Andy Sydow On New Album, Upcoming Gigs

by Tim Wenger

Andy Sydow is dropping a new album, and has big plans for the future. The record was dropped August 23 at Moe’s BBQ in Englewood, followed in September by a mini tour to Nebraska.

As a graduate of CU Denver’s Jazz Piano Music Performance program, Sydow was able to make connections in the industry that helped him make this record happen. “Basically through school, I got together with this guy Anthony Catalano and we started doing some pre-production stuff,” Sydow says. “We focused for a while on narrowing down which songs to do, I was writing some new ones and throwing the old ones out. Last summer, we got into the studio and had our first session for this album.”

The recording took place at Elevation Sound Studios in Westminster. “We had our first session live with the tuba sax and drums, did five or six tracks. We listened to that, made new charts, new arrangements, and went back in January and just did all fourteen tracks live and then went back and did a bunch of overdubs.” He chose this studio because of Catalano, who works with the studio.

Sydow has made a name for himself through consistent live performances. He has had the opportunity, through getting himself involved at one of Denver’s most notable small venues, to share the stage with some big names. “I started off working with Moe’s BBQ,” says Sydow. “We got in there opening for a buddy one night and I begged all my friends to go. I developed a good relationship over there, that was where I probably played my first half a dozen shows as a band a few years ago. Eventually we had a reputation there and people would come see us there.”

The successful shows at Moe’s and relationship with talent buyer Danny Sax led Sydow and his band to be booked at larger venues. “And then from that, we were able to open for a couple national acts,” Sydow says. “Delbert McClinton, Dick Dale.” Sydow has also shared the stage with Michael Franti and Spearhead and Kid Rock.

His style is heavily influenced by the New Orleans sound, with hints of Americana, folk and blues all seeping through rock overtones. He takes his influence from artists who have defined the genre and have been around for years. “The music always comes a little easier than the lyrics,” says Sydow. “When I was in my early and mid-teens, I thought I wanted to be Bob Dylan like everybody else. And then I found guys like Jackie Greene, Anders Osborne, Warren Z Vaughn.”

Online: facebook.com/andysydowmusic

Drops

Tags: andy sydow, Dick Dale

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