TriChromes: "Dice With The Universe" (2002) EP

There are only three songs, but this EP has twenty-five minutes of great music, and features features Bill Kreutzmann, drummer for the Grateful Dead.

"Dice With The Universe"

The CD starts with its only original song, "Dice With The Universe." The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter, who wrote many of the Grateful Dead's most loved songs. Here is a taste: "God don't play dice with the universe/Can't catch a cab, then grab a hearse/Don't matter how much you pray and curse/When the law comes down, you best disperse."

Neal Schon and Ira Walker wrote the music. The version on this EP is different from that on the full-length album. This version is slightly longer. It's a cool, easy jam, with some really nice guitar work.

"New Speedway Boogie"

The second song is a Grateful Dead cover, with lyrics by Robert Hunter and music by Jerry Garcia. "New Speedway Boogie" was originally included on the Grateful Dead's 1970 release Workingman's Dead.

The version here seems a bit faster than the Grateful Dead ever played it. The band does its own version, with its own style. While it's impossible for any guitarist in this position to not be compared to Jerry Garcia, Ralph Woodson definitely has his own style and flair. Of course there are moments when it seems he's trying to copy a lick or tone of Jerry's, but he clearly doesn't feel trapped or restricted by that. And of course Neal Schon has his own style. And so the jam in the song is something new. And it's pretty damn cool.

This is a live concert track.

"Tore Up Over You"

"Tore Up Over You" interestingly is a song that the Grateful Dead never did, but that Jerry Garcia did on his 1976 solo album Reflections. It was written by Hank Ballard. This was a song that the Jerry Garcia Band performed often in concert. Live versions can be found on How Sweet It Is, Pure Jerry: Theatre 1839, San Francisco and Pure Jerry: Bay Area 1978.

This version by the TriChromes has a good groove. It's rock, but with a definite blues edge. It's got a nice jam too which keeps the same groove, but never gets dull. There is some very cool drumming by Bill Kreutzmann.

This is a live track.

CD Track List

1. Dice With The Universe
2. New Speedway Boogie
3. Tore Up Over You
   

This CD is dedicated to the memory of Ken Kesey, who died in November of 2001. Ken Kesey was closely tied to the early development of the Grateful Dead, and was part of the extended family throughout the band's existence. The Dead were the house band for Kesey's acid tests in 1965 and 1966 (for the first of these, the Grateful Dead still performed under their previous name, The Warlocks).

Musicians Include Neal Schon From Journey
The musicians on this EP are Bill Kreutzmann on drums, Neal Schon on guitar, Ralph Woodson on guitar, Ira Walker on bass, and Sy Klopps on vocals. (Bill, Ralph and Sy are also on the full-length CD, with the addition of Mike DiPirro on bass.)

Neal Schon is best known as the guitarist for Journey.

Bill Kreutzmann's New Project - 7 Walkers

Since Jerry Garcia's death in 1995, the surviving members of the Grateful Dead have done various individual projects. Bill Kreutzmann formed House Of Spirits in 1998. And then in 2002 he released this TriChromes EP as well as a full length CD titled simply TriChromes. (This EP was released in February on 33rd Street Records, and the full-length CD came out in July of 2002.)

In 2009 he got back together with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, and toured as The Dead. And now in 2010 he is performing with a new band, 7 Walkers. They will be releasing an album later this year.

(Note: I originally posted this review on June 6, 2010 on another website.)

The String Cheese Incident: "Rhythm Of The Road Volume One"

This three-disc CD contains the entire concert that The String Cheese Incident performed in Atlanta on November 17, 2000.

Rhythm Of The Road Volume One: Incident In Atlanta - 11-17-00 is the first in a new archival series of live concert recordings from The String Cheese Incident. However, this is not the first set of such recordings. Several years ago, The String Cheese Incident released a series of CDs titled On The Road, which also featured entire concerts by the band.

The String Cheese Incident formed in 1993 in Colorado. By the time of this recording, the band was well established, having released five albums, including one with Keller Williams. Its fan base was growing, and the band was just starting to play larger venues. The show captured on this release was at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, Georgia - a venue that has a capacity of 3500.

The first CD contains the entire first set, including an incredible rendition of "Orange Blossom Special."

"Smile"

The album opens with "Smile," a fun, light, bright tune. It's a song from the perspective of a guy on the road, singing to his woman at home - not a rare topic for a touring band. But this is a sweet song, with some nice work on keys and some great fiddle at the end.

"Joyful Sound"

There isn't long to wait for some great jamming on this release. If the wonderful end to the first track wasn't enough, or only whetted the appetite, "Joyful Sound," the second track, starts a nice series of tunes with plenty of jamming.

