Dan MacCormack's latest album, October's Symphony of Ghosts, lives in the fertile valley between folk and literature. MacCormack's album was the result of six years of work, picking away his concept of an entire album based on the 15—now 16—novels of David Adams Richards. Dubbed "literary folk," MacCormack's inspiration for the album came from Adams Richards' rich written world and his humble, enthralling characters.
Thursday's event marks the first time the two artists have been billed together, both musician and inspiration, but since his album was released, the two have had a chance to discuss each others' work. MacCormack first met Adams Richards more than a year ago, after MacCormack performed a set at a lecture series featuring the author. "I had no notion of what he was like as a person," says MacCormack. "I didn't think, 'Oh great I'll get a gig with him someday.' I didn't want to be presumptuous about him interacting with my work when really it's the other way around.
"After I finished the project I felt like—I did it, if people notice that's great. Obviously it makes me feel great that David loves it and wants me to be part of his creative past now, in a sense."
MacCormack notes delving so deeply into the literary world is strange for a musician, but used the inspiration and the framework of the concept as a way to expand his songwriting skills. "I knew as an artist this would break me of patterns and push me as a creative person," he says. "One thing I was conscious of was making sure the album could exist in someone's life outside of the connection to the specific concept, I wanted it to be a listenable album. It taught me not to take easy route."
David Adams Richards w/Dan MacCormack
Thursday, November 13, 7-9pm
Alderney Gate Public Library, 60 Alderney Dr.
Free
