WE SHALL OVERCOME: THE SEEGER SESSIONS

Commercially Released: April 24, 2006 ***
*** “American Land” version of the CD released Oct 3, 2006

Produced by Bruce Springsteen

Recording Engineer: Toby Scott

Recorded in Nov 1997, Mar 2005 and Jan 2006 at THRILL HILL EAST (Bruce’s Colts Neck, NJ home studio).

PART 1 – SEEGER SESSIONS OVERVIEW

Springsteen completed the GOTJ Tour in May 1997. In September 1997 Bruce organized a “Siesta” theme bash at his Colts Neck, NJ farm. He needed a band to play at the party and invited New York City-based outfit ‘The Gotham Playboys’. Bruce had heard about the band from Soozie Tyrell, who sometimes sat in with them at live gigs. In October 1997 Springsteen was asked to contribute a recording for an upcoming Pete Seeger tribute album. Bruce felt some of the musicians in The Gotham Playboys might be right for this project. He re-contacted them, fleshed out the session with additional musician friends and acquaintances, and a recording session was held at Bruce’s NJ home studio on Nov 2, 1997. There were 6 songs recorded at this session. “We Shall Overcome” was the track selected for donation and it was eventually released on the March 1998 Tribute album. ‘The Gotham Playboys’ were later invited to perform at a couple of other parties at the farm, including Bruce’s 1998 and 2000 birthday bashes.

From that original Nov 1997 Seeger Session we must fast-forward 7 years in the timeline - to late 2004, soon after the conclusion of Springsteen’s ‘Vote For Change’ mini tour. Springsteen was liaising with manager Jon Landau regarding material for a potential future TRACKS #2 boxed set. Some of the leftover material from the Nov 1997 Seeger Session was being evaluated and out of those discussions came the idea of releasing this session material as a stand-alone LP project. However there were not enough songs recorded in Nov 1997 to fill an album. Consequently the original 1997 musicians were re-contacted and an additional session took place on March 19, 2005, just prior to Springsteen embarking on his solo tour to promote his about-to-be-released ‘Devils And Dust’ album. There were 9 songs recorded at this March 19, 2005 Seeger session.

Following the completion of the D&D Tour Springsteen undertook a third and final Seeger Sessions Band studio session on Jan 21, 2006. There were 8 songs recorded at this session. The original 1997 session wasn’t filmed. However the final two sessions in 2005 and 2006 were filmed and 30-40 minutes of docu-performance footage from these sessions (mostly the 2nd) was included as DVD bonus material with some versions of the album.

Springsteen toured with the Seeger Sessions Band throughout 2006. During a break in the tour in mid 2006, and then in late 2006 shortly after the tour’s conclusion, Bruce recorded several other items. Some of these later session details are now known and others are likely to emerge over time. Although these mid 2006 – early 2007 recording sessions were not part of the true “Seeger Sessions” we have included the details below, as the material most logically fits into this section and time period.

*   available on the bonus DVD of the original edition of WSO or, alternatively, on the later “American Land” CD edition of WSO. Also available as a internet download single

**  a live version (not studio) was issued as a bonus track on the “American Land” CD edition of WSO. Also available as an internet download single

PART 2 – SEEGER SESSIONS DETAILS

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the 1st of the three Seeger Sessions. V1a and V1b are slightly different mixes of the same core recording. V1a was first issued in March 1998 on the Various Artists Pete Seeger tribute CD ‘WHERE HAVE HALL THE FLOWERS GONE’ (Appleseed).

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the 1st of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the 1st of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the 3rd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the 3rd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the 3rd of the three Seeger Sessions. * Available on the bonus DVD of the original edition of WSO or, alternatively, on the later “American Land” CD edition of WSO. Also available as an internet download single.

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the 3rd of the three Seeger Sessions. * Available on the bonus DVD of the original edition of WSO or, alternatively, on the later “American Land” CD edition of WSO. Also available as an internet download single.

Note: Written by Pete Seeger. V1a was recorded on January 21, 2006 at the 3rd of the three Seeger Sessions. Springsteen, with Toby Scott at the engineering controls, re-recorded Bruce’s lead vocal for this track (which includes some additional lyrics composed by Springsteen) on May 18, 2006 at Disclab Studios in Oslo, Norway during a day off while on Tour. That revamped version (V1b) was first made available by Sony in June 2005 as an internet download item. However ** A LIVE version (recorded June 17, 2006 in Detroit, MI) was issued as a bonus track on the “American Land” CD Edition of WSO in Oct 2006.

Note: This song (an electric guitar-based instrumental) was not recorded during any of the original three Seeger Sessions. It was recorded solo by Bruce at his NJ home studio in July or August 2006, during a break in the Seeger Sessions Tour. Bruce’s guitar part was then sent to Italian producer/conductor Luigi Caiola, who overdubbed the orchestra/string parts on top of Bruce’s guitar parts to create the finished recording. First released in February 2007 on the Various Artists compilation tribute CD ‘WE ALL LOVE ENNIO MORRICONE’ (Sony).

