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Charlie Peacock (born Charles William Ashworth, August 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, record producer, session musician, author, and advocate for social justice. He is often noted as a unique musical and lyrical voice,[1] intelligent,[2] innovative,[3] and difficult to categorize.[4] His resume includes touring artist, much-recorded songwriter, record producer, record company president, seminary student, jazz pianist, and Sr. A&R consultant to mega-music publisher, Sony/ATV.
[edit] Current ProjectsKnown for his artistic integrity and diversity, Peacock is a sought out mentor to many musicians, producers and storytellers. While he continues to work extensively in the worlds of music and film as a producer and songwriter, as well as a jazz recording artist, Peacock invests most of his time nurturing Nashville's emerging independent artists community—including the pop/rock coalition known as Ten Out of Tenn (Erin McCarley, Andy Davis, Katie Herzig, Griffin House, Matthew Perryman Jones, Trent Dabbs, K.S. Rhoads, Tyler James, Butterfly Boucher and Jeremy Lister). Peacock is currently Sr. VP of A&R for Twenty Ten Music, an artist development and publishing company. Recently, Peacock served as music supervisor for the Samuel Goldwyn film To Save a Life, which features music by Switchfoot, The Daylights and Joy Williams.[5] Directed by Brian Baugh (The Ultimate Gift, The Real Story, The Lost Medallion), the movie stars Randy Wayne (The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning, Foreign Exchange, The Last Hurrah), Deja Kreutzberg (CSI Miami, Law and Order, Hope and Faith), and Kim Hidalgo (Ball Don't Lie, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Scrubs). Filmed in Oceanside, California, To Save a Life is set for a January 2010 release. Peacock was also producer and the executive producer in charge of music for filmmaker Jeff Wyatt Wilson's new documentary Any Day Now, which chronicles the "2008 Ten Out of Tenn Tour." In April 2009, the motion picture was a first runner-up in the 40th Annual Nashville Film Festival Awards. Any Day Now follows the Ten Out of Tenn collective as it piles into Willie Nelson's old tour bus and makes a 16-city run effectively raising the profile of Nashville's vibrantly creative yet still underground pop/rock community.[6] Most recently, Peacock has taken the helm as writer/director/producer for the forthcoming film The Legend Hank Cochran (2010) starring Merle Haggard, Elvis Costello, Lee Ann Womack and Jamey Johnson, and as music producer/film producer/director for Brooke Waggoner’s new Go Easy Little Doves concert DVD. The music producer also helmed the Poison & Wine EP by The Civil Wars which features the breakout hit from Grey’s Anatomy, "Poison & Wine,” produced the song "O Love That Will Not Let Me Go” by Isaac & Anna Slade (The Fray), and executive produced and performed on Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman's latest EP sets titled Fall & Winter and Spring & Summer. A long-time advocate for social justice, Peacock continues to work directly with DATA and The ONE Campaign, a fruitful relationship that began in 2002 when he hosted co-founder Bono and, later, ONE President David Lane, putting them in front of Nashville's artist community.[7] Peacock's most recent album is the improvisational duo recording he made with new Dave Matthews Band saxophonist, Jeff Coffin. Titled Arc of the Circle, the album peaked at No. 2 on the CMJ Jazz Charts in 2008. Peacock recently began production on his third jazz album, which is set to feature Coffin again, as well as longtime cohort Tony Miracle (of electronica group Venus Hum), Icelandic guitarist Hilmar Jensson, bassist Felix Pastorius, and drummer Ben Perowsky. [edit] Early life and musicPeacock was born in Yuba City, California to Bill and Alice Ashworth, a trumpeter/educator and homemaker, respectively. His paternal family, the Ashworths and Baggetts originate from western Louisiana, the area once known as the Sabine Free State. Also called "No Man's Land," this part of central and southwestern Louisiana was settled in part by a mixed-race people known as Redbones (see Redbone (ethnicity)) to which Peacock and his "Ashworth" family are direct descendants. Peacock's maternal family, the Williamsons and Millers originate from Oklahoma. All four families migrated west to California during the Great Depression. By age 13, Peacock was composing instrumental and vocal music. During Jr. and Sr. High Peacock received instrumental and theory instruction from his father and local educator, Dean Estabrook. Peacock, then known as Chuck Ashworth, left Yuba City High School after his junior year at the age of 16. He married his high school sweetheart (Andrea Berrier) at 18 and began his professional music career (after one semester at the California State University, Sacramento, where he was befriended