Album Notes

Produced by Riley McMahon

All Songs copyright 1997-2007 Katie Elevitch/BMI
Except "Kindling for the Fire", 2007 Elevitch/Maron/McMahon/Vaill

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The songs of Kindling for the Fire were recorded live on Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend in January 2007 in a small cottage built in 1928 in upstate New York over looking the Hudson River. This cottage was once the home of Orson Welles and Noel Coward, as well as other local artists and musicians.

After the sudden death of her father in September 2006, Katie discovered the magical space while walking to the woods near her childhood home. The "Gnome Home" as it was soon dubbed, became her healing and creative sanctuary until May 2007, when it was torn down to make way for new construction.

The record was an attempt to capture not only the improvisational spirit and tightness of the band (together since 2004) in an intimate, raw way, using as many live tracks as possible, but also an effort to commune with — even collaborate with — the creative spirit energies vibrating in the walls of, and in the land surrounding, this special place.

Kindling for the Fire exists therefore as a record, not just of Katie's songs, but of an architecture of solace, inspiration and artistic renewal that is now no more.

All basic tracks were recorded live, including the vocals — although only half of the vocals were used in the final master due to recording issues. The title track was recorded live and completely improvised as a band, with no overdubs used at all in the final mastered version, although it was edited down for time concerns.
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Producer - Riley McMahon
Executive Producer - Katie Elevitch
Engineers - Riley McMahon, James Pertusi
Mixed by Riley McMahon
Mastered by Fred Kevorkian

Vocals/Guitars - Katie Elevitch
Guitars / Piano / Keys / Stomp - Riley McMahon
Bass / Piano - Jonathan Maron
Drums / Piano - Tim Vaill

Cello - Tania Simoncelli
Percussion - Lee Farber

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For Dad...
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Special thanks to the spirit of Victor Powell and all his students, the people of Palisades, the congregation of the Palisades Presbyterian Church, Michael Shapiro, Janice Van Buskirk, the Peacocks and the Deer, the Hudson River, my family- Nik for dropping off the Wurlitzer, Uncle Burr for delivering the Spinet way back when, Mom for Everything, Ilena for endless support and fandom, Gerald and Andre Greene, all my fans, neighbors, old friends - and of course the guys on this record - thank you thank you thank you.