Eileen Chapman, director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University, announced that the first episode of “Soundstage,” hosted by music historian Bob Santelli, will feature former E Street Band keyboard player David Sancious, and will go live on Thursday, July 2 at 10 a.m.
“Soundstage,” a brand new monthly online series presented by the Springsteen Archives, will explore new works, trends, and contemporary issues in American music. The series can be accessed via the Springsteen Archives’ website or Facebook page.
Since leaving the E Street Band in 1974, Sancious has been a major recording artist and touring musician in his own right. In addition to performing with Sting, Peter Gabriel, Eric Clapton and others, Sancious has recorded a series of acclaimed solo albums, including his latest, “Eyes Wide Open.” The album includes some of the most potent—and relevant—songs Sancious has ever written, given the recent international protests that erupted after the murder of George Floyd.
Santelli, who interviewed Sancious earlier this month at his home on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, said about the album, “’Eyes Wide Open’ is an album made for these times. On it, David Sancious explores the tyranny of racism in America, while remaining resolutely funky and musically deep. And as always, the playing is first-rate. It’s an honor to have David launch our ‘Soundstage’ series.”
“This may be the most expansive collection of music I’ve done so far,” explains Sancious, “in that it contains all the elements of my musical make-up.”
Songs on the new release include “Eyes Wide Open,” “In the Middle of the Night,” “Urban Psalm #3,” “If,” “Flip It,” “The Tree House,” “December,” and “War in Heaven.”
E Street Band keyboard player Sancious and drummer Ernest Carter left the group in 1974 and teamed with Gerald Carboy, a Jersey Shore bass player, to form the jazz-fusion band Tone. Acclaimed by critics, Tone’s music expanded the parameters of fusion and featured the extraordinary keyboard work of Sancious. The group’s album, “Transformation: The Speed of Love,” is an acknowledged fusion classic. Tone went on to successfully release several albums to critical acclaim before disbanding with the artists going in different directions musically.
In October 2019, the Springsteen Archives had the rare opportunity to bring together the three members of Tone at Monmouth University for a live interview with Santelli, followed by a performance, the first time in 40 years that they performed together.
About the Springsteen Archives
The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University serves as the official archival repository for Bruce Springsteen’s written works, photographs, periodicals, and artifacts. The Center preserves and promotes the legacy of Bruce Springsteen and his role in American music, while honoring and celebrating icons of American music like Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, Frank Sinatra, and others. The Archives comprise nearly 35,000 items from 47 countries, ranging from books and concert memorabilia to articles and promotional materials. The collection serves the research and informational needs of music fan, scholars, authors, and others with a serious interest in the life and career of Bruce Springsteen. Access to the collection is available by appointment only. Contact Eileen Chapman at the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at 732-571-3512 or echapman@monmouth.edu.