The Deep Roots Music Project is very close to announcing a release date for the new Deep Roots Anthology CD, which will feature twelve outstanding songs selected from each year of The Deep Roots Music Project’s 10-year existence (1998-2008) at Reynolds and Roosevelt High Schools. A collage of photographs and past cover art, as well as lyrics and a narrative of the program’s history will be included in the cover booklet.

The anthology compiles a selection of past Deep Roots songs, each co-written by teen writers and local Portland musician-volunteers such as Luther Russell, Ezra Holbrook, Madgesdiq, Geoff Byrd, Amelia, Mike Coykendall, Rubberneck, and others.  Songs performed by past Deep Roots student particpants Breanna Paletta and Sideproject (Jesse Bettis, Hans Huffman, etc.) are also included in the mix.

Kevin Nettleingham mastered the new compilation CD in November, and as soon as we finish the cover art, it’s off to the manufacturer. We’re also working with McMenamins to put together a CD release party - hopefully sometime in April.

That event will be followed by the release of three other new Deep Roots CDs in May 2008; one from Portland’s Roosevelt HS, one from Reynolds HS, and another from the new Deep Roots program at Portland’s Girls Inc.  The Girls Inc. project will be the first Deep Roots CD to feature an all-girl group of teen lyricists, along with an also all-female cast of Portland musicians, including Liv Warfield, Tahoe Jackson, Morgan Grace, Stephanie Schneiderman, and Kate Mann.