Piper & The Hard Times: “Revelation” (2024) CD Review

Piper & The Hard Times is a band whose center is the blues, but that adds elements of rock and soul to the music. The group is based in Nashville, and it is in that city that Piper & The Hard Times recorded the new album, Revelation, which features some great original material. The band is made up of Al “Piper” Green on vocals, Steve Eagon on guitar, Dave Colella on drums, Amy Frederick on piano and organ, and Parker Hawkins on bass. There are several guests on various tracks.

The album gets off to a fun start with “Trouble Man,” which has a strong rhythm and some delicious work on keys. There may be trouble, but this track has the vibe of a party from its start. Also, Eddie Meyer joins the band on tenor saxophone, adding another layer of joy to the proceedings. And at the center of the fun is Al “Piper” Green. “My own people think I’m a joke/I’m a trouble man, baby/That’s what I heard all my life.” But, as he tells us here, trouble can lead to a good time. And the evidence to the truth of that statement is the music itself. In the middle of the track, the guitar takes over, leading us into possible trouble itself. There is a spoken word section toward the end. This song was written by Al “Piper” Green and Steve “The Conductor” Eagon. Then Dick Aven joins the group on saxophone on “The Hard Times.” And things have gotten serious, Piper singing: “I ain’t got no money/Car needs gas/And my two kids ain’t fed/It’s off to work/Job number two/Every dollar I make ain’t worth a dime.” I think a lot of folks can relate to the financial struggle. The line that especially stands out is this: “Everybody wants more from me, more than I can give.” Who among us is not in touch with that feeling? My rent just went up again. They want more and more, but my place is certainly no better than it was last year or the year before. Companies just expect you to give them everything you have and then some. Hard times for many people means very easy times for a few. This song gets even more powerful toward the end, when he begins to belt out line, “When morning comes, I’m taking charge of my messed-up life.” Yes! This is so good, and Shaun Murphy adds some excellent backing vocal work. This track ends with the line, “Think I need a break.”

A seriously cool bass line gets “Heart For Sale” going. Dick Aven plays sax on this one too, delivering an excellent lead in the second half. The energy then is fantastic. This is another fun track, with that completely wonderful rhythm. This song will likely have you on your feet, dancing around your home. There is also some great stuff on keys, and another strong vocal performance. “I can’t sleep at all.” But it is that bass line that really grabs me. “Man, there’s something wrong here/When you pretend to see the light/He believes what he believes/Only when the time is right,” Piper Green sings in “Preacher Blues.” Those lines are certainly striking in this strange time we find ourselves in. Many politicians and religious leaders wear their religion like a jacket, something they put on only when needed, and something that they make sure everyone around them can see them wearing when they do. But there is no love behind it, there is no real compassion. But we feel the compassion, as well as the passion, in this music. This track features another incredibly powerful vocal performance. And on this track, Chris Floyd joins the band on harmonica, delivering some fantastic work. That’s followed by “Revelation,” the album’s title track. “Now I’m coming back, coming back strong,” Piper Green sings at one point. Oh yes, no question about it. There is strength in every line he delivers. This track features more excellent work on bass, and Dick Aven delivers another wonderful lead on saxophone. Lisa Oliver Gray and Melissa Gardner provide backing vocals on this one, and I love that section toward the end where they repeat “Had a revelation” while Piper Green delivers some spoken word.

“Working Farm Blues” begins with the beat, and soon the bass is added, and I’m totally on board in those opening moments. And as more musicians come in, this just gets better and better. Eddie Meyer plays sax on this one, and that sax line is delicious and catchy. This is such an enjoyable track. “I don’t have time to waste/I have the working farm blues.” Then “Crave You” begins with a bit of banter. “She is something else, guys, oh my my.” After a bit of this, the group launches into the song, with Piper Green singing “I crave you/I want to do dirty things to you.” I could give or take that opening, but once the song gets going, it’s really good. Here he sings, “I want to misbehave with you.” Has there ever been a more potent and honest declaration of love? Chris Floyd adds excellent stuff on harmonica. And check out that guitar work. Chris Floyd also delivers some great stuff on harmonica for “Come Back Knockin’,” a heavy, rocking blues number that feels like a great force. That harmonica work helps drive the piece forward. “Well, I know I was wrong, babe/I’m feeling sorry for myself/See, it tore my heart to pieces/When I saw you with someone else.” This one also features some fantastic stuff on guitar. It also contains a playful ending, with Piper Green saying, “Let me in, baby/Knock knock.”

