What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Two Men With The Blues -- CD

Willie Nelson / Wynton Marsalis

2008 Blue Note Records

Historic: American Masters at Play July 9, 2008
By Dr. Debra Jan Bibel TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Everyone knew that this summit of master musicians would be special. The session was recently broadcast on National Public Radio's Jazz at Lincoln Center, and as we already have an Amazon video excerpt of the event, we can expect to see the entire meeting on PBS, with DVD as pledge gift. The CD, however, has had the opportunity for further electronic mixing and improvements by Delfeayo Marsalis and Jeff Jones. So what can we say about the quality of the music and the personalities? How many superlatives are there? But you first must be a Willie Nelson fan and you must be a jazz enthusiast who honors Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Jazz folk for their precision and urban sophisticated development of New Orleans roots. Thus if you are among that very large number of music lovers, you must own this recording. Even the insert notes and photos are nicely done. As for the selections, we have Nelson's own oft recorded theme song, Georgia on My Mind, and we also have Stardust, which was included in the album of the same title that demonstrated that Nelson was more than a country singer; indeed that album is his all-time best seller. I, however, enjoyed Rainy Day Blues and the other tunes that follow, which are what the album is supposed to be about: the blues. This album is simply fun. You will love it.


"Bright Lights Big City" – 5:20
"Night Life" – 5:44
"Caldonia" – 3:25
"Stardust" – 5:08
"Basin Street Blues" – 4:56
"Georgia On My Mind" – 4:40
"Rainy Day Blues" – 5:43
"My Bucket's Got a Hole In It" (Williams) – 4:56
"Ain't Nobody's Business" – 7:27
"That's All" (Merle Travis) – 6:08

 

[Dennie]

The Madness of Our Love -- CD

Denise Jannah

1999 Blue Note/EMI Holland

The Madness of Our Love is her maiden album for Blue Note, Denise Jannah is not new to the jazz singing world. Shortly after graduating from the prestigious Hilverstrom Conservatory in Europe, she cut her first album for the Dutch Timeless label. For her Blue Note debut, she has selected a play list of nine standards and three of her own compositions. The latter add considerably to the album and show significant compositional skills. Her lyrics to "Wide Awake" tell a story listeners can relate to. The arrangement, featuring Ira Coleman's bass, goes a long way to making this track meaningful. Her other two originals "The Madness of Our Love" and "If Only" are similarly formidable works.It is her way with the standards that provides the real test for Jannah's command of the jazz vocal art. It is these tunes that best allow her to show her versatility and creativity. "My Favorite Things" allows Jannah to indulge in some very tasteful scatting as she shifts from vocalizing to trading craggy, accented beats with Carl Allen's drums. "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise" is the most prominent vehicle for her wordless vocalizing as she uses her voice as a horn, working in, through, and around Ira Coleman's basslines giving considerable freshness to this Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein operetta warhorse. "Dearly Beloved" and "Just You, Just Me" reveal another facet of Jannah's mastery: the ability to handle up-tempo material without becoming frenetic. These tunes retain their bounce while at the same time the beat remains under control. There's some fine piano soloing on these tunes by Bert van den Brink, an accomplished jazz pianist from Holland. Bert van den Brink not only accompanies and is the musical director for Jannah, but he works steadily with another vocalist of note, Dee Dee Bridgewater. Johnny Mandel's "The Shadow of Your Smile" is given French lyrics and is titled "Le Sourire de Mon Amour," coming across low and sultry showing that Jannah can be sensuous when the occasion calls for it. Possessing a highly developed middle register, some of the most impeccable phrasing and diction of any singer around, and the ability to use her musical backup to emphasize the finer points of her voice make Denise Jannah one of the most promising vocalists on today's scene. The Madness of Our Love is recommended. ~ Dave Nathan

Track Listing
1. Dearly Beloved
2. Wide Awake
3. 'Round Midnight
4. My Favorite Things
5. Madness of Our Love, The
6. Just You, Just Me
7. Sourire de Mon Amour, Le (A.K.A. The Shadow of Your Smile) - (French)
8. My Foolish Heart/I Fall in Love Too Easily: My Foolish Heart / I Fall In Love Too Easily
9. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
10. If Only
11. Harlem Nocturne
12. Teach Me Tonight

Pesonnel: Denise Jannah (vocals); Bert Van Den Brink (piano); Ira Coleman (bass); Carl Allen (drums); Khalil Bell (shaker).Recorded at Avatar Studios, New York, New York on June 1 & 2, 1999.

