Guitarist Jeff Pevar is a very busy man right now. In the last year he has been on the road with Phil Lesh and Friends, Jazz Is Dead, and toured and recorded a new album with his band CPR; (the C stands for CSN co-founder David Crosby; P for Pevar; and R for James Raymond, who also happens to be David Crosby's son). CPR's new release, Just Like Gravity, is a keeper for sure. Jeff took some time to tell us about the new album, his partners, and playing guitar with some of the best in the business. Please enjoy this provocative conversation with the Peev.
"This new record feels different compared with the CPR debut, which was recorded back in1998, right when we were a brand new band. This album is a culmination of playing together for a couple of years, and having the chance to develop as band, musically, and personally as well. We're much tighter and more comfortable with one another now, and I think that's evident on this record."
Guitarist Jeff Pevar is speaking about the stellar release Just Like Gravity, the second studio album from CPR where Jeff, and his partners, Crosby and Raymond have combined their considerable talents. The listener is treated to twelve tracks of breathtaking harmonies, great melody lines, and some searing guitar work. As they are a close-knit trio, each one respects the talents of the other two, and that results in some of the most visceral music being played today.
When asked about how he and his partners approach songwriting, Jeff replied, "Each song on this record has a unique compositional scenario, written or co-written within the different combinations of the CPR core, as well as self-produced and co-arranged. For instance, there's a rock and roll tune called 'Northern Border' (which might be released as the first single for this record). I wrote the music for this one after Cros handed me a sheet of his lyrics. With songs to his credit like 'Long Time Gone' and 'Almost Cut My Hair' and my background being so much into r&b and blues, I gravitate towards that end of the musical spectrum when writing for CPR. I also think that David is a great rock and roll singer so I am always looking for opportunities to get him to open up that part of his vocal range. Although 'Northern Border' was originally written for a possible submission for CSN&Y when they were looking for material for their latest record, as things worked out, I'm really glad it ended up as a CPR song."
"Map to Buried Treasure" opens Just Like Gravity, and this uplifting tune has a real nice hook to it. Crosby shines, the harmonies are right in the pocket, and James Raymond's piano is showcased. That song starts with a lyric written by David's wife, Jan Crosby. She came up with the opening line, 'I wear your allegiance like a cloak of trust,' and it all took off from there. CPR got together in the studio and added music to the existing lyrics Jan and David concocted from the original thread. As it often happens, one idea lead to another and it all came together in the recording process."
The album segues smoothly into "Breathless," a love song, with David and James trading verses. Jeff plays some nicely measured licks on this one where he practices the "less is more" belief. He notes, "One of the things I enjoy about CPR is the organic textures that this band tends to go for. When we were tracking 'Breathless,' I was in the control room playing my Taylor (614-CE) acoustic. Although my guitar was only going through a direct box, the guitar track worked so well that we decided to keep it, instead of redoing it with a microphone later on. I also played an electric guitar solo that, and although I tried to beat it afterwards, we found that the initial moment of inspiration won over some repeated attempts to try to improve on it. In the studio the music tends to show you when you're trying to change something that shouldn't be changed. It's an amazing process."
"Darkness" is a gentle ballad from Crosby, with a hint of the group America's early '70's sound to it. Jeff relates, "We wrote that song while we were actually mixing the record. Paul Dieter, who usually mixes front of house sound on tour for CPR, was brought in midway through the recording project to engineer, co-produce, and mix Just Like Gravity. One day while Paul was in the control room getting up sounds for a mix, David, James and I sat around the piano in the tracking room to start working out ideas for this one. David had these beautiful lyrics he had previously written and James came up with a wonderful idea where to start with the music, and we wrote the rest of 'Darkness' right there. Although we were already into mixing the record, we arranged another day of tracking just to put it down. As fate would have it, at the very end of the CPR recording process, we end up with a great new tune, which is actually one of my favorite tracks on the record."
