By George
TRAILHEAD
''LEAVE ME TO LEARN''
DECEMBER 14 2014
56:56
1 Another Mile 03:56
2 Changing Seasons 04:15
3 On a Train 03:49
4 Leave Me to Learn 04:36
5 My Mothers Father 04:56
6 This Old Song 04:10
7 Sing Your Song 05:15
8 Church Bells 05:06
9 Nothing But Well 04:13
10 Out in the Open 03:29
11 Wouldn't Wanna Miss It 04:20
12 Red On Black 05:40
13 When I Come Home Again 03:02
All Tracks By Tobias Panwitz
Matt De Harp/Mandolin
Juan Duran/Guitar (Electric)
Henry Grant/Arranger, Drums, Handclapping, Vocal Harmony
Paul B. Keeves/Arranger, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Handclapping, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Sebastian Panwitz/Vocals (Background)
Tobias Panwitz/Accordion, Arranger, Guitar, Handclapping, Harmonica, Keyboards, Mandolin, Piano, Shaker, Tambourine, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Anya Tukh/Violin
Leonardo von Papp/Handclapping
***************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Movement, the joy of travelling and heading for new places has always been a driving force for creativity and songs. The urge to leave every now and then, figure a couple things out is reflected in songs like On A Train, This Old Song and Leave Me To Learn.
There are a couple more personal tunes like the two songs about two different grandfathers of mine, Church Bells and My Mother's Father, and some tunes about Losing love, making peace with that and holding on to what there is now. Out In The Open, Nothing But Well and Wouldn't Wanna Miss It look into that direction.
***************
OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
I guess I started actually understanding the English language after reading "Even Cowgirls get the Blues" by Tom Robbins. It turned out part of the reason why I feel drawn to the language, musically even more than to German. There's more to it though, I haven't yet given up on figuring that one out ..
In the 90s I spent some years moving between places and countries, trying to figure out what it might be that makes me feel most alive, what it is that I want to keep doing after I found it. I didn’t find anything that kept me, but that moving around was my escape from boredom. I felt stuck with everything and everyone after some time and it took me a while to admit to myself that in my case music was the only thing worth pursuing, which is what I've been doing ever since returning to Berlin in the early 2000s.
My travelling years included some time of roaming the United States. And when being asked where my affinity to music and English language comes from, I sometimes feel inclined to refer to, apart from reading Tom Robbins, the US. For the language, that is certainly true. As for music though, who knows. Growing up in a family of classic musicians, one takes in a lot of musicality and understanding for harmonics.
Songwriters teach you how to write songs though. We start becoming ourselves by imitating people we admire. So I did, bought all Beatles records on vinyl and easily fell for other giants, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Crowded House, and later people like Ron Sexsmith, Wilco, Gillian Welsh, Dan Bern, Jackson Browne, Gordon Lightfoot .. most of all it’s their incredibly powerful, melody laden song writing that gets to me, that moved me before I ever started my travels.
***************
MORE ABOUT
When Trailhead was invited to play a showcase at Canadian Music Week in Toronto in 2012, it all came full circle for him after travelling North America for the first time 16 years earlier, laying the groundwork for his music today.
Born and raised in East Berlin songwriter Tobias Panwitz weaves his songs around journeys through various parts of the world and musings on relations past and present. While roadside encounters pass by the listener, Trailhead recounts his travels along Spanish caminos, Swedish islands, Baltic coast lines, Latvian rivers and American scenery.
After years of traveling wide parts of the US, Greece & Sweden and Spain, Panwitz decides in the 2000s to return to his native home town Berlin. Many a song has been written upon many a path, and, while persuing life in urban Berlin, singing the stories from the road is what keeps the tales alive. With a "trailhead" being the point where a trail begins, it felt like the perfect name for the new music venture.
Echoing the folky americana sound of the 60s & 70s classics, Trailhed's music relates to the sound of artists like Crowded House, Ron Sexsmith, Neil Young and Jackson Browne.
On his latest album “Bodies In The Basement” Trailhead combines folk pop with soaring harmonies and dreadnought melodies, focusing on the hidden and concealed areas of the soul, revealed only between the lines of the songs. Like Skeletons in the closet. Bodies in the basement.
***
Between 1998 and 2006 Tobias Panwitz is touring and recording in various line ups, releasing 4 records: "Some things are beyond reason" (1998), "High Tide at the Baltic Sea" (2001), "North by North East" (2002), "Selected Road Songs" (2006)
In 2009 Trailhead releases his debut album „The Road To Salamanca“ on Berlin Folk/Americana Label Cannery Row Records, with rave reviews in the German music press. It features 13 original compositions with various guest contributions by musicians from Germany, Spain, Denmark, England and the US.
Promotional touring with and without band follows in Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and repeatedly throughout Germany.