"Joyful Sound" begins with a good groove on drums. At the lines "Raise my voice to the heavens/Make a joyful sound" the audience takes its cue, and makes its own joyful noise in response.

There are moments in this song - like about three minutes in - that are almost Zappa-like. And near the end the guitar definitely has a Trey Anastasio quality.

Tony Furtado

Tony Furtado joins the band on banjo at the beginning of "Luckie Street Jam," which comes right out of "Joyful Sound." Tony Furtado has released more than a dozen albums of his own, and has also played with Alison Krauss, Leftover Salmon and Little Feat, among others. He's an incredibly talented banjo player.

"Orange Blossom Special"

"Luckie Street Jam" leads right into an amazing rendition of "Orange Blossom Special." Most music fans have heard dozens of bands cover this song over the years. But the version on this disc may be the best ever. It's manic, wild, joyous, fun, beautiful - just a bloody good romp. With no skimping on the jam either, at more than nine minutes. Ah, listen to that fiddle. And Tony Furtado is seriously amazing on the banjo.

The song slows down for a moment seven minutes in, then builds again like a train ripped off it's rails and barreling through the stratosphere. Holy moly!

"Pygmy Pony" is an instrumental track with a lounge-type jazzy feel, but with an island rhythm.
"Missin' Me" has a sort of New Orleans flavor to it. And during the jam, approximately seven minutes into the song, they do a little Allmann Brothers "Jessica" tease.

Led Zeppelin Cover
The first disc ends with a cover of "Ramble On." Yes, the Led Zeppelin tune - one of the many Led Zeppelin songs inspired by The Lord Of The Rings books. And it's a good version too. At the end of that song, they say they're going to take a break. And, as they did at the top of the show, they say, "What's up, Hotlanta?" which is obnoxious.

The first track of the second disc is the band talking to the audience, particularly the folks in the balcony, getting certain sections up there to cheer. Thus, a "group hoot." And then the second set actually gets going with "Outside And Inside," a fun song with a good groove that doesn't let up.

"Impressions"

"Impressions" is an instrumental track with a cool rhythm. The song takes on a jazzy tone four minutes in, with nice work on keyboards. That's when the tune really starts to take off. Then approximately eight minutes in, it slows down, sounding more introspective and exploratory. Until the percussion starts to build under the spacey guitars, demanding the song to take on a more cohesive structure once again.

That leads directly into "Glory Chords Jam," another instrumental track.

"Midnight Moonlight"
The jam leads easily and wonderfully into a great rendition of "Midnight Moonlight." This is a wonderful bluegrass song written by Peter Rowan. This rendition has the right spirit and energy. And it benefits from the return of Tony Furtado on banjo.

There is a nice jam with each musician taking turns at lead. There is also a great bass line. The song just gathers momentum and energy, and when it seems about to explode it suddenly slows again, leading back to the next verse.

"Miss Brown's Teahouse"
The second disc ends with "Miss Brown's Teahouse," which has a fun dance rhythm. When the band sings, "The music is thumping and the people start jumping," the crowd cheers. You can almost hear them dancing. This song also features some wonderful work on guitar.

"Wake Up"

The third disc opens with "Wake Up," a more serious song, particularly in the lyrics, with references to death in lines like "If it catches up with me, it's gonna kill me by degrees" and "The bottle is your graveyard." Though there is still some great jamming, it has less of a playful quality. This song was from the band's second album.

"Black Clouds"

Tony Furtado joins the band again on banjo for "Black Clouds," the final song of the second set. Tony is wonderful, as always. This song features some really nice work on guitar, particularly in the instrumental sections of the song. The song slows down a few minutes in, and takes on a pretty tone. But it picks up the pace again several minutes later, with a great jam that includes a "Casey Jones" tease.

"Black Clouds" was included on the band's first album, Born On The Wrong Planet.

Bluegrass Songs In Encore

The encore starts with a couple of bluegrass tunes, taking advantage of Tony Furtado's presence. The first is "The Old Home Place," which was written by Dean Webb and Mitch Jayne. The vocals in this rendition sound perfect.

The second is "Shenandoah Breakdown," a wonderful instrumental song written by Bill Monroe. This is what it's all about, when the music is pure joy.

Michael Travis and Kyle Hollingsworth don't play on either of these two tracks. But they do rejoin the band for the final song of the night, "Shakin' The Tree," a Peter Gabriel song. Tony Furtado plays guitar on this one. And there is a great blending of the voices.