Note: V1a was recorded on November 2, 1997 at the 1st of the three Seeger Sessions. V1b contains added vocal and banjo, performed by Pete Seeger, that was recorded by Jim Musselman and David Seitz at Seeger’s cabin in Beacon, NY on July 4, 2006 and then mixed to the V1a recording to create V1b. The V1b take was produced by Springsteen-Musselman-Seitz and was first released on Sept 24, 2007 on the Various Artists charity compilation ‘GIVE US YOUR POOR’ (Appleseed).

Note: This entirely re-recorded version of Springsteen’s 1995 album title track was not recorded during any of the three Seeger Sessions. It was recorded at various stages and studio locations during the mid-late 2006 period.  Bruce’s parts (vocal, harmonica) were recorded at his NJ home studio in Aug 2006. Pete Seeger’s vocals were recorded at Seeger’s cabin in Beacon, NY on July 4, 2006. The backing band’s individual parts were recorded at various locations around the USA during mid-late 2006 and then everything was mixed together at Shelter Island Sound Studios in NYC by David Seitz. The additional musicians are Mark Dann (acoustic guitar), David Hamburger (dobro), Mike Visceglia (bass), Tim Carbone (fiddle) and Ken Lovelett (percussion). Produced by Springsteen, Jim Musselman and David Seitz. The recording was first released on Sept 11, 2007 on the Various Artists charity compilation ‘SOWING THE SEEDS’ (Appleseed).

Note: Not recorded during any of the three Seeger Sessions, although it’s possible (but unlikely) that Springsteen recorded a solo studio demo later in 2006. ** A LIVE version (recorded on or around Apr 13, 2006 at a non-audience rehearsal performance at the Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ) was issued as a bonus track on the “American Land” CD Edition of WSO in Oct 2006. This same recording had first been issued as a free download single on Springsteen’s official website in Apr 2006.

Note: V1 recorded on January 21, 2006 at the 3rd of the three Seeger Sessions. Bruce recorded another version (this time solo) at his home studio sometime later in 2006. Both studio versions remain unreleased. Written by Springsteen and inspired by the song “He Lies In The American Land” (a Slovakian worker’s poem adapted and later set to music by Pete Seeger). ** A live version (recorded June 22, 2006 in New York City) was issued as a bonus track on the “American Land” CD edition of the WSO in Oct 2006.

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the 1st of the three Seeger Sessions. Words transcribed into English by Jeanette Turner from a composition by Turkish poet Natzim Hikmet. Music by James Waters. Pete Seeger made a further adaptation in 1962.

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the 1st of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the 2nd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the 3rd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the 3rd of the three Seeger Sessions.

Note: Song written by Springsteen during 2006. Studio recording history is uncertain – this was not recorded during any of the three Seeger Sessions, although Bruce is likely to have recorded a solo home studio demo in the months that followed. Bruce premiered the song live on Nov 11, 2006 during the Seeger Session Tour. The song was later studio recorded in Atlanta during Mar-April 2007 by Springsteen & The ESB and released on the album ‘MAGIC’.

PART 3 – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SEEGER SESSIONS STUDIO BAND

FRANK BRUNO (guitar)
JEREMY CHATZKY (bass)
LARRY EAGLE (drums)
CHARLES GIORDANO (accordion, keyboards)
SAM BARFELD (violin)
SOOZIE TYRELL (violin)
MARK CLIFFORD (banjo)
ED MANION (sax)
RICHIE ROSENBERG (trombone)
PATTI SCIALFA (vocals)
MARK PENDER (trumpet) – not present for the 1st Seeger Session
LISA LOWELL (vocals) – not present for the 1st and 2nd Seeger Sessions

THE 2006 TOURING BAND

All of the above-noted musicians performed live on the 2006 Seeger Session Tour. However the Tour was organized rather quickly and some of the Studio Band members had prior commitments that prevented them for performing at all shows on the tour. MARK CLIFFORD performed during some of the early tour rehearsals and at one show on the first USA leg - his replacement was GREG LISZT. RICHIE ROSENBERG performed on the USA Tour leg - his replacement on the European Tour legs was CLARK GAYTON. MARK PENDER performed on the USA Tour leg - his replacement on the European Tour legs was CURT RAMM. The following musicians were part of the 2006 Touring Band but were not part of the SEEGER SESSIONS STUDIO BAND that recorded the album in Nov 1997, Mar 2005 and Jan 2006.

ART BARON (tuba)
GREG LISZT (banjo).
CLARK GAYTON (trombone)
CURT RAMM (trumpet)
MARTY RIFKIN (pedal steel guitar)
MARK ANTHONY THOMPSON (vocals)
CURTIS KING JR. (vocals)
CINDY MIZELLE (vocals)