Authentic. Simple. Humble.
It's the feel Luke Blu Guthrie was hoping to achieve with his latest album, and he's done just that with Luke Blu Guthrie, a collection of 10 original tunes that was recorded mostly live to try to capture the energy and personality of a live show.
An engaging blend of rock, blues, country and jazz, Luke Blu Guthrie is being released in mid-March.
“One of the things I’m super stoked about is this thing was done in 31 hours, which is unheard of, and it was done mostly live, just to try to capture the feel of having real musicians in a room,” said Guthrie. “We kept certain rough spots we don’t tamper with – it’s quite accurate to our live shows.”
“The whole thing was sort of in keeping with an independent esthetic,” he added. “Everything was done in kind of a humble tone, which is what I was searching for.”
Guthrie has brought together a lot of local talent on the album.
“I am also super, super fortunate that this project has been supported by so many people with their time – the music, the producer, the photographer ... the whole thing’s been produced locally, which is nice,” he said.
Guthrie sings and plays guitar and drums on the album, while Jenn Forsland sings and plays the glockenspiel, Jack Roland plays the fiddle, Jim Guthrie — who is not related — plays standup bass and Anela Kahiamoe plays electric bass.
They come from different backgrounds and bring different influences, and the result is a sound that blends the best of many genres.
“Jenn has a jazz and classical background, Jack is from a pretty strict bluegrass background, Jim Guthrie is sort of coming from an alternative rock thing, and Anela has his world music background, and all these things have kind of come together ... there’s a fun, casual energy between all the musicians, an easy feel,” said Guthrie. “That was coming from our live shows and jams, and that’s what pushed me to capture that.”
Luke Blu Guthrie was recorded in Cumberland by Corwin Fox.
“It’s been a humble project,” said Guthrie. “Everyone was really there because they wanted to be; there wasn’t a lot of money pushing this. People are doing it because they wanted to and they liked the tunes. I couldn’t have done this without this community of people.”
With this record, Guthrie is happy “just to hear these songs brought to life by such a random collection of musicians, from Anela’s funky bass he added, to the fiddle stuff Jack added. It’s got a pretty good amalgamation of sounds kind of held together by a common thread by the songs.”
“The thing I’m happy with most is it is scars and all — it’s got its less-than-perfect moments,” he added. “I’ve never been a fan of super polished records. I think that kind of authenticity is something we’ve all been working toward. I think the tunes are a solid example of that.”
Guthrie was also aiming for simplicity with this album.
“I think that was sort of an underpinning theme through it all, to not let things get too complicated, from the songs to the recording to the budget,” he said.
“For me, it’s also been a kind of reminder that despite all the possibilities afforded by modern recording technology, the old idea of getting people in a room and making sounds can hopefully be kind of a moving experience for someone somewhere,” added Guthrie. “I’d say the whole thing is a bit of a mix of my rural life and my interest in things urban. It’s sort of a weird country meets city feel.”
Guthrie’s contemplative, original music bends and blurs the boundaries between multiple genres.
A clever and potent fusion of folk, funk, dark country, rock and roll, soul, blues, and swing, it is representative of a lifetime of thoughtful listening and his uncanny ability to select elements from each genre and combine them to create a refreshingly innovative, yet timeless style that engages the sensitivity and sentiment of a broad range of listeners, according to his biography.
Starting strong with the rollicking Sleeping and ending with the fast-paced fiddle tune Get That Stump Out My Yard, the album doesn’t have a weak moment.
Capturing the fun energy of a live show, the album showcases Guthrie’s talent for putting words together and describing life – all of it; the light and the dark – and the talents of every band member. It’s the kind of music that can turn a bad day good.
From the country feel of Dusk Road Rose and the bluesy bass-laden sound of Nobody Knows the Truth to the darker, more reflective Hero, the album shows what you can achieve when you bring talented musicians together for the love of playing.
Deeply soulful and passionately committed to creating and sharing his music with the world, Guthrie has devoted much of his life to his craft. Armed only with an acoustic guitar, he has been an integral part of the Vancouver Island music scene for over a decade, and he is widely respected for his versatility and skill as songwriter, vocalist and guitar player.
Guthrie is inspired by people and by his natural surroundings.
“I find certainly the music scene around here and the kind of open, friendly nature of the local musicians, people like Anela, those folks who’ve made it a lot easier to put something like this together with their generosity,” he said. “I’ve been lucky to get together with older and more experienced people like Anela — I’ve learned a lot from him.
“I like the trees,” added Guthrie. “I think that’s why I’m still here. Sometimes I think it might make more sense for me to be in a bigger centre, but I feel a connection to the land and the community here. I also get inspiration from old records and campfires.”
Life and the act of living also influence Guthrie.
“Generally, I experience what’s going on — if times are tough, I allow myself to do that, and if things are good, it’s the same thing,” he said. “I think the ups and downs of life help influence the exuberance I can have for a jacket and the confusion about feeling kind of lost in your hometown.”
Guthrie has been busy booking gigs across the province, but before hitting the road, the Luke Guthrie Band is playing Joe’s Garage on March 11 at 8 p.m. People can also look forward to a CD release show in April.
Luke Blu Guthrie will be available at Bop City Records, at music stores and through Guthrie’s website at .
Tickets for the March 11 show are $15 plus tax. Advance tickets will be sold at Bop City Records, or people call 250-702-MILO to reserve a seat.
writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
