Boris Garcia
Navigates The Twists And Turns
With Their Musical
Steering Wheel:
AROUND SOME
CORNER
Out July 14 On Porchwerk Music
“Fusing Americana, Celtic,
Bluegrass and Jam with pop sensibilities, Boris Garcia is alone in its self
-created class” - Dirty Linen
On July
14, Philadelphia’s own Boris Garcia will release Around Some Corner
on Porchwerk Music label for fans everywhere. The band called on their
secret weapon, Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth fame to take the role of producing
the album. Carbone moves Boris Garcia’s songs of whimsy and
emotion and molds them into complex compositions, making it look
effortless.
Tim Carbone on Boris Garcia’s songwriters Jeff Otto and
Bob Stirner – “As Lennon and McCartney did for The Beatles -
they add just the right shadings to each other’s compositions to make the
picture complete.”
Boris Garcia on Tim Carbone
- “He visualized the music we had in our heads and made it appear on the disc.
His experience and ridiculous musicality made it seem like we had George Martin
in our midst, constantly pushing, screaming, laughing….stoking the embers and
fluffing the froth. Boris Garcia’s journey to a great extent is about the
relationship that we have maintained with Tim, both musically and in personal
bond.”
Boris Garcia is seven very talented
musicians: Jeff Otto on vocals and ukulele, Bob Stirner on vocals and guitars, Tim
Kelly drums, percussion, Bud Burroughs mandolin,
bouzouki, and accordion, Tom Hampton lap steel, Chip Denoyers on
pedal steel and EJ
Simpson on bass. The group unknowingly created a new genre, which someone
called “Outlaw Mystic – An Intoxicating Blend Of Americana, Bluegrass, and
Pop.”
This
multi-talented ensemble started out
as a recording unit rather than a performing group and was more of a lark than
a serious project at its inception. Jeff Otto was creating in the studio
when he brought in Bob Stirner for some guitar help that soon expanded into its
current line-up. The band then recruited Bud Burroughs on
mandolin completing the strength of the lineup and forging the nucleus of
the Boris Garcia “sound" with unforgettable melodies and honest
storytelling.
As
a songwriter, Stirner puts it, "Boris Garcia is a product of its combined
influences, from Coltrane and Stockhausen to bluegrass and Celtic music,
American roots to Jam. Our songs are rooted in Americana and Pop but with
a Boris Garcia instrumental "treatment" that makes them more,
well...Boris Garcia!"
“Boris Garcia has perfected the science of playing from the
heart” – Relix
Recorded at Carbone’s studio in
rural Pennsylvania the group hunkered down to create, Around Some Corner and
bond once again. Here are a few highlighted songs:
“Knockin’
On Wood” opens up the album with a waltz as the singer longs for his love as
his travels back from his journey. Their poetic lines of “I have left a trail
of dust and blood” and “I saw her in my dreams for years - I saw her give me
sons” flow over the walking melody bringing the listener in the song
effortlessly. “Captain of The Crew” is almost a ship song that could be a
storybook - a very detailed tune filled with flutes, recorders, and percussion.
This band recalls Gordon Lightfoot and Pure Prairie League with their melodies,
rhythms, and harmonies which are refreshing nowadays. “Message At Twilight” is
the bluegrass closer, with the focus of the mandolin and ukulele that creates
their version of the romantic Celtic sound. With that exclamation point ending,
you want to hear more!
“The purity of the musicianship all-around renders Boris
Garcia more than academics...” – All About Jazz
With constant comparisons from The Band to Doc Watson to
Grateful Dead, Boris Garcia doesn’t mind the flattery but likes to expand on it
with each release. Starting with their 2005 debut, Boris Garcia’s
Family Reunion (Porchwork), the band breaks the mold each time to
impress fans and critics. Their second album, Mother's Finest released in 2006 to critical praise that led to appearances and
rotation on WXPN and an invitation to play their hometown’s own Philadelphia
Folk Festival which was a turning point for them as they branched out into
other markets. Two others followed, Once More Into The Bliss and Today
We Sail continuing their signature sounds and building a solid fan
base. During these years they have enjoyed opening slots with New Riders
of the Purple Sage, Little Feat, Railroad Earth, Jackson Browne, Hot Tuna, and
David Bromberg.
The band will be performing all
summer and into the fall so follow the caravan Around Some Corner
and down the street as they lead the way!
Boris Garcia is:
Bob Stirner,
guitar, vocals
Jeff Otto, Ukelele,
Vocals
Bud Burroughs,
Mandolin, Keyboards
Tim Kelly, Drums,
Percussion
EJ Simpson, Bass
Chip Denoyers,
Pedal Steel
Tom Hampton, Lap
Steel
