Debut album Letters of Transit now available from Adhyâropa Records
Letters of transit, hidden in Sam’s piano, drive the plot of Casablanca. Anyone bearing such a letter could board a plane to Lisbon and evade the Nazis. Eighty years later, Americans were driven to flee political danger by once again escaping to Portugal. In the 1930s and 40s, those who lacked the means to escape fascism pursued an “inner emigration.”
Dean Olsher’s own inner emigration has been to devote himself deeply to what he loves most about America, which is its music. Like himself, the country is hybrid in nature. “That’s what makes us interesting as a nation, and also vulnerable. Letters of Transit is about musical pluralism and how it reflects the America I want to live in.”
Tracks: Letters of Transit; Forget I Was Ever Here; The Perilous Night; Solace (Joplin); Parfois; Manhattan (Rodgers); Hymn; Mentre l'erbetta (Pergolesi); Lullaby. Performers: Dean Olsher, accordion; Meg Okura, violin; Rez Abbasi, guitar; David Bertrand, bass clarinet; George Farmer, bass; Jerome Harris, bass; Satoshi Takeishi, drums/percussion; Willie Martinez, drums/percussion; Rachelle Garniez, vocals; Suzzy Roche, vocals. Words & music: Dean Olsher. Producer: Will Holshouser. Engineer: Scott Lehrer.
About Dean
Dean Olsher is a street musician and composer whose works have been performed by chamber groups, broadcast outlets, and the annual TED Conference. His performance of Erik Satie’s music, on accordion, was featured on This American Life. He makes his living as a music therapist.