CD Track List

Disc 1:

1. Smile
2. Joyful Sound >
3. Luckie Street Jam >
4. Orange Blossom Special
5. Barstool
6. Pygmy Pony
7. Missin' Me >
8. Ramble On
   

Disc 2:

1. Group Hoot >
2. Outside And Inside
3. Impressions >
4. Glory Chords Jam >
5. Midnight Moonlight
6. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) >
7. Miss Brown's Teahouse
   

Disc 3:

1. Wake Up
2. Black Clouds
3. The Old Home Place
4. Shenandoah Breakdown
5. Shakin' The Tree
   

Rhythm Of The Road Volume One: Incident In Atlanta - 11-17-00 is scheduled to be released November 9, 2010 on SCI Fidelity Records.

By the way, the title of this series of recordings, Rhythm Of The Road, comes from a song of the name, written by Bill Nershi and included on the band's second album.

The String Cheese Incident is Kyle Hollingsworth on keyboards and accordion and vocals; Michael Kang on mandolin, violin and vocals; Keith Moseley on bass and vocals; Bill Nershi on guitar and vocals; and Michael Travis on drums and vocals.

(Note: I originally posted this review on October 20, 2010.)

Stone River Boys: "Love On The Dial" (2010) CD Review

First CD from Stone River Boys features a great blend of country rock with 1960s R&B and rock influences. It also features excellent vocals and lyrics.

The Stone River Boys feature guitarist Dave Gonzalez (from The Hacienda Brothers) and vocalist Mike Barfield. Most of the songs on Love On The Dial are originals, with four notable exceptions: "Bluebonnet Blue," "Can I Change My Mind," "Take A Giant Step" and "Special."

"Bluebonnet Blue"

The album starts with "Bluebonnet Blue," a fun honky tonk rock tune. The guitar opening is similar to something from T-Rex, but then with an obvious country influence. This song has a fun mix of influences and genres, including 1950s rock. This song is a cover, written by Stephen Bruton and included on his 1995 release, Right On Time.

"Can I Change My Mind" is also a cover song. It was a hit for Tyrone Davis in 1969.

"The Struggle"

"The Struggle" is a great song. It's an interesting tune featuring great guitar work and a very cool bass part. The song is kind of reminiscent of 1960s R&B and rock bands, with a touch of the Blues Brothers' charm. The song also has a nice sense of humor, calling the struggle a new dance that's sweeping the world. "I'm going to show you a brand new dance/Slide to your feet to the left, and slide back to the right/We're going to push and pull and hold each other and struggle for the rest of our lives."

"Think I'm Gonna Make It"
"Think I'm Gonna Make It" is a cool country rock tune about getting over someone. Dave Gonzalez sings lead on this one: "I'm not missing any of your lies/I'm forgetting that you never tried." Another wonderful line from this song is "I can't be missing someone I never thought I knew."

"Lovers Prison"

"Lovers Prison" is another great song. The vocal rhythms at the beginning are reminiscent of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Nashville Cats." It's a playful tune, both musically and lyrically. Near the beginning of the song, Mike Barfield sings, "I am lying here right next to my gal, dreaming about other women." And then in the chorus he sings, "Because if she knew what was on mind/I'd be locked in this lovers prison for the rest of my life."

"Love On The Dial" Title Track

"Love On The Dial," the album's title track, has a cool groove, and lyrics to match. Mike Barfield sings, "We need to walk softly on our love affair/You know that our love is on trial/We'd better pay attention and figure it out/Because giving up is never in style/Put a little love on the dial."

"Take A Giant Step" (Yes, The Monkees Song)
"Take A Giant Step" is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, and made popular by The Monkees (it was one of the best songs on The Monkees' first album). The version included here is quite a bit different from that by The Monkees. It is much, much slower. Once one forgets about the Monkees version, it's easy to appreciate how cool this version is. The mood is very different, but it works. (Think of when the Grateful Dead slowed down "Friend Of The Devil" in concert performances in later years - it was still excellent, but a different kind of excellent, with a different mood.)

"Martha"

"Martha" is a phenomenal song, with a great tone, mood and vocals. It slowly builds, which is wonderful. The lyrics, the vocals really drive the song. Mike Barfield sings, "You can change the way you're living when the times are good/But you can't change away your past, though you wish you could." This is one of the best songs on the album.

"Steel City"

"Steel City" is an instrumental. It's a fun little country rock tune with a simple steady bass line and drum beat. The guitar is then freed to go a little wild. Very nice.

"Boomerang"

The album concludes with "Boomerang," a nice rocking tune, which is once again reminiscent of some of the 1960s R&B and rock music. This song makes references to other songs from the album, such as "Love On The Dial" and "The Struggle," and features some nice harmonica work and some cool drum fills.

