Saariselka’s “Ceres” debut release

Excited to finally share the debut of Saariselka – my duo with Chuck Johnson.  Saariselka is born out of a trip to Finland, where we traveled far up to the northern lands of the traditional Sami people.  For a few years we’ve been experimenting with the pedal steel guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, and organ as a sound world, and I am so excited to share with you this inaugural release.  

Saariselka – Photo by Adam Shelton

There is an old Norse myth that says the great northern glaciers stored energy until they burst with fluorescent light, creating the Aurora Borealis. Saariselka is inspired by the meeting of earth and light, where slowly moving land masses merge with enveloping light fields.  For us, the meeting of Chuck’s pedal steel guitar with my Fender Rhodes piano and organ.

“Ceres” is inspired by whiteouts, where the rhythm of your breath and body become a container for experiencing the fine gradations of your surroundings. The process of creating this piece was one of learning how to get out of the way, and of emphasizing the use of space and decay to alter one’s perception of time.  With a skeleton formed by a simple chord progression, we focused on the compelling sonic subtleties of the pedal steel guitar, Fender Rhodes electric piano, and a Yamaha electric organ.

Get cozy and take a listen, and stay tuned for more to come!