Shaun Murphy, Lisa Oliver Gray and Melissa Gardner provide some good backing vocal work on “Why Not Me.” “‘Cause I could do better on my own/I looked around and wondered, oh yeah/Why not me?” Then “You’re Gonna Miss Me” has a fun, jaunty rhythm that quickly has us feeling good. “Hey baby, you’re gonna miss me when I’m gone,” Piper Green sings on this one. No lack of confidence here, or on any of these tracks for that matter. There is a spoken word section in the second half. He clearly enjoys himself in those sections, and here even gives an endearing chuckle. That’s followed by “Walk With Me.” Shaun Murphy provides backing vocals on this one, and she delivers some powerful work. This is an uplifting number, an adaptation of a traditional song. “See your heart, it will lead you if you let it/The pain will heal with me.” The album then concludes with “Twenty Long Years.” This song immediately establishes a classic, laid-back blues vibe, but that certainly does not mean a lack of power to Piper Green’s vocal performance. “But I got some friends who let me, oh who let me sing the blues.” Yes, it’s one of the great blues numbers about singing the blues, and it features some delicious stuff on keys. And check out that cool guitar lead in the second half. A wonderful conclusion to a strong album.

CD Track List

1. Trouble Man
2. The Hard Times
3. Heart For Sale
4. Preacher Blues
5. Revelation
6. Working Farm Blues
7. Crave You
8. Come Back Knockin’
9. Why Not Me
10. You’re Gonna Miss Me
11. Walk With Me
12. Twenty Long Years

Revelation is scheduled to be released by August 16, 2024.

Paul Tobey: “It’s Time” (2024) CD Review

Jazz pianist Paul Tobey’s new album, It’s Time, is his first in quite some time. Tendonitis in his forearms put a halt to his touring, to his performing. At that time, twenty years ago, he shifted gears and started a company that trains businesses in online marketing. Quite a shift, right? Although I suppose there is at least one common thread, as his company helps others pursue their business dreams, and music helps all of us feel that it’s possible to realize our dreams. And now he’s back at the piano, delivering some excellent music. His new album is a solo effort, on which he presents his own interpretations of some beloved numbers from a variety of composers, along with one original composition. These tracks were recorded in his home studio, Paul Tobey performing on an Ibach grand piano.

He begins the album with “Over The Rainbow,” the song that was ranked number one of the 20th century by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. That’s something. Paul Tobey offers a beautiful and touching rendition, delivered with warmth and love. This song helps us tap into something larger as we listen to it, as it is one that we all know. We’ve all experienced similar emotions hearing it, and so it unites us, connects us to our fellow men and women, and that’s a powerful thing. This track feels both personal and universal. And once Paul Tobey has given us that sense of being connected, he allows himself to get a little looser, particularly in the track’s second half. And I love those moments when he adds his own touches to it. That is followed by an original composition, “Caminar (The Walking Song).” This one begins with some pretty piano work, and he then develops a rhythm, which has something of a somber feel and is compelling. We do get the feeling of motion, and so when the rhythm is interrupted, there is the sense of stopping to experience something, or to get a better look at something, and this becomes the focus, becomes the world of the song for a time. When the piece is set in motion again, there is a different tone, a cooler, more confident attitude. Ah, what occurred during that sojourn to lead to this change? This piece then takes us back to the earlier part, which is interesting. This feels like a personal journey, and it is one of my favorite tracks.

