Michael Hedges
Torched
The Story
When Michael Hedges died in a late-1997 car accident, he left behind this set of recordings, arranged in this sequence as a sketch of the album he intended to call "Torched". Through only a few tracks had been designated by Michael as finished, as a whole they represented an enormous amount of work on his part, as writer, arranger, singer, player, producer, and recording mix engineer. Rather than try to guess where Michael was headed with these songs, Windham Hill chose to present them here just as he left them, as works in progress. Taken as they are, they offer a rare glimpse at the inner journey of an extraordinarily gifted artist. If you hear rough edges, all the better. These are Michael's own hand-made recordings, unretouched.
The Music
04:51 | Torched | Vocal |
04:20 | Spring Buds | Vocal |
03:59 | Fusion Of The Five Elements | Instrumental |
03:52 | Promised Land | Vocal |
03:40 | Phoenix Fire | Vocal |
03:51 | Dream Beach | Instrumental |
02:17 | Arrowhead | Instrumental |
04:14 | Shell Shock Venus | Vocal |
03:45 | Ursa Major | Instrumental |
04:19 | Free Swinging Soul | Vocal |
04:17 | Rough Wind In Oklahoma | Vocal |
03:48 | Sapphire | Vocal |
05:34 | Gospel Of Mary/The Holy Flame | Vocal |
03:44 | Java Man | Instrumental |
05:29 | Free Swinging Soul (1994 Concert) | Instrumental |
The Artists
Michael Hedges | Guitars, Vocals, Prodcution, Engineering, Mixing, Cover Concept |
Hilleary Burgess | Executive Production |
Michael Manring | Bass on "Free Swinging Soul" |
David Crosby | Vocals on "Spring Buds" |
Graham Nash | Vocals on "Spring Buds" |
Larry Hamby | A&R |
Jason (Wolff) Ritt | Engineering and Mixing on "Free Swinging Soul" |
Paul Dieter | Engineering and Mixing on "Spring Buds" |
Sebastian Haimerl | Engineering and Mixing Assistance on "Spring Buds" |
Bernie Grundman | Mastering |
Sonny Medina | Graphic Design, Art Direction |
Alex Grey | Cover Painting |
Jay Blakesberg | Photography |
Karen Haskel | Photography |
Ebet Roberts | Photography |
Kim Stringfellow | Photography |
Brent Whitmire | Photography |
All sounds performed, recorded and mixed at the Speech and Hearing Clinic, Mendocino, California, except Crosby and Nash vocals on "Spring Buds" recorded and mixed at Groove Masters, Santa Monica, California.
Live performance of "Free Swinging Soul", recorded on October 16, 1994 at the Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Colorado. Digital art production and film separations donated by A to A Graphic Services, Inc., NYC. |