Candy Says by Justin Poindexter, Paul DeFiglia, and David Christian

There’s nothing like old stuff to inspire new stuff. When Paul called me up with the idea of recording a (mostly) instrumental trio album on some old analog tape equipment in Nashville, we quickly set parameters: the record would be live, we would be in the same room, and we would record without headphones. Even before music or arrangements were discussed, there was a code of ethics around what sounds would be acceptable (e.g., no digital effects pedals or amp on the upright bass.)

Making these early decisions greatly influenced the overall aesthetic: this would be an intimate record, where every sound and every note is important, and affects every other note. It’s harder to record music like this, but it can also lead to inspired moments of alchemy.

Paul is one of the first people I made music with. Growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, both of our fathers were local musicians. His dad played in the symphony and played jazz, my dad played rock n’ roll and country music at clubs and NASCAR races. We are both open-minded and yet total snobs about music, gleefully destroying conventions of “genre” while steadfastly adhering to our individual vision of what we think music should be. When Paul recommended David Christian for the drum chair, I knew he would be a perfect fit, as he shares similar values. He also has a great pocket and is able to play with intensity at low volume levels, which is crucial for the room and instrumentation we worked with. Will Tyson is the perfect engineer, coaxing the temperamental space-age recording machinery with the easy confidence of a shadetree mechanic.

We batted around tunes spanning well over a century, from movie themes to folk to Tin Pan Alley to FM Rock. Every tune seemed to have its own unique world, but the pieces all fit together to make a cohesive statement. Looking back on it, the repertoire seems almost autobiographical. I imagine our teenage selves happening upon this record, and possibly even being a little impressed.

Justin Poindexter, July 2022

Hailing from the rolling hills of North Carolina, guitarist and songwriter Justin Poindexter is the descendent of a long line of storytellers. Specializing in American roots including jazz, blues, country and folk, Justin mines America’s rich cultural history, linking music across genres and presenting it in new contexts. Justin has performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, folk icon David Amram, Ken Peplowski, Ranger Doug, Monty Alexander, Jonathan Batiste, Brianna Thomas, Doug Wamble, Nellie McKay, Art Baron, Bill Crow, Bernard Purdie, Pete Seeger, and many more. His 2014 album with the Amigos, “Diner in the Sky,” won Americana Album of the Year from the Independent Music Awards and was praised by the Wall Street Journal.

Paul DeFiglia started playing music in his early teens, learning bass from his father. He has played with a wide variety of artists and groups including Irma Thomas, The Avett Brothers, Langhorne Slim, Little Freddie King, Elan Mehler, Jamie Lidell, L’Orange, James Levy and Ian Noe. He currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee where he work as a musician, producer and engineer.

David Christian is a drummer, multi-instrumentalist, and video producer based in the Western Catskills and Brooklyn, NY. His recording and performance credits include appearances with Karen O & Danger Mouse, Sharon Van Etten with Norah Jones, Curtis Harding, Mary Timony, Hospitality, Benjamin Booker, Sam Cohen, and Opsvik & Jennings, among others. He is also the creator of the documentary series Liner Note Legends which profiles session musicians and is set to release its second season in 2022.

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