Tom Freund and Friends featuring Abra Moore, Brett Dennen and Victoria Williams
"Hug Trees" is born out of a father, Tom Freund, finding himself composing songs for and with his daughter, Delilah. Whether it was when she was a baby being pushed in a carriage or a four year old jumping on the bed, the tunes flowed out of Tom for his muse. "Hug Trees" also represents a striving for an eco-friendly outdoor environment and community that we wish for our kids to have for future generations to come. The beauty of music is that it is a means to tap into nature's energy in a fun and meaningful way.
Official Bio for "Hug Trees"
What comes in 11 parts and features a dog, cat, lion, apple tree, frogs and a cake?
Give up?
The answer is "Hug Trees", the new album from Venice-based singer-songwriter Tom Freund. On Hug Trees Tom brings his jazzy and rootsy vibe over to the kids' music side for the first time.
"I've been writing and making music for a long time. Becoming a father just added a beautiful new layer to the whole experience for me," says Freund. "On Hug Trees, my daughter Delilah is my co-producer, my audience, my muse. We created these songs together over the last couple of years. It was very natural to just go ahead and make a record."
The music bar was kept high on the new set as the younger generation was only part of the focus. "I've come to know full well that whatever my daughter is listening to or watching, my wife Francie and I are going to get a steady diet of. I tried to keep that in mind when making Hug Trees, to live up to both standards. I wanted it to be fun for kids and yet remain sonically pleasing to parents on the 40th listen in the car."
The theme of Hug Trees is for kids to get outside and enjoy nature with a nod to Freund's new home Venice Beach. Whether gathering sea shells, walking the dog or hugging a tree, Freund urges kids to get outside and keep it moving. To help spread the word, the NY-raised singer rounded together a bevy of great musicians and produced the project with Steve McCormick at his studio in Mar Vista, California. The album features instruments ranging from ukulele and mandolin to stand up bass and slide guitar. Michael Jerome (Richard Thompson) and Richie Hayward (Little Feet) share drum duties, Eric Heywood (Ray Lamontagne) plays pedal steel and even a member of Canned Heat, Stanley "the Baron" Behrens plays saxophone. Guest singers on Hug Trees include the ever-amazing Victoria Williams who adds her beautiful voice and childlike playfulness to "Seashells". Rising star Brett Dennen pulls double duty by penning and singing on the rowdy "Party in the Yard". The lovely and talented Abra Moore brightens up "Apple From The Tree."
"I hope people enjoy the album as much as we enjoyed making it," says Freund. "Who knows, I might have found a day job I love after all these years."
*Hug Trees: Winner of Parent Choice Awards 2008
Over the years Freund's "adult" albums have recieved such accolades as:
"Every year the mounting landfill of new releases that threatens to bury the working music journalists yields a few unexpected gems, and Tom Freund is one of them."
- THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Freund clearly delights in enigma. His vocals could go from laconic to impassioned without such obvious trickery as cranking up the volume. His lyrics are full of curveballs."
- WASHINGTON POST
"Journeyman Freund is soundtrack ready. He made an album that is all at once addictive, stylistically diverse and honest to the core."
-MSNBC
"If Tom Petty and Nick Drake had a love child."
- BLOGCRITICS.COM
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/HUGTREESMUSIC
*Cover Art by Marq Spusta
