Description

“Anne Hills’ powerhouse collaboration Accidental August takes a veteran folk singer’s jazz fascination to uncharted song territory that begs all to covet. Steal it, if you can.”

— Alan Whitney | Singer-Songwriter, Producer

Accidental August: Anne Hills

Hand & Heart Music HHM2021

 
When the COVID-19 quarantine threw our lives like scrabble pieces into a jumble, we struggled to find words, new ways to communicate and make sense of it all. My second job is as a therapist, and as psychotherapist Mark Gerald suggested (The New Yorker, 6/1/20), the empty time brought to mind August breaks and vacations making the pandemic feel like an “accidental August” with no Labor Day in sight. But nothing stops time’s relentless march into beginnings and endings. So, just as we begin to adapt, another blow tosses us into a jumble again. In late January, I had begun working on a project of songs to build empathy with geriatrician and writer, Al Power. With my performances, and his dementia care lectures, abruptly canceled, we stepped up our scrabbling. And when I lost my long-time friend, Michael Smith, on August 3rd, the whole project became more deeply personal. I was torn by grief but filled with gratefulness for Al’s continued collaboration. This collection of songs gave us both a vehicle to write our way through our accidental August. – Anne

Here’s a track list with a few excerpts:

1. Accidental August (Hills/Power) 4:24  
   
2. Acquainted with the Night (Hills/Power) 5:37
3. Golden Arms (Hills/Power) 3:12
4. Elusive Chemistry (Hills/Power) 3:27
5. You Can Tell That She’s In Love (Hills/Power) 3:57
6. Where Were You? (Hills/Power) 4:01
7. Love Is the Boat (Hills/Power) 3:30
8. Hello, My Love, Goodbye (Hills) 3:41
9. In the Gloaming (Hills/Power) 3:28
10. Be This (Hills/Power) 3:06

All songs by Anne Hills & Al Power
© 2020 Raven Heart Music, ASCAP / Night Wind Music, BMI
except “Hello, My Love, Goodbye” by Anne Hills
© 2020 Raven Heart Music, ASCAP

Click HERE to download the complete lyrics for the CD.

The Musicians:
Anne Hills: vocals
Tyler Wood: piano and organ
Scott Petito: guitar and bass
Peter Erskine: drums and percussion
Al Power: rhythm guitar on “Be This”
Birds: Anne’s backyard feeder and trees

Produced by Scott Petito, Anne Hills and Al Power
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Scott Petito at NRS Recording Studio, Catskill, NY
Drum tracks recorded at Puck Productions, Santa Monica | Engineered by Aaron Walk
Peter Erskine plays Tama Drums, Zildjian Cymbals and Meinl Percussion instruments

Cover photos by Anne Hills
CD Design by Mark D. Moss

To purchase a digital download ($9.00 /album or $.99/track):

If you’d prefer to send a check or money order, you can print an order form to mail with your payment.