Musicians

The musicians on this album are Mike Barfield on vocals, harmonica and percussion; Dave Gonzalez on vocals, guitars and Hammond organ; Dave Biller on steel guitar, baritone guitar and acoustic guitar; Scott Esbeck on bass and harmony vocals; Hank Maninger on bass for "The Struggle," "40 Acres" and "Martha"; Kevin Smith on bass for "Lovers Prison" and "Take A Giant Step"; Justin Jones on drums; Damien Llanes on drums; Fuzzy Blazek on steel guitar; and James Sweeny on Hammond organ and piano on "Can I Change My Mind," "Love On The Dial" and "Still Feel The Feeling."

CD Track List

1. Bluebonnet Blue
2. Can I Change My Mind
3. The Struggle
4. Think I'm Gonna Make It
5. Lovers Prison
6. 40 Acres
7. Love On The Dial
8. Still Feel The Feeling
9. Special
10. Take A Giant Step
11. Love's Gonna Make It
12. Martha
13. Steel City
14. Boomerang
    

The band's name came from the first place the band rehearsed, on a street called Stone River in Austin, Texas. Love On The Dial is the Stone River Boys' first album. It is scheduled to be released May 18, 2010 on Cow Island Music.

(Note: I originally posted this review on April 28, 2010.)

Dee Dee Sharp: "It's Mashed Potato Time/Do The Bird" (2010) CD Review

This 2010 release contains two complete albums by Dee Dee Sharp that were previously unavailable on CD, and includes "Gravy" and "Be Ever Wonderful."

Collectors' Choice Music is continuing its series of classic Cameo-Parkway releases with four more titles, including this CD by excellent vocalist Dee Dee Sharp.

Dee Dee was born Dione LaRue, and called Dee Dee Sharp because of her penchant for singing in the key of D sharp. She began by singing in her grandfather's church, and then with Willa Ward Moultrie. That led to her getting session work as a backing vocalist for such artists as Bobby Rydell, Lloyd Price, Ray Charles and Jackie Wilson.

At the beginning of 1962, she sang a duet with Chubby Checker and then recorded her first lead vocal part - on the song "Mashed Potato Time."

This CD contains two complete records: It's Mashed Potato Time, which was originally released in 1962, and Do The Bird, which was originally released in 1963.

"Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)"
It's Mashed Potato Time opens with "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)," which was Dee Dee Sharp's follow-up hit to "Mashed Potato Time." It was written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell, and is complete with a saxophone section and great backing vocals.

But of course it's Dee Dee's vocals that sell this song. With a gospel background, Dee Dee can certainly belt out a tune, regardless of its style or genre.

"Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" reached #9 on the charts.

"Slow Twistin'"
"Slow Twistin'" is a duet with Chubby Checker. Dee Dee and Chubby had recorded another version together where Chubby had the lead. They switched vocal positions for this rendition. This song has a good groove, and it was written by Jon Sheldon (Kal Mann's pseudonym).

"Gee"

"Gee" is one of those ridiculously fun early 1960s songs. It's so joyous and light, with a catchy rhythm and - of course - a saxophone solo. Listen to the power in Dee Dee's vocals, especially toward the end of the song.

"Gee" was written by William Davis and George Goldner, according to this album's original liner notes. But elsewhere Viola Watkins is also credited as a co-writer. This song was originally a hit for The Crows.

"A Hundred Pounds Of Clay"

"A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is dedicated to Chubby Checker, whom Dee Dee credits as giving her her start. This song is a very strange combination of a religious theme and a tribute to Chubby Checker. Dee Dee sings "two hundred pounds of clay" rather than "a hundred pounds of clay."

"A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" was written by Bob Elgin, Luther Dixon and Kay Rogers. Gene McDaniels had a #3 hit with this song.

"Mashed Potato Time"

"Mashed Potato Time" was Dee Dee Sharp's first big hit. Before this, she'd been singing backing vocals for other artists. This is a dance song, telling the story of The Mashed Potato, and it has a cool saxophone section. But again, it's her voice that really make this song a hit.

This song contains references to other songs of the period, such as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and "Please Mr. Postman."

"(Dee Dee) Be My Girl"

"(Dee Dee) Be My Girl" is an odd song lifted from "Duke Of Earl" - but is also a sort of tribute or sequel to that song. Dee Dee sings, "When the Duke of Earl whispers tenderly/Be my baby/My heart starts to whirl when he says to me/Be my girl/And I've gotta love that guy/Because nothing can stop me now/Because he's the Duke of Earl." Weird, right?

"Remember You're Mine"

"Remember You're Mine" is a really cool, slower tune with some nice work on piano, and phenomenal vocals. It written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe, the two founders of Cameo-Parkway, and it's one of the best songs on the CD.

