Peter Himmelman

New Music Release

NEW YORK, N.Y. When is the right time to release another record of original music? Ask the Emmy- and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Peter Himmelman and he's likely to answer with a question of his own: When is the wrong time?

A Songwriter's Perspective

To a standard-bearer like Himmelman, about whom Parke Puterburgh, former Rolling Stone senior editor, wrote in Stereo Review, is on the same plane as Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, and Bruce Springsteen and nudging his way to Dylanhood, writing, recording, and releasing new music is an essential part of living. "I think of writing songs like I do respiration. It's about taking in, and giving out," Himmelman says. "The things we see and feel are often too difficult to convey in normal conversation."

Recording 'Press On'

'Press On,' recorded live in the studio with the barest minimum of overdubs, captures the immediacy of Himmelman's new songs and leaves his fervent vocals and guitar front and center. The 13 tracks, recorded in Los Feliz, California in June of 2019, feature players who are both musical experts and close friends of Himmelman's: Jimi Englund on drums and percussion, Greg Herzenach on guitar, Chris Joyner on keyboards, and co-producer Matthew Thompson on upright bass. Although the recording process for 'Press On' took just under four days, writing the songs, refining them, and deciding which of his more than 40 new songs would make the final cut, began over three years ago. The album is due out on Himmasongs/Six Degrees Records on July 31, 2020.

Creative Process and Inspiration

Around that time, Himmelman was excited enough about the songs to reach out to long-time collaborator Sheldon Gomberg to engineer and co-produce the new effort. After getting Gomberg's feedback, Himmelman settled on a recording date with a rhythm section composed of well-regarded L.A.-based musicians. But one night, after watching the documentary 'Chasing Trane' based on the life and career of jazz great John Coltrane, Himmelman called Gomberg and canceled the recording sessions. "As I watched the documentary, I got more and more inspired by Coltrane's indefatigable insistence on digging deeper into the wellsprings of his creativity," Himmelman says. "I felt there were better songs in me than the ones we had planned to record."

Songwriting Philosophy

For Himmelman, songwriting has long been a process of self-discovery. "There are technical tricks one needs to master, but for me the real work lies in transcending the mechanics of songwriting, and inhabiting that space beyond the rational mind," he says. "Keep your head raised up and press on!"

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