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Darin Gray

This past November marked 20 years since Family Vineyard’s first releases. Thank you! It's been a long journey we've all been on.

We like to think back to the very kind words of John Darnielle who captured the whole ethos of the label.

"... Family Vineyard occupy a particular corner of the music universe, serving up equal parts talent, ambition and pretension from people who don't shrink from the word 'artist' and who make honest, blood-leaking efforts to be worthy of the name." (from "Last Plane to Jakarta" fanzine).

Throughout 2020 we’ll be sharing more about the past two decades and celebrating with new and archival releases.

Those first two releases in 1999 were: Bruce Anderson & Dale SophiaStrict (FV1) and Loren MazzaCane Connors & Darin GrayThe Lost Mariner (FV2) — both compact discs and still available in very limited quantities.

To show our thanks to for sticking with us, this week we are offering 25% off all purchases -- physical and digital. Use the code FV20SALE at checkout. The sale is good through Sunday, Jan. 12.

If Ichida -- the debut collab between Eiko Ishibashi and Darin Gray -- did not make your Top Five of 2018, stop reading and go buy the LP now (via Black Truffle). It's a splendid, slowly unraveling soundscape of flute, upright bass, electronics, vocals, piano and more. It's damn fine and a perfect companion to Ishibashi's new experimental pop album The Dream My Bones Dream (Drag City). Now, these two are playing a show at Tokyo's Super Deluxe on Wednesday, Jan. 9th to bid farewell to the club (sadly, it's closing) and part of an ongoing celebration (not a birthday party) for Jim O'Rouke. Or so we've read. Wish we could be there. 

Tori Kudo of Maher Shalal Hash Baz and DJ Kayo will also perform.  

Photo: DG

They're back: Tyler Damon and Darin Gray are heading out on a Midwest slog in support of For Four -- their second release of electro-acoustic duos for percussion and bass guitar. Released via Damon's Yolk imprint.

The live performances: 

11/20 - Louisville, KY @ Dreamland, with Keenan Lawler
11/19 - Nashville, TN @ Portland Brew, with William Tyler
11/18 - Knoxville, TN @ The Pilot Light, with Give Thanks, Will Fist
11/17 - Lexington, KY @ Al’s Beer Garden, trio with Robert Beatty
11/16 - Cincinnati, OH @ The Comet, trio with Jon Lorenz, 75 Dollar Bill, Pete Fosco
11/15 - Bloomington, IN @ Player's Pub, with 75 Dollar Bill

Akira Sakata and Chikamorachi are on a tour of Japan right now... when they are not telling everyone about the Flying Basket 2xLP, expect the trio to be performing with some heavies, such as dancer Min Tanaka (at Super Deluxe). Photo from Glenn Kotche.

Darin Gray and Tyler Damon are hitting the road for a few days in May in support of their debut bass/drum collab entitled ...Oninbo. These two began playing together in 2012 and have found an anchorless dialogue of continuous expansion and unspooling of sound. This is pretty much unlike anything we've released by longtime pal Gray -- and it salaciously sticks to our ribs in a satisfying way. The release is limited to 100 pro-duplicated hi-bias Chrome+ cassettes on Taylor's Yoke imprint. Downloads will be active when the cassette is gone.

• May 1 The Artifex Guild, Bloomington, IN
• May 2 The Spot Tavern,  Lafayette, IN
• May 3 Institute 4 Creativity,  Champaign, IL
• May 4 William A Kerr Foundation,  St. Louis, MO

You thought it was out of print but Live at Hungry Brain -- the outrageous document of Akira Sakata and Chikamorachi at Chicago's Umbrella Festival -- is back. Well, actually, we just found a box of LPs hidden behind some of the life-size plush dolls of Sakata, Corsano and Gray that we keep in the basement. If you need a refresher of what these three do, see below: 

Darin Gray - William Tyler - Joe Westerlund Trio at Apop Records in St. Louis, Monday, Jan. 27, 2014. We didn't get to hear this choice meet up, but hoping it was a cross of Impossible Truth and Face of Collapse.

Maybe -- perhaps -- Darin Gray has a new working trio with Chicago saxist Mars Williams and drummer Tyler Damon of Bloomington. The three have gone a few rounds and more are expected. This above shot is from an Aug. 23 show at St. Louis Art Museum. 

The ultimate Loren Connors overview has been written and compiled by the fine gents at The Out Door column over at Pitchfork. It is epic, beautiful and covers Loren's four decades as an artist and musician. It's got it all, from a summary of his many albums -- including many on FV -- and interviews with Suzanne Langille, Darin Gray, Alan Licht, Jim O'Rourke, some guy named Jandek and few others. Please, spend some time with this one. 

Darin Gray and On Fillmore partner Glenn Kotche join Califone members Jim Becker and Joe Adamik at Chicago's The Hideout on Saturday, March 16. Darin will also play a solo set.

Yes, the duo of Chris Corsano (drums) and Darin Gray (upright bass) are finally playing their first U.S. shows since forming in 2005—but it is only Midwest dates. Check it:

• Jan 28 @ Kranzberg Arts Center in St. Louis, MO. Trio with Dave Stone. 
• Jan 29 @ Nachbar in Louisville, KY. Duo then Quartet with Tim Barnes and Steve Good. 
• Jan 30 @ Mecca in Lexington, KY. 
• Jan 31 @ Russian Recording Studio in Bloomington, IN. 
• Feb 1 @ The Black Sparrow in Lafayette, IN.
• Feb 2 @ Improvised Music Series @ Elastic in Chicago, IL. Trio with Mars Williams.
• Feb 3 @ Audio for the Arts in Madison, WI.
• Feb 4 @ The Sugar Maple in Milwaukee, WI.
• Feb 5 @ The Hungry Brain in Chicago, IL. Duo, trio and quintet with Michael Zerang, Dave Rempis and Joshua Abrams.