In 2009 Panwitz is invited to attend the Norwegian songwriter workshop Lille Lungegaards Sång, a networking- and songwriting composium of the Bergen songwriter-scene on the island of Stort, resulting in collaborations with musicians of the Norwegian and Finnish folk music scene.
The same year, in Mragowo, Poland, Trailhead plays a very well received show with his band at Picknick Country, one of the most renowned festivals in the country, broadcast on national television.
The radio campaign for "The Road To Salamanca", initiated in 2009/10, results in airplay on a wide number of public and private radio stations, like Radio 1 Berlin, Radio Bremen, MDR, SR1, Star FM, Antenne Thüringen , various internet stations and public radio in the Netherlands, making Trailhead known to a further growing audience within and outside Germany.
In 2010, the music video for the album's title track "Road To Salamanca" is produced. It combines the lyrics' motive of walking the Spanish Camino de Santiago with spring atmosphere in the sourrounding landscapes of Panwitz' home town.
The same year, Cannery Row Records' Labelsampler "Can Opener" is released, featuring the song „Road To Salamanca“.
In February 2011 Trailhead wins the songslam competition at Moritzbastei / Leipzig.
On May 24, 2011 Trailhead perfoms as one of the representatives of the Berlin music scene at the official "Dylan's Birthday Bash" in honour of Bob Dylans 70th birthday.
In July 2011 Trailhead is being elected among over 100 candidates by acclaimed Berlin public radio station Radio 1 to perform at the exclusive showcase "Casting für die Seele".
In February 2012 Trailhead's second album "Bodies In The Basement" is released on Cannery Row Records.
Canadian Music Week invite Trailhead in March 2012 to play a showcase in Toronto. This kicks off Trailhead's first tour in Canada, with successful concerts through Ontario.
In summer 2012 three songs about Berlin and Brandenburg are published on the "Berlin Brandenburg EP". As they are in German language, the EP is released not under Trailhead but Tobias Panwitz.
In October 2012 the Berlin Senate culture department funds Trailhead's Tour through Souther Germany and Switzerland
In February 2013 Trailhead's song „Yours And Mine“ is chosen to be semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition (ISC), category: Folk/Songwriter.
2014 sees the release of “Leave Me To Learn”. On his latest record Trailhead combines classic folk pop melodies with the timeless contrast between restlessness and the need for stable ground.
WEBSITE
TO THE TOP
''LEAVE ME TO LEARN''
DECEMBER 14 2014
56:56
1 Another Mile 03:56
2 Changing Seasons 04:15
3 On a Train 03:49
4 Leave Me to Learn 04:36
5 My Mothers Father 04:56
6 This Old Song 04:10
7 Sing Your Song 05:15
8 Church Bells 05:06
9 Nothing But Well 04:13
10 Out in the Open 03:29
11 Wouldn't Wanna Miss It 04:20
12 Red On Black 05:40
13 When I Come Home Again 03:02
All Tracks By Tobias Panwitz
Matt De Harp/Mandolin
Juan Duran/Guitar (Electric)
Henry Grant/Arranger, Drums, Handclapping, Vocal Harmony
Paul B. Keeves/Arranger, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Handclapping, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Sebastian Panwitz/Vocals (Background)
Tobias Panwitz/Accordion, Arranger, Guitar, Handclapping, Harmonica, Keyboards, Mandolin, Piano, Shaker, Tambourine, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Anya Tukh/Violin
Leonardo von Papp/Handclapping
***************
ABOUT THE ALBUM/OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Movement, the joy of travelling and heading for new places has always been a driving force for creativity and songs. The urge to leave every now and then, figure a couple things out is reflected in songs like On A Train, This Old Song and Leave Me To Learn.
There are a couple more personal tunes like the two songs about two different grandfathers of mine, Church Bells and My Mother's Father, and some tunes about Losing love, making peace with that and holding on to what there is now. Out In The Open, Nothing But Well and Wouldn't Wanna Miss It look into that direction.
***************
OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
I guess I started actually understanding the English language after reading "Even Cowgirls get the Blues" by Tom Robbins. It turned out part of the reason why I feel drawn to the language, musically even more than to German. There's more to it though, I haven't yet given up on figuring that one out ..
In the 90s I spent some years moving between places and countries, trying to figure out what it might be that makes me feel most alive, what it is that I want to keep doing after I found it. I didn’t find anything that kept me, but that moving around was my escape from boredom. I felt stuck with everything and everyone after some time and it took me a while to admit to myself that in my case music was the only thing worth pursuing, which is what I've been doing ever since returning to Berlin in the early 2000s.
My travelling years included some time of roaming the United States. And when being asked where my affinity to music and English language comes from, I sometimes feel inclined to refer to, apart from reading Tom Robbins, the US. For the language, that is certainly true. As for music though, who knows. Growing up in a family of classic musicians, one takes in a lot of musicality and understanding for harmonics.