Things shift gears with "Gone Forever," which has quite a distinct rhythm pattern to it. "Steve DiStanislao, our drummer, has really influenced the sound of this band. He and our bass player, Andrew Ford, are both an integral part of CPR. We rely heavily on Steve's innate sense of rhythm and unique style, and on this tune, he came up with some wonderful ideas, including where the backbeat is placed. There is a weird, kind of Middle Eastern intro on this tune with a few of us playing percussion on some items that were just lying around the studio. I came up with a cool/weird guitar part on the intro, and Cros had this great idea where we would all sing a low drone note together, in unison. He asked Paul to off load the vocals to a separate tape machine and slow the vocals down to half-speed, where it became this low register, almost synthesizer kind of sound - it was brilliant. 'Gone Forever' really showcases what CPR is all about for me... meaningful lyrics, lush harmonies, interesting sonic textures, and complex rhythms. We're real proud of this song."
"Jerusalem Syndrome" is a real rocking number, with great vocals and harmonica playing from James, and a chiming solo from Jeff. There is a special meaning to the lyrics, and as Jeff tells it, "It's a story about people who go to visit Jerusalem, and a condition that comes over them where they think that they are becoming Jesus Christ or something, which is the Jerusalem Syndrome. I have to tip my hat to James on this one. Although we all threw in some ideas into the mix, this is really James's baby, and I like this song a lot. Jackson Browne let me use his Vox AC-30 amp on this one - it's got a great sound to it. My guitar solo is a bit Neil Young influenced, I think - although I also may have quoted a piece of 'Nowhere Man' by the Beatles, as well. Hey, I steal from the best!" [Laughing.]
"Eyes too Blue" is a sweet, "Wind on the Water"-style ballad that again features James on vocals, and Jeff's nice, soft solo. "We knew we were right on the money with this one when we played it for Jan Crosby after we finished it, and tears ran down her cheeks when the song was over - that said it all for us. Crosby plays some beautiful finger picking on his McAllister Acoustic, and I added some mandolin on the choruses and a solo on a very cool nylon-string electric/acoustic guitar made by our friend, Rick Turner."
David Crosby is back on centerstage with the moody, foreboding "Kings Get Broken." "That one is a Crosby tune all the way. David tracked his acoustic guitar and sang it live, all in one take at the same time. Although in the studio it's sonically advantageous to record each of those sources separately to get a better sound, if you can grab it all while it's all going down to catch the spontaneity and magic, it can produce great results. This one was a total keeper. A very inspired performance is captured here, and David sings his butt off."
The stirring "Angel Dream" is quite simply spectacular, and a highlight of Just Like Gravity. With gorgeous lead vocals by David and James, choir-like, soaring CPR harmonies, and an emotive, spiritual solo by Jeff, it is indeed angelic in its beauty. "Gospel music is a very strong influence on all of us. David, James, and our dear friend, Graham Nash came up with the lyrics on this one. Again, we went with the 'less is more' approach on this one. I am very proud of the strength of this piece. James really sings his ass off, especially on the bridge. Every time I hear it, I get goose bumps."
"Climber" is a drifting, floating number featuring David on vocals. "Cros has this tendency to write such hypnotic, swirling, psychedelic, ocean-sounding tunes. This one is about the profundity of life as seen through the eyes of the mountain climber."
The Latin feel returns on "Coyote King," with shimmering vocals by James, and Jeff displaying some tasty acoustic work. "We all wrote this one together from a fantastic idea that James came up with about the men who guard the borders for illegal aliens between California and Mexico who are called 'Coyotes.' I played the solo on David's old Martin D-35 acoustic - that guitar is so wonderful she practically plays herself."
Shades of CSN&Y's "Find the Cost of Freedom" are all over the closing track, "Just Like Gravity." As Jeff tells it, "This ending up being a Crosby solo performance in the studio. We originally wanted to try it as an acoustic duet between David and I. We tried tracking it at the same time, but after a while I suggested that he cut this one alone and I would add my part later on, as I just felt he would take more liberties on his own. On this particular day, although David wasn't really feeling that well, his lower energy level added a unique flavor to his vocals and the bittersweet reading of the tune. There is so much simple poignancy to it. After we heard it over the speakers, we knew we shouldn't add a thing to it. 'Just Like Gravity' is a classic solo Cros tune, and the perfect ending for the second CPR studio record."