From there Paul Tobey goes to a song that has personal significance for me, “Take Five,” written by Paul Desmond. This was included on Dave Brubeck’s excellent Time Out, the first jazz album I ever owned, the album that got me interested in jazz, and in particular it was this piece that did it. The drumming was then, and has remained, one of my favorite elements of this piece, and yet Paul Tobey, here without drums, delivers a version that I love. His playing is exciting and lively, and this is for me another of the disc’s highlights. He then changes gears with “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes,” a song from the Disney movie Cinderella. It makes perfect sense for this song to be included on this album, for it’s about never giving up on dreams, urging us to keep on dreaming. There is a light feel to this one, and after that initial section, Paul Tobey gives it a more playful touch, delivering the song with warmth and cheer. That’s followed by a rather beautiful rendition of “My Foolish Heart,” this instrumental version avoiding the possible charge of sentimentality of the lyrics. It feels like a wonderful dream at times, one you can wrap yourself up in.

Paul Tobey turns romantic with his rendition of “Nancy With The Laughing Face.” It is an instrumental rendition, obviously, but hearing it I can’t help but think of those first two lines: “If I don’t see her each day, I miss her/Gee, what a thrill each time I kiss her.” I hope everyone gets to experience that feeling, and I count as my greatest fortune the fact that I do. Paul Tobey’s rendition conveys that incredible, beautiful feeling. It is soothing and warm. There is a glow to his playing. This music reminds us of the better part of humanity. This track is another of my personal favorites. He then gets into the blues with “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” a song of melancholy, but also of experience, and about how we’d be lacking something important if we didn’t know ache. And ultimately it is a love song, isn’t it? Paul Tobey conveys all of that in his playing, making this track yet another of the disc’s highlights. The album then concludes with a much shorter rendition of that song.

CD Track List

1. Over The Rainbow
2. Caminar (The Walking Song)
3. Take Five
4. A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes
5. My Foolish Heart
6. Nancy With The Laughing Face
7. You Don’t Know What Love Is
8. You Don’t Know What Love Is – Radio Take

It’s Time was released on June 28, 2024. Does this release mean that he will be back on tour? His website promises tour dates will be announced soon.

Kelly’s Lot: “The Blues Remind Me” (2024) CD Review

Kelly’s Lot is a Los Angeles-based blues band that mixes in elements from other musical realms to create its own special sound. It is a band that somehow gets better with each release. They’ve been playing for approximately three decades now, and never settle for repeating what they’ve already done, what they’ve already achieved. It seems that every time the band reaches a new plateau, these guys take just a moment to enjoy it before saying, hey look, what’s up there, and striding forward once again. Their new album is their best yet. Titled The Blues Remind Me, it features all original material written by Kelly Zirbes and Perry Robertson. These guys don’t shy away from addressing current troubles, as evident in a track like “Without You,” but the main message conveyed in their music is one of healing, one of compassion. They aim to make folks feel good with their music, and there are songs on this disc that will have you on your feet and dancing. Kelly Zirbes is on lead vocals, Perry Robertson is on acoustic guitar and electric guitar, Matt McFadden is on electric bass and upright bass, and Mike Sauer is on drums. There is also a horn section on a few tracks. Another important player on this release is Mo Beeks on keyboards. His great work on keys is prominent on most tracks.

Mo Beeks also sings on the album’s opening track, “I Gotta Sing The Blues,” which he wrote with Kelly Zirbes and Perry Robertson. The track opens with him asking, “Hey, Kelly, what does the blues remind you of?” And she responds, “The blues remind me of a time way back when/When songs were learned again and again,” giving us the album’s title. Mo Beeks delivers some great stuff on keys, especially on that lead in the middle. Art Mendoza plays drums on this track. “I Gotta Sing The Blues” is followed by “Boogie Bus,” a fun number, one that seems designed to get folks dancing, as a good boogie does. It urges folks to join in the fun. “Tell the driver you want to go/To a funky electric show/Boogie woogie all night long.” This track features some excellent stuff on keys and harmonica. That’s Frank “Cisco” Hinojosa on harmonica.

