Norman Baker & The Babbling Brook

Norman Baker is one of Seattle's busiest and brightest up and coming musicians. He's a long-time collaborator versed in many genres and has been heard and seen on many stages with many bands throughout Washington, the Western United States, and Nigeria. Aside from being a prolific singer-songwriter in the alt-folk/Americana vain, Norman Baker is a creative artist and arranger of an even rarer sort; a genre defying chameleon with an ear for doing what's necessary to make the song. Though he's equally proficient on guitar, Baker is primarily a bassist/session musician/arranger/guitar teacher, and is currently promoting his debut solo album entitled "The Art of Not Knowing". He's been heard playing bass and backing vocals in reggae bands such as Winston Jarrett, Wadi Gad, Dub Lounge International, Wet City Rockers, Dub Championz, and Covenant; where he's comfortable admitting his harmony vocal duties are usually the "high falsetto female parts". On various completely seperate stylistic endeavors, he's a vital member of alternative-pop-rockers Man Rockwell, folk-rock singer/songwriter Ian McFeron Band, and alt-blues singer/songwriter Jonathan Kimball (whom also plays melodica, dobro, and backing vocals in Baker's band). He's toured the Western US with a number of these projects and has played with Ben Smith (of Heart), Matt Jorgensen (Origin Records), Jovino Santos Neto, Robin Eubanks, and jumps seamlessly from funk to folk, Afro-Beat to Americana, Rockstead to Rock'n'Roll when needed.

The Art of Not Knowing features songs Baker composed between 2000-2007. In addition to singing and playing guitar, Baker impresses with his vast musical talents by playing bass, organ, drums, and percussion. Recorded and engineered by Pierre Ferguson (Mountain Con); instrumentation is provided by Milo Petersen (Elvin Jones, Mose Allison, Eartha Kit) on drums, Bill Patton (J. Tillman, Pearly Gate Music, James Whiton & The Downtown Apostles) on pedal steel, Rachel Bowman (Nada Surf, Harvey Danger, Grand Hallway, Some By Sea) on cello, his mother on fiddle, and his father on keys. It also features original field recordings and tasty electronic beats throughout.