21st September 2021: “An intricate Bach-infused chorale” – WBGO: ‘Can Am’ from Matthew Stevens streaming now

Can Am is the latest single from Matthew Stevens‘s upcoming album Pittsburgh (out October 1st). Stream the new track: here.

Some thoughts on the new single from Matthew:

“Can Am is included on Songwrights Apothecary Lab (@EsperanzaSpalding) under the title Forwela 11 in order to accommodate the naming scheme specific to the project. In that context it became a piece that highlighted the exuberance and excitement of youth.

The first things I practiced weeks after breaking my arm were the Bach partitas and sonatas for violin. Between that and a growing love of Brazilian Choros, I was inspired to write a song that told a story with a single note line that morphs, changes directions and evolves throughout the piece without letting up. The title, Can Am, is a nod to my newly acquired US citizenship, (I am Canadian Born) and to the term Pan Am, with Brazilian music being a strong influence on the piece.”

Described as sounding like “an intricate Bach-infused chorale”, Can Am and the Pittsburgh project both featured in WBGO’s Fall Round-Up last week – read the piece: here.