If you like honest music played well, you need to pick up CPR's Just Like Gravity. Available on Samson Records, it is proof that for some bands, it's still all about playing the music they love. In Jeff's words, "As far as I'm concerned, if this band never made a dime, I would still go out of my way to play music with David and James, because our chemistry is so unique and wonderful." The bottom line is Just Like Gravity is just like magic.
After working with David for nine years, Jeff states, "I'm happy to say that there has been a real evolution in our musical partnership. I saw David relax much more with this project, as compared to our first record. Originally I think he felt that he really had to take control of the process, being the guy in the band with the most experience. Of course, we have a lot to learn from David, but I think he realized over time that he has a lot he can learn from us, too. The freedom we all had in the studio on this album - combined with our years together developing as a band - all made for a better final product this time around.
"David Crosby has been a wonderful friend. He has been very supportive in my musical endeavors, together in CPR and in my other efforts as well. I know that his long time connection with Phil Lesh was a huge factor in my getting the spot with Phil and Friends for the spring of 2000 tour. After all these years we have played music together our connection continues to grow. I feel very lucky to have CPR in my life, and I am indebted to Cros for offering James and me the chance to be partners in this musical project. It's a unique and wonderful experience, and I am excited to see where it will go on from here."
As for James Raymond, Jeff goes on to say that " James continues to grow by leaps and bounds with his singing and his songwriting. He really took the ball and ran with it on this new CPR record, and we are all very proud to be in a band with him. Besides being one of sweetest guys you'll ever meet, James has shown himself to be a world-class singer/songwriter, and keyboardist. He is a major asset to CPR."
When asked about his recent experiences with both Jazz Is Dead and Phil Lesh and Friends, Jeff acknowledged that he certainly has played his fair share of Grateful Dead music in the last year and a half.
"I never would have guessed that at this time in my life, I would be in a position to have had to learn close to one-hundred Grateful Dead songs between the Phil Lesh and Jazz Is Dead projects. Had I known, I would have prepared more over the last twenty or thirty years! [Laughing.]
"Seriously, I know that one of the reasons I was asked to do the Jazz Is Dead project was because of my tenure with Phil Lesh. I guess I was kind of a natural choice for the project when Jimmy Herring was out on the road. Admittedly, a certain amount of concern came over me when I heard who the other players in the band were. Alphonso Johnson, T-Lavitz, and Rob Morgenstein are all guys I had been listening to and admiring for quite a while. It's not like these guys are just good players - they are some of the best musicians out there. They can play anything. I usually feel pretty comfortable in what I can bring to the table in any given musical situation, but these guys are used to playing with the very best. Luckily, we found that our musical chemistry worked very well together. We were only able to rehearse for three days before we went out in March, but we were able to e-mail arrangement ideas to each other before rehearsals to get some nice ideas worked out beforehand.
"Being a huge Little Feat/Ry Cooder/Lowell George fan, I had an idea for 'Sugar Magnolia' to be played in a similar groove as Little Feat's 'Dixie Chicken' and playing the melody on slide in an E tuning. It worked fantastically well. For Lesh's 'Box of Rain,' I came up with a quasi-Latin, double time nylon-string guitar arrangement with a couple odd measures thrown in here and there, which this band loved. I was also able to play some mandolin and lap steel on a number of the songs, which was a treat for me. 'Truckin' ' worked like a bandit as a shuffle, playing the chorus on a ballsy-distorted lap steel tuned to E.