 

[Dennie]

Screamin' -- Remastered CD

Brother Jack McDuff

1962/1996 Prestige/OJC Records

Essential Jazz Organ Sounds July 31, 2002
By William Saffell
Format:Audio CD

This is Brother Jack Mcduff's first recording as a leader, after some stellar work as a sideman for artists like Willis Jackson. Mcduff is joined by alto saxophonist Leo Wright, guitarist Kenny Burrell, who contributed great work to a number of classic Jimmy Smith sides, and the great Joe Dukes, who would later join George Benson and tenor sax stalwart Red Holloway to form Mcduff's great touring band, on drums. The set kicks off with Nellie Lutcher's "He's a Real Gone Guy", and it's like Brother Jack just can't wait to get started, noodling some on the keys and then breaking out into a hard swinging uptempo groove. "Soulful Drums" features great slow and funky Joe Dukes drum work over a terrific down&dirty bass line on the organ. This is one example of a tune living up to its name! The material is a good blend of blues, bop and swing, capping it all with a knockout version of Count Basie's "One O'Clock Jump". Note Kenny Burrell's playing toward the end of this tune, in which he emulates the horn section riffs on the original recording and helps the solid little combo sound almost like a Basie-style big band. Mcduff and his sidemen excel throughout, either soloing or in support. This is exemplary ensemble playing. Sadly, Brother Jack Mcduff passed away last year, but he left behind a wonderful legacy of some of the greatest jazz organ music ever recorded. This is an excellent place to start getting acquainted with it.

Track Listing
1. He's a Real Gone Guy
2. Soulful Drums
3. After Hours
4. Screamin'
5. I Cover the Waterfront
6. One O'Clock Jump

.Personnel: Jack McDuff (organ); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Leo Wright (alto saxophone); Joe Dukes (drums).Audio Remasterer: Joe Tarantino.Liner Note Author: Ozzie Cadena.Recording information: Englewood Cliffs, NJ (10/23/1962).Photographer: Don Schlitten.

 

[Dennie]

...at Shelly's Manne-Hole, Hollywood, California -- Remastered CD

Bill Evans Trio

1963/1991 Riverside/Fantasy Records

Lesser known treasure..., April 1, 2005
By Larkenfield

I've heard a number of great Bill Evans albums over the years (great being his overall norm) and I was immediately attracted to this recording because Evans sounds so completely relaxed, laid-back and at ease at the piano, yet rises to the occasion with his sparkling, cascading technique when needed... In short, he seems to be having a good time and that usually means a good time for the listener... In addition, this is a beautifully balanced set with a satisfying blend of classics, ballads, and blues... all played in front of a modest but appreciative audience. I believe some of the magic is because of the warm acoustics at Shelly's Manne-Hole and a piano that seems to be capable of luscious sonorities and responds so well to Evan's superb touch. It seems like he really enjoyed playing it, and the feeling comes through his performance as he sounds so completely at home. This album plays well for active listening... or to set a sophisticated mood for an evening with someone special. I've enjoyed it countless times.

