Ember Days (2021) is the latest CD release from Carl Weingarten. Much of the music was produced during the Covid shut-in, during which Carl performed and recorded nearly all the instruments. The CD contains 10 new instrumentals that range from the smoky jazz club mood of Geola, to the rock-fusion guitars of 'Goodbye Sun,' to the elegant choral inspired title track, all composed around Carl’s signature guitar sound.
A message from Carl... 'Ember Days' was created under the condition photographers call “available light”. With the Covid shut-in I had little choice but to work on my own without the pleasure of the in- person collaborations that have been so rewarding on my previous releases including, Life Under Stars and This Is Where I Found You. So, I challenged myself to become my own ensemble, if an unlikely one.
Despite all my experience as a composer, it felt like I was starting from scratch. As a guitarist, most songs were first inspired there, usually a guitar phrase or a melody. As the songs developed, I created orchestrations with whatever sounds and instruments I had available in my studio, re keyboard, sampled sounds, pedal effects, sound effects, acoustic and electric guitars, all played and recorded in real time. What began as madness eventually became a method, and over the months that followed, the music fell into place.
I was also fortunate that several musician friends were able to record remotely. They contributed generously to selected songs including Michael Manring (bass), Ulrich Schnauss (synthesizers from London), Kit Walker (piano from Uruguay), Tate Bissinger (vocals), Pete Calandra (keyboards from New York), David Udell (guitar) and Walter Whitney (keyboards) my Delay Tactics bandmates from St. Louis.
Ember Days is available on: Amazon.com https://www.multiphaserecords.com
TRACK LISTING
01. Round Robin (4:44) 02. Brother Mountain (5:42) 03. What The Raindrop Saw (5:36) 04. Goodbye Sun (5:18) 05. Ember Days (5:09) 06. Geola (5:27) 07. Skying Out (4:25) 08. Blue Spaces (4:40) 09. A Solitary Interlude (4:22) 10. What The Raindrop Saw (Cafe Mix) (5:51)
All music composed and produced by Carl Weingarten from March 2019 to November 2020 at Multiphase Studios, Alameda, California. Mixed and mastered by J. Goody at Megasonic Sound studios, Oakland, California. Design – Sara Glazer Photography – Anne Kohler, Carl Weingarten Cover photo by Martin Stranka © 2020
CARL WEINGARTEN is an American guitarist, photographer and founder of the independent music label Multiphase Records. Described as "one of the best indie musicians working today" by the San Francisco Chronicle, Carl is best known for his atmospheric sound and his innovative use of the slide guitar and Dobro. Weingarten has played a significant role in the progressive independent music scene since the 1980s, recording numerous solo and collaborative instrumental albums.
Weingarten's records have received praise by media outlets including All About Jazz, Billboard, Musician, Keyboard, Guitar Player, Muze.com, Music Web Express 3000 (mwe3.com), Exposé, and Allmusic.com With influences spanning jazz, blues, rock, soundtracks, experimental and world music among other genres, his albums have often been described as sounding more akin to a thematic score than a more formal collection of songs, and his innovative style-blending and experimentation have been widely commended.
In high school Carl taught himself to play slide guitar which led him to pursuing and earning a degree in cinema production which would go hand in hand with the atmospheric music he would later become known for. According to Weingarten, "The cinematic tone in my music comes from my visual arts background. I paint in sound." However, living in the Midwest, breaking into the film industry proved difficult, and he began writing and recording his own film scores and music for modern dance companies. This led him to join the indie label movement.
Several of Weingarten's early Multiphase releases are being reissued in vinyl in the United Kingdom by Emotional Rescue/Juno and Azure Vista Records including Dreaming In Colors, Living In The Distant Present and a Delay Tactics compilation called Imperfect Strange.
Carl has toured for many years as a soloist and with several bands, is currently a member of the group Blue Eternity, an ambient-jazz trio featuring Michael Manring on bass and Jeff Oster on trumpet. The trio has toured nationally, including performances at Yoshi’s jazz club in Oakland, CA, The Gatherings in Philadelphia, PA, and live on WXPN-FM.
In addition to his success in the music industry, Weingarten is an avid photographer, filmmaker and film archivist. Carl's short video documentary, The Rocket Movies, was featured in Adobe Creative Magazine in 2017. Today, a gallery of photos can be viewed at his website focusing on subjects like aerials, urban landscapes and architecture, natural landscapes, concerts, and nightlife. The site also offers digital restoration of old photos, and his work has been featured in exhibits such as the Frank Bette Center for the Arts.
