Album Notes

Nearly a decade ago (as of late 2010), in the formative days of Tribes Hill, founder and Director Rick Rock put together a compilation CD of 17 artists who he thought best represented the independent music of regional artists of the lower Hudson Valley. Many years and several small batch CD runs later, the members of the growing cooperative decided it was time to issue a new CD that represented a current offering of Tribes Hill artists’ work.

Tribes Hill received a grant from the Puffin Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Teaneck, NJ which provided partial funding for this. A committee was convened to manage production and an email blast was sent to all Tribes Hill artists to solicit submissions of their best work. Well, the flood gates opened! Winnowing submissions to a mere one disc was going to be nigh on impossible. The number of artists dedicated to the Tribes Hill mission and the quality of their work far exceeded the hour or so of music that can fit on one disc. The best solution was to go ahead with a double CD.
The concept for the cover art sprang from Tribes Hill's monthly meetings when the many musicians and their gear provided a natural photo opportunity. We arranged a heap of instruments and cases in Hammond House’s beautiful old hearth, with the original Tribes Hill sign hanging overhead.

The next great creative conundrum was the title. “Volume 2” was so mundane….again, inspiration struck. The cover photo sports a guitar case strewn with choice stickers and logos…most prominent of which is one that says “We’re All Here Because We’re Not All There.” So true, and so descriptive of this project: WE’RE ALL HERE!!! And there you have it. This collection developed in the inscrutable unpredictable non-linear way that a lot of art gets made. That is: by inspiration, accident, coincidence, serendipity. And in this case, a lot of teamwork, too.

For your listening pleasure, we offer two discs. Disc one is more ‘traditional’ in song theme, production, etc. Disc two is more ‘progressive.’ Let’s leave it at that. Enjoy great songs from Tribes Hills artists who’ve been here from the beginning: urban folk and jazz goddess KJ Denhert and international troubadour (and past TH President) James Durst, to artists well known beyond the Hudson Valley area like Joe Crookston, Red Molly, Chuck E. Costa and Pat Wictor. Also here is Anthony DaCosta, who cut his musical teeth at many a Tribes Hill campfire and song circle, Hope Machine and individual offerings of its members as well as newcomers to the Tribe such as Marc Black, Kelly Flint and the YaYas. From barebones guitar and vocals to full bands to electronic and spoken word, We’re All Here spans the gamut of the contemporary folk and singer songwriter genres. There are love songs, humorous takes on pop culture, spiritual themes, and of course how could there not be some pertinent social commentary? There’s something for everyone, because WE’RE ALL HERE!