M.D. Dunn: “Solace” (2016) CD Review

Singer, songwriter and poet M.D. Dunn’s newest release, Solace, features mostly original material, including several rather pretty guitar instrumentals. The music has something of a mellow 1970s folk feel at times. This is his seventh release, and was produced by Rusty McCarthy, who also plays bass, banjo and guitar on it. Also joining M.D. Dunn on this CD are Chris Murphy on drums, Al Wood on harmonica, Cliff Alloy on percussion, Jenny Gauvreau on piano and backing vocals, Sheldon Jaaskelainen on violin, and Britta Wolfert on backing vocals. Mark D. Dunn is based in Ontario (yes, great music continues to come from that area).

The album opens with “Beauty,” which begins with some excellent work on acoustic guitar. It eases in, the guitar taking you on a little journey. And then when the vocals come in, you find yourself on a familiar road: “You’re a little too tired/You know you’re too stoned to drive/So you pull over to the shoulder of a road you’ve known all your life.” The song kicks in and features something of a driving beat and energy, with passion behind the vocal delivery. “Come on and be the beauty/Heal this wounded world.” There is some great work by Al Wood on harmonica, which never rises to overpower the guitar. “I’ve got a hole in my heart the shape of God’s fist.”  Like “Beauty,” the following track, “Master Of Doubt,” starts with some good work on acoustic guitar to pull you in. It’s the guitar that is really at the heart of this CD. “Master Of Doubt” is about a certain longing and a shyness keeping him from acting on it. “And too scared to even speak with you/I looked away before you knew.”

“Miracles Happen (And Frequently Go Unnoticed) Even On A Day Like This” is the first of the album’s instrumental tracks. It is really pretty, and features some wonderful work on guitar. Again, it is the acoustic guitar that is at the heart of this release. Partway through the track, the violin eases in, and the track becomes more beautiful. The violin does the same for the CD’s title track, “Solace.” While that song has a strong 1970s vibe, the lyrics mention more modern contraptions: “She’s screaming at the phone/Under my window at 2 a.m./Got the broken GPS blues.” Those lines come as a surprise to me, and sort of lift me out of the song, if only momentarily. Another thing that comes as a surprise is the inclusion of a live track, “Watchful,” which was recorded in January of this year. On this one he is joined only by Rusty McCarthy on bass, which actually was recorded later. Basically, this is a live solo performance. I think I would have cut the audience reaction at the end, the applause, because it’s a bit jarring.

The album’s second instrumental track, “Snow Angels,” is, like “Miracles Happen,” quite pretty. Apparently, this one originally had lyrics, and a vocal version was included on Dunn’s first release, 1994’s After The Great Sleep (but I haven’t been able to find that track online to give it a listen). On this instrumental rendition, he is joined only by Rusty McCarthy. The other instrumentals are “Seasons” and “The Companion.”

“On Without End” is another with a strong 1970s vibe reminding me a bit of America or perhaps Stephen Stills or Neil Young. “City is green when seen from above/The river winding through like a snake/Swirling in the center/The cells in the body just glowing with love/It’s like looking in a mirror/That looks into the eyes of the universe/You go on without end.” Sheldon Jaaskelainen adds some beautiful work on violin. Britta Wolfert and Jenny Gauvreau provide backing vocals. It’s really good, but probably my favorite track is “The Last Beautiful Thing.” There is just something about this song that gets right to me. Sure, the violin is excellent. And I love the backing vocals by Britta Wolfert and Jenny Gauvreau. But I think it’s the lyrics that really make this track stand out. There is something warming and friendly and positive about them. “I know you/By the songs that you give/And you came through/Came through/When everyone was wrong/You came through/Came through/When everyone had gone.” It’s a beautiful song.

The album’s only cover is actually an adaptation of an e.e. cummings poem, “i thank you, god.” The last two lines of the poem are used as sort of a chorus, sung after the first stanza as well as later. The album concludes with “Diamond Inside,” which, sure, is a bit corny, but also really sweet. “Everybody has a diamond inside/See it shining in their eyes.”  I ended up really liking this song, partly because of the beautiful violin. The sweet, honest feel ended up moving me.

