| NEWS ARCHIVE |
Here are some of the news items posted since we started this little endeavor a few years back ...
Happy Holidays!15 December 2004: Hey, everybody! I'll be heading home soon for a couple of weeks -- one week in Chicago/Central Illinois, one week in Alabama, and at least a day or two in New Orleans. I hope I'll have a chance to see some of you while I'm States-side. |
Recent Fun Stuff4 June 2004: A few fun things to report from recent weeks: |
Alabama, Alabama ...23 April 2004: As some of you know, I was able to get home to Alabama for a few days earlier this month. It was great! So great to be home and see my mom and old friends. Really enjoyed playing music again with old friends Jerry Trapp and Adrian Percy and others, as well as for the first time I think with Gove Scrivenor, which was a treat. (Pics on the Photo Album!) I even managed to get a little of Jerry and Adrian on tape, which hopefully I'll be able to use on the new CD. |
New and improved LISTEN page22 February 2004: Good news, everybody! I've straightened out the LISTEN page, by singing up with Broadjam.com, one of the best streaming audio sites on the Net. I hope this will solve any problems that you may have had in the past few weeks accessing the music. What's more, it will allow you to access the most complete and up-to-date collection of my songs on the Web. |
Changes to the LISTEN page22 December 2003: Well, the world of online music is constantly changing. One recent change that affected many people, including me, was the folding of MP3.com. There are plenty of new sites to fill the gap, however, and I will be exploring them as options for making my music available directly to you online. |
Slow but sure ...16 November 2003: Just to let you all know that I finally have a first draft of the new album more or less ready. There are a couple of songs that I'll probably re-record, but the meat of the album is ready, subject to fine tuning. There's no way I can get it mastered in time for the holidays, but hopefully by Spring next year I will have it finished, printed, and available here on the website. Stay tuned. And in the meantime, enjoy the holiday season. All the best, |
Recording again ... finally!25 July 2003: Well, I was lucky enough to get a sizable vacation over the last several weeks, and I took full advantage by going home to the States, seeing Rebirth Brass Band at the Maple Leaf in New Orleans, playing some guitar with my friend and musical inspiration Jerry Trapp down in Alabama, and having an absolute blast at the Telluride Bluegrass and Country Music Festival in Colorado. If you ever have the chance to go, don't pass it up. Among other things, it changed the way I see the mandolin--unbelievable picking! |
Sorry for the radio silence!March 10, 2003: Holy cow, it's been too long since I took care of this site the way I should. (Maybe I don't need to be telling you that.) As sometimes seems to happen when I disappear for a while, I have surfaced thousands of miles from where I was. This time I am living in Europe. I've been writing plenty of songs and enjoying playing music with new friends. No recording, though, because I have been living a little bit month to month and didn't bring over any recording equipment until recently. Now, with luck, I'll be able to set up in the living room and put some of these tunes on tape (OK, on the 880EX). As soon as I can, I will try to find a way to get them online and share them with you. In the meantime, I hope all of you are well. Drop me a line, if you want, at [email protected].By the way, thanks for your support with the first album. It went over better than I could have hoped. All copies are gone, but if there's anyone out there dying for a copy, email me and I can try to dig one up. If there's enough interest, I might even do another run. Take care, Colin |
The Album Is Here!September 1, 2001: That's right, everybody. Colin's long-awaited debut release is out and available right here at www.colinblack.com. To get your copy, email Colin at [email protected].For an e-taste of what you're in for, check out the first three tracks of the album--"Gone," "Here's Lookin' At You," and "Alabama"-- at Colin's MP3.com Site. |
Album Expected In September!July 31, 2001: At long last, Colin's debut CD is expected to be available here on the Colin Black website in September! The CD, which is mixed and mastered and awaiting manufacture, includes seven original tracks and a fine cover of Jimmie Dale Gilmore's "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown." While you're waiting for the big day, whet your whistle with a listen to "Gone," a song from the album that has been specially pre-released online only!Colin's MP3.com Site Colin's IUMA Site Colin's SoundClick Site |
Always Moving!February 13, 2001: Yup, it seems like we're always on the road or moving along one way or another. Fortunately, this time we're just thumbin' down the Information Highway a couple towns to a new web host. Hopefully, you won't even notice, but if you do experience any troubles over the next couple of weeks, please bear with us. If, for any reason, you can't get into this site, please hop over to Colin's MP3.com site and enjoy the music for a while before you try back later. Thanks for your understanding. |
That's A Wrap!January 3, 2001: Colin has finished recording tracks for the upcoming debut album! With the help of New Orleans' Brian Rueb, Colin spent several days in November and December laying tracks. Selecting from dozens of original tunes--some older and others brand new--, Colin recorded some fifteen or twenty songs (including at least one cover), and we expect that between eight and ten will eventually be included on the album, which is expected this spring. Colin will now set himself to the task of mixing the songs, and then the final mix will most likely be sent for independent mastering before release to the public.Among the songs most likely to be included on the new album are "Wanderer's Song," "Goin' Dancin'," "The Pain of Losing You," and a new song called simply "Alabama" which was recorded just days after being written. Stay tuned for further developments, and thanks for listening. |