“Mama’s Blues” is one of the album’s best songs. It features a gorgeous and moving vocal performance by Kelly Zirbes. It was inspired by Kelly hearing her mother singing and crying while listening to records. “What else would I do/If I couldn’t keep singing her blues/It’s my way of healing.” That is an important element in music, an important effect of music, this healing. And it’s something that many folks are seeking. This is also one of the tracks to feature the horn section, which is made up of Bill Johnston on baritone saxophone, Aviva Maloney on alto saxophone, Paulie Cerra on tenor saxophone and alto saxophone, Didier Reyes on trumpet, and Chip Tingle on trombone. And these guys deliver some great stuff. I’m particularly moved by that lead by Paulie Cerra on sax halfway through. That’s followed by another track to feature the horn section, “It Ain’t Always,” an energetic number, one to get people dancing and enjoying themselves. “Just hold me tight, darling/That’s what I need.” Then “Man In The Moon” has cool, laid-back vibe, and features a fantastic vocal performance, with a compelling intimacy. This track also contains nice stuff on keys and bass. And Gary Bivona delivers some absolutely wonderful work on flugelhorn.

“Without You” has a heavier sound, which works well with its subject. It’s a song about the narcissism and dishonesty of the man who wants again to be president of this country. This election is becoming more and more frightening. The Republican Party has chosen as its leader a guy who was convicted of thirty-four felonies, a guy who was found guilty of sexual assault, a guy who sent a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol Building, a guy who stole classified documents and refused to return them, a guy who bragged about sexually assaulting women, a guy who once made a sexual remark about a ten-year-old girl, a guy who has made multiple incestuous remarks about his daughter, a guy who cheated on all three of his wives, a guy who was sued for not allowing black tenants in his buildings, a guy who publicly ridiculed someone because of a disability, a guy who once pushed other world leaders out of his way so that he could get a more prominent position, a guy who has repeatedly praised dictators, a guy who lies as a matter of course. What went so wrong with people that they would eagerly choose that guy? Perhaps the song’s most important line is “We’ll come together without you.” I hope people will come together in November to make sure he does not get back in power. “We won’t hold up your name/And we won’t die in your flames/All you ever want to do/Is ruin everything that’s true/Our future ain’t your story/And you won’t end in glory.” This track has some great guitar work.

The first lines of the next track, “Just Tell Me The Truth,” are “Everything is crazy in the world today/So many people with different things to say/I’m willing to listen, I’ll give it a try/Just be honest with me, don’t waste my time.” Remember honesty? Well, with music like this, truthfulness is not a thing of the past. There is also a wonderful optimism in this music, as well as hope. The music seems to be looking for, and perhaps often finding, the best in people, something many of us have trouble doing these days. This track features the horn section, and some really nice stuff on guitar, including a good lead. Rob Zucca plays guitar on this one. And this track features Aviva Maloney on flute. “We gotta be honest/We gotta be real/Hang onto each other/And find a way to heal.” Again, there is the mention of healing, which this nation desperately needs.

“Blessings” has a delicious mean blues vibe and rhythm, with Kelly Zirbes delivering a more intimate vocal performance at the beginning, before she begins to belt out the lyrics. Everything about this track works so well, and this song is another of the disc’s highlights. There is both power and ache in her voice. “Blessings are born from tears.” There is some cool work on keys, plus some wonderful stuff on guitar. Then “Aces” is a lively number featuring excellent stuff on harmonica. This time it is Tomislav Goluban on harmonica. This fun track also contains a strong rhythm and some nice work on keys. The band wraps up the album with “Love And Understanding,” which has a delightful vibe, and features a wonderful lead on keys in the second half. “Without love and understanding, we’ll never win.”

CD Track List

1. I Gotta Sing The Blues
2. Boogie Bus
3. Mama’s Blues
4. It Ain’t Always
5. Man In The Moon
6. Without You
7. Just Tell Me The Truth
8. Blessings
9. Aces
10. Love And Understanding

The Blues Remind Me was released on July 12, 2024. Kelly Zirbes and I talked about this album on the third episode of my “Dogs Run Free” podcast. If you haven’t heard it, click here.

