Husky to tour with new album
It was the vision of producer Rick Chazan who contacted musician Husky Gawenda during COVID in 2020 to ask that he be the musical director to recreate the music of Laurel Canyon.
The music created in Laurel Canyon in LA during the 1960s by artists such as Joni Mitchell, the Mamas and the Papas and the Beach Boys – is often considered some of the best music of all time. This music is being celebrated in a concert titled Songs from the Canyon, with performances in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in April.
It was the vision of producer Rick Chazan who contacted musician Husky Gawenda during COVID in 2020 to ask that he be the musical director to recreate the music of Laurel Canyon. Speaking to The AJN, Gawenda recounted that because it was during COVID he replied, “That sounds great, but I don’t know if we are ever going to be allowed out of the house.” Years later, Gawenda said, “the dream has become a reality.”
To match the greatness of the music of that time, Gawenda said he sought out the best folk singers in the country. Along with Gawenda, the performers are Dan Kelly, Charm of Finches, Hannah Cameron, Stephen Grady and Dan Challis. Listening to Gawenda’s original music from his indie/folk band Husky, one can hear the influence of the ‘Laurel Canyon’ music scene on his own song writing. He said that was the music he grew up with, “As a kid, I was listening to those records and that was my musical education … The feeling I got listening to those records as a kid is the feeling I still search for when I’m making music today.”
Husky will be touring in May to celebrate the release of their fifth album Deep Sleeper on April 26. Husky is comprised of Gawenda and his cousin/musical kindred spirit Gideon Preiss. They were the first Australian band to be signed to US label Sub Pop Records (Nirvana, Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty) and have received international acclaim, touring internationally, and opening for Neil Young, Devendra Banhart, Gotye and The Shins.
Husky describe Deep Sleeper as “something more raw and intimate, more stripped back and immediate”. On tour, they are joined by their band Holly Thomas (drums, vocals), Hollie Joyce (Bass, vocals) and Jules Pascoe (guitar).
Gawenda told The AJN that even as a child he always knew he wanted to create music. He learnt piano from five, taught himself guitar and began songwriting as a teenager. During his music career he has won many accolades including the Vanda and Young International Songwriting Award. In 2011, Husky won the Triple J Unearthed Push Over competition.
Gawenda is also part of The Bashevis Singers, who take Yiddish poems, songs and stories and turn them into music. They have just released their fourth album Songs to Infinity.
Gawenda said that Yiddish has been “central to his life”, having studied it at Sholem Aleichem and being in a family that embraced Yiddish language and culture. Gawenda reflected that while growing up, Yiddish had connected him to his Jewishness in a secular way; now he is using it as a gateway to explore his spiritual connection to Judaism.
Songs from the Canyon will play in Brisbane on April 13 at the Princess Theatre, Sydney on April 14 at the Enmore Theatre, and in Melbourne on April 20 at the Palais Theatre.
To book tickets visit songsfromthecanyon.com
Husky will perform in Brisbane on May 10, Sydney on May 11 and Melbourne on May 25. To book tickets, visit huskysongs.com
The Bashevis Singers album is available at thebashevissingers.com
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