by the late Frank Kofsky, author, drummer, jazz columnist and former editor of Jazz and Pop magazine). Peacock quickly dropped out of college to play jazz piano and join Northern California touring band, The Runners. In 1978, Peacock was discovered by visual artist/songwriter Stephen Holsapple (Bonnie Raitt, Dave Mason). Holsapple, then an engineer at David Houston's Moon Studios in Sacramento, began recording Peacock's vocal compositions free of charge and eventually co-wrote with Peacock for several years. Holsapple arranged a weekly gig for Peacock at the art/political watering hole, Maurice's American Bar. It was there that Peacock changed to a stage name and began to experiment with combining his love for jazz with singer-songwriter pop. Early songs included "Springtime In Israel" and "So Attractive." Thanks to Tower Records employee, Jeff Viducich, the latter song was Peacock's first placement with a music publisher, a company owned by songwriting legends, Boyce and Hart. Legendary vocalist/songwriter Sal Valentino (The Beau Brummels, Stoneground) caught Peacock's set at Maurice's and asked him to join his touring band. Shortly thereafter, Valentino, hot on the success of discovering Rickie Lee Jones, began to shop Peacock's music to his Los Angeles A&R friends. A&M Records took notice, and in 1980 David Kershenbaum signed Peacock to a demo deal putting him in David Rubinson's San Francisco studio, The Automatt, with producer David Kahne. A&M passed on signing Peacock but Kahne and Rubinson remained interested. With Kahne producing, Rubinson funded another set of demos featuring Mark Isham and Vicki Randle. Unfortunately, by this time, Peacock's drug and alcohol abuse was in full bloom. The songs would not be completed until after Peacock began recovery in the early 1980s. [edit] The 1980s[edit] The Charlie Peacock GroupClean and sober by 1981, Peacock renewed his efforts to sign with a major label. During this time he formed a band, aptly named The Charlie Peacock Group, which soon became a favorite among northern California concert-goers and club audiences. The band was composed of Erik Kleven (bass), Jim Caselli (drums), Darius Babazadeh (tenor saxophone), and the filmmaker/guitarist, Mark Herzig. Peacock continued to record solo with David Kahne at the Automatt (with Rubinson's blessing) and with the band at Moon Studios under the direction of Stephen Holsapple. The only commercially available recordings of this era are collectively known as "Last Vestiges of Honor" (released on CD in 1998, digitally in 2005). A 12" single, released in Japan and California only (via Tower Records), is out of print. [edit] From Spiritual Awakening to ConversionIn April 1982 Peacock's 12 step recovery group "spiritual awakening" gave birth to a full-blown belief in the person and mission of Jesus Christ. According to Peacock's own published writings, he was introduced to a fresh reading of the Jesus narrative by Sacramento saxophonist, Michael Butera, a friend of producer David Kahne. Butera introduced Peacock to a group of Christians affiliated with Chuck Smith (pastor) and Calvary Chapel. Peacock began studying the Bible in earnest. Several Christians affiliated with the group encouraged Peacock to leave "secular" music and focus on "music ministry." Peacock was confused, felt co-opted by fellow Christians, and ultimately looked to the writings of American/Swiss theologian Francis Schaeffer for clarity. Schaeffer's book, "Art and the Bible" was life-breath to Peacock confirming his spiritual intuition that these new, well-meaning Christian friends were giving him non-biblical advice. During this time, a painter/guitarist named Jimmy Abegg, began showing up at Peacock's club gigs. Abegg was decidedly more open in his thinking about art and offered to introduce Peacock to other like-minded Christians, such as Mary Neely, producer of the nationally syndicated radio program Rock & Religion Radio Show (a.k.a. Rock Scope). The show, which focused on spiritual themes in rock music, featured music and interviews from artists like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, The Who, Joe English of Paul McCartney's Wings, T-Bone Burnett & The Alpha Band, Jerry Garcia and many others. Other notable artist/thinkers in Neely's circle included, Steve Turner (writer), Davin Seay, Steve Scott (poet), and Michael Roe. [edit] The Exit Years: A&M Records, Island Records, CBS Songs, Bill Graham Mgmt.Mary Neely developed a production imprint named Exit to which she signed Charlie Peacock, The 77s, Vector, Steve Scott, and others. Peacock, under contract to Exit since early 1983 produced recordings by The 77s and Steve Scott, as well as his own debut solo album in 1984, "Lie Down In The Grass." Peacock's solo album was initially distributed by Word Records for a short time before being rereleased on A&M Records. The A&M version exchanges two of the original tracks with two new tracks