Jon Regen - Higher Ground (2019)

“Jon Regen has a rare combination of elements - virtuosic playing ability, soulful singing, and a strong songwriting talent, all developing more and more as he grows and grows as an artist through the years. Give him a freaking listen!” - BRUCE HORNSBY

On October 4, Ropeadope will release singer, songwriter and pianist Jon Regen's long-awaited new album Higher Ground.

“It’s something of a small miracle,” says Regen about his upcoming release. “It’s an album I wasn’t planning on making. When I became a parent, my touring and recording life was immediately put on hold. That was until I ran into Jamiroquai keyboardist Matt Johnson at the band’s sold-out show in New York City, on the same street my parents lived on in the 1960s. Soon after, we were crafting an entire album together, all via email.”

Produced by Johnson, Higher Ground includes musical performances by legends like Andy Summers of The Police, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Chuck Leavell of The Rolling Stones and Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran. The album announces Regen as a formidable talent with the rarest of gifts - an original voice that speaks to the human condition with authority and hope. Regen’s songs define our times, but are meant to last for all time.

Other notable guests on the album include Larry Klein, Matt Rollings, Ricky Peterson, Jerry Marotta, Keith Carlock, Tim Lefebvre, Davey Faragher, David Palmer, George Marinelli, Julia Kent, Matt Beck and Grégoire Maret. And as impressive as the guest list on Higher Ground is, what’s even more miraculous is that every musician played his or her parts in their respective hometowns. The entire album was recorded remotely, across different cities, oceans and countries.

Higher Ground follows Regen's 2015 release Stop Time that received acclaim from AllMusic, The Associated Press, NPR Music, Paste Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and other outlets. The album was mixed by famed engineer Michael Brauer and mastered by 2019 Grammy Album of the Year award winner Greg Calbi.

“In many ways, this new album is about the moment when your heroes become your peers,” Regen says. “Having the musicians that showed me the way guest on my own music is an incredible gift, and one of the reasons that Higher Ground is the most personal album I’ve ever made.

Tracklist:
01. Jon Regen - Wide Awake (5:05)
02. Jon Regen - Hole In My Heart (3:42)
03. Jon Regen - Jupiter Calling (0:52)
04. Jon Regen - Higher Ground (3:27)
05. Jon Regen - Who Cares If Everybody Else Knows (4:04)
06. Jon Regen - East Side Blues (4:22)
07. Jon Regen - New Sensation (3:51)
08. Jon Regen - Every Night (5:05)
09. Jon Regen - Before (4:53)
10. Jon Regen - The Last to Go (2:47)
11. Jon Regen - Goodnight, New York (1:38)