Mark Hummel: “True Believer” (2024) CD Review

Mark Hummel is an accomplished harmonica player, singer and songwriter working in the blues realm. You might know him from his group The Blues Survivors and from his solo work. You might also be aware of him through his Blues Harmonica Blowout shows, which have featured folks like Lee Oskar, Kenny Neal, Magic Dick, Bob Welsh and Kim Wilson. He has also written a book titled Big Road Blues: 12  Bars On I-80, memoirs of being in a traveling blues band. His new album, True Believer, features a mix of covers and original material. A great group of musicians backs him, including Junior Watson on guitar, Billy Flynn on guitar, Kedar Roy on upright bass, Randy Bermudes on bass, Bob Welsh on piano, Brett Brandstatt on piano, and Wes Starr on drums, along with some special guests on certain tracks. As you would expect, these tracks contain some fantastic work on harmonica.

Right from the start of the disc’s first track, “High Time For The Devil,” I am completely in love with this album. This song has a great, raw, mean classic blues sound, which is fitting for the song’s subject, and for these strange days when the devil is the Republican Party’s nomination for president. Who would have guessed they’d sink this low? “Hatred is his style,” guest vocalist Oscar Wilson (of The Cash Box Kings) sings early on. “So make way for the devil/Got a bible in his hand.” Oh yes, we all remember that image of him holding a copy of the bible just after peaceful protestors had been tear-gassed. But it isn’t just him. It’s all the ignorant, mindless followers who are eager to have a dictator in the White House. What went wrong with those people? If evil exists, it is moving around in daylight, wearing a long red tie, attacking the rights of women and minorities, attacking the Constitution, and doing so at the cheers of nearly half the population and without facing any consequences. Anyway, this song is so damn good, and a powerful start to the album.

“Ghosted” has a more fun vibe, featuring a totally delicious rhythm. It always strikes me as odd when a song with a classic sound has lyrics that contain modern terminology and mention current technology, as this one does, with phrases like “My texts, they went unread” and “But online it’s so easy.” But of course the blues exist everywhere, even online. This track features some excellent work on harmonica, plus some great stuff on piano and guitar. Lisa Leuschner Andersen provides backing vocal work. There is also a brief, playful reference to Ghostbusters. That’s followed by “Headed For A Heartache,” which begins with a good bass line. I can’t help but think of a certain conman when I hear these lines: “You ain’t foolin’, you ain’t foolin’ me/Gonna be a day when people will see.” Maybe I’m pessimistic, but I don’t believe most of them will ever have that day. Another great rhythm and more excellent work on harmonica help make this track completely enjoyable. This is blues that make you feel good. Check out that lead on keys in the middle.

The album’s first cover is a seriously cool rendition of Otis Rush’s “Double Trouble.” Special guest Jack Sanford delivers some wonderful stuff on saxophone. There is a haunting bit that is repeated so that we soon feel completely immersed in the world of the song. Its desperation is ours too. And what a great vocal performance. “In this generation of billionaires, it’s hard for me to keep decent clothes to wear.” The guitar and the harmonica dig in, and there is a great sense of death and doom in the air. That’s followed by a cover of “What The Hell,” a song that Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite released in 2020 on 100 Years Of Blues. This song addresses the wrong turn this country took in 2016, one which half the country seems determined to make again. “It’s hard to believe the shape this nation’s in/This situation is a shame and a sin/I want to know how could a good thing go so wrong/Well, somebody tell me what the hell is going on.” It’s still difficult to wrap our heads around the direction half the nation wants the country to go. “Half the people in this country can’t stand the other half/Tell me baby, why can’t we halfway get along?” The question about getting along might be one of the past. At this point, we should not want to be friends with anyone who would support Donald Trump. It’s not a matter of a difference of opinion, it’s not a matter of politics. Supporting Trump indicates something fundamentally wrong with a person, something at the person’s core, a lack of humanity, a lack of sympathy, a lack of intelligence, a lack of compassion. Trump is a rapist, a racist, a traitor, a liar, a cheat. He has made sexual comments about a ten-year-old girl, he bragged about sexually assaulting women, he made repeated incestuous remarks about his daughter, he stole classified documents, he publicly ridiculed a person’s disability, he praised dictators. Anyone who would support this man is garbage, there is just no way around it. “He was a president, thought he was a king/You know what I like about him?/Not a goddamn thing.”  This song was written while Trump was in office, so that line originally was delivered in the present tense: “He is the president, but wants to be the king.” Mark Hummel adds, “But man, I’m glad he’s gone/And now he’s gonna run again?”

