Adam O'Farrill - HUESO (2024)

In preparation for the recording of HUESO, I participated in a Worldwide Opportunites on Organic Farms (WWOOF) residency at Morning Glory Farm in Bethel, ME, along with the members of my band Stranger Days. Morning Glory is a deeply important place to me: I first WWOOF’ed there in August 2017, and was warmly welcomed by the farm’s proprietors, Christine Trefethen and Eric List. At the time, I’d been reading a lot about environmental issues, and, growing up in New York City, I'd felt that I needed to foster a closer connection to and relationship with the ground that we all walk on.

During my time at Morning Glory, I learned how heavy full buckets of water are, I got my hands slobbery wet from luring a cow onto the pasture while holding an apple to its mouth, I helped build hoop houses for growing produce in the colder months, and carried bale after bale of hay down from the attic of the barn in order to keep the animals well-fed. These and many other activities lent credence to the idea that ‘farm strong' wasn't just a turn of phrase, and in the process I noticed this strength spreading into my creative practice, feeling an unprecedented level of focus and rejuvenation. I knew that I wanted my fellow artists to experience this, so I thought, who better to share this with than my band? This album comprises music that we had been playing for quite some time before our residency, but our experience on the farm together undoubtedly carried us into a different zone. I could say more, but I would prefer to let the music speak for itself.

Thank you to Xavier, Walter, and Zack for imbuing this music with everlasting creativity, brotherhood, and unwavering dedication. Thank you to Christine and Eric for welcoming us onto your farm, and cultivating a space where we can work and feel rejuvenated all at once. Thank you to Luke Marantz for documenting this experience with care and authenticity. Thank you to Spencer for helping to shape this music in ways that I wouldn’t have, and for your ability to see the big and small pictures simultaneously. Thank you to Chris and Alex for helping to communicate this sound in ways that are both true to the band’s performance, and reach into the beyond with sonic detail and experimentation. Thank you to South Arts and The Shifting Foundation for your essential financial support in bringing this project to fruition. Thank you to The Gem Theater, Bethel Area Arts and Music, The Loading Dock, University of Vermont, The 126, The 55 Bar, Ars Nova Workshop, and The Falcon for hosting us in the lead up to recording this album. Thank you to Isaiah, Lucien, and Spencer at Food Records for being a welcoming and encouraging new home to this music. Thank you, always, to my parents, Alison Deane and Arturo O’Farrill, for supporting and pushing me to be the best and most honest person I can be.

Adam O'Farrill - Trumpet
Xavier Del Castillo - Tenor Saxophone
Walter Stinson - Double Bass
Zack O'Farrill - Drums & Percussion