All proceeds from this album will go to the Redwood Empire Food Bank to assist with fire relief in Northern California (
refb.org).
Update 2/4/18: Thanks to everyone who's bought this album. So far I've donated $213 to the Food Bank, and given the continuing need for aid, I'll continue to pass on any proceeds from this album for the foreseeable future.
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I was born and raised in Santa Rosa. My parents and grandma still live there, as do so many more people who’ve played crucial roles in my life. The fires that swept through Northern California the week of October 9 have been excruciating to witness from a distance, and it will take a long time for everyone affected to assess the damage done, and even longer to rebuild their lives and heal.
During the week, fires approached my parents’ home and my grandma’s apartment within a few miles from three directions, and every night I went to bed dreading a 4 a.m. phone call from my family, telling me they’d have to evacuate. When the weekend came, the fires were still burning and I couldn’t use my job to distract myself, so I started recording music to keep from falling down a hole of unproductive worry. I wanted to channel not only the anxiety I felt, but also the varied beauty of the place where I grew up.
As of this writing, my family and their homes are safe, but tens of thousands of residents have suffered significant losses. To assist with the recovery process, all proceeds from this album will go to the Redwood Empire Food Bank, who are helping lead the effort, and who have done immeasurable good for the area over the years. You can read more about them at
refb.org.
This was recorded October 13-15, except for two handheld recordings on "Nuns," one of which was taken July 2016 in Santa Rosa.
“Redwood Valley (After Airs No. 8)” is an interpretation of “Airs No. 8” by Loren Connors.
Thanks to Tyler Walicek and Adam Pearson for helping evolve “Heat” during practices in early 2017.
It’s been a crazy year. Hope you’re doing okay out there.
–Emmerich Anklam, Berkeley, October 15, 2017
released October 15, 2017