Last fall Scofield released Country For Old Men. The idea was to jazz up a bunch of classic country songs. A few months later it was announced that Scofield was touring and he would be visiting Minneapolis’ Dakota jazz club. The tour was would feature the Country For Old Men album. I thought about going and promptly forgot about it. However, my lovely bride did not forget and bought tickets as a Valentine’s Day present.
It was a great show. Sco played seven songs from the album (and two that could have easily been on the album) with his fine band (Bill Stewart on drums, Larry Goldings on piano and organ and Vicente Archer on bass).
The band kicked it off with a George Jones classic “Mr Fool,” which also kicks off the album. It sets the template for the album: take a great melody, deconstruct it and put back together.
Then Sco played “Mama Tried” a Merle Haggard song. After that song Sco introduced the band and recited lyrics from the song:
“And I turned twenty-one in prion doing life without parole.
No-one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried.
Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading, I denied.
That leaves only me to blame ’cause Mama tried.”
Next he played the Dolly Parton gem “Jolene.” It was fun to see what a jazz cat can do with a great melody. “Jolene” is such a familiar song it is easy to follow the deconstruction.
Sco made a few false starts reciting the lyrics to the song James Taylor wrote for George Jones “Bartender’s Blues.”
“But I got four walls around me, to hold my life
To keep me from going astray
And a honky-tonk angel, to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away”
But there were no misses when he played the song.
Sco and the band made the Hank Williams classic “I Am So Lonesome I Could Cry” into a spaced out bop with Goldings making his mark on the organ. The band followed up with another Hank song: “You Win Again” one of the two songs in the set that are not on the album.
Great jazz artists can take the most banal pop song and make it shine. That is exactly what Sco did with Shania Twain’s “You’re Still The One.” That turned out to be the highlight of the set.
Sco turned Buck Owens’ “Together Again” into gospel. This was the second song not on the album.
Sco closed out the set with The Carter Family’s “Wildwood Flower.” Sco introduced the song with some country picking and then took a jazz left turn, only to end the song with country picking.
Scofield has gorgeous tone on his guitar and he has a broad taste: soul jazz, straight ahead jazz, jazz rock, folk jazz, jam band rock, blues and now country jazz. Taking classic country melodies and jazzing them up is a great concept and it is magical in the hands of an open-minded artist like Scofield. Add a sympathetic band and you have something very special.
I liked the album Country For Old Men a lot when I first heard it and it won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental, but it never quite resonated with me like some of his other albums. Seeing him live, these songs really popped. I now fully appreciate the subtleties of the album. Some times you need to be hit over the head at a live show to get it. Great album and great show.
Enjoy CB’s take https://cincinnatibabyhead.wordpress.com/2017/02/05/album-greetings-from-l-a-tim-buckley/
Fellow blogger Cincinnati Babyhead recently turned me on to this album. He wrote a review that caught my interest. I dialed it up on Spotify and gave it a listen. It was good, but it did not blow me away. I was at a record show this past weekend and found a decent LP version of Greetings from L.A. for $5 and picked it up. I brought it home and gave it a spin on the big boy stereo and oh my I was blown away. This is a record to be reckoned with.
I have never listened to Tim Buckley. I know he is Jeff Buckley’s dad and I assumed he was a folk singer. Listening to Greetings from L.A. the last thing I thought of was folk. This guy sounds like a hipster Elvis or an American version of Serge Gainsbourg.
So what the hell is this? It is a bit artsy, mainly funky, a bit jazzy, a bit deviant (maybe more than a bit deviant) and a bit silly (in a good way).
Buckley has a crazy voice. It reminds me of Eric Burdon (Animals and War), but weirder. It has the attitude of Van Morrison. This is not a conventional pop voice. Clearly with Tim’s son, Jeff Buckley, the apple did not fall far from the tree. This is a voice that is going to put off some people, but if you come to it with an exploring mind it is pretty cool. It is dexterous, sexy, primal and playful. I really can’t compare it to anyone. In addition to Burdon and Van Morrison, it reminds me of a theatrical Jim Morrison.
The LP opens with “Move With Me.” It has an R&B meets glam rock feel. This would not be out-of-place on a Bowie, T-Rex or Lou Reed album (assuming Lou had a rich soulful voice). It is the tale of a pick up artist who seduces the wrong girl.
“Get On Top” has a lecherous lyric in the style of the Stones. It is exactly about what you would expect it to be about. Buckley use it as platform to show off his amazing pipes. Lots of vocal gymnastics.
“Sweet Surrender” is a soulful ballad. Buckley is Al Green as a cad. He is justifying his infidelity.
Side two starts with “Nighthawkin’.” It is a cabbie’s tale of a rambunctious fare.
“Devil Eyes” is a tale of a dirty act called the “monkey rub.” Whatever that is (you know it is wrong).
