Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians i've been playing music with new bohemians since i was 18. they were unusual characters for dallas. brandon's zen grandfather walked in the room where they were hanging out and said they looked like a bunch of new bohemians-that's how they got the name. they introduced the expression "jamming" to me and encouraged and inspired me to be fearless and improvise and just be in the moment. i've had some of the best times of my life jamming with these guys. i love their versatility and openness and how much they care about being good musicians and good people. after our band hit the airwaves and we ran the course of promotion, it felt good to cool out and slow down and get away from the exaggerated scene. i walked through central park and really loved life again without being looked at and scrutinized and judged. what was amazing to me was the fact that while we were in dallas playing the clubs, i couldn't wait to get on the tour bus and have the experience of being a touring, signed band- but as i walked alone after it was all over with, it wasn't the tour bus or the t.v. shows, the venues, performances, photo shoots or videos that meant something to me. i kept remembering brad's dad's garage and the stankhouse john and kenny shared where we all got together and made things up. those hours that flew by with the goofiest improvs and the most ambitious attempts to come up with something fresh and real and interesting were all that came back to me.

the creative process with the laughter and spontaneity, the tug of war and the energy toward a shared vision was our greatest success.

every time i went back to dallas we'd get together and play. from carter's goat house to a funky motel turned music space, we found a place to jam and taped everything on my walkman cassette recorder. then i'd rewind and hunt and peck after the potential songs and we'd listen back and learn what we did and shape it up. finding out what's in the air is the fun part and we've had magical jams where we all felt the same current and rode the same wave together in groove and melody. that connection to the mystery and joy of playing a song as it is being written is my unique relationship with new bohemians.

when i met bryce goggin i knew he'd understand and bring out the best in the band. so now we're recording again with a team we put together and a unified sensibility and it feels really good.