"Jazz Is Dead had always been an instrumental band, but on this tour I was invited to sing anything I wanted to, to add some new dynamics to the mix. I purposely chose some of the more obscure, bluesy tunes, because covering Dead songs is a delicate thing. If you choose the wrong song, you end up sounding like a cover band, not an interpretive band. I don't really consider my singing to be my forte, per se, but I enjoy it and I'm happy to do it, if it's working for the good of the music. As I sang 'Casey Jones' on the 2000 Lesh tour, I brought in that one, as well as a funk version of 'Easy Wind,' and I tried a new twist on 'New Speedway Boogie.' I was so happy to see Alphonso Johnson take the lead vocal on 'Ripple,' so I sang harmony and played mandolin on that. 'Ripple' is such a pure, beautiful tune. To see Alphonso Johnson - a jazz-fusion master - singing 'Ripple' was a joy to behold. The crowds loved it!
"We kicked ass on this March tour and did twenty-seven shows in thirty-one days!! Whew!! I'm very happy that the shows were well received, and that the reviews were quite favorable. I did have some reservations about JID fans expecting Jimmy Herring to be in the guitar spot. As we know, no one else on this planet can play guitar like Jimmy. That being said, I'm not a stranger to this type of pressure, as in the past I toured with Crosby and Nash, playing lead guitar in place of Stills (and Young). I tend to throw myself into the middle of the fire that way, so I was up for the challenge here, as well.
"I find that if you put your heart on the line and try to tell your musical story with pride, dignity, and strength, that more often then not, people will get it. From the reviews and crowd reaction, people enjoyed this new combo. T, Al, and Rod are all such wonderfully talented musicians and fantastic people. We got along very well, so we hope to tour together again in August and September of 2001 after the CPR tour ends, if all goes as planned."
Continuing with the theme of Grateful Dead music, Jeff played fifteen shows with Phil Lesh and Friends in the spring of 2000. It was an experience he found to be challenging, rewarding, and a whole lot of fun. About playing with a musician the caliber of Phil, Jeff says, "Having the opportunity to play with Phil was one of the most unique musical experiences I've ever had. Although Phil has some very specific ideas about how he prefers the ensemble to interact, he is very generous with his music. He is very open to interpretation, yet certain rules of the game with Phil are like none I had ever encountered before. It was an exciting and intense challenge for me in a number of ways, partly because I had to learn to play seventy-five Grateful Dead songs in such a short period of time - including learning vocal harmonies on most of them and even lead vocals on a few. I felt like I was taking a crash course and studying for my final exam at PLU (Phil Lesh University). It was a lot of work, but I got a lot out of it.
"I learned quickly that the group sound is more important to Phil than the traditional approach where one guy takes the mega-guitar solo kinda thing. Phil prefers an overall ensemble approach to soloing, a sort of 'Cosmic Dixieland.' I found it to be challenging and freeing at the same time. It opened up my musical perspective in ways I had never experienced in ensemble playing before, i.e., everyone hopping on the bus at the same time, interacting in a multi-layered musical conversation."
As for Phil's bass playing, Pevar notes "Phil has such a unique approach to playing the bass. He's like a musical ballet dancer. He weaves in and out of the traditional role of bassist, combining supportive lines, lead lines, and counterpoint. Phil has almost a classical approach. Traditionally, I am a fan of really simple, roots bass playing, but Phil changed that perception for me. There aren't too many guys in this world who can take the bass to a whole other genre the way Phil can."
Being given the chance to tour with Phil came as a pleasant career surprise for Jeff: "I have such respect for what Phil and the Grateful Dead have accomplished in their musical careers, with how many lives they have touched and that they still continue to do so. It was an honor to be included in a group of such talented players performing music that has impacted so many lives.
On the subject of his musical influences, Jeff reflected back on his guitar heroes. "My influences on the guitar are so varied. I have gone through many different stages of musical interests in the process of trying to teach myself how to play. Like many of us, the Beatles are what got me into music from tx9yZyY6lEYyUkoSyUWvELuVZrpBPCMWlsBAyVTm5Omg7Km33vVvKjVVKSA7XlSR2
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