Uncommon Ground ^ Jonathan Rundman

Jonathan Rundman
Singer-songwriter Jonathan Rundman first surfaced on the national music scene in the late ‘90s as a Chicago-based touring artist. Traveling in support of his self-released albums Wherever and Recital, Rundman’s melodic and quirky acoustic-rock garnered steadily growing support from audiences, journalists, and radio programmers in the Americana, power-pop, and folk communities. (This period of time would be eventually represented on CD with the live compilation Field Recordings: Lo-Fi and LIVE in the Midwest.)

In 2000 the then-29-year-old Rundman took a major commercial and creative risk with his most ambitious recording, the 52-song double-CD concept album Sound Theology. Reflecting upon his Finnish-Lutheran heritage and upbringing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Sound Theology’s unusual subject matter and eclectic sonic palette gave Rundman’s career even greater momentum. The album featured over two hours of intricate pop compositions, acoustic hymn interpretations, and raw garage rock, with Rundman playing most of the instruments himself. The press received Sound Theology with surprising enthusiasm, and likened Rundman to musical adventurers such as Beck, Bruce Cockburn, Elvis Costello, and Liz Phair.

With the release of Sound Theology Jonathan Rundman began what would be three years of relentless touring. Rundman hit the road alone with an acoustic guitar and played 150 dates a year from Florida to Alaska, New York to L.A., and in Canada, Sweden, and Finland. He found receptive audiences at colleges, rock clubs, coffeehouses, theaters, and church basements, and warmed up the stage for a wide variety of headliners including like-minded roots rockers Vigilantes of Love, pop genius Aimee Mann, and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Now in 2004 Jonathan Rundman has entered a significantly different phase of life and career. After relocating to Minneapolis, Rundman stopped performing and began working on what would become his most concise and accomplished work to date, the forthcoming album Public Library. Enlisting Americana legends The Silos as his backing band, and Silos leader Walter Salas-Humara as his producer, Rundman traveled from the Midwest to New York City and back to assemble 11 new tracks. Using an outside producer for the first time, Rundman turned over the reigns to Salas-Humara who expertly provided the songs with a pristine yet rocking audio framework. Guest musicians on the album are some of the finest of New York’s indie-rock community including vocalist Mary Lee Kortes (Mary Lee’s Corvette, Freedy Johnston), violinist Mary Rowell (Sheryl Crow, Joe Jackson), lead guitarist Jason Victor (Steve Wynn, Mary McBride), bassist Drew Glackin (Crash Test Dummies, Graham Parker), and drummer Konrad Meissner (Mary Lou Lord, Syd Straw). As the Public Library album was being mixed and mastered in New York, Jonathan Rundman was in Minnesota witnessing the birth of his first child, a son. The album is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2004.

Listen to Jonathan Rundman (streaming)

Downloads Available:

Ridgeland Lo-Fi
747s Lo-Fi
Tape Lo-Fi

Ridgeland Hi-Fi
747s Hi-Fi
Tape Hi-Fi

Buy Jonathan Rundman CDs:

Visit the Jonathan Rundman web-site

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Uncommon Ground Past Show Dates

2004-06-29 (1560 days)