produced by Missing Persons keyboardist, Chuck Wild. In late 1984 Peacock was signed to FBI (Frontier Booking International) by John Huie and Ian Copeland, and immediately put on the road with The Fixx, Let's Active, and General Public. In 1985 Peacock signed with music publisher CBS Songs and Bill Graham Management. He continued to tour as a CMJ level act, opening for General Public, Missing Persons, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others. Unhappy with A&M's distribution, Neely moved Peacock and The 77s to Island Records. Peacock was signed to Island by Chris Blackwell and Lou Maglia, who flew to Sacramento to hear Peacock showcase in the warehouse auditorium of the church he attended, aptly named Warehouse Ministries. Peacock recorded the self-titled album in Sacramento and Leatherhead, England at Surrey Sound with producer Nigel Gray (The Police) and co-producer and friend, Brent Bourgeois. Musicians for the sessions included Randy Jackson, Michael Urbano, and Lyle Workman. The album was released in 1986. Apart from regional support, and despite critical acclaim, the recording sold very little and no national tours were offered to Peacock. Both Peacock and Island Records were unsure about moving forward. Peacock and band continued to play Northern California clubs and theatres. During this same period Peacock returned to playing jazz in a trio format and with an electric improvisational group called, Emperor Norton. The group included friends, Brent Bourgeois, Larry Tagg, Bongo Bob Smith, Henry Robinett, and Aaron Smith. In late 1987 Peacock broke with Bill Graham Management and was handled for a short time by SBK associate, Arma Andon. By this time CBS Songs had been sold to SBK and Peacock remained a contracted writer with the publishing company. In addition to Doug Minnick (who signed Peacock to CBS), attorney Fred Davis shopped new music to various labels. Despite showcasing for industry heavies like Ahmet Ertegün and Ron Alexenberg, by 1988 Peacock was released from Island and without a record deal. Undaunted, Peacock joined with friends Jimmy Abegg and Vince Ebo to form an acoustic trio. With Abegg's help, Peacock began releasing an indie-level three cassette series titled West Coast Diaries. The acoustic approach proved to be successful and the trio toured the USA and Europe. In 1989, Peacock and Abegg broke ranks with the Exit production company and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. [edit] The 1990s - Relocation to Nashville[edit] The Gospel/Christian Music YearsIn 1987, producer Jack Joseph Puig and Word A&R director Lynn Nichols recorded a Peacock song ("Down In The Lowlands") on the contemporary Christian artist, Russ Taff. Peacock sang background vocals on the song. That same year Peacock produced the alternative Christian band, The Choir. This was Peacock's first up-close encounter with the Christian music industry (apart from meeting several prominent artists via his affiliation with Mary Neely (e.g. Steve Taylor, Mylon Le Fevre, Philip Bailey, Randy Stonehill). As a result of these encounters word traveled to Sparrow Records A&R Director, Peter York that Peacock was interested in more production work. Earlier, in the Fall of 1984, while touring with Mitch Easter and his band, Let's Active, Peacock met music manager/promoter Dan Russell at the Paradise Lounge in Boston. At some point, Russell had counseled a young east coast artist, Margaret Becker that she should work with Peacock, should the opportunity ever arise. Fast forward to 1988, and Becker is a recording artist with the Billy Ray Hearn founded label, Sparrow Records. Becker tells Peter York that she'd like to have Peacock produce her next record. York put Becker and Peacock together to write early in the Fall of 1988. They recorded the record "Immigrant's Daughter" in Sausalito, CA using most of the Island Records act, Bourgeois-Tagg supplemented with Peacock guitarist Jimmy Abegg and Bay Area backing vocalists, Vince Ebo, Annie Stocking, and Jeannie Tracy. The album doubled Becker's sales and was nominated for a Grammy award (Best Rock Gospel). On the strength of this beginning and encouragement from Amy Grant manager Michael Blanton, Peacock and Abegg moved to Nashville in the Summer of 1989. After seeing Peacock perform at The Wild Blue, a club in Fresno, CA, Bill Hearn (Jr.) and Peter York signed him to a recording contract with Sparrow Records. The iconic gospel producer, Brown Bannister agreed to produce Peacock's first full foray into contemporary Christian music. The ensuing recording, "The Secret of Time" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990 (Best Rock Gospel). Peacock's early association with Brown Bannister led to production and session musician work on gospel legends, Al Green, Twila Paris, and Amy Grant (Peacock co-wrote the smash hit Every Heartbeat and played keyboards on the 5 Million-selling album Heart In Motion). From 1990-99 