Tour nixed by coronavirus, Boise singer releases ‘Shut-Ins’ song. NPR just played it.
Like much of Boise, Curtis Stigers finds himself cooped up at home.
The nationally known singer, songwriter and saxophonist will release his 12th studio album, “Gentleman,” on April 10. But all touring for the next few months to support the record has been canceled or postponed, Stigers says —“particularly disappointing because I had a very full and exciting schedule booked to support my new album.” That included weeks in New York City and London, festivals in Germany, and even an arena trek through the United Kingdom as the opening act for Barry Manilow.
Still, Stigers is writing, recording and making the best of it. With the help of two musician friends in other states, he just released a timely bonus track, “Shut-Ins,” that is quickly earning national attention.
NPR aired “Shut-Ins” last week on an episode of “Here and Now.” And former New York Times jazz critic Nate Chinen featured it on WBGO, the New York metro area’s jazz station. “Probably the most listened-to jazz station in the country,” Stigers says.
Strangely enough, “Shut-Ins” was written before the coronavirus pandemic. Pianist Larry Goldings, who lives in Los Angeles, and lyricist Bill DeMain, who lives in Nashville, first shared their collaboration with Stigers over the internet in mid-February.
“I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it,” Stigers says. “... Then, a month later, as social distancing and self-quarantining became a reality, I realized it wasn’t just a love song. It’s also a public service announcement, a lovers’ guide to staying healthy and smart in a pandemic. I just had to record it.”
It quickly struck a note with jazz tastemakers navigating the COVID-19 world — even if, DeMain admits, social distancing was the last thing on his mind when he came up with the words.
“It was really just a love song to my girlfriend,” DeMain explains. “But now it feels like it was some kind of postcard from the future.”
Online: curtisstigers.com.
This story was originally published April 6, 2020 at 1:16 PM.