Jon
Tiven has just finished producing a new album by CREED
BRATTON, who in a previous incarnation was the guitarist
and singer with rock group The Grass Roots, but currently
has achieved greater fame on the NBC television show The
Office.
On the show, Creed plays a burnt out ex-rocker named Creed---what
a stretch---and his character has been steadily gaining
a large cult following. The album consists mainly of songs
written by Creed, many with Tiven and collaborators such
as Felix Cavaliere, Don Pedigo, and P.F. Sloan, and guest
appearances are made by Bekka Bramlett, Jonell Mosser,
and Wayne Carson. We will be linking to Creed's site soon
where you can listen to and purchase his music.
Tiven has recently completed producing the latest
album
by HOWARD TATE, legendary blues/soul singer famed
for such classic
songs as "Look At Granny Run Run" and "Get It
While You Can." The entire album was written or cowritten by Tiven
with collaborators such as Dan Penn, Sir Mack
Rice, Hubert Sumlin, Syl Johnson, Mason Casey, Charlie Feldman, Steve
Cropper, Felix Cavaliere, Joe Bonamassa, Ellis Hooks, and Howard himself. Most
of these cowriters make cameo appearances on the album,
as does Mike Farris,
who
sings a tremendous version of "If God Brought You
To It" as a duet with Howard. Evidence Records is due to release the
album sometime before the summer, and it's entitled BLUE BLUE
DAY. Bass on the album is by Sally Tiven, drums by Chester
Thompson, Craig Krampf, Billy Block, Omar Hakim, and Tiven
himself. The record is quite a showcase for Tiven as a
multi-instrumentalist, as he plays pretty much all of the other
instruments himself (guitars, organ, piano, saxophones, harmonica,
sitar, and percussion.
Background vocals are by Mike Farris, Jonell
Mosser, Essra Mohawk, and.....Tiven.
Nearing completion is the STEVE CROPPER/FELIX
CAVALIERE cd NUDGE IT UP A NOTCH, due in July on Stax/Concord Records.
The album was cowritten and coproduced by Cropper, Cavaliere, and Tiven with lyrical assists from Henry Gross and Tom Hambridge
on three tracks. "I don't play on this one at all, it sort of balances
out the Tate record," explains Tiven, "I tracked the record initially
with Steve and Felix and then we brought in bassist Shake Anderson and
drummer Chester Thompson to make it a little funkier."
JT recently collaborated with STEWART FRANCKE
on four songs for his new album, the follow up to the critically
acclaimed "Motor City Serenade" which came out on Zane in the U.K. two
years ago. Tiven produced and cowrote "It's A Secret," "Negatively
Fourth Street," "Can't Find Fats," and "Love Is The Only Law." No
release information is available yet.
Tiven is currently producing and cowriting new songs with JONELL MOSSER, CHUCK MEAD, BEKKA BRAMLETT, and MARTY BROWN. We will make more information available on these projects as they get closer to a release.
