Mark Davenport - Joyful Sighs & Soulful Hymns

This second solo album release by Colorado singer-songwriter Mark Davenport is a consistent 'Top Seller' on CD Baby. The album includes the two single releases 'If I Were A Prince' and 'The Sum Of All Delight.' For this concept album Davenport sets intimate and personal lyrics to sixteenth-century musical forms-madrigals, hymns and motets (sacred songs). In reaching back to ancient musical and poetic models, his source of inspiration comes from the central themes of the Renaissance: love, death, rebirth, and devotion. The songs are meant to evoke contemplation and hope, written with an openness to both the emotional and intellectual sensibilities: a union of heart and mind. The CD has received very favorable reviews. Tom Bickely, in the current edition of American Recorder Magazine (Winter, 2013) called it "Remarkable... a deeply moving journey for the listener." For the recording Davenport assembled a stellar band consisting of both traditional rock instrumentation and renaissance instruments, like the recorder and viola da gamba. Davenport is joined by Paonia resident and Grammy-Award winning guitarist, David Snider; Christian Teele, house drummer for the NPR radio show "eTown" in Boulder; and Daniel Jones, a resident of Black Hawk, on pedal steel guitar. Wendy Gillespie, president of the Viola da Gamba Society of America and faculty member at the University of Indiana, performs on the viola da gamba. The album was recorded at five different locations including three in Colorado, one in Bloomington IN, and one in Laguna Woods, CA. (This Collector's Edition CD includes full color Lyric Booklet, additional artwork and track info... plus, it's just cooler than a download!) Musicians: Mark Davenport - vocals, piano, organ, synthesizers, renaissance tenor and bass recorders, cello David Snider - acoustic nylon and steel string guitars, electric guitar, slide guitar, electric bass Daniel Jones - pedal steel guitar Christian Teele - drums and percussion (tambourine, shakers, cajón, wind chimes, ankle bells, belly dancer belt) Wendy Gillespie - tenor and bass viola da gambas Bunny Brunel - fretless bass on "I Love You More" Carlos Ortiz, Yessie Ortiz and Jeremy Tang - children singers on "Little Star" Produced by Mark Davenport Recording Information: Vocals, keyboards, and pedal steel guitar recorded by Mark Davenport at Landmark Sound, Louisville, CO Drums and percussion recorded by Geoff Gray (chief engineer) and Ben Fausch (assistant engineer) at Far and Away Studios, Boulder, CO Bass and guitars recorded by David Snider at Snider Sound Studio, Louisville, CO Bass on "I Love You More" recorded by Bernie Torelli/Nomad Factory at Gigi's Studio, Laguna Woods, CA Viola da gambas recorded by Jake Belser at Farm Fresh Studios, Bloomington, IN Mixed by Mark Davenport at Landmark Sound, Louisville, CO Mastered by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering. Boulder, CO Cover art (an Italian renaissance fresco by Melozzo da Forli), photographed by Mark Davenport.