Renowned actor and musician Jeff Bridges has unveiled an exciting new album titled Slow Magic, 1977-1978, featuring a collection of archival recordings from the late 1970s. This album comprises previously unheard tracks that Bridges created alongside a group of his closest friends. The album will be available digitally and on transparent blue vinyl to mark this year’s Record Store Day, set for Saturday, April 12. The first single, “Obnoxious,” has just been released to the public.
The tracks on Slow Magic, 1977-1978 were extracted from a deteriorating cassette marked “July 1978.” The single “Obnoxious” was born out of jam sessions held after Bridges completed the filming of the 1976 remake of King Kong. During this time, Bridges and a few friends rented a warehouse in Venice, California, where they recorded the album’s title track, “Slow Magic.” The sessions were directed by notable songwriter and orchestrator Ken Lauber.
“It’s pretty wild that this project from around 50 years ago is making a comeback,” Bridges expressed in a statement about the collection. “These days, you never know what’s going to happen.”
Fans of Bridges can look forward to physical editions of Slow Magic, 1977-1978, which will feature liner notes and a new interview with Bridges, along with exclusive archival photos. The album consists of 11 unreleased tracks, which have been newly mastered, and the vinyl edition includes a 20-page booklet.
Throughout the 1970s, Bridges collaborated with a talented group of friends and guest musicians, such as Stan Ayeroff, David Greenwalt, Matthew Bright, and Steve Baim, who have all made their marks in film and television. The group often gathered at Bridges’ Malibu home or Baim’s Culver City art studio for informal jam sessions.
In addition to the album release, filmmakers are set to produce a series of short documentaries centered around Bridges’ project, which will be released this spring.