Peacock produced over fifty albums in the genre of contemporary Christian music and gospel. Though highly successful, Peacock was never comfortable with branding people and music as "Christian artist" or "Christian music." By 1996 Peacock was dreaming of tangible ways to undo the genre of contemporary Christian music. He formed a new record company, re:think (EMI/Sparrow) and signed and developed two significant artists, Sarah Masen and Switchfoot. The idea being that these artists, though professing Christians, would be promoted to mainstream pop and Christian markets simultaneously, thereby attempting to break what had come to be known as the crossover model. Both artists experienced great success, especially the modern rock band, Switchfoot. Their fourth album, The Beautiful Letdown marketed by Columbia Records sold over 2.6 million copies and yielded three Top-40 singles (including Peacock's coproduction of "Dare You to Move"). At the encouragement of author and sports television pioneer, Bob Briner, Peacock wrote and published a critical analysis of the genre of contemporary Christian music. This book, At The Crossroads was published by Broadman & Holman in 1999. In 2004, Random House printed a revised and expanded edition. Peacock's own words from the new Preface represent the most current summation of his thoughts on the genre of contemporary Christian music:
[edit] Jazz/Improvisational Music[edit] Sacramento Jazz - Late 1970sBeginning in 1976, at age 19, Peacock began playing jazz and various forms of improvisational music professionally in the Sacramento area. Beginning with bassist Gerry Pineda, Peacock collaborated with bassist Erik Kleven, guitarist Robert Kuhlman, drummers Scott Usedom, Jimmy Griego and Aaron Smith, trumpeters Tom Peron and Larry Lunetta, saxophonist's Darius Babazadeh, Mike Butera, and Joe Espinoza, bassist Alphonza Kee (brother of gospel great John P. Kee), percussionist Bongo Bob Smith, guitarist Henry Robinett (cousin of Charles Mingus) and many others of his generation. Peacock was befriended by author/scholar/drummer Frank Kofsky at California State University at Sacramento. Kofsky gave a positive mention of Peacock in his San Francisco Chronicle column in 1976, and often let Peacock tag along to meet and interview the greats of jazz, usually at the famed Keystone Korner in San Francisco, or in the case of Andrew Hill, at the artist's home. Peacock recalled the meeting this way:
Peacock honored the late Dr. Frank Kofsky in his composition, "Frank the Marxist Memorial Gong Blues" heard on the Charlie Peacock CD, Love Press Ex-Curio (2005). [edit] John Coltrane - His Music and SpiritualityColtrane, as a musician and spiritual seeker has been an inspiration to Peacock since his youth. In his book, "New Way To Be Human" Peacock describes what it was like to be 15 and inspired by Coltrane:
Peacock is the author A Love Supreme: The Spiritual Life of John Coltrane, a 60 minute PowerPoint presentation on Coltrane's ad hoc spiritual journey. It was first presented at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. Students from the school performed Coltrane compositions before and after. An article written by Peacock on the subject of Coltrane's spirituality may be found at http://www.lowercasepeople.com/index.php?theIssue=1&theSection=words&theSubSection=feature [edit] Love Press Ex-CurioIn 2005 Peacock released his first commercial jazz/improvisational music CD titled Love Press Ex-Curio, short for Loves Pressure Exhibits Curiosity. The following are excerpts from the official Runway Network/RED bio, written by noted jazz journalist, Bill Milkowski: Charlie Peacock is also a lifelong fan of jazz and improvised music whose earliest influences include such jazz legends as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Carla Bley, and Andrew Hill. While Peacock has consistently pushed the boundaries of pop and gospel music by adding elements of alternative rock, dance music and jazz, he has never before delved into jazz as unabashedly and wholeheartedly as he does on Love Press Ex-Curio. Joining the Grammy Award-winning producer on this cutting edge outing is an all-star crew of heavyweight improvisers and jazz luminaries, including trumpeter Ralph Alessi, saxophonists Kirk Whalum, Jeff Coffin (of the Flecktones) and Ravi Coltrane, bassists Victor Wooten and James Genus, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and drummer Joey Baron. Also on board for the sessions, which took place in Nashville and New York, are drummer Jim White, Bay Area sonic manipulators Myles Boisen and Gino Robair, guitarist and loopmeister Jerry McPherson, electronica mavens Tony Miracle and Kip Kubin of the group Venus Hum, and Tower of Power Hammond B-3 organist Roger Smith. Together they stretch out on freewheeling, jam-oriented material that organically combines modern day pop production values with Peacock’s strong affinity for early ‘60s jazz.
