artist : The OaKs
title : Our Fathers And The Things They Left Behind
date : 2007
label : Self Released
genre : Indie
cat# : n/a
release date: 11.09.2007
street date : 07.24.2007
tracks : 10
bitrate : avg. 176kbps
size : 56,1 MB
source : CDDA
type : Album
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In 1999, in a lone apartment complex a few miles from
the University of South Florida in Tampa was where The Oaks
traces it's roots. A chance meeting, Matt brought his djembe
over riffing under RyanÆs acoustic guitar, and soon they
realized that they had a musical connection neither had ever
experienced.
Underpinning their musical philosophy was also a strong
sense of the needs that existed in the world around them. In
2001, as the worldÆs eyes turned towards Central Asia and the
Middle East,
Ryan started to look into humanitarian organizations
that were serving in that part of the world. In 2002 Ryan
was accepted into Global Hope Network, an organization that
focuses on serving in the most remote places around the
world. At the beginning of 2003, Ryan went with GHN to
Afghanistan, and came back with an overwhelming passion to
move there and serve. He then spent 2003 traveling and
speaking to raise awareness of the needs in Afghanistan and
learning about teaching creative agriculture.
At the end of 2003 Ryan moved to Kabul, where he began to
study Farsi and learn the Afghan culture. He began to travel
out into the central mountains, spending time with the
recently-returned refugees there, learning of their needs,
conducting surveys and doing distributions of seeds to help
the farmers get back on their feet. In 2004 he helped to
start the Hope Center for Agriculture and Nutrition
Development where farmer's families could come and learn
creative agricultural techniques and nutrition and hygiene.
In the meantime, Matthew stayed in the States,
completing a Master's degree in environmental ethics,
teaching undergraduate philosophy courses and playing in
various projects throughout the Central Florida area.
Eventually, Matt began to pursue playing full time, earning
enough through playing drums to support his family. Ryan and
Matthew kept up email correspondence, exchanging occasional
song ideas. While in Afghanistan Ryan met an a girl from
Washington state named Denise who was teaching English to
government officials.
In 2005, after two years, Ryan finished his two-year
commitment in Afghanistan and returned to Orlando where Matt
was living. As they started to spend time together again
they found they had even more to express musically and
lyrically from their experiences over the past few years.
They began to work on a new album, recording completely in
Matt and RyanÆs living room.
They began to see a theme come together on the concept
of those who came before, of learning from ôour fathers who
walked the paths and made the difficult choices that we are
making now.
In the summer of 2006 they started to put together a
live band, joined by Naomi Schalm, who sings backup on 4
tracks on the album, Greg Willson on guitars, Jeremy Siegel
on bass and occasional trombone, and Tim Cocking on keys,
accordian trumpet and other random instruments. Their skills
and colors add a whole new dimension to The OaKs.
The OaKs are currently busy promoting "Our Fathers
and the Things They Left Behind," recording new material, and
enjoying each other's company.
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01-prologue meditation 00:58
02-for hugh thompson who stood alone my lai massacre 07:05
vietnam
03-the sins of my fathers 04:48
04-my heart is weighed and found wanting kabul 04:42
05-survey for a distribution of winter clothing 03:59
06-my fathers god 03:43
07-hugh thompson the aftermath 05:18
08-message from the moon 03:24
09-freeing my heart 04:32
10-epilogue celebration 03:45
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42:14 min