"Isn't It Romantic?" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 4:37
"The Boy Next Door" (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 5:22
"Wonder Why" (Nicholas Brodszky, Sammy Cahn) – 5:15
"Swedish Pastry" (Barney Kessel) – 5:45
"Our Love Is Here to Stay" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 4:46
"'Round Midnight" (Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams) – 8:54
"Stella by Starlight" (Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 4:57
"All the Things You Are" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern) – 5:44
"Blues in F" – 8:44

Bill Evans Trio: Bill Evans (piano); Chuck Isreals (bass); Larry Bunker (drums).Recorded live at Shelly's Manne-Hole, Los Angeles, California on May 14 & 19, 1963. Originally released on Riverside (9487). Includes liner notes by Chuck Israels and Orrin Keepnews.Digitally remastered by Phil De Lancie (1989, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California).

 

[heeman]

:text-bravo:

1. Sea Refuses No River
2. Communication
3. Exquisitely Bored
4. North Country Girl
5. Slit Skirts
6. Uniforms
7. Prelude
8. Somebody Saved Me
9. Face Dances (Pt. 2)
10. Stardom In Action
11. Stop Hurting People

 

[No-L]

 

[No-L]

 

[No-L]

 

[Kazaam]

What the heck is up with Mary J in that album cover?

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the gratuitous booty ass in that pose. But with all that weird body contorting she's doing, it doesn't look very comfortable. I'm sure she'd still look good even if she were to stand normally.

 

[Dennie]

I'm listening to disc 2 of this great set... :bow-blue:

Beyond Category -- 2 Remastered CD Set

The Musical Genius of Duke Ellington

1999 Buddha Records

This 1999 two-CD set should not be confused with an identically titled double-disc set from RCA/BMG that dates from a decade earlier. That set, which came in a somewhat awkward longbox and was mastered in the '80s, was merely adequate for its time, but this Buddha-imprinted version has been remastered, upgraded, and reconfigured into a more convenient shape and size -- and is even cheaper than the old collection. That's the upside of the Buddha version; the obvious downside is that representing Ellington's career within the scope of 37 tracks is a near-impossible task. But Beyond Category is a handy introduction nonetheless. Beginning with "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo," recorded in November of 1926, the set takes us up through "Lotus Blossom" (from 1967's And His Mother Called Him Bill). Along the way, it touches the expected standards ("Mood Indigo," "Take the 'A' Train"); many of the musically important pieces, including the second version of "Creole Rhapsody"; and such recording touchstones as "Concerto for Cootie," "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" (featuring Ivey Anderson), "Carnegie Blues," "Transbluency," "Harlem Suite," and "Come Sunday" (from the December 1965 Concert of Sacred Music recording). It's not ideal -- a three-disc set would've worked better -- but it does make the point of its title, illustrating the sheer scope of Ellington's music, even if it doesn't truly embrace its full range or depth. The 1999 Buddha version of Beyond Category is only the second compilation to make use of the remastered Ellington sides from RCA's Centennial set, and is preferable to the earlier, longbox version for sound as well as price. by Bruce Eder

Track Listing
DISC 1:
1. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
2. Black and Tan Fantasy
3. Creole Love Call
4. Black Beauty
5. Old Man Blues
6. Mood Indigo
7. Rockin' in Rhythm
8. Creole Rhapsody, Pts. 1 & 2
9. Daybreak Express
10. Delta Serenade
11. Jack the Bear
12. Ko Ko
13. Concerto for Cootie
14. Cotton Tail
15. Dusk
16. Pitter Panther Patter
17. Across the Track Blues
18. Mobile Bay
19. Take the "A" Train
20. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) - (featuring Ivie Anderson)
21. Subtle Slough
22. Passion Flower

DISC 2:
1. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
2. Chelsea Bridge
3. Moon Mist
4. Main Stem
5. I'm Beginning to See the Light - (featuring Joya Sherrill)
6. Carnegie Blues
7. Transblucency (A Blue Fog That You Can Almost See Through)
8. Harlem Suite
9. Caravan
10. Come Sunday - (featuring Queen Esther Marrow)
11. Isfahan
12. Ad Lib on Nippon
13. Blood Count
14. Intimacy of the Blues, The
15. Lotus Blossom

