Russ Brannon
Sojourn
Personnel
Russ Brannon – Guitar, Compositions Lori Cullen – Voice Chris Mitchell – Tenor Saxophone Silvio Pupo – Keyboards James Gatti – Bass JR Smith – Drums Tom Roach – Percussion Jennifer Jones, Celeste Jankowski, Anne Simons, Kristy Money, Alexandra Bates, Hilary Brown – Strings Michael Wojewoda – Producer
Russ Brannon is a guitarist and composer from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Known for his melodic and improvisational playing style, Brannon’s unmistakable sound has never stopped evolving over the course of his sixty year career.
Influenced early on by Chet Atkins, The Ventures, and Howard Roberts, and later on by Larry Carlton, George Benson, and Robben Ford, Brannon’s music is infused with the sensibilities of these musical giants without ever sounding contrived or derivative. From his early beginnings in the late 50s as a teenager playing dance halls to his latest project recorded nearly 65 years later, the journey has been epic. His latest project is a beautiful new recording called Sojourn.This album represents Brannon’s musical autobiography: the culmination of decades of playing and recording, traveling the world, and raising a family.
The album was recorded during a hugely challenging period for Brannon: halfway through the process, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. His treatment began quickly, consisting of five or six weekly radiation treatments for seven weeks. Brannon stayed as engaged as possible through this, and the production of Sojourn moved forward thanks to producer Michael Wojewoda and his incredible band. Brannon is thankful to be cancer free today.
Brannon has often said he believes instrumental music can kickstart a listener’s imagination, reaching places that words cannot. “A great melody is one that is not always predictable. I love to reach listeners by playing something unexpected – a surprising cadence or a bittersweet dissonance. These pose wonderful and engaging questions that lead to interesting resolutions.”
Performed by a group of Atlantic Canada’s finest musicians, Sojourn is a beautiful and compelling musical statement by an important elder statesman of Canadian music.
russbrannon.com
Release Date: Friday, July 19th 2024