Details Announced for Jack Rose Memorial Shows and New LP

BY Stephen CarlickPublished Jan 19, 2010

At only 38 years old, prolific singer-songwriter and experimental acoustic guitarist Jack Rose passed away on December 5 of a heart attack, leaving friends, family and fans stunned. Rose left behind much to remember him by, including Luck in the Valley, the musician's final LP. The record is set to be released posthumously by Thrill Jockey Records on February 23.

To celebrate both the record and the man, a memorial service will be held in Philadelphia, PA on February 13 at the Latvian Society of Philadelphia. Paying tribute will be a who's who of Rose's musical friends, including D. Charles Speer & the Helix, Thurston Moore (with Saxophonist Paul Flaherty and drummer Chris Corsano), guitarist Michael Chapman, Rose's former band Pelt, the Black Twig Pickers, fellow guitar maestro Glenn Jones, writer Byron Coley, Espers' Meg Baird and guitarist Chris Forsyth, the Megajam Booze Band, and DJ Ian Nagoski, as well as video clips curated by Rose's friend Tara Young. Tickets for the event can be found here.

Another memorial show will go down in New York called "A Valentine for Jack Rose" at the city's Issue Project Room.

Like all of Rose's releases, Luck in the Valley was recorded entirely live. The album features many of his contemporaries, and thus, feels like a suitable final album for the guitarist. As Rose himself put it, "I wanted the songs to have an immediacy and spontaneity as they were being recorded. All the musicians chosen for the record know how to play the songs without overworking the material, but at the same time creating memorable accompaniments on the spot."

Many of the songs included on the album are first takes, including "Woodpiles on the Side of the Road," which you can download here.

Luck in the Valley:

1. "Blues for Percy Danforth"

2. "Lick Mountain Ramble"

3. "Woodpiles on the Side of the Road"

4. "When Tailgate Drops, the Bullshit Stops"

5. "Moon in the Gutter"

6. "Luck in the Valley"

7. "Saint Louis Blues"

8. "Tree in the Valley"

9. "Everybody Ought to Pray Sometime"

10. "West Coast Blues (Blind Blake)"

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