Personnel: Duke Ellington (piano); Ivie Anderson, Adelaide Hall, Joya Sherrill, Kay Davis, Queen Esther Marrow (vocals); Fred Guy (guitar, banjo); Ray Nance (violin, trumpet); Otto Hardwick (clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Harry Carney (clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Jimmy Hamilton, Rudy Jackson, Barney Bigard (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Rex Stewart (clarinet); Johnny Hodges (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Russell Procope, Willie Smith (alto saxophone); Al Sears, Paul Gonsalves, Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn); Cootie Williams, Freddie Jenkins, Harold Baker, Herbie Jones, Louis Bacon, Mercer Ellington, Arthur Whetsol, Taft Jordan, Shelton Hemphill, Willie Cook, Francis Williams , Louis Metcalf, Dick Vance, Wallace Jones, Bubber Miley, Cat Anderson (trumpet); Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Lawrence Brown , Quentin Jackson, Wilbur De Paris, Chuck Connors, Claude Jones, Britt Woodman, Buster Cooper (trombone); Juan Tizol (valve trombone); Billy Strayhorn (piano); Hillard Brown, Louie Bellson, Rufus "Speedy" Jones, Sam Woodyard, Sonny Greer, Steve Little (drums).Recording information: Camden, NJ (10/26/1927-11/15/1967); Chicago, IL (10/26/1927-11/15/1967); Hollywood, CA (10/26/1927-11/15/1967); Los Angeles, CA (10/26/1927-11/15/1967); New York, NY (10/26/1927-11/15/1967); San Francisco, CA (10/26/1927-11/15/1967).Director: Duke Ellington.Arrangers: Duke Ellington; Billy Strayhorn.

 

[No-L]

What the heck is up with Mary J in that album cover?

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the gratuitous booty ass in that pose. But with all that weird body contorting she's doing, it doesn't look very comfortable. I'm sure she'd still look good even if she were to stand normally.

I have no idea what you're talking about. Looks completely normal and comfortable to me.......(if I had scoliosis).

 

[Dennie]

Bossa Antigua -- Remastered CD

Paul Desmond featuring Jim Hall

1965/1999 RCA Victor Records

Bossa Antigua picks up the samba-based rim shots of drummer Connie Kay on Take Ten and tries to make a whole new record out of them. While the title track duplicates the original percolating groove of "El Prince," other tracks like "Samba Cantina" revert to a typical bossa nova rhythm of the period, which leads one to conclude that "bossa antigua" is merely whatever Desmond says it is. Of the album's two non-originals, "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes," of course, is made-to-order for Desmond's wistful, sophisticated temperament, and he delivers exactly what a Desmond devotee would expect and love; and "A Ship Without a Sail" has some memorable off-the-cuff solo ideas. Jim Hall is around again to lend subtle rhythm support and low-key savvy in his solos, and like many Desmond companions of this period, he makes a fine sparring partner in the contrapuntal exchanges. The Brubeck Quartet's Gene Wright again lends a sturdy hand on bass. The playing is wonderful throughout, though just missing the full-throttle inspiration of Take Ten. ~ Richard S. Ginell

Track Listing
1. Bossa Antigua
2. Night Has a Thousand Eyes, The
3. O Gato
4. Samba Cantina
5. Curaçao Doloroso
6. Ship Without a Sail
7. Alianca - (alternate take)
8. Girl From East 9th Street, The
9. Night Has a Thousand Eyes, The - (alternate take)
10. Samba Cepeda
11. O Gato - (alternate take)

This 1999 reissue contains three bonus tracks not on the original release.Personnel: Paul Desmond (alto saxophone); Jim Hall (guitar); Eugene Wright, Gene Cherico (bass); Connie Kay (drums).Audio Remasterer: Joe Lopes.

 

[Bob R]

i'm trying to decide if this is as good as their "Neck of the Woods", which I love.

But, with a song title like:

"Well Thought Out Twinkles"

how can you go wrong? :happy-smileygiantred:

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music...