Here is a taste of the lyrics: "Be faithful, darlin'/While you're away/For when it's summer a heart can stray/And though I'll miss you/Have a wonderful time/But remember, darlin'/Remember you're mine."

"Let The Sunshine In"
The second album on this CD, Do The Bird, opens with "Let The Sunshine In." This song has an obvious Ray Charles groove. It's a gospel-flavored tune with great work on piano and organ. And Dee Dee Sharp really belts this one out. This is one of the highlights of the CD.

"You Ain't Nothin' But A Nothin'"

The power in Dee Dee's voice is palpable as she sings "You Ain't Nothing But A Nothin'." You can feel it like a slap across your face as she scolds, "You ain't nothin' but a nothin.'" It's wonderful. That's the kind of abuse we could all use and enjoy.

As a side note, this song mentions "Gravy."

"Reet Petite"

"Reet Petite" has a great bass line and some excellent work on drums. The focus, though, is on Dee Dee's vocals, and they really shine on this one. Jackie Wilson had a hit with this song, and interestingly he's one of the artists that Dee Dee Sharp sang backing vocals for before recording these albums. This is a fun song.

"Do The Bird"

"Do The Bird," the album's title track, is a dance song written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell. It's apparently an easy dance, as Dee Dee sings, "You can even do it sitting down." The backing vocals really add a lot to this one. And there is the obligatory sax solo, which is great.

"Be Ever Wonderful"

"Be Ever Wonderful" is an incredible song that really showcases Dee Dee's vocal talent. She sings, "Be ever wonderful/Stay as you are/Be ever heaven's gift/My guiding star/You are the only one/ Who can break my heart." But it's the end of the song when she's really amazing, as she sings, "Be ever mine."

"South Street"

The album concludes with "South Street," a song written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell, and which was a huge hit for The Orlons. Dee Dee does a great job with it.

CD Track List

1. Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)
2. Slow Twistin'
3. Gee
4. Two Loves
5. A Hundred Pounds Of Clay
6. Eddie, My Love
7. Mashed Potato Time
8. (Dee Dee) Be My Girl
9. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman
10. Remember You're Mine
11. Hurry On Down
12. Splish Splash
13. Let The Sunshine In
14. I Will Follow Him
15. Rockin' Robin
16. He's So Fine
17. You Ain't Nothin' But A Nothin'
18. Reet Petite
19. Do The Bird
20. Be Ever Wonderful
21. Our Day Will Come
22. Just To Hold My Hand
23. Why Don't You Ask Me
24. South Street
    

This CD is scheduled to be released November 23, 2010 through Collectors' Choice Music in conjunction with ABKCO Music & Records. Two other selections in the Cameo-Parkway series will be released that same day: The Dovells: For Your Hully Gully Party/You Can't Sit Down; and a compilation titled Cameo-Parkway Holiday Hits (which features a very young Bob Seger). A fourth CD was given a slightly earlier release, on October 26, 2010: John Zacherle: Monster Mash/Scary Tales.

In June of 2010 Collectors' Choice Music released the first set of six classic Cameo-Parkway albums. Those included albums by Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell. The Orlons, Clint Eastwood and Terry Knight And The Pack, as well as a compilation titled Remember Me Baby: Cameo Parkway Vocal Groups Vol. 1.

(Note: I originally posted this review on November 9, 2010.)

Otis Redding: "Live On The Sunset Strip" (2010) CD Review

This 2-disc CD contains three complete sets that Otis Redding performed in April of 1966 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, CA.

It's shocking to think that Otis Redding was only twenty-four years old when these recordings were made. Listen to the experience and command in his voice. Listen to the passion.

These discs contain three complete sets that Otis Redding performed in April, 1966. So several songs are repeated throughout the album. That's not a bad thing. It's a treat to be able to listen to the variations and nuances of Otis Redding's performances of these songs. The three sets are from April 9th and 10th at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

"Security"

After he's introduced, Otis Redding launches into "Security." Right away the band is cooking, and Otis grabs hold of the audience.

"Just One More Day"

Otis introduces "Just One More Day" by saying, "And this song is something that everybody needs, and everybody wants it, and I've been trying to get it." He then laughs. Otis co-wrote this song with Steve Cropper and Smokey Robinson. Otis sings, "I've been missing you for so many days/I keep wanting you, darling, in so many ways/I can't get you off of my mind/'Cause true love is so hard to find."

"These Arms Of Mine"

"These Arms Of Mine" is one of the first songs that Otis Redding wrote. It's a slow and beautiful song. There are two wonderful versions included on this release.

