annie Lennox, and continues to gain wide airplay on college radio.
In fall 2009 Jenny completed recording her new album "Pulse of a Promise" produced by Darwin Smith, to be released in 2010. The new songs veer into surprising soundscapes and lush moods with electronica and experimental leanings. Gary Newcomb (Richard Buckner, Gary Newcomb Trio) lends pedal steel, Dony Wynn (Robert Palmer, Steve Winwood) on drums, and Steve Moore (Laura Veirs, Sufjan Stevens, Bill Frisell) contributes keys and brass. Please join the mailing list at www.jenny-gillespie.com for more updates.
Dear Jenny, Thanks for your friendship. My mother was born in Chicago, so I visited Chicago a few times...(my grandma and my aunt live there)I admired the art-institute of chicago, swam in the michigansea and watched the john-hankock building-so huge!However- I love Chicago and I really like your music. Your soft and warm voice is beautiful.The melodies are filled with phantasy! Thanks for the friendship! Wish you a fabulous week, full of joy and pleasure! Greetings from germany to chicago! Phinea8
Just dropping by to let you know that I have a new album out entitled 'Anitya.' It is currently available for download from Amazon.com. It is album consisting of ten acoustic folk rock songs with traditional east asian influences. It centers around the idea of anitya or impermanence in Buddhism, and the interaction between failure and ideals. So take some time and enjoy the new songs! peace,
it was so great to finally meet you & thanks so much for letting us stay - i think we all fell in love with your neighborhood & your apartment. Darwin has been raving about your new songs & played me a couple.... they are amazing. can't wait to hear more. i would love to sing with u someday. good luck with the new recordings.... love, dao
Will you be at Folk and Roots festival on Sunday? I am arriving at Midway and taking CTA to the event. I am staying in Evanston not sure if I can get back in town for your Uncommon Ground but would like to.
Greetings from Northern California, central coast region, San Francisco Peninsula/ Santa Clara Valley, and Pacific Daylight Time zone. You have a fan in Palo Alto.
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