THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Hawksley Workman has teamed up with Canadian guitar phenom and singer-songwriter Kevin Breit in the exciting instrumental side project Breit Workman. An acclaimed, multi-dimensional performer with several solo records under his belt, Breit is one of Canada’s most sought-after guitar players and has recorded with Norah Jones, Rosanne Cash, k.d. lang, to name a few. He has amassed several awards, including a Gemini and two Junos, and is featured on records that have earned an impressive 10 Grammys.
Hawksley and Kevin have known each other for several years, seizing any opportunity to play a song together at festivals where both artists happened to be booked. So when the two found themselves in a studio setting, the comfortable interplay was natural and unaffected. “I’ve been a longtime fan of Kevin’s playing and way of being a musician,” relays Workman. “Kevin is plugged into a very rare and wonderful energy source. I think together we have a deep devotion to a nearly controlled recklessness. I think abandon is at the core of much of what we both do. I’m very proud of this work we’ve done together and it was an honour to create with such a musical juggernaut.”
Recording in Northern Ontario, Workman and Breit enlisted a collective of talented friends to partake in their musical adventure. Outside of Hawksley on drums and Kevin on guitars and bass, the record features cellist Matt Brubeck, tuba player extraordinaire Colin Couch, woodwind player John Johnson, and harmonica genius Mike Stevens. After a few nights of recording, they selected their favourite compositions and asked Montreal recording artist Murray Lightburn (The Dears) to mix what became Breit Workman.
“August bonfires, fine wine, and the tranquil backdrop of the Northern Ontario hamlet of Burk’s Falls were main ingredients for the Breit Workman collaborative recording,” remembers Breit when describing the fluid and creative recording process. “Little was known as to what would make up the song selections and the repertoire would be composed freely as the tape machine rolled.” The result is six eclectic, virtuoso-filled tracks sure to please the most discerning music lover.”
