a folk/blues, alternative, pop/r&b fusion style with a sophisticated accessible raw edge...soulful singing, incredible players, strong lyrics....a breakthrough debut

9 MP3 Songs
URBAN/R&B: R&B Pop Crossover, FOLK: Folk Blues



Details:
PRESS RELEASE
FEBRUARY 2002

Minneapolis singer/songwriter Craig Schumacher releases his debut CD "Live at Creation." Engineered and recorded by Steve Wiese at Creation Studio "A" in Minneapolis, the "live" CD was recorded and mixed in three days. Using an incredible cast of players, including Ricky Peterson(keyboards for David Sanborn, Boz Scaggs, Prince....on and on) and Don LaMarca on keys, Geoff Bouchier and John Della Salva playing lead guitars, Bobby Vandell and Timmy Z on drums, with "Big" Al Tasol on bass, the tunes sound like they were played....right now, live, with no rehearsal. "After spending most of my life writing and producing for other people, commercials, tv station promos, other musicians, it was nice to just do it my way without having to answer to anyone else," says Craig. "The cats just came in and played their asses off...I got exactly what I wanted," Recently, Schumacher has co-written songs for a couple of Tim Mahoney projects, composed the trailer music for the independent film, "Bound and Gagged: A Love Story" and last year produced and wrote tunes for the Melanie Rosales CD, "Can't Change It."

"Live at Creation" is a 9 song collection of rock, pop, alternative and blues with one cover, "Time of the Season," the old Zombies classic. Schumacher's versatile voice has that time-honored raspy full of character quality when he needs it and the honest straight-ahead almost talking tone on the appropriate cuts when they call for it. The music is deceptively simple. The musicians and the approach bring out the complexity. A good example of this is the tune, "Lullaby for John," a hauntingly simple lullaby on the surface with the kind of raw edge that befits a tune about John Lennon.

"Most of the songs are about people I know or personal experiences and observations. 'Hard in Paradise' is about Abby, an extraordinary, beautiful woman living down in Mexico who knows how the good days can feel like heaven, but the bad days are hard in paradise. 'I'm Wide Open' is about living on the street, listening to the politicians talk about how it's time to change and share and dream, yet seeing the same old lined faces and ragged eyes, looking for a little truth, something to believe in...i'm wide open, ready to believe, just don't tell me lies."

"Live at Creation" by Craig Schumacher on CylSchu Music. For more info, go to www.shoetunes. com.