Big Hope, Big Love, Big Everything
Or, how I let 17 days go by without posting and survived
A good beginning to the last days of October to all of you! Thank you for subscribing and reading the newsletter. Much appreciated.
It's been 17 days since I've written. That's okay. This is the season of life I'm in. Call it increasingly non-performative—allowing space for consistency goals to go unmet. Instead, I'm working this goal: To live well in spite of the present worldwide algorithmic emphasis or the brand manager's reminder to post consistently!
The mercurial way that social media doles out posts to readers is why I'm incrementally moving all written communication away from heritage social media. Most of you know this. Many of you have graciously come here to Substack in order to stay in touch without interference from a corporation's algorithms. Thank you. Hopefully this is working for you! Plus, I'm not appearing in your inbox unless I have some thoughts or news to share. I'll only be as regular as is real. Today, there’s lots of real news on offer.
CHARLIEPEACOCK.COM
The companion to my Substack is the website CharliePeacock.com, which has been around since we all first encountered the mysterious World Wide Web and something called a URL. As I’ve shared before, the site is incrementally being reimagined. When finished, it will be the only place where you'll have easy access to a library of my creative work. Including, to borrow from Taylor Swift, a few easter eggs for friends and fans who delight in the arcane. Since announcing the rebuild, visits to the website have tripled. Thank you. I hope you're getting some use out of the info there, (e.g. the lyrics to EVERY KIND OF UH-OH).
One very practical reason for a CharliePeacock.com visit is the Music page. There, you'll find a mosaic graphic with album, EP, and single covers from all my recordings (in order of most recent to first). Click any image and you'll be bounced to Spotify. Even if you don't use the digital service, you can still get a visual picture of the available music and then pursue it elsewhere.
Just last week a friend of 35 years remarked to me that he had no idea I'd done a particular modern jazz project—Blue For You with Chris Potter, John Patitucci, Eric Harland, and Marcus Printup. He loved it and wondered how the music had slipped by his radar. This is understandable. I've been fortunate to create a large catalog of music. Such an astounding privilege and one I don't take for granted.
NEW MUSIC
In fact, there will be new recordings dropping soon. A full album titled Big Hope Big Love on THIS Friday, November 1st; and Mad Funky and Some Chill, a six-song EP on Friday, November 8th. That's right, back to back. I've been sitting on these songs for a while and will be happy to see them available.
Maybe you loved the poetic introspection and Spiritual profession of the rootsy EVERY KIND OF UH-OH. I do too. This will always be the heartbeat of my music. But hey, I also grew up on hooky, Top 40 Pop too, and still love a big beat and ear-worm chorus. You too? Good. Get ready to sing in the shower and dance around the kitchen to these pop songs laced with stellar musical performances, guest vocalists (including son Sam Ashworth) and fun, throwback elements.
You deserve a heaping taste test of Sam singing “Big Hope, Big Love, Big Everything” right now!
CREATIVE FOCUS AND COMING UP
As you likely know, my creative focus over the last year and a half has been the podcast Music & Meaning, the book Why Everything That Doesn't Matter, Matters So Much, the album EVERY KIND OF UH-OH, and the upcoming memoir, ROOTS & RHYTHM: A Life in Music—which you can pre-order in hardcover and Kindle now—and, it looks like many of you are!! Thank you.
“An historic trailblazer who truly cared and created for our culture, Charlie Peacock has encouraged me to persevere and seek the highest realms of my art, and still (somehow) dare to love Jesus and his Broken body—the church. I am grateful for Roots & Rhythm to reintroduce his work to the next generation, and to the music communities at large.”
—Makoto Fujimura, artist and author of Art and Faith: A Theology of Making
Thank you Mako!
When you purchase the hardcover or Kindle version of the book ROOTS & RHYTHM you'll have the most comprehensive discography of my career assembled to date. Those who want the Audible audio version of the book (avail soon) will be receive a PDF of these extensive recording credits. There are (24) pages! Here's just two for your curiosity:
Tidy, right? 1979—2024. 45 years worth and not done yet! A grateful thank you to Eerdman’s Publishing for making this discography a priority.
Andi is on Substack now too. Check out the latest beautiful, and I think, very helpful post. Subscribe and enjoy.
TURNING GOSPEL INTO JAZZ — JOHN P. KEE
I’m honored to have my solo piano performance of "Changed Me" on THE INTERPRETATION OF KEE!—a compilation featuring over 45 diverse and extraordinary pianists playing the legendary Gospel singer-songwriter John P. Kee's songs on acoustic piano (including Kevin Bond, Chick Corea, Richard Smallwood, George Duke, Billy Preston, Tye Tribbett, Parris Bowens, Ricky Grundy, and Edwin Hawkins). I hope this is released soon! Listen below.
ART HOUSE NEWS
Dallas and DFW folks, don’t miss this annual event. We have attended many times. It is always inspiring, entertaining, and life-giving in general. And, it is one of the primary means that the org is funded for the year. Please attend and support. Coming up this Saturday, the 2nd! Get this: Tickets are 25% off for 1 day only, use code FLASH!
Minneapolis and St. Paul peeps! Art House North has a wonderful slate of events for November. Click the pic for information, inspiration, and I’d bet a little transformation too.
IN CLOSING—THE FUJIMURAS
Just last night, (along with friends Steve and Deb Taylor), we were honored to sit with Mako and Haejin Fujimura as they each received a 2024 "Champions of Hope" award from Belmont University’s Hope Summit. The individual and mutual work they do in justice and the arts is beautiful and commendable. Vince Gill and Amy Grant were honored as well. A beautiful evening with so many like-minded folks and long enduring friendships.
Congratulations on so many beautiful works of art, Charlie. I thought you might be amused with this: after I recorded a dulcimer music (with a string band and vocals at times) CD back in the aughts, I toured a bit. I played a special solo performance at Mako Fujimura’s beautiful IAM venue in New York City. What a special experience.
Just a quick note. I picked up a copy of "Why Everyhing that Doesn't Matter, Matters so Much" while on a quickstop at Hutchmoot. I hope to write a review here on Substack. Until then, the book is giving me a prequel foundation hearing so much of your music over the decades. So many things are snapping into place.