Gregory Alan Isakov has slowly carved his name in the bedrock of the Colorado music scene. On his latest collaboration with the Colorado Symphony, the talented singer songwriter gave his past work a makeover instead of doing a best of hits release. C=T caught up with the agricultural ambassador of Colorado to talk about the new album and horticulture.
*How did you connect with the Colorado Symphony?
They came and saw us play Chautauqua Auditorium, and shortly after, we got together with them and discussed the idea of doing a show with them at Boettcher Hall. The show itself was a dream. After we played the show, we all starting talking about how amazing it would be to make a record together.
*Instead of doing a “best of album,” you took it a step further. Tell us how you chose the handpicked tracks for the new release.
We recorded fifteen songs and eleven ended up making it on the record. In picking which songs to be arranged, we basically went through each album and pretty quickly decided. Perhaps it was a gut feeling. We chose the ones that sounded the best, while maintaining a sense of a good flow on a record, which is important to us.
Some are songs that we had played at shows a lot, and some are songs that, until now, never really got played out. The brand-new one, “Liars.” is a song written by my friend and collaborator Ron Scott that we have been playing at shows for years. I have wanted to have it on other records, but it never seemed to be right, until now.
*What is the recording studio like at your farm and why did you choose to split the sessions between Boetcher Hall and the farm?
Our first intention was to release a live show. We recorded a few shows with the Colorado Symphony, and recorded the shows with the Seattle Symphony and Oregon Symphony. After going through them, we loved the sound of Boettcher during the rehearsals. You could really hear the space. So last summer we went back to Boettcher Hall with the Colorado Symphony for two days. We tracked all the songs with the symphony and then did overdubs and mixed at the farm.
Our studio is just in the end of a long barn. A few of us have our gear sort of collectively scattered everywhere. We borrowed a tape machine and a spring reverb from our friend Nathaniel Rateliff.
*Speaking of farm, what do you have growing this summer?
It’s going great! This is our third season at a small farm in Boulder County. A few of my friends and I are growing vegetable seeds for a local seed company. We have eleven sheep, two beehives, chickens, and a bunch of people. I am always still trying to find the balance between the touring life and farm life, but that’s how it goes. (photo credit: Blue Caleel)
Gregory Alan Isakov tour dates
June 17 /// Atlanta, GA /// Atlanta Symphony Hall with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
June 18 /// Asheville, NC /// The Orange Peel*†
June 19 /// Philadelphia, PA /// Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra
June 20 /// Burlington, VT /// The Flynn Center with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra
June 21 /// Portland, ME /// State Theatre with the Maine Youth Rock Orchestra*
June 22 /// Boston, MA /// Royale*‡
June 23 /// New York, NY /// Webster Hall*‡
June 25 /// Washington, DC /// The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra
June 26 /// Durham, NC /// The Carolina Theatre*§
June 27 /// Charlotte, NC /// McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square*§
June 28 /// Nashville, TN /// Marathon Music Works*§
June 30 /// Kansas City, MO /// Madrid Theatre*#
July 1 /// Dallas, TX /// Granada Theater*#
July 2 /// Austin, TX /// Emo’s*#
July 21-24 /// Calgary, AB /// Calgary Folk Music Festival
August 4 /// Bozeman, MT /// The Ellen Theatre*†
August 5 /// Spokane, WA /// Knitting Factory*†
August 6 /// Seattle, WA /// The Showbox*†
August 7 /// Bellingham, WA /// The Wild Buffalo*†
August 8 /// Portland, OR /// Crystal Ballroom*#
August 10 /// Oakland, CA /// Fox Theater with Magik Magik Orchestra
August 11 /// San Luis Obispo, CA /// Fremont Theatre*#
August 12 /// Los Angeles, CA /// The Fonda Theatre*#
August 13 /// Phoenix, AZ /// Mesa Arts Center with the Symphony of the Southwest
August 14 /// Salt Lake City, UT /// Red Butte Garden~
August 16 /// Missoula, MT /// The Wilma~
August 17 /// Ketchum, ID /// River Run Lodge~
August 19 /// Solana Beach, CA /// Belly Up
August 27 /// Fayetteville, AR /// Fayetteville Roots Festival
September 4 /// Morrison, CO /// Red Rocks Amphitheatre∞
*Gregory Alan Isakov and full band accompanied by The Ghost Orchestra
†with Andrea Gibson
‡with Mandolin Orange
§with Jay Clifford (of Jump, Little Children)
#with Langhorne Slim
~with Lake Street Dive
∞with Ani DiFranco