"Satisfaction"

His first version of "Satisfaction" is almost completely different from that by the Rolling Stones. In fact, if it weren't for that little guitar part at the beginning, it might be a different song. He sings, "Early in the morning, satisfaction/You gotta get you some satisfaction."

The second version of "Satisfaction" is more in line with the Rolling Stones song. That is, it has the lyrics by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. (This version is track 10 on the first disc.) The third version (track 2 on the second disc) also has the lyrics. The horns on this version are incredible. And by the end, the whole band is working at a frantic pace.

"I Can't Turn You Loose"
"I Can't Turn You Loose" is an incredible song, with more energy than most people can muster at any point in their lives. Otis Redding wrote it and included it as the flip side on his 1965 single "Just One More Day." The Blues Brothers covered this song, and it's included in their 1980 film.

"Respect"

Everyone knows Aretha Franklin's version of this song, but it's Otis Redding who wrote this song and released the first version. His version came out in 1965, two years before the one by Aretha Franklin.

"I'm Depending On You"

After "I'm Depending On You," Otis Redding tells the crowd he's recording an album. He says, "Holler loud as you want. You ain't home. You know? You ain't out there on the strip. Ain't nobody gonna lock you up, just holler loud as you want to."

"Any Ole Way"

"Any Ole Way" was co-written by Otis Redding and Steve Cropper. It's a fun, cheerful song. Just try and be sad while listening to it. Otis Redding sings, "Wherever you go, darling, I will go/And when you get there honey I bet I will be there/Just to hear the sweet words that you say."

"I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)"

Wow. The quaver in his voice at the beginning is fantastic. His vocals throughout are tremendous. This wonderful song was written by Otis Redding and Jerry Butler. It was released as a single in April of 1965, and was included on the LP "Otis Blue." The Rolling Stones covered this song on their first live album, Got Live If You Want It.

"Good To Me"

Otis introduces this song by telling the crowd, "We're fixing to make up a song. Watch this song. This is something new." It's such a cool song. It was used as the title for another collection of music from the Whisky: Good To Me: Live At The Whisky A Go Go Vol. 2 (1993).

"Ole Man Trouble"

"Ole Man Trouble" was written by Otis Redding and released as the flip side to his single "Respect" in August of 1965. It was also the first track on his 1965 LP, Otis Blue. It's a seriously cool song, and the version included here is short and sweet, as Otis pleads with Ole Man Trouble to "Stay away."

"A Hard Day's Night"

Before the band launches into the Beatles' "A Hard Days Night," Otis jokes that he's not sure what song to play. He says, "We ran out of tunes, we're trying to think of something to do, you all."

"Papa's Got A Brand New Bag"

"Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" is a song written by James Brown. Otis stops the song about thirty seconds in, joking that they're not going to do it. The crowd reacts predictably, and so the band launches back into it. At just over ten minutes, this is the longest track on the album. In the middle of the song, he asks the audience, "Are you tired?"

The Band

Robert Holloway, Robert Pittman and Donald Henry played tenor saxophones. Sammy Coleman and John Farris played trumpets. Clarence Johnson, Jr. played trombone. James Young was on guitar. Ralph Stewart played bass. Elbert Woodson played drums.

CD Track List

Disc 1:

1. Security
2. Just One More Day
3. These Arms Of Mine
4. Satisfaction
5. I Can't Turn You Loose
6. Chained And Bound
7. Respect
8. I'm Depending On You
9. I Can't Turn You Loose
10. Satisfaction
11. Chained And Bound
12. Just One More Day
13. Any Ole Way
    

Disc 2:

1. I've Been Loving You too Long (To Stop Now)
2. Satisfaction
3. Destiny
4. Security
5. Good To Me
6. Respect
7. Chained And Bound
8. Mr. Pitiful
9. Satisfaction
10. Ole Man Trouble
11. I Can't Turn You Loose
12. A Hard Day's Night
13. These Arms Of Mine
14. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
15. Satisfaction
    

Some of these tracks were released on earlier collections. But here on this 2-disc collection are three complete sets, which as close as a listener can get to actually being there. Live On The Sunset Strip is scheduled to be released on May 18, 2010.

The year after these performances, Otis Redding went on to perform a legendary set at the Monterey Pop Festival. At the end of that year, on December 10th, Otis died in a plane crash. He was only 26 years old.

(Note: I originally posted this review on April 20, 2010.)

Punk Is Dead: "One Hesher, Two Punx And A Hippy" (2010 release)

This CD contains punk rock versions of Grateful Dead favorites, such as "Eyes Of The World," "Sugar Magnolia" and "Casey Jones."

