Prolific guitarist/ composer Jeff Gburek (acoustic guitar, mandolin, modular synthesizers) with Eryk Nowacki (saz, sitar, electronic tambour) for an album of experimental Eastern sound explorations.
Small Fires derives the practice among certain Indigenous American people of making small fires periodically, often enough to prevent the build-up of wood that could fuel large forest fires.
It is also said that one makes a small fire to get close to, to get down to earth, keep warm, cook, and remain discreet, as opposed to the colonialist bonfire seen for miles off, done for show, to mark territory, frighten.
These tracks were recorded at my (Jeff Gburek's) home studio in November, culled from two meetings a week apart. The online release is the workflow timeline of the second meeting with one twist: the final track was recorded during the first week.
Deemed the only keeper, it became the subject of the remix (track 1) that I (Jeff) was working on when Eryk actually rang the door-bell (audible in the mix). Aside from level adjustments and some nip and tuck tail edits, this is the music that was played.
The flow is unrushed, organic and felt very much then as an anticipation of Eryk's imminent departure for a month-long trip to India. I listened to the raw sessions on loop for hours in the first weeks before coming to the conclusion that I could not justify any edits and was very happy to dwell in the warm ambiance of this intimate recording session. Listening to, working on it, tending our Small Fires, helped to keep me in good spirits during that very difficult and harsh winter here in Poland.
I hope it brings you half as much joy as it does to me."
--Jeff Gburek
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