The story behind "Live at Clara's Kitchen In Bob's House" album

The idea has been stewing for years and finally came to fruition this past July...  

The story behind this live release is what makes it extra special... 

4 years ago, Mary and I were visiting my Dad and Sister in Michigan.  The house that my Dad owns now was my Grandparents and Great Grandparents' house.  This house has been filled with so much love and memories in it's 100+ years.  Both my Grandma and Mom lifted up to Heaven in this house. Being born and raised in southern Japan and visiting the States during summer vacations, this house had a larger than life aura to me.  Grandma's cookies and bread, the porch having the same blue, red, yellow wooden blocks to build things, the garden in the back yard, and all the uncles, aunts, and cousins that came to visit.  Most of the visiting time was spent in the kitchen... I could go on and on about these magical memories in this house.  Many of you can empathize having your own special place like this... 

After my Mom passed away in 2008 and my Grandma in 2011 (at the young age of 103!), we were sitting in the kitchen with our acoustic instruments playing and chatting with my Dad... After a couple songs, Mary and I looked at each other with amazement at the great acoustics of this kitchen. I have no memories of live music being played in the kitchen so I had no idea how wonderful it swirled music until that  evening.  We  shared with my Dad that 
one day we would love to come back and record our songs in this kitchen 
and he was very excited about that idea. 

Since then we went on to record our 1st self-titled Released From Quiet studio EP and got our feet wet playing live in as many places as we could find.  Currently we are in the mixing phase of our next EP "Purgatory Street".   We've set up a special site where you can help us in releasing this next album -  RFQ's Purgatory Street EP      to be released this Fall/Winter.  
(We have a short video at this site. We even included a few 'bloopers') 

Before the mixing process started, we took 3 weeks in July to visit my family in Michigan. We took our recording equipment with us and after 4 years, we were able to record our songs in this kitchen that embraces so much family history.... 

We were surrounded and felt the energy and love around us that day when we played.  We want to share that with you :) ... If you listen carefully, you can hear the clock ticking in silence, hear birds chirping outside the window, my Dad coming in the front door, Mary tapping rhythms on the stove, sink and floor  and the creaky chair I'm sitting on rocking back and forth.  There is no added reverb/delay to this recording. This is the true sound of the room with only one microphone in the middle about 7 feet high.   

My Grandma's name was Clara. This was her kitchen.  Now the house is my Dad's.  Anyone who knows my Dad knows he is a baker, just like my Grandma. My Dad's name is Bob. 

The name of our RFQ Live Album is: "Live in Clara's Kitchen at Bob's House" 

You will be able to listen to this album for free online.  

It will also be available to download for a suggested minimum donation from our website RFQMusic.com in a couple days.  

ALL the donations we receive from this will go "streckly" to our GoFundMe campaign to help us release our next studio EP "Purgatory Street".   

To those who have already helped us with your donations and sharing of our GoFundMe site: 
THANK YOU, thank you, THANK YOU! 
For those whose 'perk' level included future online releases - your link to the LIVE album will be coming to you shortly via email. 

Chris & Mary 
 ~ Released From Quiet ~

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RFQ Live Videos

Featured Emerging ^ Artist January 1, 2017 on COAST to COAST AM 
with George Noory

Jane Titland Memorial Songwriting Finalist 2019
"Power of Song"