The Grateful Dead have been covered by Elvis Costello, Black Crowes, Phish, Los Lobos, Jane's Addiction and Willie Nelson, among others. Their music has been done in many styles: bluegrass, Celtic, classical, reggae (Grateful Dread) and punk.

Punk? Punk seems fairly far removed from what the Grateful Dead were doing, far from the often mellow vibe of their music. Surprisingly, it works incredibly well. And that alone should cause folks to take another look at the Grateful Dead, and at the seeming universality of their music.

Punk Is Dead is a punk band that covers Grateful Dead songs. And what better name for the band? For this 2010 release, titled One Hesher, Two Punx And A Hippy, Punk Is Dead chose some of the Dead's most popular and beloved tunes, such as "Eyes Of The World," "Sugar Magnolia" and "Uncle John's Band."

Interestingly, the band chose only songs for which Robert Hunter supplied the lyrics. John Barlow, the Grateful Dead's other chief lyricist, is not represented here (though there are two Bob Weir songs).

"Playing In The Band"
One Hesher, Two Punx And A Hippy starts with a fast and furious and wonderful rendition of "Playing In The Band," a song that originally appeared on the Bob Weir "solo" album Ace (1972). The bridge in the version by Punk Is Dead is a surprise, because it suddenly more closely resembles the version by the Grateful Dead, particularly in the pace.

"Playing In The Band" is a song the Grateful Dead often stretched out on, sometimes extending it to fifteen or even twenty minutes. Punk Is Dead's version is three minutes sixteen seconds.
Punk has always been about short, quick tunes - in and out, and onto the next - which is something so different from the Grateful Dead, who liked to explore a song, tease it and stretch it to see where it could go, to see what, if any, were its boundaries. And again, that's why it's such a surprise to learn that these songs work so well in the punk realm too. Hell, this entire CD is only eighteen minutes and twenty-two seconds long. That's six songs, which could be an hour or more at a Grateful Dead concert.

"Eyes Of The World"

"Eyes Of The World" is one of the best Grateful Dead songs, and one that would seem least likely to work as a punk song. This song originally appeared on 1973's Wake Of The Flood, and it worked best in the mid-1970s, when it had a jazzy, loose feel. And yet it works insanely well as a tight, quickly paced punk tune.

"Brown Eyed Women"

"Brown Eyed Women" is the least famous of the Grateful Dead's tunes to be included on this release. It's rarely covered, and in fact was never released on a Grateful Dead studio album. Its first official appearance was on the live album Europe 72 (1972). It's a beautiful song that Jerry Garcia sang lead on in the days of the Dead.

Punk Is Dead gives it a powerful, nearly angry spin. It completely changes the tone of the lyrics, but doesn't seem forced or strained. It's simply a new way of looking at the song.

"Casey Jones"

"Casey Jones" seems an obvious choice for this sort of interpretation - both because of the story the song tells and because it's one of the band's most well known songs. Even people who never saw the Grateful Dead are familiar with "Casey Jones." And it's definitely one of the ones most effective as a punk treatment. This will certainly get listeners dancing in a frenetic state around their apartments, or in their cars, or wherever they are when they listen to this disc. This track is just some serious fun.

"Sugar Magnolia"

"Sugar Magnolia" was almost always cited as a favorite by folks who were just starting to get into the Grateful Dead. Surprisingly, of the six songs on this CD, this one might be the one to work the best as a punk tune. And yes, it includes "Sunshine Daydream" - after a shout of "Oi oi oi." Just great. This is the best track on the CD.

There is a minor, but effective lyric change, in this song. Punk Is Dead sings, "Waits backstage while I scream to you" rather than "sing to you." Indeed.

"Uncle John's Band"

"Uncle John's Band" is another beautiful song that really, truly should not work as a punk song. It just shouldn't. But it does. The music stops so the line "God damn, well I declare" can be sung acappella - and damn, these guys have good voices. (By the way, that's a line that the Indigo Girls refused to sing when they covered it on the Deadicated compilation. Instead, they sang, "Sit still, well I declare." Ugh.)

CD Track List

1. Playing In The Band
2. Eyes Of The World
3. Brown Eyed Women
4. Casey Jones
5. Sugar Magnolia
6. Uncle John's Band
   

Punk Is Dead must be a whole lot of fun to see in concert. It would be great to hear this band cover "Hell In A Bucket" and "U.S. Blues." Both of those songs seem perfect for this sort of rendition, this sort of transformation.

Punk Is Dead is Jeff Abarta on guitar and vocals, Mike San Miquel on guitar and vocals, Phil Drazic on drums, and Kim Fuelleman on bass and vocals.

