Category: Russ Ellis

Astonishingly, Songs From The Garden by Russ Ellis goes Streaming, Oct. 11!

Why October 11? Oh because October 11, campers, and because Apollo 11.

Songs From The Garden – full-length album by Russ Ellis & fam, came out on November 20, 2021 exclusively on CD and Bandcamp, where it shall ever reside as long as the electrons shall flow. The BIG Mews is that now it is available for pre-order at iTunes, for all our beloved Apple Music users. Here is that momentous link:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/songs-from-the-garden/1839923501

Spotifiers can “pre-save” it, too, whatever that means. AND when it goes live in those venues on October 11, it will at the same time be live at ALL the streaming services from pillar to post, sea to shining sea, hither and yon.

Garden well.

Russ and daughter Zoe, who also sings on the record

Julie Gordon Shearer

Berkeley Cat Records is honored to share Julie Gordon Shearer’s 3 full-length albums – Selected Songs from Mama Don’t Allow, Alive in Song, and When Now Is Then, and the single, From Where I Stand.

Julie Shearer departed this mortal world in August of last year. We invite you to download the remembrances and photos in this lovely PDF. There are also some tributes and memories online, including here and here.

Julie was also the long-time partner of Russ Ellis, and there are several songs he wrote for her, on his recent album Songs From The Garden.

Russ and other family members and friends are hosting a memorial service at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023 from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Always in our hearts,

Julie Gordon Shearer, 1940-2022

Berkeley Cat Holiday CD Bundle!

Incredibly, Berkeley Cat Records has made two actual CDs. Against all reason, we made nice physical packages with beautiful artwork for Russ Ellis’ Songs From The Garden and Eric Din’s Street Party.

For a wee limited time, you can order ’em BOTH for the amazing price of $18, all-in including shipping in the US. (For international shipping we’ll have to charge a wee bit, send a note with your order and we’ll work it out)
For added fun, you’ll also get access to these albums on Bandcamp so you may listen to them wherever you may roam, and we know, cats do roam.

Read about Russ Ellis and his album in the New York Times or check out his fab interview on KQED. Read about Eric Din and his album on Brooklyn Vegan. View some photos of these fab items below. Order the Berkeley Cat Records Holiday CD Bundle with this convenient space age button:

(UPDATE, Feb 17, OMG, it’s over!! Happy 2023 luvs, and thank you <3 )
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Din Russ Xmas CD Bundle slideshow
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Songs From The Garden, limited edition CD, available now!

It’s Catursunday. And the Russ Ellis CD album is now available for sale thru our wonderful Bandcamp, campers. It’s the whole “Songs From The Garden” LP plus the Oom Chugga Challenge remixes, in a fab “eco-pack” designed by Katie Hawkinson with cover art by young Dex Ellis. A heartfelt Berkeley Cat thanks to all the marvelous musicians and singers who created this unique record album, and everyone who picked it up and gave ‘er a spin online. Did I say “record album?” I did. It’s all online for listening, and you can still download it for free, and now if ya like, you may procure one of the 300 physical units (did I say “units?” I did) in all of existence, in time for the holidays! That is all 😽

BCR Catnip Alert – Russ Ellis in the News

We are delighted to find this article in KQED’s site:
Russ Ellis Cut His First Album at Age 85, and It’s A Bop
It’s a Bop. It is most definitely a Bop.
Today, 9:40 AM, catch Russ Ellis interviewed live on KQED Forum!
88.5 FM in the Bay Area, or online at NPR.org.
(UPDATE 8-28-2021: The audio is there too, now. Give it whirl)

Here’s the paper copy of the Sunday Times I managed to find yesterday.

And the article remains online, presumably until the cows come home. That’s a long time, presumably.    Go Russ!

 

Songs From The Garden

Origins of This Album:

Beginnings

When I first held my newborn son in my arms, I had the sort of palpable image-experience that causes people to join sects of believers-in-weird-things.

I was seeing, thinking, occupying an image of the pulse of his birth pushing up a gigantic plume of water representing new life. This pulse, in the center of the vast ocean of life, pushed all adjacent water toward the shores where the last waves broke and sunk into the sand, returning the water to the cyclical life-and- death process. Indescribable sounds accompanied the image. It was daytime and I was fully awake. I felt pushed a little closer to shore.

I made sure that my new playmate-in-sound got to hear everything I heard and liked. His sister heard everything while in the womb and was happy to tail along as his mother and I delighted in David’s blossoming into a fine musician.

Then, one day, Zoe started to sing. Now, music permeates Ellis family culture. I’m happy to include something from everyone on this album.

The album itself is a happenstance. When I had my granddaughter, Bella, put the song “Eliza” up on YouTube, David added the note “From the album Songs From My Garden, coming Fall 2019.” I thought, “there’s an idea.” Why not? It’s Summer of 2021, but here’s the album.

-Russ Ellis