The Best of... -- CD

The Spencer Davis Group

1987 EMI/America Records

Classic sixties R+B January 10, 2006
By Peter Durward Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD

The Spencer Davis Group were one of several excellent British R+B bands of the sixties. Best remembered in Britain for Keep on running (one of the best songs of the sixties, regardless of genre), by the time they started to make an impression in America, they were on the verge of losing their key man, Steve Winwood.

They actually had two number one hits in Britain (Keep on running and Somebody help me) and several other big hits, including Strong love (not included here), Every little bit hurts (a cover of the Brenda Holloway song), Gimmie some lovin' (a remixed version of which was a hit in America) and I'm a man (also a hit in America).

In 1967, Steve Winwood quit to form a new band, Traffic. The other band members struggled on for a while, but those recordings are not included here (and are not as good).

This is a nice introduction to the Spencer Davis Group. If you enjoy it a lot, there is a double CD, 8 gigs a week, which contains all the music they recorded while Steve Winwood was a member of the group.

Track Listing
1. Gimme Some Lovin'
2. Searchin'
3. Keep on Running
4. I Can't Stand It
5. Strong Love
6. Every Little Bit Hurts
7. I'm a Man
8. Back into My Life Again
9. Trampoline
10. Somebody Help Me
11. When I Come Home
12. Stevie's Blues
13. This Hammer (The Hammer Song)
14. Waltz for Lumumba
15. Goodbye Stevie

Personnel: Steve Winwood (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Muff Winwood, Spencer Davis (vocals, guitar); Pete York (drums).Liner Note Author: Alan Warner.

 

[Dennie]

Good Dog Happy Man -- CD

Bill Frisell

1999 Nonesuch Records

Bill Frisell is like a chef or an alchemist. He brings together the characteristics and properties of diverse players to make one unique amalgam. With GOOD DOG HAPPY MAN, Frisell seeks the common ground between such musicians as bluegrass bassist Viktor Krauss, erstwhile New York downtown jazzbo keyboardist Wayne Horvitz, blue country steel guitarist Greg Liesz, and journeyman rock drummer Jim Keltner. What these very different players have in common is the inability to fit into easily defined categories or molds. Similarly, Frisell's own musical voice draws from all corners of American tradition.GOOD DOG is an album steeped in locale. It exudes a sense of place. Frisell's compositions range from subtle groove frameworks ("Big Shoe") to fragile ballads ("Rain, Rain"). The lone cover, a traditional "Shenandoah," features guest guitarist Ry Cooder. This album falls beautifully between the earthiness of Frisell's NASHVILLE album and the spontaneous combustion of GONE, JUST LIKE A TRAIN.

Track Listing
1. Rain, Rain
2. Roscoe
3. Big Shoe
4. My Buffalo Girl
5. Shenandoah (for Johnny Smith)
6. Cadillac 1959
7. Pioneers, The
8. Cold Cold Ground
9. That Was Then
10. Monroe
11. Good Dog, Happy Man
12. Poem for Eva

Personnel: Bill Frisell (acoustic & electric guitars, loops, music box); Ry Cooder (electric & Ripley guitars); Greg Leisz (pedal steel, lap steel, National steel & Weissenborn guitars, mandolin, dobro); Wayne Horvitz (piano, organ, samples); Viktor Krauss (bass); Jim Keltner (drums, percussion).Recorded at O'Henry Sound Studios, Burbank, California

 

[Dennie]