One Hesher, Two Punx And A Hippy is scheduled to be released on October 5, 2010.

(By the way, you might be wondering, "What the hell is a hesher?" I certainly wondered that. So I looked it up. Apparently it's slang for someone who is skinny, has long hair and listens to 1980s hard rock and metal. So there.)

(Note: I originally posted this review on September 28, 2010 on another website.)

Phish: "Live Phish 20: 12-29-94" (2003) CD Review

This two-disc set contains the entire concert that Phish performed at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island on December 29, 1994.

The concert captured on this CD was right when Phish was becoming really well known, and the venues they were playing were getting much bigger. By the next year, the band would have even more fans going on tour, due to the death of Jerry Garcia and the end of the Grateful Dead. A lot of Dead fans made the transition to Phish. And the scene got too big.

Phish is best in a more intimate setting. Still, at this relatively large venue in Providence, the band put on an excellent show.

First Disc Starts With "Runaway Jim"
The show starts with a fun version of "Runaway Jim." A lot of the jam in this song is driven by Mike Gordon's bass. From there they go right into "Foam" and it's the bass that takes them there. "Foam" is a somewhat frantic song at times. The vocals to this song are always fun.

"If I Could" is a pretty song, originally released on Hoist, which came out earlier the same year as this concert. "Uncle Pen" is a Bill Monroe cover, and Phish does a great version of it. These guys can sing. This is just a fun and bright song.

"I Didn't Know"

"I Didn't Know" is a wonderful, silly tune with goofy lyrics. It starts off with an acappella section. The band sings, "I didn't know/I didn't know that I was that far gone." Their voices sound good. Jon Fishman is then introduced as "Mr. Luke Skywalker" when he does his vacuum solo. Yes, a vacuum solo. This is one of the reasons Phish has just never translated well to larger venues. The audience needs to be close - they need to be able to see the band.

"Possum"

The first set ended that night with the wonderful "Possum." This song has a fun beat, and is one to get 'em dancing. Not that Phish fans ever needed much prodding in that direction. "I was riding down the road one day/Someone hit a possum/The road was his end."

"Guyute"

Phish has never been known for having deep or introspective or insightful lyrics. And that's fine. That's not what it's about. That being said, the lyrics to "Guyute" are particularly stupid. This is how the song starts: "Guyute was the ugly pig/Who walked on me and danced a jig/That he had learned when he was six/Then stopped and did some other tricks." But the music is so much fun. They should have left this one as an instrumental, because the instrumental sections to this song are phenomenal.

"David Bowie"

The second disc starts off with a 35-minute version of "David Bowie." To illustrate once again that Phish is not about the lyrics, here are all of the lyrics to this song: "David Bowie/David Bowie/David Bowie/David Bowie/David Bowie/David Bowie/David Bowie/David Bowie/UB40/UB40/UB40/UB40/UB40/UB40/UB40/UB40." Okay? And the song is awesome. Seriously, it's a fantastic song. The band really stretches out on this one, and there is some really nice piano work by Page McConnell. Toward the end of this version, there is some whistling and joking about Lassie.

The next two songs are two of their most fun: "Halley's Comet" and "The Lizards." The versions here are really good, and the first song leads directly into the second.

Cover Songs

The second set ends with a couple of covers: Neil Diamond's "Cracklin' Rosie" and Led Zeppelin's "Good Times, Bad Times." The encores are "My Long Journey Home" and "Sleeping Monkey."

CD Track List

Disc 1:

1. Runaway Jim >
2. Foam
3. If I Could
4. Split Open And Melt
5. The Horse >
6. Silent In The Morning
7. Uncle Pen
8. I Didn't Know
9. Possum
10. Guyute
    

Disc 2:

1. David Bowie
2. Halley's Comet >
3. The Lizards
4. Cracklin' Rosie
5. Good Times, Bad Times
6. My Long Journey Home
7. Sleeping Monkey
   

Phish is a very different band from the Grateful Dead. There are similarities, of course. Basically both bands are made up of excellent musicians, and both bands play two sets at their concerts, doing some extended jamming during certain songs. Both are about the live experience. And there the similarities end.

The type of music, the feel of the songs, the way the music is constructed are all very different. Also, when performing live, Phish uses a pre-determined set list, something the Grateful Dead never did (though they do often veer off from it). Phish is a bit sillier. Their lyrics are completely unlike anything that Robert Hunter or John Barlow wrote for the Dead.

Phish is Trey Anastasio on guitar and vocals, Jon Fishman on drums and vocals(and vacuum cleaner), Mike Gordon on bass and vocals, and Page McConnell on keyboards and vocals.