"It was so great to interview a couple of guys who are neck deep in integrity and oozing talent."
--Bob Edwards, NPR's Morning Edition
LOWEN & NAVARRO
If you want it done right, do it yourself. Lowen & Navarro didn't coin that phrase, but are leaders in the independent music world where it is the Golden Rule. Several years ago, when it became obvious their major label was going to set them adrift, L&N didn't get mad, they got smart.
They hit the road, marketed CDs and other merchandise to their audience and utilized the Internet to stay in close touch with their fan base. And after a stint at a smaller independent label ran its course a few years later, they launched their own company, Red Hen Records, named for self-reliant character of nursery fables. Their persistence has now led to a moment of true triumph.
"All The Time In The World," is the breathtaking new CD from Lowen & Navarro, and is set for release on September14th. A "work-in-progress" over the course of the last several years, it features 14 new tracks penned by the duo in their inimitable style - confessional yet self-effacing - with stories of the heart, mind and soul that only Lowen & Navarro could write. In addition, a specially-recorded track, "Something More Than This," will be available only through iTunes.
Eric and Dan found a unique way to finance the recording, marketing and touring for "All The Time In The World": entirely through their fan-base. "Several years ago," Dan explained, "we were approached by fans who understood the indie world and the difficulties in getting money to make and market the record. They offered to help. At first we felt a little uncomfortable because we knew the risks involved, but they kept at us. Eventually we said okay."
That decision has allowed them to bring in Canadian producer-engineer John Whynot (Dave Matthews, Bruce Cockburn, Kathleen Edwards, Los Super Seven, Loreena McKennit, Blue Rodeo, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings) to make the record with them. The financial base built by their fan support will also give them the opportunity to tour and market in a professional yet fun manner. "We'll do it ourselves," Dan said. " We hire outside help, try new ways to present it to people and control the whole thing. It's a lot of work, but it is great".
At the core of their creative partnership is the fact that Lowen & Navarro are great friends - some might say "brothers" - as well as business comrades. Both men write lyrics and music, with Lowen playing lead and slide guitar and Navarro supplying rhythm guitar. Devoting themselves to the craft of song (with a touch of humor!) has been a Lowen & Navarro trademark ever since the two first began working together in the early eighties, and "All The Time In The World" is no exception to the rule.
Tunes on the CD go from the loss of a dear family friend to the growth stages of a relationship; from the histrionics of a love affair to the fear of the unknown. The fourteen tracks on "All The Time In The World" carry-on in the Lowen & Navarro tradition of documenting humanity's dignities and frailties while examining its loves and losses. At the same time the music brings a contemporary eye to the trials and tribulations of modern life and all that it entails.
Having said that, Eric Lowen points out, "the title track actually wasn't written by us. It was written by a guy we don't even know named Dave Moore who wrote it after the loss of his daughter. But we loved it." The title also hits home due to the fact that Eric was recently diagnosed with what is thought to be the early stages of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Eric says he is feeling just fine and that Lowen & Navarro will continue to tour and record in their usual fashion. "There was never a question about how to proceed. We're going to keep performing as long as physically possible...and I'm fully expecting that to be a good long time. Our music has always dealt with real life issues, and we have to deal with them personally too."
Cloaking sharp insights in the warmth of its intimate sound, Lowen & Navarro's new "All The Time In The World" is the latest chapter in the duo's ongoing passion for music, humor, and life in general.
DISCOGRAPHY
1990 Walking On A Wire (Chameleon)
1993 Broken Moon (Parachute/Mercury)
1994 Walking On A Wire re-release w/bonus tracks (Parachute/Mercury)
1995 Pendulum (Parachute/Mercury)
1997 Live Wire (Red Hen/Intersound)
1998 Scratch At The Door (Intersound)
2002 Live Radio (Red Hen)
2002 At Long Last...Christmas (Red Hen)
2004 All The Time In The World (Red Hen)
Compilations
Western Beat-American Music Showcase Vol. 1 (Battle Hymns 2001)
Kerrville: End of the Century (Silverwolf-2000)
Folk Scene from Studio A (Red House-1998)
A Christmas To Remember (Velvel-1998)
Radio Free Music Vol 1&2 (Intersound (1997/8)
Rocky Mountain Folks Live (Blue Planet-1995)
In Harmony with the Homeless (Miramar-BMG-1995)
South By Southwest Vol. 2 (SXSW-1994)
KSCA (LA) Live From the Music Hall Vol. 1 (1994)
KBCO (Boulder) Best of Studio 3C2 Vol. 1 (1992)
KTCZ (Minneapolis (Cities1 Sampler 4 (1991)
Breakaway-The First Year (Mt. Railroad-1988)
Television
CBS Saturday Morning
NBC's Friday Night
CNN Showbiz Today.
America's Talking
KTLA Morning News (LA)
WJZ Morning News (Baltimore)
Broadcast House (D.C.)
Good Morning Arizona
KUSI Morning News (San Diego)
AM Portland
AM Chicago
Good Morning Denver
WGN Morning News, Chicago
WITI Wakeup News, Milwaukee
Radio
NPR's Morning Edition
XM Satellite Radio (one hour special)
World Cafe
Acoustic Cafe
Folk Scene with Roz & Howard Larman
Mountain Stage
E-Town
These Days with Dan Erwine
Voice of America
The Wolf, Albany NY
Steve Dahl Show, Chicago
The Lounge with Dirk Sutro (KPBS, San Diego)
Live in-studio on over 50 radio stations
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