Peter Urlich

Peter Urlich is a man that needs no introduction. Earlier this year Liberation Music had the privilege of working with Peter on this very fine collection of songs. "Between You And Me" is now avalable and showcases some of Peter's finest musical moments yet.

Peter created "Between You and Me" as an acknowledgement of his appreciation for swing. This album is a personal gem to enjoy, unwind and entertain to. "It all started back around 86. Mark Phillips and I had recently opened yet another joint but this spot was different. It was a restaurant, it was a bar, it was an art gallery and it was hip. We called it Le Bom. At great expense we bought a big grand piano because it looked so good and of course, after a few drinks I ended up singing a few songs while various pianists accompanied.

The old songs by Frank and Nat seemed to hit the spot with our crowd and before you know it, we got a real band doing a regular gig. After the big crash of 87, we lost everything so I kept the band going and its been going ever since - at spots like Celebre, de Bretts, Spectator, The Globe, Manifesto and Ziggys - places that are gone now but I'll love forever because it was where we found an audience who dug the music that we dug. And it was always a crazy eclectic selection of songs. I loved the standards but threw in everything else from Steely Dan to Stevie, from Chris Montez to Mel Torme.

The songs were chosen because they each had their own style, their own story, their own emotional landscape. And I guess each night I sang them I tried to enter their little worlds. As Bob Dylan once said; "A song is like a dream and you try and make it come true."

But most of all, it was the company of musicians that I needed. I realize now that I'm addicted to those guys. Guys that will lug drum kits and double-basses and keyboards up and down the narrowest staircases for a hundred bucks just so they can get a groove. So when Liberation offered me the chance to hit the studio with my band, I couldn't believe it.
Choosing the songs was the hard part. These tunes have been around a long time and been done by the best but most of them here, we'd been performing for ever and they were like old friends. "Fever" was one of the first songs I can remember as a child, the bassline and Peggy's super sultry vocal oozing out of our family radio. "Fly Me To The Moon" I might have performed every time we played just because there's no song like it.

Bill Withers' bluesy testimonial to loneliness had to be there and "Everybody's Talkin'" reveals my love of country music. "Kooks" has always been a quirky favourite and I include it as a dedication to my two young boys. There's no doubt that I'm a romantic at heart when you hear the lyrics of these tracks. Couple those with unforgettable melodies and give them to a band that feels the mood, that knows how to swing, and you got something good.

I hope you enjoy these songs as much as we enjoyed recording them".

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  Between You and Me