CD Track List

1. Beauty
2. Master Of Doubt
3. Miracles Happen (And Frequently Go Unnoticed) Even On A Day Like This
4. Solace
5. Watchful
6. Snow Angels
7. On Without End
8. Seasons
9. The Last Beautiful Thing
10. i thank you, god
11. The Companion
12. Diamond Inside

Solace was released on May 10, 2016.

George Crumb: Voice Of The Whale DVD Review

George Crumb is an avant-garde composer known for using contrasting musical styles in his often-beautiful compositions. At the heart of the documentary film George Crumb: Voice Of The Whale, originally released in 1976 and now available on DVD, is the performance of one of his compositions, “Vox Balaenae.” This is a piece written for flute, piano and cello, and inspired by the songs of whales.

The film opens with the performance of this piece, without any introduction or information to get us situated. It just gets right to the music, and quickly immerses us in the piece, the camera extremely close on each of the instruments, which for me calls to mind that great “Goin’ Down” segment from The Monkees. Everything is presented in a blue light, and which also gives us the feel of being in the depths of the ocean. There are no wide shots featuring all of the performers, and no chance to see the performance space, the musicians surrounded by darkness, which also keeps the focus on the music itself, and the way it’s played. The musicians wear masks, with the pianist wearing a gas mask, which looks creepy in that blue light. The first section of the piece seems to include a strange nod to “Also Sprach Zarathustra.”

Then, just when we’re completely hooked, the film cuts to a conversation between George Crumb and fellow composer Richard Wernick, which is presented in a green light (Wernick is also credited as the film’s music director). They discuss the connection between events and Crumb’s compositions. “Black Angels,” Crumb says, “came out of the Vietnam situation.” He also mentions the influences he took from West Virginia on his music. “I guess that I’ve always been interested in sounds and possibilities of new sounds as expressive devices in the music,” he says. He shows and demonstrates some of the more unusual instruments he’s used (I want to get one of those nipple gongs). Interestingly, they also talk about the look of his compositions on paper, the aesthetic value of the sheet music, something we might not ordinarily consider. We see brief flashes of examples, the music written out in a peace symbol or in other interesting, pleasing patterns.

Also interviewed in the film is George’s wife, Elizabeth Crumb, who provides a bit more information on Crumb’s personal life. The focus, however, is the music, and the film returns to “Vox Balaenae” throughout, giving us a movement or two at a time. The second section reminds me a bit of some of the Grateful Dead’s improvised “Space” segments, getting strange sounds from familiar instruments, playing them in perhaps unexpected ways. For example, the pianist works the piano strings rather than the keys. And later on, we do get shots of all three musicians together (though still without any sense of the space around them). The musicians, by the way, are Barbara Haffner on cello, Carole Morgan on flute and Lambert Orkis on piano.

George Crumb: Voice Of The Whale was produced and directed by Robert Mugge, and was released on DVD on June 24, 2016 through MVD Visual. The DVD contains no special features.

I’ve reviewed a few other Robert Mugge music-related documentaries. If you’re curious about them, here are the links:

• Black Wax
• The Kingdom Of Zydeco
• Zydeco Crossroads: A Tale Of Two Cities

Chelle Rose: “Blue Ridge Blood” (2016) CD Review

When I first got turned on to Chelle Rose back in 2012, with the release of Ghost Of Browder Holler, the first thing that struck me was her voice. And now with the release of Blue Ridge Blood, her new album, I’m happy to say that nothing has changed in that department. Her voice is so totally without artifice. It’s tough and strong, and approaches you straight-on. A voice that won’t bluff. Of course that voice would only carry the album so far if the songs themselves weren’t good. But this album features some excellent original material. All of the songs on this release were written by Chelle Rose. As on Ghost Of Browder Holler, Chelle is joined by Billy Cassis on electric guitar and acoustic guitar, Rick Richards on drums and percussion, and George Reiff on bass (Reiff also produced the CD). This time she is also joined by Sergio Webb on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, dobro and ukulele; Johnathon Letner on mandolin; and Bukka Allen on keys. Buddy Miller joins her on harmony vocals for the title track.

The CD opens with “Paintsville Table,” which has a cool, mean vibe right from the start, as Chelle sings about a man who gives up his dreams to take a mining job to support his family. That’s followed by “Reckon With The Devil,” which begins with just percussion and vocals, giving it a delicious raw and immediate feel. “You can pray/You can fight/You can get down on your knees every night.” The guitars too have a raw power, particularly in the instrumental section toward the end.

“Dammit Darlin” has a dark folk vibe. The drums then come in after a minute or so, a steady pounding like a terrifying pulse. And when that breaks, the song arrives at a plateau that almost has a sweetness to it, which comes as something of a surprise. It’s a really interesting and wonderful tune, but the following track, “Not Your Girl,” is even better. It opens with these lines: “I don’t want you/I don’t need you/I don’t care if you stay/Every time you push my buttons/I always give you your way.” As much as Chelle gives us with her voice, in this song she seems to deliver an equal amount of meaning with well-placed pauses. In those opening lines, she pauses briefly before “care if you stay” and after “I always.” In both cases it gives us just the briefest of moments to guess where she’s going. She also pauses after “I am not your girl” each time she sings it, like giving the other person a chance to respond, almost like daring the person to disagree. And of course the person never does. I especially love the pause after “You give me nothing that I need/I am not your girl” – a pause in which you feel anything could happen. What will follow? A scream? A cry? What follows is a great instrumental section. This is one of my favorites. Though the next song is the album’s title track, this song’s lyrics also include the title phrase, in the line “A blue ridge blood running through your veins.”

The title track, “Blue Ridge Blood,” is an oddly delightful folk tune, and is another of my favorites. “Somebody told me when I was a little girl/Blue ridge blood/Better change the way I talk, never make it in this world/Blue ridge blood.” The CD is dedicated to her grandmother, who helped raise her, and this song mentions her directly in its lyrics. Buddy Miller joins Chelle Rose on vocals on this one. “Mean Grandpappy,” also about a family member, has a very different feel. Check out these lines: “Grandpappy Rose was a mean son of a bitch/Beat you with his words, didn’t need no switch/Sitting on the front porch, yelling at my granny/Better spit and shine every damn nook and cranny.” The lines that always stand out are “I went home to Knoxville when they laid him down/Right where he belonged in the cold, hard ground.”

Another of this CD’s highlights for me is “Hidin’ Hole.” Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Just let me lie here/I’ll let you know when my blood thaws/It might take a hundred years/So call off your dogs/I’m down, down in a hidin’ hole/I ain’t saying forever goodbye/Just tired of smiling when all I want to do is cry.” The album ends with an odd little tune, “Sing Pretty,” in which Chelle seems to poke a bit of fun of herself and her own style in lines like “Mama always wanted me to sing pretty/It hurts her to hear the pain that I pour out/So this one’s for my mama/I’m going to try do it sweet/A little less vinegar/More honey to catch the bee.” And the song does have kind of a sweet feel.

CD Track List

1. Paintsville Table
2. Reckon With The Devil
3. Dammit Darlin
4. Not Your Girl
5. Blue Ridge Blood
6. Laid Me Down
7. Mean Grandpappy
8. Gypsy Rubye
9. Hidin' Hole
10. Southern 4501
11. Sing Pretty 

Blue Ridge Blood is scheduled to be released on August 5, 2016 on Lil’ Damsel Records.

The Turtles: “All The Singles” (2016) CD Review

I got into The Turtles in the 1980s when I was in my teens. At that time, it seemed everything from the 1960s was incredibly popular again, and tons of compilations were issued. As I recall, I had a greatest hits compilation cassette that was actually of two bands – The Turtles on one side and, if memory serves, The Association on the other. On The Turtles side, it had “Elenore,” “You Showed Me,” “She’d Rather Be With Me” and, of course, “Happy Together.” I played that tape a lot, though there is a line in “Happy Together” that has always bothered me (more on that a bit later). There is a line in “Elenore” that always makes me laugh (but more on that also later). The new two-disc set, All The Singles, contains exactly what it promises – all of the singles, both the A and the flip sides, that the band released between 1965 and 1970, as well as a couple that were not released. Everything you know and love is included here, and also some real gems you might not have heard. This excellent compilation also includes extensive liner notes by Andrew Sandoval, with thoughts on the songs by band members Mark Volman, Howard Kaylan, Al Nichol and Jim Pons.

The singles are presented in chronological order, and so the first disc begins with the band’s first single, a really good cover of “It Ain’t Me Babe.” This track was included on that compilation I owned in the 1980s, and I think I heard The Turtles’ rendition dozens of times before I ever heard Bob Dylan’s original, and honestly whenever this song gets in my head even now, it’s The Turtles’ version I’m thinking of. I always loved that kind of snarl in their vocals as they sang the title line. Wonderful. It still totally works. The flip side is an original composition, “Almost There,” written by Howard Kaylan. This is a good rock tune that I don’t think I’d ever heard before, about getting closer to his girlfriend.

The band’s second single was “Let Me Be,” a song written by P.F. Sloan, who is probably most known for writing Barry McGuire’s big hit “Eve Of Destruction,” a song which The Turtles also recorded (it’s included on the second disc). P.F. Sloan also co-wrote the band’s third single, “You Baby,” which was the title track from the band’s second album (or, actually, one of the two title tracks, as the title of the album is You Baby/Let Me Be). This song was also included on that cassette compilation I had, where it was titled “You, Baby (Nobody But You).” It’s a fun pop tune that was always one of my favorites.

One of the most interesting songs (and one I hadn’t heard before) is “Grim Reaper Of Love,” written by Chuck Portz and Al Nichol. From its strange vocal opening (making me think of some odd church) to its unusual time, this one is quite different from most of this band’s material. The band’s next single, “So Goes Love,” is one of those that was not originally released. “So Goes Love” was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, and was also recorded by The Monkees, with Davy Jones on lead vocals (it was included on their Missing Links album). This version by The Turtles has quite a different feel from The Monkees’ rendition. Its flip side, an Al Nichol song titled “On A Summer’s Day,” was likewise previously unissued. (A different mix was included on the band’s 1970 album Wooden Head.)

“We’ll Meet Again” is a song I always associate with Dr. Strangelove (it was also used well in Stephen Frears’ The Hit, which I finally just saw, where it’s sung as a threat to Terence Stamp’s character). The Turtles’ rendition is very different from Vera Lynn’s, and is even different from The Byrds’ version. This version has a happy, bright, playful vibe, and is delivered at a fairly fast pace. It’s actually quite wonderful, and the more I listen to it, the more I love it. I also really like their version of Warren Zevon’s “Outside Chance.” (Bangles fans, this song was included on the recent compilation of early Bangles recordings, Ladies And Gentlemen…The Bangles!) They also do Warren Zevon’s “Like The Seasons.”

“Happy Together” was the band’s biggest hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon. I do like this song, of course, but as I mentioned there is a line that’s always bothered me: “The only one for me is you/And you for me.” They’re saying the same thing twice! What they mean to say is “The only one for me is you/And for you is me.” But that’s not what they’re saying. And the line is repeated. Okay, I know I should relax. After all, it’s a damn good song. (By the way, I remember a friend telling me it’s the “And how is the weather” line at the end that bothered her. We all have our own hang-ups, I suppose.) That hit was followed by another hit single, “She’d Rather Be With Me,” a ridiculously fun and enjoyable pop tune also written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon. That single’s flip side, “The Walking Song,” is also really good. It was written by Howard Kaylan and Al Nichol.

Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon wrote another of the band’s best songs, “You Know What I Mean.” It starts off as a catchy little number, but grows and has some interesting changes. It wasn’t as big a hit as the earlier two, but is a far more interesting song. They also wrote “She’s My Girl,” another very cool tune, that opens with a good bass line and features some unusual vocals. The first disc ends with an unlisted track, a jingle advertising Pepsi.

The second disc opens with “Sound Asleep,” a song written by the entire band, and another of the band’s more interesting tunes. Though at one point they drift into The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” (approximately a minute in). The single’s flip side, “Umbassa The Dragon,” was also written by the entire band, and is an odd number, with the group making jungle noises and delivering some spoken word. That’s followed by Harry Nilsson’s “The Story Of Rock And Roll,” a song that was also recorded by The Monkees.

“Elenore” is another of the band’s big hits, reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is another that has the entire band credited with its composition. As I mentioned earlier, this one has a line that always makes me laugh: “You’re my pride and joy, et cetera.” Howard Kaylan actually talks about that line in this collection’s liner notes: “A parody of ‘Happy Together.’ It was never intended to be a straightforward song. I would never have put, ‘Pride and joy, et cetera’ in a straightforward song.” So there you have it. “Elenore” was included on The Turtles Present The Battle Of The Bands. Another song from that album to be released as a single is “You Showed Me,” written by Jim McGuinn (also known as Roger McGuinn) and Gene Clark of The Byrds. This is another of my favorites, and it too reached #6 on the Billboard chart. (Mark Volman tells the story behind the song’s tempo in the liner notes.) Its flip side is a seriously cool track titled “Buzz Saw.”

“Lady-O” finds the band going in a different direction. It’s a pretty song with a string arrangement. It was written by Judee Sill, who would include her own version of the song on her 1971 self-titled debut record. Judee also did the string arrangement for The Turtles’ rendition. Another interesting track is “We Ain’t Gonna Party No More,” an anti-war song written by Howard Kaylan that was issued as the flip side to “Who Would Ever Think That I would Marry Margaret?” “We’ve got ignorance, pollution and so much more/If there’s one thing we don’t need, it’s your damn war/We ain’t gonna party no more.”

The second disc includes a previously unreleased early single mix of “How You Love Me,” with Howard Kaylan on lead vocals. Also originally unissued is the band’s cover of Jan & Arnie’s “Gas Money,” a fun and goofy early rock and roll tune. The last two singles in this collection are songs that were included on early Turtles records: “Eve Of Destruction” (which was on the band’s first studio album) and “Me About You” (which was on the band’s third album, Happy Together). The Turtles’ version of “Eve Of Destruction” doesn’t have the “Yeah my blood’s so mad it feels like coagulating” verse. The second disc then ends with an unlisted track, as did the first disc. This time it’s a Camaro advertisement jingle, with the lines “Turn the key, it turns you on, yeah” and “You’re on a groovy trip with Camaro.”

CD Track List

Disc One

1. It Ain’t Me Babe
2. Almost There
3. Let Me Be
4. Your Maw Said You Cried
5. You Baby
6. Wanderin’ Kind
7. Grim Reaper Of Love
8. Come Back
9. So Goes Love
10. On A Summer’s Day
11. We’ll Meet Again
12. Outside Chance
13. Makin’ My Mind Up
14. Can I Get To Know You Better
15. Like The Seasons
16. Happy Together
17. She’d Rather Be With Me
18. The Walking Song
19. Guide For The Married Man
20. Think I’ll Run Away
21. You Know What I Mean
22. Rugs Of Woods And Flowers
23. She’s My Girl
24. Chicken Little Was Right

Disc Two

1. Sound Asleep
2. Umbassa The Dragon
3. The Story Of Rock And Roll
4. Can’t You Hear The Cows
5. Elenore
6. Surfer Dan
7. Christmas Is My Time Of Year
8. You Showed Me
9. Buzz Saw
10. House On The Hill
11. Come Over
12. How You Love Me
13. You Don’t Have To Walk In The Rain
14. Love In The City
15. Bachelor Mother
16. Lady-O
17. Somewhere Friday Night
18. Teardrops
19. Gas Money
20. Who Would Ever Think That I Would Marry Margaret?
21. We Ain’t Gonna Party No More
22. Is It Any Wonder?
23. Eve Of Destruction
24. Me About You

All The Singles is scheduled to be released on August 19, 2016 on Manifesto Records.

Jeremy Nail: “My Mountain” (2016) CD Review

Jeremy Nail’s new release, My Mountain, features some excellent original material. I’m especially drawn to songs like “Down To The Ocean” and “Survive,” both examples of his impressive songwriting abilities. The songs are all originals, written or co-written by Jeremy Nail. Joining Jeremy on this release are Bobby Daniel on upright bass, Chris Masterson on guitar and Chris Searles on drums, with additional musicians and vocalists on certain tracks. The CD was produced by Alejandro Escovedo, known for being a member of The Nuns and Rank And File, and also for his own solo career.

My Mountain opens with its title track, a cool bluesy folk gem. This song has a simple but kind of hypnotic groove. And I love the backing vocals, which come in at just the right moments and aren’t overused; they’re like sly angels coming in from the side then retreating into the mist. Jazz Mills and Eleanor Whitmore provide those backing vocals. “The spirit grows when the winds of change blow in/I might fall, but I’ll get up again.” We then go a little deeper into Jeremy Nail’s world in the second track, “Down To The Ocean,” one of my personal favorites. By now he has us, and when he sings that he goes down to the ocean and jumps in, we’re with him, so the line “Let the waves wash away my failure” somehow cleanses us as well. There are some really good lyrics, and they’re delivered so openly, almost like spoken word. “The dreams I cling to, just far enough out of reach/That’s the beauty of a dream.” “Down To The Ocean” was written by Jeremy Nail and Alejandro Escovedo.

Jeremy Nail then switches gears to deliver more of a country pop song, “Dreams.” It’s a happy, positive tune with lines like “Listen to the song in your heart/Well, all you gotta do is do it/Though they say it’s all been done/But you ain’t done yet.” Johnny Goudie provides backing vocals on “Dreams.” That’s followed by another of my favorites, “Survive,” a sweet, strong, moving song, with some beautiful harmonies by Dana Falconberry on the chorus. “Right or wrong/You’re going to do what’s best for you and no one else/I’ll be by your side.” I love Jeremy’s honest vocal delivery, with just a hint of ache in his voice. This song also has a really good electric guitar part.

“Brave” is another that grabbed me immediately (immediately and gently), partly because of those wonderful touches on piano near the beginning. That’s Stephen Barber on piano. I also love the strings, which add to the beauty of this song. This song is truly pretty, and sounds like it lives on the edge between a smile and collapse. “There’s another way, I just know it/’Cause tomorrow will move on from yesterday/I know that through my fear I will remain/Brave.” I also love the feel of “New Frontier,” with a kind of haunting element from the start. Then those great touches on electric guitar help create a strange, dark mood, an atmosphere of regret and hope and possibilities, all over a steady pulse. My Mountain concludes with “Tell Me What Else You Got,” another strong track featuring a wonderful instrumental section at the end.

CD Track List

1. My Mountain
2. Down To The Ocean
3. Dreams
4. Survive
5. The Great Mystery
6. Only Love
7. Brave
8. Heroes
9. New Frontier
10. Calling All Cars
11. Tell Me What Else You Got 

My Mountain was released on May 3, 2016 on Open Nine Music.

Marley’s Ghost: “The Woodstock Sessions” (2016) CD Review

Marley’s Ghost is celebrating the band’s thirtieth year together with the release of a new CD, The Woodstock Sessions. This follows their 2012 release, Jubilee, which was one of my favorite CDs of that year. While Jubilee featured a lot of original material, The Woodstock Sessions focuses mostly on covers of traditional songs. In fact, there’s only one song co-written by Dan Wheetman. I’ve come to expect great things from this band, and they haven’t let me down yet. The music on this excellent new release combines folk, country, blues and gospel elements. The album was recorded at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York, and was produced by Larry Campbell, who also plays several instruments on it.

The Woodstock Sessions opens with a very cool moody country rendition of “Blind Fiddler,” telling the story of a man fallen on hard times after losing his sight while on a job. And with a title like “Blind Fiddler,” you can expect some nice work on fiddle. What I like is that the fiddle is actually used somewhat sparingly, so when it comes in it has more power, more poignancy, and feels like it’s coming from the character in the song, which is great. And I love the instrumental section toward the end, which the fiddle leads. (That’s Larry Campbell on fiddle, by the way.) The fiddle then leads off the next tune, “Ain’t That Trouble In Mind” (not to be confused with “Trouble In Mind”), this version starting off with lines from “I’m Troubled” (“If trouble doesn’t kill me, I’ll live a long time”). This is one to get you on your feet, a happy-sounding country dance number.

Marley’s Ghost then dips into the blues with “Prodigal Son,” a tune written by Robert Wilkins (though listed as “Traditional” in the CD liner notes), and also recorded by The Rolling Stones (it’s on their Beggars Banquet album). I really love how they handle the vocals here, combining blues and gospel. They follow that with a really good rendition of “The Unconstant Lover,” a song that is also known as “On Top Of Old Smokey,” with the lines “On top of old Smokey/All covered with snow/I lost my true lover/For courtin' too slow.” It’s sad, but even in my forties I can’t help but hear “On Top Of Spaghetti” in my head whenever I hear this song. Is there some cure for that?

Marley’s Ghost also delivers a great rendition of “Stone Walls And Steel Bars,” a song written by Roy Marcum and Ray Pennington, and recorded by The Stanley Brothers. Their vocals are so bloody wonderful here – strong, honest, true. And I also really like that section on keys. And, holy moly, they follow that with a delightful and superb rendition of the gospel tune “Run On For A Long Time” (a song also known as “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” and “Run On”). Their excellent vocals are at the heart of this track, and this version has a joyful vibe. This track is a surprising highlight of this album. (I hear the group is now working on a gospel album, which is seriously exciting news.)

“Oh Sweet Wind” is an original composition by Dan Wheetman and Larry Campbell. It’s a mellow, sad, kind of pretty tune about a man after the death of his love. “I breathed her name into the air/Her voice so sweet did not reply/There was no answer from the wood/No answer from the earth or sky.” It has an Irish folk feel, particularly in the instrumental section.

They do an interesting version of “In The Pines” – interesting because they do it as a blues number, like Leadbelly, but with the lyrics about the train from the Bill Monroe bluegrass version. And the vocals at times have something of a gospel feel. This song is also known as “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.” Marley’s Ghost’s rendition of “Louisville Burglar” has a sound that is somehow simultaneously jubilant and relaxed, though the lyrics are about being sent to jail. This track is another highlight for me. This CD concludes with “Uncle Joe,” a bluegrass song that opens with some fiddle. This version features additional lyrics by Dan Wheetman.

CD Track List

1. Blind Fiddler
2. Ain’t That Trouble In Mind
3. Alabama John Cherokee
4. Prodigal Son
5. The Unconstant Lover
6. Stone Walls And Steel Bars
7. Run On For A Long Time
8. Oh Sweet Wind
9. Field Hand Man
10. In The Pines
11. Louisville Burglar
12. Storms Are On The Ocean
13. Uncle Joe 

Musicians

Marley’s Ghost is Jerry Fletcher on accordion, harmonium, piano, Wurlitzer organ and vocals; Ed Littlefield, Jr. on pedal steel guitar, acoustic guitar and vocals; Mike Phelan on acoustic guitar, dobro, electric guitar, Oahu Hawaiian slide guitar and vocals; Dan Wheetman on acoustic guitar, banjo and vocals; and Jon Wilcox on mandolin and vocals. Joining them are Larry Campbell on guitar, fiddle and mandolin; Bob Nichols on drums and percussion; Byron Isaacs on bass; and Justin Guip on percussion.

The Woodstock Sessions is scheduled to be released July 15, 2016 on Safe Arts Records.

Bob Mintzer: "All L.A. Band" (2016) CD Review

Bob Mintzer is an accomplished jazz saxophonist and composer. He is a member of the Yellowjackets and also leads his own big band as well as a quartet. On his new album, All L.A. Band, Bob Mintzer revisits some of his earlier big band compositions, music that covers several decades, all of it original material. He is based in Los Angeles, and - as the CD's title indicates - for this release he is joined by a group of other talented Los Angeles musicians, including Russell Ferrante, a Yellowjackets band mate, on keys, and longtime friend and collaborator Peter Erskine on drums. Erskine also produced this CD.

"El Caborojeño," a tune that was included on one of Bob Mintzer's live albums, opens with a great Cuban groove. I really dig the percussion right from the start. And then the horns lift this tune up and take it to some wonderful places. I particularly dig that trumpet. I love the joy to this track. This is the perfect opening track, setting the mood and getting the listener excited for more, and it's one of my favorites. It's followed by "Havin' Some Fun," a tune whose title is perfect, as this song has a light, playful, innocent vibe. "Havin' Some Fun" was included on the Monday Orchestra Meets Bob Mintzer album. "Home Basie" has more than a bit of funk to the groove, which is fun under those great horns. Mintzer seems to be having a really good time here.

"New Rochelle" is a tune that was recorded by the Yellowjackets, and also included on the Bob Mintzer Big Band release Latin From Manhattan, as well as on Monday Orchestra Meets Bob Mintzer. It has kind of an easy-going vibe, though it does build up at times, and to my ear feels like a great tune for a relaxed, warm summer day. Pour yourself a drink and sit out by the pool and enjoy the sunshine. Or, if you're like me and have no pool, just close your eyes and imagine that kind of scene. In that case, throw in a couple of women. Why not?

"Runferyerlife" is another composition that was recorded by both the Yellowjackets and the Bob Mintzer Big Band. This is one of my favorite tracks, and not just because of the drum solo (though certainly that is part of the reason for my enjoyment). This is a lively, bright number that moves at a good pace, and has a great feel to it. This is a particularly good rendition, with the band cooking.

The last three tracks on this CD are all compositions featured on the 1985 Bob Mintzer Big Band album Incredible Journey. "Latin Dance" has, as you might expect from the title, a good groove. And there is a good percussion section toward the end that I really like. "Slo Funk" is another favorite of mine. It's a very cool, loose tune with, yes, a bit of funk under that swing. "Tribute" is also a really cool tune, beginning with just keys, bass and drums. I love that nice, light touch on piano, with a groovy bass line below it. I could listen to that all day. And then the horns come in, and the tune becomes even stronger, which probably comes as no surprise, especially as it's a tribute to Thad Jones. There is also a playful quality to this track that I appreciate.

CD Track List

1. El Caborojeño
2. Havin' Some Fun
3. Home Basie
4. Ellis Island
5. Original People
6. New Rochelle
7. Runferyerlife
8. Latin Dance
9. Slo Funk
10. Tribute

Musicians

Joining Bob Minzter on this release are Wayne Bergeron on trumpet, James Blackwell on trumpet, John Thomas on trumpet, Chad Willis on trumpet, Michael Stever on trumpet, Bob McChesney on trombone, Erik Hughes on trombone, Juliane Gralle on trombone, Craig Gosnell on trombone, Bob Sheppard on saxophone, Adam Schroeder on saxophone, Russ Ferrante on piano, Edwin Livingston on bass, Peter Erskine on drums, Aaron Serfaty on percussion and Larry Koonse on guitar.

All L.A. Band is scheduled to be released on August 19, 2016 on Fuzzy Music.