Things Heat Up This Fall!November 2, 2000: Colin has been busy, busy, busy since his return from Puerto Rico to the Mainland in October. Practices for the much-anticipated recording session are underway and going well in New Orleans, where we are on the lookout for an open mic appearance solo or with the band--keep your eyes and ears open!Colin was also one of several musicians present for the annual Halloween Party at Pirates Cove in Josephine, Alabama on Saturday the 28th of October. The fare was mostly covers (from Guy Clark's "L.A. Freeway" to "All Along the Watchtower"), with a few originals thrown in for kicks. The highlights, though, were the jam tunes, which saw lots of locals take the stage together for renditions of everything from "Melissa" to "Eve of Destruction"--what a hoot! |
Exclusive Online "Sneak Peak" of Fall Recording Session!October 17, 2000: Well, folks, this is what you've been waiting for! The unofficial word is that Colin has made arrangements to spend several weeks this November recording in New Orleans, Louisiana. He'll be counting on the help of friends like Hirsh Katzen (of Eli's Engine) for engineering help (the whole project will still be recorded independently on Colin's Roland 880EX) as well as musical support.As a special online exclusive for fans, friends, and family, Colin has uploaded to his MP3.com site three songs from the scratch demo prepared for the session. The songs include two never-before-heard tunes. One, "Easy Come, Easy Go" is less than a month old, and explores a darker side of things. The other, "Wanderer's Song," is almost one year old and features some wonderfully eerie lap steel. Finally, Colin has uploaded a new version of "Dream" featuring some great overdriven lap steel. If this is any indication of what the album will be like, music fans rejoice! Colin's debut album is scheduled for release early in 2001. |
Colin Goes On Dead Last at Club Passim Open Mic NightSeptember 13, 2000--Here's a funny open mic story which I place in the News section for lack of another place to share it with you all. I am in Boston this week for my day job, so I took the opportunity to go by the world-famous Club Passim in Harvard Square (apparently Dylan used to play there between sets when Joni Mitchell featured--back in the day) for open mic night last night. Well, sixty-seven other folks had the same idea on the same day, so the list of one-song performances was scheduled to last into the wee hours. I got picked to go in the eighteenth round--about fifty-fifth or so. But, be it out of some previously undiagnosed masochism or just because I wanted to perform at least one song somewhere while in Boston, I decided to stick it out. To make a long story short, I went on DEAD LAST (yup, everyone after me bailed, not surprisingly I guess) for an audience of not more than three people if you don't count the employees. But hey, the song went off without much of a hitch, and it was a good chance to play my new cuatro in public (with harmonica accompaniment), and so it was worth the wait. A thousand thanks to those brave souls who stuck with me to the bitter end and listened to the tune, which by the way was called "The Pain of Losing You" and should be available online later this fall. Anyhow, I thought I would share. And I will try to give advance warning next time I hit the stage somewhere, so you all can join me.--Colin |
Support Colin's Music by Checking Out SoundClick.com and Voting For Your Favorite Song!September 7, 2000: Join the crowd!--Colin's new site at SoundClick.com has been getting steady traffic since its debut, with both "Goin' Dancin'" and "Sittin' Thinkin' (Summer)" making dents in the country charts. Click on the SoundClick.com icon below to see what the buzz is all about, and while you're there be sure to listen to the songs and vote! |
Colin's Music Now Part of the Internet Underground Music Archive (IUMA)!August 17, 2000: Now you can hear Colin's music on one of the Web's coolest online music sites--IUMA.com! Check out Colin's page at colinblack.iuma.com, and have a look around! |
Even More Ways to Get Colin's Music Online!August 11, 2000: Visit Colin's new page at Audiosurge.com, currently featuring "Goin' Dancin'," with other tunes to follow! |
Another Brand New Tune Available Online!August 10, 2000: Yes, indeed--they just keep coming! Hear Colin's latest upload, "Sittin' Thinkin' (Summer)," at www.mp3.com/ColinBlack, available on the LISTEN page soon as well. It's a cool tune about kickin' back thinkin' on a summer day--you'll love it!Extra--the mp3 file for "Goin' Dancin'" has been upgraded for better sound quality. Go to www.mp3.com/ColinBlack to upgrade your copy. |
Two More Songs OnlineAugust 4, 2000: Two new songs were added yesterday to Colin's website and MP3.com page! Both "Ponce" and an all-acoustic mix of "Dream" did well on their first day at MP3.com. Hear them for yourself on the LISTEN page or at www.mp3.com/ColinBlack, and leave your comments and critiques on the guestbook.(Note: The mp3 file for "Tonight" was also updated, providing a higher quality digital file for your downloading pleasure!) |
Recording Continues For Debut AlbumJuly 31, 2000: Another productive weekend in the bathroom (where Colin does most of his microphone-based recording--it's the quietest room in the apartment) brings us two new recordings, at least one of which should be available online soon. Colin cut an acoustic version of "Dream," but began messing with the lap steel afterwards and is considering a fuller arrangement with lap steel, drums, bass, and the whole works. The other song is a new composition called "Ponce." Once the mixing is done, one or both of these recordings should be available on the LISTEN page. Stay tuned! |
Recent Jam Sessions With Karen LechnerJuly 19, 2000: Word on the street is that Colin has been having informal jam sessions with Nashville recording artist Karen Lechner. The two met through a mutual friend and have swapped originals and other favorite tunes on at least two occasions over the past month. Colin says that he does not expect any songwriting collaboration, but we can always hope! Check out Karen's Shiver Records debut, Stir & Still, at Amazon.com. |
Two New Songs on LISTEN Page and on MP3.com!June 28, 2000: THAT'S RIGHT! Two brand new recordings of new songs -- "Goin' Dancin'" and "Tonight" -- have been uploaded to the Net. Both songs are being considered for inclusion in the new album. Visit the LISTEN page to hear them for yourself. |