Accomplished singer-songwriter and master guitarist Noah Zacharin has teamed up with us at Canadian Beats Media, to unveil his new single “Red Red Bird” from his ninth solo album Points of Light (to be officially released September 8th). The single will officially be out on July 28th (via Sonic Peach) on all major platforms, but all you lucky folks are getting an exclusive first listen.
Written in the late 2000s, “Red Red Bird” has become one of Noah Zacharin’s best-loved songs. At the time he wrote it, however, the highly prolific Zacharin’s philosophy was “write ‘em, play ‘em, archive ‘em, and move on,” so the song was not often performed. Fortunately, Latin jazz artist and radio personality Laura Fernandez was present at one of those rare occasions…and she took note. When she began work on a new recording in 2010, she asked if she might translate the song into Spanish and record it. Zacharin readily assented, but confessed he had little recollection of how the song went or what the lyrics were. Happily, with a little research, the song was revived.
Zacharin recalls,
“Like the hopeful blooms of springtime, Laura breathed new life into the song. The record, Un Solo Beso, was released in 2011, produced by Canadian legend Billy Bryans — the last record he worked on before his untimely passing. Calling on many of the top Toronto-based, Cuban-born musicians, the version is majestically energetic.”
In 2015 Rehan Dalal released it on This Too Shall Pass, and his version — spare and hymn-like — was selected as ‘Song of the Week’ on CBC’s ‘Here and Now.’
Now, for the first time, on Zacharin’s new album Points of Light, his own version is being released.
“Red Red Bird” finds the singer’s heart soaring above dust and dirt, transcending even the inevitable bonds of human mortality. With a distinctly South-of-the-border vibe, Zacharin’s deft, subtle guitarwork rests on a feather cushion of quiet B3 organ (Denis Keldie), pedal steel (Burke Carroll), smooth upright bass (Russ Boswell), haunting mandocello (Kevin Breit), and gently brushed snare drum (Gary Craig).
The song is a deeply hopeful and tender anthem that will fly into every listener’s heart. (It has been reported that at the moment Laura Fernandez began singing the song to close an outdoor concert several years ago, a cardinal flew boldly past the stage. It is also known that cardinals were a favourite of Zacharin’s late mother).