“Jackknifed” is an original song, a lively, fun number about hitting the road, but then having things go wrong. This one features some wonderful stuff by Jack Sanford on saxophone, even before that delicious lead in the middle. “Seems like nowadays it’s all bad news,” Mark Hummel sings here. In addition to that excellent saxophone part, this track contains some wonderful harmonica work. That’s followed by a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Stop Messin’ Round,” which was written by Peter Green and C.G. Adams. Some people forget that Fleetwood Mac was originally a blues band. While I appreciate Rumours and Tusk, the band’s early blues stuff is their best, at least as far as I’m concerned. Mark Hummel does an excellent job with this song, and this track features saxophone. It is the last track on this disc to feature Jack Sanford.

Mark Hummel also offers a cover of B.B. King’s “Broken Heart,” one of those great blues songs about how a woman has broken her man’s heart. “It’s so hard to believe that you would do me wrong/Lord, please have mercy, babe/Won’t you stay here where you belong.” This track contains some excellent stuff on keys. Kid Andersen is on organ, and Brett Brandstatt is on piano. By the way, Kid Andersen also co-produced the album with Mark Hummel.  There is also some cool work on guitar. And when Mark Hummel sings the line, “Why did you let me love you so long, babe,” we get the feeling he’s really asking, that he wants an answer. When none is coming, he lets the harmonica do some of the talking. That’s followed by “Who,” a song about people shooting their mouths off about stuff that is none of their business. It is the first of two Little Walter Jacobs songs to be included on this album, and it features a wonderful rhythm and a good lead on harmonica. “Some people always talking about something they don’t know/They like to start trouble ‘cause they want to see the show.” That rings true, doesn’t it?

“Mr. Two Thirds” begins with lines about some jerk stealing his parking spot as he’s trying to back into it. “He says, ‘Tough, you’re too damn slow.’” Sure. But, hey, as soon as he walks away from his car, it is left unprotected to your anger. Later the guy cuts in line at the store. We’ve all come across this guy, the person who stopped developing when he was approximately six years old. This is the same person who supports the Republican Party’s presidential choice. The guy is an asshole, but the song is delightful. That’s followed by “The Toddle,” the album’s second Little Walter Jacobs tune. This one is a cool instrumental track. By the way, Mark Hummel released a tribute to Little Walter titled Blue And Lonesome in 2012.  “The Toddle” is followed by “Lil Electric Car,” in which Mark Hummel sings “I’m just wild about your chariot, that little electric car.” It’s something to hear a blues number about an electric car, and this track features some really nice work on piano. And I dig these humorous lines: “I’m just like that chariot/If my battery gets too weak/I need sweet lovin’ voltage/To get back on the street.” The album then concludes with “Shufflin’ Days,” which features special guest Joe Beard on guitar and lead vocals. This one mentions some of the other great blues men, including Lazy Lester, whom I was lucky enough to meet once at a blues festival. The track features a delicious harmonica part. “Tell me what you’re gonna do/When your shufflin’ days is gone.”

