Solo Artist Gabe Dixon Chats to Stereoboard about His New Album (Interview)
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Written by Rob Sleigh
Earlier this month, American singer, songwriter and pianist Gabe Dixon – probably best-known for his work with Paul McCartney, Supertramp and his own group The Gabe Dixon Band – released his debut solo album ‘One Spark’. For his first offering outside of the band, Gabe worked with a number of respected artists including Alison Krauss, Starsailor’s James Walsh, Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue and Iain Archer – formerly of Snow Patrol. Following the album’s release, Stereoboard caught up with Gabe to find out more about the album and about some of his other projects…
Your debut solo album ‘One Spark’ was released earlier this month. How are you feeling about the release?
I’m feeling really good about putting some new music out into the world.
Your previous records were released under the name The Gabe Dixon Band. Why did you opt for a solo project on this occasion?
It was about time. I had been thinking about taking a different approach for a while. Then, all at once, my bass player quit, my wife got pregnant and my drummer moved to New York. I took all of that as a sign that it was time to do something different.
How did the writing and recording process of this album compare with your previous work?
The writing process was similar to my previous projects in that I did a lot of co-writing with other songwriters. This time, some of them were people I had never written with, such as Iain Archer, James Walsh, Gary Clark and Ricky Ross, in the UK, which is a place I hadn’t spent any time before. The main difference in the process was in the arranging of the songs. On previous albums, the band and I arranged the songs and then brought them in to the producer to make final touches and basically make the record sound good. This time, I brought my songs in raw piano and vocal form directly to Marshall Altman, the producer. He and I outlined the arrangements before showing them to a band. The band rehearsals and recording went fairly quickly as a result.
What can fans of your earlier albums expect this time around?
Fans of my earlier albums might be a little surprised with the sound of this one. It has more guitars and it doesn’t lean so heavily on the piano to propel it rhythmically. I still insert a piano solo here and there, but the focus is more on my voice and my songs than it has been before.
I see that there are a few collaborations on ‘One Spark’. Who have you worked with for this album and how did the collaborations come about?
Well, aside from my songwriting collaborators, I was also able to welcome some great musical guests on this album. The incomparable Alison Krauss sings on ‘Even The Rain’. I have had the privilege of playing keyboards in her band, Union Station, a few times, so I contacted her and asked if she would be interested in singing on my album. She said yes. James Walsh, previously of the band Starsailor, sings on ‘I Can See You Shine’, which he and I wrote. He sang a harmony on our demo recording and I just felt it was too good not to have on the final version. Madi Diaz is an outstanding singer-songwriter, who is based in my hometown of Nashville. She and I shared a bill at a show one time and I became a fan. She sings on ‘Burn For You’. A couple of other talented Nashville singer-songwriters and friends of mine, Dave Barnes and Josh Hoge, also make appearances on the record. I’m really honoured that these performers, who I like so much, wanted to be on these recordings. It’s too cool.
What was it like working with these artists?
Easy. They are all pros and super talented, so we had a fun time doing it.
Do you plan to release more solo work in the future or will you be returning to The Gabe Dixon Band for your next album?
I’m sure I’ll perform with Jano [Rix, drums] and Winston [Harrison, bass] again at some point, but I don’t know about another GDB album. It seems doubtful at the moment, but you never know. I honestly haven’t given it much thought.
You have recently been performing with Supertramp. What has it been like to work with such a time-honoured act?
I enjoyed it. They are a great band with a large fan base and legendary hit songs. To get to sing those songs night after night in front of thousands of people is a trip.
How has the experience compared with performing in your own band?
Well, everything is much more stripped down when I play my own music - the travel, the accommodation, the stage production. With my band, up to this point at least, it’s been pretty bare bones. With Supertramp, it was private jets and five star hotels in Paris. With my band, it’s a van and a Best Western in Columbus, Ohio night and day, but I’m working on bridging that gap. There is nothing as satisfying to me as playing my own music. It’s what I think I’m here to do, so that keeps me going.
Many people will know you for your work with Paul McCartney in the past. What was Paul like to work with and what impact did that experience have on your own music?
Paul was a pleasure to work with. He was fun and inspiring and a great all-round artist. Recording seemed easy for him. Whether it was or not, he made it look easy. I guess he’s been doing it for a while, so he’s gotten really good at it. We were in a nice flow during those six weeks. Creatively, he seemed to go for the simplest option most of the time, rather than labouring obsessively over things. That was inspiring. Also, he seemed to be very comfortable with himself all the time and never had a problem just being himself, which was good for the creative process and the overall vibe of the sessions. I strive for that myself. If I’m comfortable with myself, chances are others will be too.
Why is it important for you to work on such a variety of different projects?
It keeps things in perspective for me. When I’m in a supportive role as a musician, it helps remind me what it’s like for the guys in my band who support me. Also, I like to see how other artists put on their shows and make their music and just generally run things. Seeing the difference between how Paul McCartney, Rick Davies, Alison Krauss and Union Station or Kenny Loggins and Jimmy Messina run their operations is great for me, because I can see what works and what doesn’t work. It’s like going to school or something, except I get paid.
Looking back, please could you tell us a bit about how you first got into music?
I remember really digging the song ‘Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem’, when I was like six. That must have been the first time I felt that indescribable connection with music. Something about the way the melody and harmony went together just struck a chord with me and I started gravitating to the piano. Another early powerful music memory was one day, when my mom was blasting Luciano Pavarotti in the living room, as she frequently did, I saw that she was crying and I didn’t understand. I asked her why she was crying and she said that the music was just “so beautiful.” That was the first time I realized how powerful music could be.
What genres and artists influenced you earlier on in your career?
The Beatles, Elton John, Ray Charles, Paul Simon and Jerry Lee Lewis. And by the time I was in my teens, my musical world began to open up a lot more to blues and jazz and stuff like Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers Band, BB King, Medeski, Martin, and Wood, Dave Matthews Band and some of the local folks like Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas, Lyle Lovett, Vince Gill. Then I started getting into to Keith Jarrett and Miles Davis, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Lauren Hill, Bob Marley and The Wailers. Man, I could go on, but the list is just too long.
Looking forward, will you be playing any dates in the UK in the near future, either as a solo artist or with one of your other projects?
I’d like to. I’m working on trying to play some shows there to support this album, possibly in October or November, but it’s still in the works.
‘One Spark’ by Gabe Dixon is out now.
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Well, everything is much more stripped down when I play my own music - the travel, the accommodation, the stage production. With my band, up to this point at least, it’s been pretty bare bones. With Supertramp, it was private jets and five star hotels in Paris. With my band, it’s a van and a Best Western in Columbus, Ohio night and day, but I’m working on bridging that gap. There is nothing as satisfying to me as playing my own music. It’s what I think I’m here to do, so that keeps me going. 
