Karen Romanchuk just wants to “Dance,” after completing her second CD and doing everything her way from the cover art to the songwriting.
“ I recorded the last CD in 2009. I think my songwriting has advanced since then. I learn more everytime,” Romanchuk said. She is having a CD release party at the Geomatic Attic, May 7 with special guests Shaela Miller, dobro player Jack Loree and stand-up bassist Norm Rook, who all appear on the CD as well as her lead guitarist Pete Watson, who usually accompanies her during live shows. He is also her son Dylan’s guitar teacher.
Her husband Darwin plays drums on the CD and David Popovich plays bass on the Cd who usually accompany her as well.
She also has guitar virtuoso Wendell Ferguson on the CD, chicken picking on a couple tracks including “Blue, Blue Heart,” on which Miller sings harmonies.
“I opened for Wendell at one of his shows here and asked him if he wanted to play on the CD. He promised he’d play on it, so we recorded the whole thing over e-mail,” Romanchuk said.
“I really wanted to record the sounds I heard in my head. It’s definitely a country CD. I wanted a lot of dobro on the CD and stand-up bass,” she continued.
“I wanted everyone who played on the CD to play at the CD release party,” she continued. While Wendell Ferguson won’t be able to make it, neither will Bryan Bradfield, who will be opening for Lynn Miles at the Wolf’s Den, where she is playing for the Lethbridge Folk Club, May 7.
While she is competing for the audience of Lynn Miles, she hopes people will come out.
“Mike (Spencer, owner of the Geomatic Attic) has been really wonderful,” she said adding they were a little worried when they found out Lynn Miles was playing, but the date was the only day the guys from Calgary were available to play.
Like her first CD, she recorded the new one in James Oldenburg’s studio.
“I really like what we did on it,” she said adding she doesn’t have an official tour planned, though she will try to play when her family goes on vacation in B.C. this summer.
“Two years ago, we went on vacation and I just stopped by places and asked if I could play. This year, I actually have product to sell,” she said.
”So it will be a tour/holiday.”
