spirit & the trickster
When a singer/songwriter and a classical pianist meet in the field of Jungian psychology, the result is a genre-bending collaboration dedicated to the exploration of archetypal themes, alchemical process, psychological transformation, order and chaos, dreams and consciousness, and the confusing beauty of paradox. John Price and Rodney Waters formed Spirit & the Trickster as part intellectual endeavor and part artistic expression. The Spirit takes us out of the literal and the mundane, encouraging us to imagine, to create, to shake our cynicism and expand our awareness. The Trickster forces us out of our comfort zone, making us improvise and discover new pathways and attitudes.
Vocals and guitar: John Price, PhD, LPC
Keyboards: Rodney Waters, Jungian Analyst
EMPYREUM: the highest heaven in medieval cosmology consisting of fire or light, derived from the ancient Greek word “empyros” meaning in or on the fire. This album traces the path of psychological development from conflict and adaptation, down to the hell of grief and disillusionment, through fiery transformations to a life of new possibilities. Descriptions of each psychological stage can be found here: Song Descriptions
Music and Lyrics by John Price (vocals, guitar) and Rodney Waters (piano, synthesizer)
Bass, guitar and drums by Taylor Tatsch
Background vocals by Leila-Scott Price and Taylor Tatsch
Violin by Zhang Zhang Cello by Martin Osten (Pluto)
Violin by Brad Dalton (Janus)
Produced and engineered by Taylor Tatsch
Mixed and mastered by Count AKA Mikael Eldridge
Illustration from Utriusque Cosmi by Robert Fludd, 1617
“In the centre are the dark waters, far from the light, forming the source of matter; at the upper edge are the upper waters, from Empyreum (the divine fiery heaven) will unfold. The bright cloud in between is a state called variously the Earth-Spirit, the Spirit of Mercury, the Ether and the Quintessence.”