Treasures Untold by Tom Brosseau
Treasures Untold is a collection. 10 songs – 6 from the Great American Folksong Book and 4 Tom Brosseau originals recorded live at a private event in Cologne, Germany. Tom Brosseau, his original guitar playing and the voice that NPR calls “one of the most arresting voices in folk music today.” No affectations, no effects, just the goodness of song and story.
Brosseau’s uncanny ability to curate a setlist by feeling the room creates the arc of the album. The sparse instrumental “Empire Builder” bends into a monologue for the city of Cologne, rises to a crescendo with “Today Is A Bright New Day”, and closes with the title song, the immortal Jimmie Rodgers classic “Treasures Untold.” When you listen to this album, you are right alongside.
A note from Tom Brosseau:
“Lately I’ve been studying the guitar playing of Woody Mann, who was influenced by Rev. Gary Davis, one of the pillars of 20th century ragtime guitar. The ragtime style, despite however difficult and frustrating to learn, is a lot of fun once you get going. I for one can’t help myself – the syncopated thing of ragtime makes me want to play it all day long. It’s brought me closer to the acoustic guitar, and not only that, to the music and technique of some of the American guitar greats, including Elizabeth Cotten, Jimmie Rodgers, Maybelle Carter. Songs from each of them are featured in this collection.
“With Treasures Untold I get to share a side of music that I haven’t necessarily been able to do before, by exposing people to some of the great songs of yesteryear, songs that have touched and influenced me, songs that when I first heard them I thought to myself, How could I have even lived until now without hearing this before? Music is more or less out of my control. There’s never a moment when it isn’t playing. It plays when I make decisions, when I’m talking to people. It plays when I sleep. I don’t know if I’m a part of this world or not. But I do live inside a song. Music truly keeps me going.”
Tracklist
| 1. | Empire Builder | 1:47 |
| 2. | You Win Again | 3:08 |
| 3. | Don't Forget This Song | 3:58 |
| 4. | I Am the Light of the World | 3:55 |
| 5. | I Love To Play Guitar | 3:52 |
| 6. | Cologne (Monologue) | 1:25 |
| 7. | The Horses Will Not Ride, The Gospel Won't Be Spoken | 3:34 |
| 8. | When I'm Gone | 3:49 |
| 9. | Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes | 3:40 |
| 10. | Today Is A Bright New Day | 5:05 |
| 11. | Jimmie Rodgers (Monologue) | 0:46 |
| 12. | Treasures Untold | 3:03 |
Credits
Side A
1). EMPIRE BUILDER - written by Tom Brosseau, Unabridged Music, ASCAP
2). YOU WIN AGAIN - written by Hank Williams Sr., Sony/ ATV Acuff Rose Music
3). DON’T FORGET THIS SONG - written by A.P. Carter, Peer International Corp., BMI
4). I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD - written by Rev. Gary Davis, Downtown DLJ Songs OBO Budde Music Inc.
5). I LOVE TO PLAY GUITAR - written by Tom Brosseau, Unabridged Music, ASCAP
6). COLOGNE (monologue) - written by Tom Brosseau, Unabridged Music, ASCAP
7). THE HORSES WILL NOT RIDE, THE GOSPEL WON’T BE SPOKEN - written by Tom Brosseau, Unabridged Music, ASCAP
Side B
8). WHEN I’M GONE - written by Elizabeth Cotten, Figs. D Music Inc. OBO Sanga Music
9). DREAMING WITH TEARS IN MY EYES - written by Jimmie Rodgers and Waldo O’Neal, Peer International Corp., BMI
10). TODAY IS A BRIGHT NEW DAY - written by Tom Brosseau, Unabridged Music, ASCAP
11). JIMMIE RODGERS (monologue) - written by Tom Brosseau, Unabridged Music, ASCAP
12). TREASURES UNTOLD - written by Jimmie Rodgers and Ellsworth T. Cozzens, Peer International Corp., BMI
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Christoph Hermann, Köln, Germany
Tom Brosseau: Acoustic guitar, vocals
Album design and layout: DLT
Cover photo: Julian Fallas
Liner notes: Daniel J. Levitin
Management: Mary Jones Management
www.tombrosseau.com
www.crossbillrecords.com
www.maryjonesmanagement.com
www.modernworksmusicpublishing.com
www.wabisabimusic.de
P&C 2017 Tom Brosseau, All Rights Reserved
A Crossbill Records Release
License
All rights reserved.
Tom Brosseau is a folksinger and songwriter from North Dakota. He comes from a working family with a musical background, though none have received formal training. His grandmother Lillian Uglem taught him the acoustic guitar while he was in grade school. He has toured Japan, Canada, Portugal, Iceland, Australia; performed in bars, backyards, grand halls, subways, theaters, old folks homes.