Stars In My Crown -- CD

Jorma Kaukonen

2007 Red House Records

It's interesting the way things go in circles. In the early '60s, Jorma Kaukonen (or Jerry, as he was then) played blues guitar in the coffeehouses of the South Bay Area, sometimes with Janis Joplin. Now, after stints with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, he's back to his first love, mixing blues, gospel, and country, backed by some excellent musicians. It's a blissful self-indulgence, laid-back but still quite heartfelt, although it has to be said that not all his material meets the standards ("Heart Temporary" is a decent opener, but not in the same class as "No Demon" or Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around"), although "A Life Well Lived" is a lovely piece of work. There are some excellent covers, a couple from the Rev. Gary Davis, and a delicious version of "By the Rivers of Babylon." As you'd expect, after four and a half decades, Kaukonen can pick a mean guitar, but he's content to let others take the lead role, especially Barry Mitterhoff's mandolin work. All in all, it makes for a great package, one to be savored over and over for its gentle, soulful heart. ~ Chris Nickson

Track Listing
1. Overture: Heart Temporary
2. Fur Peace Rag
3. By the Rivers of Babylon
4. Living in the Moment
5. Late Breaking News
6. Come Back, Baby
7. Mighty Hard Pleasure
8. No Demon
9. There's a Table Sitting in Heaven
10. When the Man Comes Around
11. Life Well Lived, A
12. Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown?
13. Preachers Picked the Guitar
14. Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown? - (Reprise instrumental)

Personnel: Jorma Kaukonen (acoustic guitar); Todd Suttles, Byron House (bass voice); Ed Gerhard, Tim Stafford (acoustic guitar); Greg Leisz (electric guitar); Fats Kaplin (pedal steel guitar); Rob Ickes (resonator guitar); Barry Mitterhoff, Jason Burleson (banjo); Shawn Lane (mandolin); Connie Ellisor, Andrea Zonn, Mary Kathryn Van Osdale, Pamela Sixfin, David Angell (violin); James Grosjean, Chris Farrell, Kristin Wilkinson, Monisa Angell (viola); Kirsten Cassel, Kristin Cassel, John Catchings (cello); Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson (harmonica); Jim Hoke (soprano saxophone); Reese Wynans (piano); Phil Madeira (Hammond b-3 organ); Chris Brown (drums); Fred Eltringham (cowbells); Henry House, Lily Mitterhoff, Maya Mitterhoff, Tessa Mitterhoff, Truman House, Shirley Settles, Ann McCrary, Sally Van Meter, Gale West, Calvin Settles, Odessa Settles (background vocals).

 

[Dennie]

String Wizards -- CD

John McEuen

1991 Vanguard Records

Best known for his long tenure as a key member of the venerable Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John "The String Wizard" McEuen was one of the most influential figures in contemporary American country, bluegrass, and even pop music. Credited with introducing both the banjo and the mandolin to pop, he was a master string player who developed a devoted fan base on the festival circuit.

Born and raised in Garden Grove, CA, McEuen began learning to play the banjo when he was 18. At that time he was attending college and earning extra money by working at nearby Disneyland; comedian Steve Martin was a co-worker, and McEuen taught him how to play banjo. (Much later, Martin and the NGDB would frequently appear together in concert.) McEuen decided to become a professional musician in 1964 after seeing the Dillards perform live; inspired by their energy and musicianship, he began to study the banjo in earnest. In 1965, he hooked up with Michael Martin Murphey for a year and subsequently performed on all five of Murphey's albums.

In 1966, he was visiting a guitar shop in Long Beach when he met the Illegitimate Jug Band, who had just lost member Jackson Browne and were deciding to regroup. McEuen joined and the group became the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He remained with them for over two decades, singing and playing banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and other stringed instruments through the watershed period that produced such classic albums as Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy (1970) and the landmark compilation Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1972). McEuen was also there during the band's subsequent dry spells, as they struggled to reshape their style before again finding success in the mid-'80s. For reasons that remain unclear, McEuen abruptly left the Dirt Band in 1987.

