Southeast Alaska Demos and Field Recordings

by John Swanke

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1.	Rainbird Sings the Blues 00:43	buy track
2.	Skaguay 02:52	buy track
3.	Laughton Glacier 01:00	buy track
4.	Narrow Gauge 02:24	buy track
5.	Winner's Blues / Springtime Blues 03:03	buy track
6.	Highway 2 02:00	buy track
7.	Auke Bay Harp Ensemble 02:00	buy track
8.	Live from the 30th Annual International Folk Festival 09:38	buy track

about

Here are some demos and field recordings I made while living in Southeast Alaska 2012-2013. These tracks were all but forgotten until I decided to move them from an old hard drive to Bandcamp. As the nature of my music has always been spontaneous I have left this audio mostly unedited and unpolished. I hope you can appreciate the honesty behind this collection which shows a glimpse of my younger self fumbling around with a guitar and cheap recording device.

Cover photo taken at Yakutania Point/Smugglers Cove on 35mm.

1) Rainbird Sings the Blues - recorded live on the Rainbird Trail in Ketchikan, AK. Playing harmonica while the birds sing along.

2) Skaguay - Layered acoustic guitar recorded in the warehouse above the Skagway Mining Company gift shop.

3) Laughton Glacier - Guitar soundscape recorded in my bedroom.

4) Narrow Gauge - Acoustic guitar improvisation featuring sounds recorded from a trip on the White Pass and Yukon Route railroad.

5) Winner's Blues / Springtime Blues - My version of the Sonic Youth song "Winner's Blues" recorded in my bedroom in Ketchikan, AK.

6) Highway 2 - Inspired by a drive up the Klondike HWY to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.

7) Auke Bay Harp Ensemble - Recorded onboard the MV Columbia while sailing out of Juneau on my first trip to Skagway.

8) Live from the 30th Annual International Folk Festival - an excerpt of my live performance recorded at the Skagway Folk Fest April 15, 2016.

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released September 10, 2022

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John Swanke Washington

Guitarist and home recorder living on Camano Island.

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