CD Track List

1. High Time For The Devil
2. Ghosted
3. Headed For A Heartache
4. Double Trouble
5. What The Hell
6. Jackknifed
7. Stop Messin’ Round
8. Broken Heart
9. Who
10. Mr. Two Thirds
11. The Toddle
12. Lil Electric Car
13. Shufflin’ Days

True Believer is scheduled to be released on July 26, 2024.

Feef Mooney: “Special Friend One” (2024) CD Review

Feef Mooney, also known as Fjaere Nilssen (and also sometimes as Feef M or just as Feef or Fjaere), is a singer and songwriter from Scotland now based in Los Angeles. In 2022, she released Cleo September (under the name Fjaere), an album that contains a nice rendition of “Those Were The Days” along with good original material. The album was co-produced by Fernando Perdomo, as was Feef Mooney’s follow up, 2023’s Cleo Redux, which contains mostly the same songs (though not the cover of “Those Were The Days”) and which she released under the name Feef. That album features Chris Price joining her on vocals and keys for a track. And now her release, an EP titled Special Friend One, features the work of both Fernando Perdomo and Chris Price. That is some impressive talent backing her, certainly reason enough to pay attention to this artist. All songs on this disc are originals, written by Fjaere Nilssen. She provides the lead vocals and plays guitar. Chris Price is on keys, percussion and backing vocals; Fernando Perdomo is on bass and percussion. There are also special guests on a few tracks.

The EP opens with “I Don’t Want To Fit In,” a cool, fun track that includes hand claps and that provides the album with its title in its opening lines, “Well, I don’t want to fit in/I don’t want to fit in/I don’t want to fit in/I only want to be your, only want to be your, only want to be your friend, your special friend.” This track contains some good stuff on keys. Also, this track features Rob Weiss joining her on trumpet, adding to the song’s bright vibe. It’s a delightful start to the disc. It is followed by “Georgie,” which has a sweeter sound, particularly in the work on acoustic guitar. This track also has a cheerful vibe, especially because of her vocal approach, her voice having a friendly and spirited quality. “And thinking about you, my heart’s stands still/So just say the word, and Georgie I will.” In the second half, the backing vocals echo “stands still” and “say the word.” The cheerful vibes continue with “The Kerouac Way.” Matt Lomeo joins her on harmonica on this one. He is a talented player. You might have heard his work on the new Ted Russell Kamp album, California Son. I also recently saw him play with Kelly’s Lot. I love Feef Mooney’s light, playful attitude and approach here. There is a joy in her delivery. There are nice sections where her voice and the harmonica interact. “So excuse me while I fall/But I heard an angel call/And I’m trying not to stare/But I know it’s you that’s there/By the light of a shining sun/I know we’ve just begun/His light is in your eyes.” This track also features some whistling at the end.

“Blind Date” has such a cool vibe from its first moments, with its delicious groove, and that great stuff on keys and guitar. Also, I love the first line: “We’ve never met, so there’s nothing to forget.” That is one of those lines you can take a lot from, and put a lot into. You know?  Fernando Perdomo plays electric guitar on this track. This song conveys the excitement of having a blind date. “I hope you have a sense of humor/I hope I fall in love with your smile.” That’s followed by “Try.” This song has something of a laid-back vibe as it begins. And the opening lines are intriguing: “I tried to come to you in a dream/But you were not the same/You had changed the color of your hair/You had changed your name.” Soon the track develops a good groove, with a bit of a jazzy vibe. There are hand claps at certain moments too. This is one of my personal favorites. The EP concludes with “Grey Glider,” which features the violin work of the great Kaitlin Wolfberg, who played on Falling Off The Sky, the 2012 release from The dB’s, on Chris Price’s 2017 album Stop Talking, on Fernando Perdomo’s 2018 album Zebra Crossing, and on Rob Waller’s 2023 album See The Big Man Cry, among many others. “I don’t want to give it all away/I don’t want to feel sad today.”

CD Track List

1. I Don’t Want To Fit In
2. Georgie
3. The Kerouac Way
4. Blind Date
5. Try
6. Grey Glider

Special Friend One is scheduled to be released on July 19, 2024.