Former Phish bassist Mike Gordon [ tickets ] will mount a solo tour this summer in support of his new studio album, "The Green Sparrow," which is due in stores in August.Gordon and his touring band--which features guitarist Scott Murawski, percussionist Craig Myers, keyboardist Tom Cleary and drummer Todd Isler--will kick off the run Aug. 3 in Philadelphia. Gordon, who also has a headlining date lined up for June 30 in Northampton, MA, will play a number of jam-band-oriented festivals in July and early August, including Aug. 2's Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, CT.The performer will hit more than 25 cities during the outing, which stretches into early September. Details are included below.For the "The Green Sparrow," Gordon's second official solo album (he's also collaborated on a pair of CDs with guitarist Leo Kottke), the bassist worked with a variety of special guests including former Phish-mates Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell, The Grateful Dead's Bill Kreutzmann, Chuck Leavell and Ivan Neville. The set was recorded in Gordon's home studio and mixed at The Barn, his former band's studio and art space.The new album represents a period of letting go of the past, according to Gordon's online bio. "First I had to let go of Phish," he said. "Then I let go of the idea of playing with other people, because I wanted to work alone for a year. Then I came up with all these great songs but let go of some of them for the sake of the album."Gordon took 2007 off from touring and other commitments and dedicated himself to writing the songs on "The Green Sparrow," according to a press release."Some people might see me as introspective, but this time I wanted to put out something fun," he said. "'The Green Sparrow' has cheerfulness and a certain amount of smile to it. If that�s what people get from the album, then I'll be happy."
