Mark Growden. Photo by Rus Anson.

Tradition and change mix constantly in New Orleans. The uneasy relationship between these seemingly contradictory impulses interests the San Francisco-based jazz/folk musician Mark Growden, and he is coming here to explore them. Growden said he chose New Orleans as the location to record this album after having a great experience recording with his mentor Loren Pickford in late December. Growden explained, “In that session that we had with the band we really hit it off.” The band members include Eric Traub, Wendell Brunious, Peter Harris, Larry Sieberth, Myles Boisen, Charlie Kohlmeyer, and LaTosha Brown.

Growden referred to his bandmates saying, “These guys are masters and they have a whole vocabulary beyond—way beyond me.” Even though Growden is a music director, co-producer, arranger, and songwriter, he said he manages to keep great respect for the musical talents of his band-mates, while still maintaining a sense of direction during the songwriting process. He elaborated saying, “I really want to leave a lot of room for them; it’s a balance. For me to show up with 13, 15 songs and be like ‘Okay, we got to come up with all the parts,’ that’s just not respectful. It’s not considerate.”

Growden says he feels that playing with what he calls “old-school New Orleans” musicians will help him record a “very uplifting and soulful” album. The album, with the working title of In Velvet, will pay homage to the deep-rooted history and traditions of New Orleans. “I’m recording these songs that have the spirit of what I’ve experienced in New Orleans with just some of the finest musicians in New Orleans,” Growden explained. Always recording live, Growden described the recording process as, “What you hear is what you get.” He adds, “It’s very real and direct and very old fashioned.”

The album has a lot to do with Growden’s personal life, with the title In Velvet referring to a comfortable time in his life. “I’m in my forties now. I’ve had some crazy ups and downs in my past, and I’m in a place now where I’m good. I’m comfortable in my skin.”

Growden is treating his upcoming shows as a rehearsal before heading to Piety Street Recording Studios. The warm-ups will be three nights of performances, first at Dos Jefes Uptown Cigar Bar, Monday, June 13 at 9 p.m, then at Snug Harbor Tuesday, June 14 at 8 p.m. ($15 cover), and a final performance back at Dos Jefes Wednesday, June 15 at 9:30 p.m. (no cover).