Can We Get Together[4][5] is a charity compilation album benefiting those affected by the assassination attempt on congresswoman Gabby Giffords. The project was the creative vision of University of Arizona law student Robert Current to benefit the victims that didn't have insurance, with proceeds to Homicide Survivors of Tucson. The album featured 117 Southern Arizona musicians, plus various local Tucson studios, engineers, and producers, and was released through the iTunes Store, Amazon.com and in a double CD with national distribution on March 14, 2011 through unknown indie label CoSeismic Records.[6] Later that year the concept was taken by Luz de Vida, another album featuring some of the same artists as Can We Get Together.

Can We Get Together
Compilation album by
various artists
ReleasedMarch 14, 2011 (2011-03-14)
GenreVarious
Length2:15:04
LanguageEnglish/Spanish
LabelCoSeismic Records
ProducerRobert W. Current, Ph.D.
Singles from Can We Get Together
  1. "Ken I Go Fishin'"
    Released: March 1, 2011
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
iTunes Store[1]
Cross Rhythms[2]
Amazon.com[3]

The album features a wide range of music from University of Arizona music professors performing classical works, to local Tucson musicians performing styles including rap, hip-hop, punk rock, Christian, blues, big band swing, reggae, folk, adult contemporary, and mariachi music. Many of the artists had a close personal connection to the 2011 Tucson shooting, and several songs were written specifically about the shooting.[5]

Studios in Southern Arizona that contributed time listed in the liner notes include Audioconfusion Studios, Billy Joseph Productions, Black Scorpion and Far Out Musicians, Chukshon Recording Studio, Daveguitar Sound, Delicious Delicious, Draco Studios, Gary Ray Recordings, Jack Miller Productions, JTG Studio, Live Sound at Crowder Hall at University of Arizona, Live Sound at Pima Community College Recital Hall, Luna Studios, Next Door Studios, OG7 Studios, The Den Studios, The University of Arizona School of Music, Wavelab, and Wet Kitchen Studios.

Reception

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The country music single “Ken I Go Fishin'” by the Chip Ritter Band was released two weeks before the album on March 1, 2011 to promote it. The radio version is shorter than the album version.

Local media attention for Can We Get Together was very high in Tucson, receiving praise for its charitable purpose and large scale accomplishment based entirely locally without outside funding.[7][8][9][10] One source stated, "Punk rock bands and sentimental tribute albums don't normally go hand in hand, but Wax 78 is no typical punk band", and went on to state that their participation "belies the punk genre's reputation for hard-edged nihilism".[7]

However, the album did not receive wide acknowledgment outside of Tucson, and what few international reviews can be found state it was a slightly above average commercial release. Cross Rhythms gave it only 7 of 10 stars saying the title track was “rather dull and repetitive effort” and after praising several songs, they noted “some of the tracks are of little more than demo quality but with handsomely designed packaging and such a worthy cause it is easy to overlook a few damp squibs.”[2]

With local attention building, the small indie album was quickly and completely eclipsed by Songs for Japan, a charity album released 11 days later on March 25. The latter album highlighted a larger tragedy affecting more people, featured internationally known artists, was promoted by the music industry's "big four" record labels (EMI, Sony, Universal, and Warner), featured 8 more songs (38 vs. 30) and sold for less than half the price. Ironically, the Can We Get Together album's first track on disk two was titled “Tsunami” (which SeaShell Radio had previously performed at a vigil for Giffords and the other shooting victims)[11] and was written long before the Japanese tsunami.

Track listing

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The album features 30 tracks.[1][3]

Disc one
No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."Can We Get Together"Kelly Pardi featuring Lori Richardson & The Tucson Girls Chorus6:18
2."Fallen For You"Compose the Octave3:08
3."Palo Verde"David Rose2:33
4."Ave Maria"Rodriguez & Keep Duo2:58
5."Arpeggione Sonata" (written by Franz Schubert)Votapek & Milbauer11:50
6."Sonata, BWV 1033: Andante-Presto" (written by Bach)Luce & McLaughlin1:39
7."Sonata, BWV 1033: Allegro" (written by Bach)Luce & McLaughlin2:15
8."Sonata, BWV 1033: Adagio" (written by Bach)Luce & McLaughlin1:36
9."Sonata, BWV 1033: Menuett 1 & 2" (written by Bach)Luce & McLaughlin2:20
10."Sonata in D Major, Op. 102, No 2" (written by Ludwig van Beethoven)Votapek & Milbauer16:55
11."When the Sun Shines Through"John Monfore3:22
12."Hand in Hand"Big band Express5:01
13."My Every Fear" (written by Willy Arvizu)Adalberto3:56
14."Puddles" (written by Kelly Pardi)The Tucson Girls Chorus2:10
Disc two
No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."Tsunami" (Remix)Seashell Radio4:16
2."You and Me"Ten Times Gravity5:01
3."Ken I Go Fishin'" (Extended Version)Chip Ritter featuring Vince Moreno5:13
4."I'll Come to You"Lori Richardson featuring Jim Glinski4:36
5."Your Heart Lives in Mine"Cynthia Correa4:41
6."I Seen Love"Ruben Ruiz & Jim Glinski3:23
7."So Fly" (radio edit)The Terrifix4:50
8."Carry On Together"Beyond the Firewall3:37
9."Monet"Wax 782:52
10."Seems Like Yesterday"Chorizmex2:59
11."Dream" (written by David "Arutti" Arutyunov)Volodia4:41
12."21st Century"Neon Prophet4:18
13."Nostalgia" (re-released with lyrics)El Cielo Azul3:38
14."Another Tucson Sunset"Whyte Panther2:49
15."Saturday Morning"Ron Walker4:31
16."Arriba El Mariachi"Mariachi Cielo de Mexico2:54
Single
No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."Ken I Go Fishin'" (Radio Version)Chip Ritter featuring Vince Moreno3:30

References

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  1. ^ a b "Can We Get Together". iTunes Store. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Cross Rhythms Review of Can We Get Together". UK. March 19, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Can We Get Together". Amazon.com. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  4. ^ "AllMusic Listing of Can We Get Together". Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Can We Get Together Official Site". Archived from the original on 2012-03-26. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  6. ^ "Release of Album Benefiting Tucson Tragedy Victim" (PDF) (Press release). Tucson. March 14, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-26. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  7. ^ a b AZStar (March 14, 2011). "Music CD raises money for Jan. 8 victims' fund". Tucson. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  8. ^ "Album release benefits Tucson tragedy victims". Tucson. March 14, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  9. ^ "New album honors, supports victims of Jan. 8 tragedy". Tucson. March 14, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  10. ^ "Tucson musicians release album for January shooting victims". Tucson. March 14, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-09-28. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  11. ^ "Vigil for Gabrielle Giffords at the Rialto "Tsunami" by Courtney Robbins with Fen Ikner". UK. January 8, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.