New Brunswick’s bluesman laureate, Matt Andersen, is about to release Halfway Home by Morning, a 13-track album that sounds like it has nothing to do with the absolutely massive four month-long tour that will take him across the US, UK, Europe and Canada before he sees home again. Ahead of that (we’ll see him on the East Coast in June, towards the end of the tour) Andersen has released a live studio video for “Something To Lose” which features a duet with Amy Helm, daughter of the legendary Levon Helm, drummer and vocalist for The Band.
“Amy and I have been trying for a long time for the opportunity to write together. We ended being on a tour together and found ourselves with a day off and sat down to tackle a tune. A session with my pal Ian Janes completed the song. It ended up being the last song we recorded for the album and it was definitely one of the highlights of my time in the studio. I’ll sing with Amy any time I can. She’s the real thing and always brings her own genuine and infectious joy into the room and into any song,” Andersen says.
Andersen croons away on “Something To Lose,” heartsick and soulful like he invented the blues. Andersen’s voice is already the definitive sound for a whole genre within the province of New Brunswick and having Amy Helm perform alongside him is the icing on the cake.
“For the video, we had an easy and relaxed day at the Henhouse Studio in Nashville with my producer, Steve Dawson, and the band,” says Andersen.
“I could have sang this song all day. I really like the stripped down vibe we had on these takes. Being able to sit across from and just sing into the open air with no headphones or monitors was as real as it gets. I love that we caught that moment.”
Matt Andersen’s new album, Halfway Home by Morning, will be available worldwide March 22, 2019 on True North Records.
Tour Dates:
03.19.19 – Cologne, DE @ Kulturkirche
03.20.19 – Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg
03.22.19 – London, UK @ Dingwalls
03.23.19 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
03.24.19 – Glasgow, UK @ The Blue Arrow
03.25.19 – Nottingham, UK @ Bodega
03.29.19 – Baden, CH @ Royal
03.30.19 – Mezzago, IT @ Italian Blues River at Bloom Club
04.01.19 – Munich, DE @ Technikum
04.02.19 – Hamburg, DE @ Elbphilharmonie (SOLD OUT)
04.03.19 – Berlin, DE @ Passionskirche
04.10.19 – Truro, NS @ Marigold Cultural Centre **
04.23.19 – Kelowna, BC @ Kelowna Community Theatre *
04.25.19 – Vancouver, BC @ UBC Chan Centre for the Performing Arts *
04.26.19 – Calgary, AB @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium *
04.27.19 – Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium *
04.28.19 – Saskatoon, SK @ Broadway Theatre *
04.29.19 – Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre *
05.02.19 – London, ON @ London Music Hall ^
05.03.19 – Oshawa, ON @ Regent Theatre ^
05.04.19 – Kitchener, ON @ Centre in the Square ^
05.05.19 – Hamilton, ON @ New Vision United Church ^
05.07.19 – Belleville, ON @ Empire Theatre ^
05.08.19 – Orillia, ON @ Opera House ^
05.09.19 – Kingston, ON @ Grand Theatre Rosen Auditorium ^
05.10.19 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall ^
05.30.19 – Rouyn-Noranda, QC @ Rouyn-Noranda Congress Centre Concert Hall
06.01.19 – Buffalo, NY @ 9th Ward ^^
06.02.19 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern ^^
06.03.19 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe ^^
06.04.19 – Nashville, TN @ City Winery ^^
06.05.19 – Charlotte, NC @ Stage Door ^^
06.06.19 – Atlanta, GA @ Eddie’s Attic ^^
06.07.19 – Asheville, NC @ Isis Music Hall ^^
06.08.19 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle ^^
06.09.19 – Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java ^^
06.11.19 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Locks ^^
06.12.19 – New York, NY @ City Winery
06.13.19 – Ridgefield, MA @ CHIRP
06.14.19 – Fall River, MA @ Narrow’s ^^
06.15.19 – Boston, MA @ City Winery ^^
06.16.19 – Portland, ME @ Port City ^^
06.18.19 – Pictou, NS @ DeCoste Performing Arts Centre #
06.19.19 – Moncton, NB @ Casino New Brunswick #
06.20.19 – Summerside, PE @ Harbourfront Theatre #
06.21.19 – Saint John, NB @/ Imperial Theatre #
06.22.19 – Halifax NS @ Rebecca Cohn Auditorium #
06.29.19 – Montreal, QC @ Montreal Jazz Festival
09.11.19 – Fredericton, NB @ Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival
* with Wild Rivers
^ with Amy Helm
^^ with Erin Costelo
# with Bobby Bazini
** with Dave Sampson