Songwriters teach you how to write songs though. We start becoming ourselves by imitating people we admire. So I did, bought all Beatles records on vinyl and easily fell for other giants, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Crowded House, and later people like Ron Sexsmith, Wilco, Gillian Welsh, Dan Bern, Jackson Browne, Gordon Lightfoot .. most of all it’s their incredibly powerful, melody laden song writing that gets to me, that moved me before I ever started my travels.
***************
MORE ABOUT
When Trailhead was invited to play a showcase at Canadian Music Week in Toronto in 2012, it all came full circle for him after travelling North America for the first time 16 years earlier, laying the groundwork for his music today.
Born and raised in East Berlin songwriter Tobias Panwitz weaves his songs around journeys through various parts of the world and musings on relations past and present. While roadside encounters pass by the listener, Trailhead recounts his travels along Spanish caminos, Swedish islands, Baltic coast lines, Latvian rivers and American scenery.
After years of traveling wide parts of the US, Greece & Sweden and Spain, Panwitz decides in the 2000s to return to his native home town Berlin. Many a song has been written upon many a path, and, while persuing life in urban Berlin, singing the stories from the road is what keeps the tales alive. With a "trailhead" being the point where a trail begins, it felt like the perfect name for the new music venture.
Echoing the folky americana sound of the 60s & 70s classics, Trailhed's music relates to the sound of artists like Crowded House, Ron Sexsmith, Neil Young and Jackson Browne.
On his latest album “Bodies In The Basement” Trailhead combines folk pop with soaring harmonies and dreadnought melodies, focusing on the hidden and concealed areas of the soul, revealed only between the lines of the songs. Like Skeletons in the closet. Bodies in the basement.
***
Between 1998 and 2006 Tobias Panwitz is touring and recording in various line ups, releasing 4 records: "Some things are beyond reason" (1998), "High Tide at the Baltic Sea" (2001), "North by North East" (2002), "Selected Road Songs" (2006)
In 2009 Trailhead releases his debut album „The Road To Salamanca“ on Berlin Folk/Americana Label Cannery Row Records, with rave reviews in the German music press. It features 13 original compositions with various guest contributions by musicians from Germany, Spain, Denmark, England and the US.
Promotional touring with and without band follows in Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and repeatedly throughout Germany.
In 2009 Panwitz is invited to attend the Norwegian songwriter workshop Lille Lungegaards Sång, a networking- and songwriting composium of the Bergen songwriter-scene on the island of Stort, resulting in collaborations with musicians of the Norwegian and Finnish folk music scene.
The same year, in Mragowo, Poland, Trailhead plays a very well received show with his band at Picknick Country, one of the most renowned festivals in the country, broadcast on national television.
The radio campaign for "The Road To Salamanca", initiated in 2009/10, results in airplay on a wide number of public and private radio stations, like Radio 1 Berlin, Radio Bremen, MDR, SR1, Star FM, Antenne Thüringen , various internet stations and public radio in the Netherlands, making Trailhead known to a further growing audience within and outside Germany.
In 2010, the music video for the album's title track "Road To Salamanca" is produced. It combines the lyrics' motive of walking the Spanish Camino de Santiago with spring atmosphere in the sourrounding landscapes of Panwitz' home town.
The same year, Cannery Row Records' Labelsampler "Can Opener" is released, featuring the song „Road To Salamanca“.
In February 2011 Trailhead wins the songslam competition at Moritzbastei / Leipzig.
On May 24, 2011 Trailhead perfoms as one of the representatives of the Berlin music scene at the official "Dylan's Birthday Bash" in honour of Bob Dylans 70th birthday.
In July 2011 Trailhead is being elected among over 100 candidates by acclaimed Berlin public radio station Radio 1 to perform at the exclusive showcase "Casting für die Seele".
In February 2012 Trailhead's second album "Bodies In The Basement" is released on Cannery Row Records.
Canadian Music Week invite Trailhead in March 2012 to play a showcase in Toronto. This kicks off Trailhead's first tour in Canada, with successful concerts through Ontario.
In summer 2012 three songs about Berlin and Brandenburg are published on the "Berlin Brandenburg EP". As they are in German language, the EP is released not under Trailhead but Tobias Panwitz.
In October 2012 the Berlin Senate culture department funds Trailhead's Tour through Souther Germany and Switzerland
In February 2013 Trailhead's song „Yours And Mine“ is chosen to be semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition (ISC), category: Folk/Songwriter.
2014 sees the release of “Leave Me To Learn”. On his latest record Trailhead combines classic folk pop melodies with the timeless contrast between restlessness and the need for stable ground.
WEBSITE
TO THE TOP
