Todd Clouser is a man who makes the journey happen his way, from moment to moment. He takes it as it goes and makes one step after the other count. Todd is one of these cats who has the ability to not only tell the story with his songs, but use his songs to communicate on another level to those who listen. I have been able to watch his sound and style grow over the course of time and that one thing…time…seems to bring the paths of similarly minded communicator to the steps of Todd’s musical door. I have watched the paints mix to create the newest of colors with some brightness and some darkness none other have duplicated. We all search and seek and dream and believe what we believe…somehow Todd has been a voice I can believe in musically, but it’s the person, the being of Todd Clouser that I am most fond of. I had the chance aGain to ask him a few questions about what’s been going on and how he is. The newness just about to come off his plate is the release of a new record for starters. Thus story-line begins on at a sold out gig on a cold Minnesota night. It features Todd talking to the room with his voice and guitar, Mr. JT Bates on drums and percussion and friend of the proGram, Mr. John Medeski on Hammond B3 Organ and Fender Rhodes, and is named: You The Brave: Live at Icehouse.
This new live recording on Ropeadope Sur is the truth, in real time of making the sounds that linked up the trios paths to that very moment, where creating meets pulse. I am proud to be someone who has been walking the paths with Todd for a few more than a few years now and to see the others who cross path to be with and create with him puts a huge smile in my heart. Todd takes a little time out of his day in Mexico to chat about the new album, working with the coolness over at Ropeadope Sur and a little about our ongoing almost project with Medeski Myself and Todd, where I am featured on power tools… We talk about vulnerability, travel and home. EarGrab some here: