Edsel Gómez: “Road To Udaipur” (2015) CD Review

Road To Udaipur is the new CD from accomplished jazz pianist and composer Edsel Gómez, who was nominated for a Grammy for his 2006 release, Cubist Music. One thing I love about this new album is that many of these compositions take us on various journeys, rather than just riffing on a theme. These tracks feel like living entities, like people, or at least like stories, changing, evolving, and expressing those changes, as well as excitement and joy. Also, these tracks explore several realms of music, not bound or restrained by any one style. Edsel Gómez is backed by some incredibly talented musicians on this release.

The album opens with “Tertulia Samba,” a fun, lively track, featuring some excellent work by Edsel Gómez on piano and Cássio Ferreira on saxophone. It’s a breezy number, and is over before you know it. But the following track, “Udaipur,” is the one that really blew me away the first time I listened to this disc. I love this track, the way it takes on this frantic pace, like some insane party preparations for a gypsy wedding or something, then drops it at moments for short breathers. There is a delightful humor to the opening section on piano, which Gómez returns to several times throughout the piece. This is a wild, delicious and uplifting tune.

Edsel Gómez then switches gears, following that title track with a soft, introspective meditation titled “Homesick Nostalgia.” I particularly like the way the bass and drums work as a steady, yet gentle pulse beneath Gómez’s playing, a reliable base for him to return to and take off from, a comforting reminder of home.

The pace picks up again with “Search And Build,” the title a play on the idea of search-and-destroy. There is a section of this song around a minute in that feels like a steady build, while other moments are unrestrained dance sections. It is Gómez’s playing around the two-minute mark that really makes me enjoy this track, particularly that brief chaotic moment. And then “Ninibilo Majulolo And The Bridge” features some sweet work on piano and a nice extended bass solo by Arismar Do Espirito Santo. This is one of my personal favorites. “Smile On” also features some excellent work on bass, this time by Alex “Apolo” Ayala.

“Spain-Ished Cubes” is Edsel Gómez’s own interpretation of Chick Corea’s “Spain,” and it’s a wonderful, exciting rendition. Chick Corea is one of Gómez’s major influences, and you can hear that influence on many of these tracks, not just this on this cover.

A stand-out track for me is “Charles Chaplin,” a tribute to the famous film star. As you might expect, there is a sense of humor about this piece. There is a joy, a playfulness, but with a strong emotional core, like the actor’s performances. Surprising is the vocal scatting (and even a bit of coughing) on this track. This is an absolutely wonderful composition.

Road To Udaipur concludes with “The Chant,” an enjoyable tune featuring some excellent work by Felipe Lamoglia on tenor saxophone, and of course some wonderful stuff on piano by Edsel Gómez.

CD Track List

1. Tertulia Samba
2. Udaipur
3. Homesick Nostalgia
4. Search And Build
5. Ninibilo Majulolo And The Bridge
6. Four Seasons And A Five
7. Spain-Ished Cubes
8. On Second Thoughts
9. Charles Chaplin
10. Smile On
11. Bahia
12. Brothers
13. The Chant

Road To Udaipur is scheduled to be released on CD on May 12, 2015 through Zoho Music.

Ryan Montbleau Band: “Growing Light” (2015) CD Review

I got turned onto Ryan Montbleau five years ago, when he released Heavy On The Vine, an impressive album which found him mixing genres. His new release, Growing Light, might be even better, and once again finds him mixing various genres, including folk, rock, and a good bit of funk. This is a highly enjoyable disc, and it seems the whole band is having fun. All but one of these tracks are originals. Martin Sexton produced Heavy On The Vine, and at the time of that release, Ryan Montbleau Band both opened for Martin and worked as his backing band. There were some obvious similarities heard in Ryan Montbleau Band’s sound. And though the new CD is produced by Ben Ellman (of Galactic), the sound still at times reminds me of Martin Sexton, sometimes in the playful, lively approach to the music, like on “Inevitable.” And listen to those vocal chops on a song like “Throw Me Away.” Growing Light was recorded in May of 2013 in New Orleans, and certainly some of the energy of that great city can be heard on these tracks.

Ryan Montbleau Band opens this album with its title track, “Growing Light,” which starts off quietly, beautifully, and quickly proves itself a gorgeous and moving song. It’s one of my personal favorite tracks from this release. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I find myself nicer to my brother/Think about my family, I’ll even call my mother/Maybe tell her that I love her/Tell her I found someone who understands me/That I’ve been thinking about that scene from Bambi/I know that’s not all that manly/But I’m like a little kid on candy/And when we go out, the stars align/They align so bright/You and I in the garden growing light.” So beautiful.

The following track, “Inevitable,” is one that reminds me a bit of Martin Sexton. Ryan Montbleau gets quite playful on this track, particularly the way he sings the word “Inevitable” early in the tune. It’s totally delightful. And you can hear a Stevie Wonder influence as well. Things then take a funkier turn with “Pacing Like Prince,” which is also a hell of a lot of fun. And I love lines like these: “I learn to love the words/Learn the definitions/I wax poetic by the candlelight/And if it gets above my head, I get it/If it sinks below my feet, I learn to let it go.” And the main line of the song is “Pacing like Prince in Purple Rain.” (And just to note another connection to Martin Sexton, “Purple Rain” is a song that Martin has covered in concert – one of the two best versions I’ve ever heard, actually – the other being by The Evangenitals.)

Ryan Montbleau Band gets a little funky on “Those Things” as well, another of this CD’s highlights, a nice dose of nostalgic musings. The opening lines are: “Can we do the things we used to do/Be the way we used to be/When I used to see more of you/You used to see all of me.” I love the feel of this song, the somewhat relaxed groove. Ryan Montbleau Band keeps the funky 1970s-type grooves going with “Loving You,” the album’s only cover, a song written by Johnny Guitar Watson, and originally included on his 1973 LP Listen. The line from this song that always stands out for me is, “You’re all there is and then some.” Also having a bit of a mellow funk vibe is “Glad,” written by Ryan Montbleau and Matt Giannaros. These lines always make me smile: “What would you think if I asked you to dance/I'll watch what I do with my hands.”

Growing Light concludes with “Together,” a sweet and sad acoustic number that is one of my favorites. It's so bloody beautiful and depressing, opening with these lines: “I'm not the way I'm supposed to be/I'm supposed to be thankful for what I've got/Things are not the way they're supposed to be/She's supposed to be here, and she's not/And if I was younger, the stakes wouldn't seem so high.” I love this song, and I know it's one I'm going to be returning to often.

CD Track List

1. Growing Light
2. Inevitable
3. Packing Like Prince
4. Throw Me Away
5. Never Gonna Be
6. Those Things
7. Loving You
8. Our Own Place
9. Glad 
10. Together 

Musicians

Ryan Montbleau Band is Ryan Montbleau on guitar and vocals, James Cohen on drums, Jason Cohen on keys, Matt Giannaros on bass and vocals, Yahuba on percussion and vocals, and Lyle Brewer on guitar.

Growing Light was released on April 21, 2015.

Chris Page: “Volume Vs. Voice” (2015) CD Review

More fantastic music continues to come out of Canada. Chris Page’s new release, Volume Vs. Voice, immediately, upon its first track, announces itself as one of the best discs of the year. This music has a wonderful folk sound, but with something of a punk attitude and rock influence. Chris Page is known for fronting bands like Camp Radio and The Stand GT, as well as for his solo releases, and on this CD he offers an excellent new batch of original tunes. This really is a solo effort, as Chris is unaccompanied on many of these tracks, performing the vocals and playing all the instruments himself. Lyrically, this is a seriously strong album. Check out these lines from “Chaise Lounge,” for example: “Speak to the kid, tell him that there’s merit in being wasted/And it was bad what we did/Gave up on a dream before we chased it/And I’ve got false hope now/And I should show you how/To hide your smile/Before it’s broken.” Excellent, right? The entire album is like that.

The album opens with “Rocket + Savings,” which begins sweetly with a nice bit of guitar. What I love about it is that it could lead in almost any direction (to a country song, or bluegrass, or rock or whatever), and it would work. And after a few seconds you just begin enjoying it for itself, without thinking about where it’s going. But it also ends up serving perfectly as an intro for this acoustic-based moody rock tune. This song has a great sound, but I think it’s its unusual lyrics which I most appreciate. “When I buy a rocket with my own savings/Take it to the river the first sign of spring/Shoot it for the stars and hang out where the space junk flies.”  And I really like this line: “Thank our lucky stars until our engines rust.” There is some gorgeous work during the short instrumental section. John Higney plays pedal steel and slide guitar on this track.

“Calling All Kids Reunion” likewise boasts some interesting lyrics. Here are the opening lines: “Keep your antenna up/With any luck, we’ll kill off this farewell/One ticket for the train/Enduring pain and one room cheap hotels.” The song then comes back to the first two lines at the end. It’s a really good song, but it is the following track, “Hunker Down,” that is one of my absolute favorites. It’s undeniably beautiful, with some loving lines that are anything but cheesy – lines like “You looked rather smashing/When you leaned in to kiss my cheek” and “And I ache to have you closer.” The mood of this one grabs me and holds me. It’s a song I've listened to over and over.

Another track that really stood out the first time through, and which continues to be a favorite of mine, is “Treatment Burns.” I love the way it establishes a dark mood with the instrumental opening before Chris adds his vocals, like an aging yet still ominous pulse. “The city’s claimed our hands/To guide us as the light dies.” This is a song that gets on top of you and is reluctant to release you. It’s followed by “My Focal Point,” which provides this album with its title in the lines, “Lend me power tubes/And let me work this through/Volume versus voice.” Bandeeto Colin and Morgan provide backing vocals on this track.

Bandeeto Colin and Morgan also provide backing vocals on “The Persuasive Injury,” another highlight of this CD. In some ways this song is really simple, but it’s so effective, and a big part of that is the backing vocals adding a beautiful power and urgency to the tone. “Save me from going down to the water/’Cause I can’t tell if I should stay/On this hill a little longer.”

“Disappointed A Few People” has my favorite song title of this album, and it features John Higney on pedal steel and slide guitar. The album then concludes with “Time To Dispel.” Like the album's first track, this one has a nice instrumental introduction.

CD Track List

1. Rocket + Savings
2. Calling All Kids Reunion
3. Hunker Down
4. Chaise Lounge
5. Treatment Burns
6. My Focal Point
7. SOS For Sonny Rey
8. The Persuasive Injury
9. Disappointed A Few People
10. Time To Dispel

Volume Vs. Voice was released on CD through Melting Plastic on April 21, 2015. There are also a limited number of copies available on vinyl. 

Singing In Traffic

The stereo in my car does not work. It hasn’t worked for some time. There was a period when it was sort of working, when if I turned it on and off enough times it would eventually catch. But I mentioned the problem to my mechanic when he was working on another of my car’s issues, and so he fiddled with it for a bit, and the result was the stereo stopped working entirely.

And so I sing. Songs I know. Songs I love. Songs like “Friend Of The Devil” by the Grateful Dead and “She Belongs To Me” by Bob Dylan. Anyway, this has been going on for a while, and what I’ve noticed is that I keep going back to the same bunch of songs. Songs from my childhood, or at least ones I’ve known since my teen years. But nothing more recent.

Why can’t I add to my repertoire? There have been plenty of excellent songs in the last couple of decades. In fact, the whole point of this blog is to let folks know about all the good music that’s out there these days. So it’s certainly not for a lack of good material. So what is it? Could it be a question of memory, of having more difficulty learning as we get older. Or is my brain full?

Or is it something about this group of songs? The ones I constantly return to while driving are:

• “Friend Of The Devil” by Grateful Dead
• “Uncle John’s Band” by Grateful Dead
• “Ripple” by Grateful Dead
• “He’s Gone” by Grateful Dead
• “Bring It On Home To Me” by Sam Cooke
• “Love Is Only Sleeping” by The Monkees
• “Sunshine Superman” by Donovan
• “She Belongs To Me” by Bob Dylan
• “Tangled Up In Blue” by Bob Dylan
• “Shelter From The Storm” by Bob Dylan
• “Heart With No Companion” by Leonard Cohen
• “Lemon Tree” by Will Holt
• “My Goldmine” by Ellis Paul
• “Wake Up Little Susie” by The Everly Brothers
• “Tears On My Pillow” by Little Anthony And The Imperials
• “Whiskey In The Jar” by… well, lots of people

I don’t necessarily expect to find an answer, but I am interested in the question. And every once in a while, I still try turning my car stereo on and off several times to see if it will magically catch again. But no, it never does.

America: “Homecoming” (2015) Hybrid Multichannel SACD Review

America is still probably best known for the hit single “A Horse With No Name,” which was also included on reprints of the band’s first album. But it was the band’s second LP, Homecoming, that included such popular tunes as “Ventura Highway” and “Don’t Cross The River.” Originally released in 1972, this album is now being issued on hybrid multichannel SACD, in a limited, numbered edition. (I’m not sure how many copies were made, but my copy is number 1062, so there are at least that many out there.) This album features mostly original material, with all but one song written by the band’s three members – Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley. They’re joined by some excellent musicians on this release, including Joe Osborn on bass and Hal Blaine on drums (you’ll know Hal Blaine from his session work on Monkees recordings, among others). Three of the songs from this album were released as singles, but the entire album is really strong, and this multichannel edition sounds great. Check out that fantastic instrumental section of “Moon Song” for a taste of the group’s musical talent.

The album opens with “Ventura Highway,” which was also released as a single and was a top ten hit. It’s a really good song, though not my favorite on this album. There is one line that I always found questionable: “Alligator lizards in the air, in the air.” But I love lines like “Some people say this town don't look good in snow/You don't care, I know” and “Where the days are longer/The nights are stronger than moonshine.” And, long before Prince would use the phrase, this song mentions “purple rain.” “Ventura Highway” was written by Dewey Bunnell.

It’s followed by the sweet and pretty “To Each His Own,” written by Gerry Beckley and featuring some soft and moving work on piano. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Familiar faces that I've seen/Turning red and turning green/They just got caught with writing on their sleeve/I guess I'll leave/I'm gonna miss you, yes, I will/No matter who you are, I'll love you still/Will you cancel my papers and lock the door/’Cause I ain't gonna be 'round no more.” This is one of my favorite tracks.

Another favorite is “Don’t Cross The River,” which was a top forty hit for the group. It’s a fun folk tune written by Dan Peek, with lines like “If you want, you can ride my train/And soon forget the reason that you're leaving/Lose yourself and then some time/Maybe even save yourself some grieving.” This track features Henry Diltz on banjo. “Only In Your Heart” was also released a single, though only reaching #62 on the U.S. chart. It was written by Gerry Beckley, and has a catchy rhythm.

“Head And Heart” is the album’s only cover, written by John Martyn and originally released on his 1971 LP, Bless The Weather. America’s version is a bit shorter than the original, but is largely faithful to the feel and style of Martyn’s version, though with keyboard prominent in the instrumental sections. Gerry Beckley plays bass on this version, and Dewey Bunnell is on percussion.

“California Revisited” is an interesting and oddly catchy number. Check out these lines: “On your waters I see a strange reflection/Rumor has it I'll see you when I die/Everyone I meet is from California.” It was written by Dan Peek. The album then concludes with “Saturn Nights,” also written by Dan Peek.

CD Track List

1. Ventura Highway
2. To Each His Own
3. Don’t Cross The River
4. Moon Song
5. Only In Your Heart
6. Till The Sun Comes Up Again
7. Cornwall Blank
8. Head And Heart
9. California Revisited
10. Saturn Nights

This special limited edition of Homecoming was released on April 21, 2015 through Audio Fidelity and Rhino Entertainment Company.

Rockabye Baby!: “Lullaby Renditions Of Grateful Dead” (2015) CD Review

If you missed out on the Rockabye Baby Grateful Dead Record Store Day exclusive (as I did), don’t despair. It is being released on CD next week. Okay, sure, the disc isn’t purple like the record, but that’s all right, as the songs are all there. Lullaby Renditions Of Grateful Dead contains instrumental renditions of some of the Grateful Dead’s best tunes, such as “China Cat Sunflower,” “Uncle John’s Band,” “Truckin” and (my favorite) “Ripple.” This album is completely adorable, and even the packaging incorporates artwork that will bring to mind some of the iconic Dead imagery, such as bears, roses and turtles. The liner notes also contain little games for your children, and even a recipe (on a separate insert). By the way, on the back of the packaging it says: “Do you wake from the flood of tears, parents? If your little ones are dead set on staying up, play these blanket soft versions of Grateful Dead’s psychedelic rock favorites. You just might get some sleep tonight.” Grateful Dead fans will of course take delight in the references to album titles and songs in this paragraph, the last line being a reference to “Friend Of The Devil,” the song that opens this CD.

You’d probably think a lullaby version of “Friend Of The Devil” would recreate the slower version of the song that the band performed in concert, but no, it’s similar to the pace of the original studio rendition from American Beauty. It gets this album off to a sweet, cute start, and it’s followed by “Casey Jones.” As these are instrumental renditions, there is no mention of cocaine in this version. The ending of “Casey Jones” is just perfect.

What a long strange trip it’s going to be for your baby when he or she begins his or her life hearing Rockabye Baby’s version of “Truckin.’” By the way, these tracks are basically lullaby versions of the studio versions of these songs, so there is no long jam or anything to this “Truckin’” – it is just over three minutes in length.

It always seemed to me that new fans of the Grateful Dead would cite “Sugar Magnolia” as their favorite song, so it’s appropriate to include that song here on an album aimed at the newest of fans. And again, there is no jam leading to “Sunshine Daydream,” and that section is fairly short. “Sugar Magnolia” is followed by “China Cat Sunflower,” which works really well in this setting.

“Scarlet Begonias” was always one of my favorites, and a song the band played at my first show back in 1988, and I am so happy that Rockabye Baby includes a version of this fun tune. This disc also includes “Fire On The Mountain,” but for some reason the two songs are split up. I think fans would have loved it if “Scarlet” went right into “Fire.” A missed opportunity, but no matter. Both tracks are delightful.

Perhaps the most delightful track, however, is “He’s Gone.” This is such a cute version. Seriously, it’s adorable. And as it’s an instrumental you don’t have to worry about your baby hearing about “A knife in the back.” I completely love this version. And at four and a half minutes, it’s also the longest track on this release.

If you’re wondering, yes, this CD includes a version of “Touch Of Grey,” the band’s only big hit, and the only song from the band’s final fifteen years to be represented on this release (the rest of the songs are from the 1960s and 1970s). This was the song the band opened with at my first show, and so it has a special place in my heart. But my all-time favorite song (not just of the Grateful Dead, but any band) is “Ripple,” from their American Beauty record. It’s one I never got to see the band perform live, but it’s the song that concludes this CD. This is a totally sweet and pretty rendition, as you might expect. The perfect song to send the little ones (or anyone) off to dreamland with smiles on their faces.

CD Track List

1. Friend Of The Devil
2. Casey Jones
3. Truckin’
4. Sugar Magnolia
5. China Cat Sunflower
6. Cumberland Blues
7. Scarlet Begonias
8. Uncle John’s Band
9. He’s Gone
10. Fire On The Mountain
11. Bertha
12. Touch Of Grey
13. Ripple 

Lullaby Renditions Of Grateful Dead is scheduled to be released on CD on April 28, 2015. If they decide to put out a second album of Grateful Dead tunes, I’d like to suggest including “Eyes Of The World” and “Cosmic Charlie.” Also, “I Will Take You Home” is already a lullaby, but it might be sweet to include it as well. 

Mike Barth: “Dance This!” (2015) CD Review

You most likely know Mike Barth as a member of The Polkats, and on his new solo album, Dance This!, he includes a couple of tunes that were also featured on the most recent Polkats disc, last year’s Live From Highlandtown. Fellow Polkats band members Paul Margolis, John Shock and Steve Raskin join him on this release. Mike Barth also plays and records with The Stone Hill All-Stars (you can hear him on Away, their latest CD), and members of that band also join him on this release, which features mostly original material. Mike Barth draws inspiration from a wide range of musical areas, and the songs on this disc delve into pop, country, folk, even reggae. And though he has some excellent guest musicians and vocalists on this release, Mike Barth plays most of the instruments himself, including acoustic guitar, slide guitar, bass, keyboard, harmonica, drums, and glockenspiel.

Dance This! opens with “Just Can’t Make It Alone,” a really good and fun pop rock number that reminds me at moments of The Beatles’ “Drive My Car.” Plus, I totally dig lines like, “A simpleton on a holiday/What’s it take to find your way?” This is a strong opening track. Mike Barth follows it with “Blanket Of Misery,” which has more of a country vibe. I love this song immediately, even before its delightful opening lines, “Well, she’s so unhappy/She’s made me mean and nasty/She’s got nothing but troubles, everything under the sun/She’s making me screwy.” There’s a wonderful, slightly twisted humor to this song, and its title line is “She’s got me wrapped up tight in a blanket of misery.” And I love the way the harmonica is used as a lead instrument. Plus, John Shock plays accordion on this track, and Paul Margolis is on guitar. “Blanket Of Misery” was also included on the Polkats’ 2014 release, Live From Highlandtown. Joe McCarthy plays drums on both of these first two tracks.

Mike Barth then moves to more of a reggae feel for “Energy Called Love.” This one has a positive, kind of bouncy vibe, and while the title might seem a bit cheesy, the song includes some good lyrics. Here is a taste: “I need protection from the sun/And you might be the only one/To take the heat I generate/If I were you, I couldn’t take/The complications I provide.” Steve Raskin provides some wonderful work on drums and percussion on this track.

“Big Piece Of Chicken” is a playful country tune, and it features Linda Nelson on vocals: “Took a bubble bath and washed my head/Since you’ve been gone, it’s got me itchin’/Working my heart out in the kitchen.” It’s definitely on the silly side, but it makes me smile each time I listen to it, and I think it would be a fun one to see in concert. And then “Ring In My Pocket” has a pretty folk vibe, which I really like. Check out these lines: “You reached out and you gave me some loving/You gave me some luck and a dollar or two/I broke down and I showed you my problems/All of my problems.” Paul Margolis plays guitar on this track.

“The OWS And Me” is an excellent, lively folk tune, and it's a whole lot of fun. This track features Paul Margolis on guitar, Dave Jacobson on guitar, and John Shock on accordion. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I can't afford to pay my doctor bills/The children keep asking why/It breaks my heart to tell my kids that the American dream's run dry.” And of course I appreciate these lines: “I see a police camera everywhere I look/Where did my freedom go?”

“Words Of Love” is one of the album’s two tracks not written by Mike Barth, and the vocal approach here is close to the way Buddy Holly sang it on the original recording. It’s a good, sweet rendition. The other tune that Mike Barth did not write is “A Thousand Times,” which was written by Polkats member John Shock and included on Live From Highlandtown. Interestingly, John Shock does not play on this track. Mike Barth delivers this tune as a pretty, earnest folk song, and it's one of my favorite tracks.

CD Track List

1. Just Can’t Make It Alone
2. Blanket Of Misery
3. Energy Called Love
4. Big Piece Of Chicken
5. Words Of Love
6. Ring In My Pocket
7. Drink It All Today
8. Grease Step
9. The OWS And Me
10. A Thousand Times

Dance This! was released on February 15, 2015.