During his years with the group, McEuen had played solos at every show and occasionally appeared as a solo act. He also made guest appearances on other albums and did session work for such artists as Bill Wyman, Marshall Tucker, and Hoyt Axton. McEuen also composed music for film and television soundtracks, including the scores for Paint Your Wagon (1969) and Samuel Beckett Is Coming Soon (1993). In 1989, he briefly rejoined the Dirt Band to perform on their Will the Circle Be Unbroken II album. The following year, he directed a concert video and produced an album for the Dillards. In 1992, he released the album String Wizards, an all-star venture featuring such illustrious artists as Earl Scruggs, Vassar Clements, and Byron Berline. A follow-up, String Wizards II, appeared in 1994, at about the same time McEuen founded his own label -- named, appropriately enough, String Wizard. Acoustic Traveller was released in 1996, followed three years later by Round Trip: Live in L.A.. He and former Nitty Gritty Dirt Band member Jimmy Ibbotson came together in March 1999 to record Stories and Songs. The traditional rock-bluegrass sound is combined with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and commentary. Stories and Songs was released in May 1999. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

01. Return to Dismal Swamp
02. Tall Timber
03. Blackberry Jam
04. Carolina Traveler
05. Fireball Mail
06. Friday Night at Maybelle's
07. Miner's Night Out
08. Spinning Wheel
09. Dixie Hoedown
10. Crippple Creek
11. Shuckin' the Corn
12. John's WSM Radio Blues
13. Stars and Stripes Forever

 

[Dennie]

Traveler -- CD

Jerry Douglas (and friends)

2012 eOne Music

Jerry Douglas is the undisputed King of the Dobro, a musician with monster chops. He cut his teeth playing bluegrass with the Country Gentlemen, but he's equally adept at almost any kind of music and has played with the top jazz, pop, and country artists for almost 40 years. Traveler is another eclectic outing from an artist who refuses to be pigeonholed, and features Douglas kicking up his heels with a bunch of A-list friends including Eric Clapton, Alison Krauss, Dr. John, and Paul Simon. Douglas tries his hand at funky New Orleans R&B on Huey "Piano" Smith's "High Blood Pressure," with Keb' Mo' on lead vocals and Dr. John tickling the ivories. Douglas plays some greasy lap steel licks and Sarah Buxton adds Raelettes-like vocal harmonies. Douglas opens Leadbelly's "On a Monday" with his slippery, bluesy slide guitar work and adds credible lead vocals, but it's his stinging slide that carries the tune home. Alison Krauss & Union Station guest on "Frozen Fields," a track with Krauss delivering her usual luminous vocals while Douglas plays some laid-back acoustic guitar fills. He's more adventurous on the album's lively instrumentals. "King Silkie," co-written with Union Station guitarist Dan Tyminski, is a blazing hybrid of bluegrass and acoustic rock with Douglas smoking on Dobro in the company of Sam Bush on mandolin, Tyminski on guitar, and Charlie Cushman on banjo. Douglas turns jazzy on a medley of "American Tune/Spain," the latter a Chick Corea standard that incorporates elements of Joaquín Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez." Douglas layers up several Dobro tracks and incorporates the flavors and feel of flamenco into his free-flowing improvisations. Douglas blends the sounds of Celtic folk and hints of classical Indian music on "Gone to Fortingall." Béla Fleck's inventive banjo and Viktor Krauss' drumming provide sympathetic backup. ~ j. poet

1. On A Monday
2. Something You Got (featuring Eric Clapton)
3. So Here We Are
4. The Boxer (featuring Mumford & Sons and Paul Simon)
5. Duke And Cookie
6. High Blood Pressure (featuring Keb´Mo´)
7. Gone To Fortingall
8. Right On Time (featuring Marc Cohn)
9. American Tune / Spain
10. Frozen Fields (featuring Alison Krauss & Union Station)
11. King Silkie

 

[Zing]

^ That's a great album, Dennie. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have.


Right now, I'm listening to...

:happy-smileygiantred:

 

[PaulyT]

^--- Excellent!

I have Traveler too, but despite how much I love Jerry's playing and how much I wanted to love it, I wasn't as thrilled with that album. Not sure why, guess the song selection didn't resonate with me as much as the more bluegrass-y stuff he does with Alison Krauss or Sarah Jarosz. Some great guest spots, though.