The result is a compelling, genre-defying hybrid that highlights the improvisational prowess of all the participants in the context of Peacock’s contemporary auteur vision. “There is a nod to my early jazz roots, with current flavors added in too,” says Peacock. “I tried to be honest to all my influences and let this be a project that’s all about the love of music and gratitude for other people’s contributions. Being involved in producing pop music can be so formulaic and stifling, so I wanted this project to be about freedom and enjoyment and sheer creativity. And it turned out to be a blessing that made me feel grateful again to just be involved in music.”
For a sample of reviews and articles see: [edit] Arc of the CircleFor his second jazz/improvisational music album, Arc of the Circle (Runway), Peacock teamed with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones’ saxophonist extraordinaire Jeff Coffin. The album's original tracks, which were recorded in one sitting at Peacock's Nashville home, actually document the first time he and Coffin ever played together. (Arc of the Circle's foundational tracks were recorded prior to the previously released Love Press Ex-Curio.) Unveiled in 2008, Arc of the Circle also features guest performances by guitarist Marc Ribot (Robert Plant/Alison Krauss), drummer Derrek Phillips (Charlie Hunter), electronica whiz Tony Miracle (Venus Hum), percussionist Ken Lewis (Michelle Williams), keyboardist/percussionist Chad Howat (Paper Route), and tubaist Joe Murphy (Brad Paisley). “Arc of the Circle, the new duets recording by Flecktones saxophonist Jeff Coffin and pianist Charlie Peacock isn't exactly like anything you've ever heard,” responded Abstract Logix in its review of the album. “The closest contemporary references for it are the musical flavors of Chick Corea/Bela Fleck, Marty Ehrlich, Dave Douglas, Uri Caine, and Marc Ribot (who contributes to the project). This is high-risk improvisational music first with production and arrangements coming second. Historically speaking, it bears some resemblance to early Dewey Redman/Keith Jarrett collaborations, with some aggressive John Coltrane/McCoy Tyner type moments. There's also a little Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, and Hindemith influences peeking through. Coffin and Peacock also seem to be channeling the famous cartoon composers, like Philip A. Scheib, Carl Stalling, and Raymond Scott. Mix in some cut-up, glitch-pop electronics with Ornette/Don Cherry leap-frog intervals, and somehow, even with all the eclectic influences, the music remains bluesy and essentially American. All of this is a good thing, as these two major improvisers and friends create yet another surprising hybrid of jazz/not jazz, and stretch the boundaries of even the most current ‘beyond jazz’ categories.”[11] Jazz Times, meanwhile, described Arc of the Circle as “an improvisational blend of modern classical and ECM-like influences.” And later in its review explained, “Coffin and Peacock (who plays piano, synthesizer, Wurlitzer and toy piano) completely improvised the basic tracks before Marc Ribot (electric and resonator guitars), Tony Miracle (electronics and laptop computer) and guest players contributed to the derangements. Peacock uses both grand and toy piano on the opening title track, engaging Coffin's tenor sax into a game of musical tag. “Ribot and drummer Derrek Phillips contribute heavily to the subsequent, nearly accessible 'Rice Dice Mice,' but most of the remaining pieces purposely avoid having a rhythmic anchor. Phillips plays on two other abstract pieces, 'Downstairs Room of You' and 'Redux: Porky, Boots and Floyd.' The remainder is mostly freeform Peacock and Coffin (on tenor, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute and percussion).”[12] [edit] Discography (Solo Artist)
[edit] Books and Publications[edit] Popular Books
[edit] Chapters in Edited Collections
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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