Ottawa based Juno nominated singer-songwriter Jeremy Fisher is excited about hitting the road again and visiting Lethbridge for the first time, Feb. 6 at the Geomatic Attic.
He is touring in support of his latest CD “Mint Julep” which was released last summer.
It features a combination of covers by popular Canadian songwriters and five of his own songs.
“It’s five originals and seven covers. … I recorded it at a friend’s studio, live off the floor with no looping or click track,” Fisher described, packing his bags in preparation for his first tour stop in Edmonton for a show with Emm Gryner.
“I wanted to make a record that reflected my live show, he said.
“It’s impossible to do that, but it’s close,” he said.
“ But I actually like that they are two different things,” he said.
While he hadn’t intended to record as many covers, he noted it just worked out that way.
“ I had five of my own songs that I was just going to record as an Ep, and was recording one cover, I think it was ‘Canned Goods’ (Greg Brown) and thought ‘what the hell, they guys are coming into the studio anyway, I might as well,’” he said adding he stayed pretty close to the mainstream when choosing Canadian male songwriters to cover, so he chose his favourite songs by people like Gordon Lightfoot and Murray McLachlan.
“I listened to Murray McLachlan’s ‘Highway 1’ and though about how much time I spent travelling up and down highway one in various vehicles,” he said.
He also recorded songs by a couple of American songwriters like John Hiatt.
His CD opens with a cover of Hiatt’s ‘Gone.’
“I just love his style of songwriting. It‘s a great song about lost love. I thought it was a great way to start the record,” he continued.
He intended to record some more obscure songwriters, but decided to go with songwriters people know.
“I wanted to record a Geoff Berner song, because I love his songs but decided to stay with songwriters down the middle,” he said adding people have responded well to the record, comparing it to his 2001 debut “Back Porch Spirituals.
“Response has been really positive,” he said.
He doesn’t think he’ll record any more covers.
He is looking forward to playing Lethbridge for the first time.
“I’ve never been there before. There is another Jeremy Fisher, so he may have played there. But I haven't So I don’t have any plans. I don’t know what to expect,” he said.
“It will just be me playing solo. I feed off the audience,” he said addi
ng if they want to dance and sing, he’ll play some of his more uptempo songs, though if they want to sit and listen, he’ll be playing his mellower material and tell stories.
He is a currently working on a video for “Built To Last ” from the ‘Mint Juleps’ CD and a new CD he hopes to release by mid-July.
“I’m just beginning the writing process for it,” he said adding he has at least one song he may play on this brief tour which takes I’m from Edmonton to Vancouver.
Jeremy Fisher plays the Geomatic Attic, Feb. 6 with special guest Matt Robinson. Tickets are $25 for members and students, $27.50 general or $30 at the door. The show begins at 8 p.m. sharp.
