Gentry Bronson is a San Francisco singer-songwriter, pianist, storyteller, producer and showman known for his moving ballads, cinematic epics and soaring indie rock songs. Known by many as the "barefoot surfer pianist", he has enchanted audiences throughout the U.S. & Europe. His discography boasts over 80 original songs and 10 albums, including an English adaptation of the Dutch classic 'Avond' by Boudewijn de Groot and Lennaert Nijgh. Born in a small Minnesota town and named by his parents after a hitchhiker, Gentry won early praise as a classical pianist, winning 5 MMTA awards and performing in front of thousands of people early in his life. He was a punk poet in Seattle and a club DJ in Prague before settling in San Francisco, where he received his BA in Humanities, became a multimedia producer and won 3 NCSA songwriting awards. Gentry is now often compared to David Gray, Ben Folds, Tom Waits, Jacques Brel and Ludovico Einaudi with music in the indie, rock, americana, blues, ambient, cabaret and new classical genres. He is a highly charged, passionate performer, and in 2012 he embarks on his 6th European tour. CREDITS All music performed, produced, arranged and adapted by Gentry Bronson English translations by Gentry Bronson and Sacco Koster Engineered, mixed and mastered by Bruce Kurnow at Switchback Studios in Northern California Photograph by David Korman Cover artwork designed by Ethen B. Luce This recording features English adaptations of songs originally written in Dutch. “Don’t Save Me” was adapted from “Red Mij Niet” by Maarten van Roozendaal. Original music and Dutch lyrics written by M. van Roozendaal “I’ve Got You Out Of My Mind” was adapted from “Ik Denk Nooit Meer Aan Jou” by Tröckener Kecks. Original music written by T. Vogelaars, R. van Zandvoort, Ph. Tilli and G. Ibelings. Original Dutch lyrics written by R. de Leeuw “Even Your Name Is Beautiful” was adapted from “Zelfs Je Naam Is Mooi” by Henk Westbroek. Original music and Dutch lyrics written by H. Westbroek “So Still In Me” adapted from “Stil In Mij” by Van Dik Hout. Original music and Dutch lyrics written by Buitenhuis & Assorgia ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you Maarten van Roozendaal, Tröckener Kecks, Henk Westbroek and Van Dik Hout for creating such incredible songs. Thank you Sacco Koster for the raw Dutch-to-English translations, the inspiration to record this project and for years of collaboration and friendship. Thank you Bruce Kurnow for allowing me the freedom and joy to record with you and for being my friend and mentor. Thank you Samara Mattiassi, my muse, my paramour and my cariña. These songs are for you. Gentry's Story Behind This Record "Until 2007, I had never adapted a song into English. I was preparing for a tour in Europe with many concerts in The Netherlands and my friend and European manager, Sacco Koster, suggested I learn a Dutch song. He sent me lots of songs, and without knowing the meaning of the lyrics because I don't speak Dutch, I choose 'Avond' by Boudewijn de Groot and Lennaert Nijgh. With Sacco’s help on the translation, I adapted 'Avond', and I first performed my English version at De Waag in Haarlem, NL. The response was remarkable. I recorded and released the song as a duet with Jesse Brewster in 2008, Boudewijn de Groot gave us generous approval when he heard it, and people loved the song around the world. In 2010, Sacco asked me if I’d like to adapt more Dutch artists' songs into English. I was excited about the idea and spent several months listening to 100s of songs. In the end I choose songs 9 songs by 9 different artists. When you adapt a song from another language into your native language (mine being English), you have to look carefully at rhyme schemes, rhythmic use of words, and then also infuse the lyrics with some of yourself. On top of this, I rearranged the music all these songs so that it fit into my style as a pianist and singer. When I went on my Lost & Found tour in Europe in 2011, I performed the songs for the first time. People loved them. So, when I returned to Northern California, I recorded a selection of 4 songs at Switchback Studios on Bruce Kurnow’s beautiful 1934 concert grand piano. The process was seemingly effortless. I look forward to completing Volume 2." - Gentry Bronson, January 2012