Van Dyke Parks plays Dublin on May 15th, 2011. Ray Burke spoke to him from his hotel room in Berlin.
The legendary artist, composer and producer Van Dyke Parks has announced a Europe Tour starting in Dublin on 15th May ending in Gothenburg on 20th May, to launch a unique series of 7” vinyl singles, each illustrated by some of the most important modern artists of the time. The iconic musician, who has been at the heart of some of the great albums of the last 50 years including Brian Wilson’s ‘lost’ masterpiece ‘Smile’, Randy Newman and Ry Cooder’s first recordings and Joanna Newsom’s critically acclaimed 2006 album ‘YS’, intends to release five new singles over the course of 2011.
Parks has commissioned some of the top contemporary artists in America to illustrate each single with what he describes as ‘a work of art that relates to the music within.’ The artists announced include: Frank Holmes (who created the sleeve artwork for the lost Beachboys album ‘Smile’ over 40 years ago) Charles Ray (whose "Boy with Frog" overlooking Venice is the new hot topic over the Grand Canal) Art Spiegelman (Pulitzer Prize-winning artist/ author whose award winning graphic novel ‘Maus’ helped define the way Parks looks at life) Ed Ruscha , of Los Angeles (like Ray, an 8 -figure visual artist dominating the American Art scene) Billy Edd Wheeler , the Alpha songwriter and vernacular artist, of the Appalachian Smokey Mountains Van Dyke Parks wife Sally Parks whose Mississippi birthright and ability as a watercolourist has made her the perfect candidate for Parks’ new song about Katrina, called "Missin' Missippi" The first single to be released is titled ‘Dreaming of Paris’ and will be illustrated by Ed Ruscha. The flip side will be a track entitled ‘Wedding in Madagascar.’ Of the singles, Van Dyke Parks said: “They are from highly different genres, each of them. They don't cohere. They belong somewhere. But the emphasis on the visual art is a big, big deal. These are the preeminent American artists of our time. We’re calling it Nouveau Niche.” In addition, Parks has confirmed the
release of a compilation album of some of his greatest arrangements.
‘Arrangements by Van Dyke Parks’ will contain 14 songs Featuring artist s including Arlo Guthrie, Little Feat, Sal Valentino, Mojo Men, Goldie Hawn, Dino Martin and Van Dyke Parks himself. CLARE AND THE REASONS BROOKLYN-BASED CLARE AND THE REASONS, FRONTED BY COLLABORATORS CLARE MANCHON AND OLIVIER MANCHON. CHAMBER MUSIC WITH EDGE. TOTALLY TRANSPORTIVE!
In between albums, Clare and the Reasons are collaborating on a song cycle performance with Duke Special at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on 24th March before joining Van Dyke Parks in Europe in May for this tour. In the midst of nothing but glowing reviews of both “Arrow”, their latest album, and live shows Clare and the Reasons toured US/Canada three times with Van Dyke Parks, Vic Chesnutt and Nouvelle Vague, as well as Europe which included performances at the Primavera Sound Festival and the Meltdown Festival in the summer of 2010. Van Dyke Parks says, “Clare is the Reasons’ raison d’être. Melodious et mysterieux– (the group) defines esprit de corps. (wrapped in) elegant arrangements for your dream escape— Chamber music with edge. Get this visa to real musical adventure. Totally transportive!”
Tickets - https://tickets.ie/event.aspx/tickets/van-dyke-parks-the-button-factory-dublin-15-May-2011/GZ8S7
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