“Hong Kong Bar” is an acoustic blues. It is the only sentimental song on the album, but it has a mean streak. I would love to hear Robert Plant cover this song.
“Make It Right” ends the album with the most depraved cut on the LP (an impressive feat). It is also the most elaborately produced song on the LP. Check out these lyrics:
“I wanna be your victim
your sweet little victim of love
Come on and beat me, whip me, spank me
Mama make it right again”
This album is hard to describe, it is some kind of strange funk. It is worth taking the plunge. Give it a few spins before judging. Try listening to it on a good stereo – it will make a difference. I have failed to adequately describe Greetings from L.A – let’s leave it to the great rock critic Robert Christgau:
“Perverse as it may seem, Buckley’s mannered, androgynous moan has real erotic appeal for some, and here it turns a trick. This is rock pornography if anything is, complete with whips, foot fetishes, meat racks, and salacious gasps, and while I wouldn’t call the band hard-core, it definitely fills the groove.”
PS – thanks for the inspiration CB, I have a new artist to explore.
PPS – the album art is fantastic! I got a first edition with the perforated post card.
This is how good the 70s were for music: a minor league band could put out a masterpiece and go platinum plus (greater than a million units sold). A band that was on par with The Eagles for songwriting and musicianship, but not really beloved. I can think of several 70s bands like this.
You may be familiar with Elan’s top-40 hit “Strange Way” that still gets played on classic rock radio. These guys were more than one hit wonders (they charted 11 singles). They had an impressive pedigree in country/folk rock (direct or indirect connections to The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Buffalo Springfield and The Byrds). They honed their craft as road warriors touring in support of top acts like Leon Russell, The Doobie Brothers, The Band and finally Fleetwood Mac (when the Mac was the biggest band in the world). The point is these guys were very talented.
I am a fan of a lot of contemporary acts that like have a 70s country rock Southern California vibe (i.e. Father John Misty, Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis, The Jayhawks, etc). Firefall is a textbook example of this style. Not as famous, original or archetypal as bands like Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN), The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, they were still damn good. They had two quality singer songwriters in Rick Roberts and Larry Burnett. They had a gunslinger guitarist – Jock Bartley. A country rock legend – drummer Michael Clarke. A secret spice: an amazing keyboard and woodwind player – David Muse. The group was rounded out by a very experienced and professional bassist, Mark Andes, who brought some jazz and prog influences to the band. To pull it all together these guys have CSN quality harmonies.
Side one opens with a classic rock staple: “Strange Way.” It is a ballad with an arena rock chorus. This is pure ear candy. This was the kind of song that you would spin to show off your stereo back in the day.
“Sweet And Sour” shows off Firefall’s great vocal harmonies. You swear it is a lost CSN classic.
“Wrong Side Of Town” brings a new groove to the album: funky, jazzy and sassy.
“Count Your Blessings” is a soft rock beauty with a light country sway. It has a simple message:
“And you’ll be alright
When your laughter reappears
And you learn to count your blessings
Not your tears”
“Get You Back” lets you know these guys can rock. It is pure Southern Boogie.
Side two opens with “Anymore.” This song has a Stephen Stills feel. However, Rick Roberts has a more powerful vocal than Stills. The song has a sprinkle of some swampy funk.
“Baby” is some more soft rock. Guest Laura Taylor contributes some sexy harmonies. David Muse drops a Grover Washington Jr. quality soprano sax solo.
“Goodbye, I Love You” is another slick single. Just not quite as amazing as “Strange Way.”
“Sweet Ann” takes the album on a more traditional country rock tangent. But it is still a bit off (in a good way) with an organ and flute solos.
“Wind Of Change” closes the album on a rocking note. More Southern boogie, but with CSN harmonies.
This is a great album and an easy find. I see this frequently in the dollar bins. In fact, I recently picked up a near mint copy for a buck.
I discovered Lowell George, and his band Little Feat, from his/their famous fan Jackson Browne. I was really into Browne’s 1980 album Hold Out. On that album there is a song, “Of Missing Persons,” that was written for Inara George, the daughter of Lowell George. George had died a year prior to the release of Hold Out.
Based on that song I sought out George’s one solo album Thanks I’ll Eat It Here and the Little Feat catalog. What a treasure chest George’s music is.
At the time this album was recorded, George felt Little Feat was venturing too far toward jazz rock fusion, a style he hated, so he retreated back to the Dixie Chicken vibe on this solo debut. The album is a mix of covers and George originals. The album has an easy, almost tossed-offed feel, but if you listen to it carefully it is deeply soulful, cleverly arranged and expertly played by the top session cats of the day (late 70s). Sadly, this would be George’s last album as he died shortly after its release.
George had an interesting career – he was in Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, The Standells and Little Feat. There is no coherent narrative between those three bands. He produced one of the Grateful Dead’s most pop sounding albums – Shakedown Street. He was a multi-instrumentalist, most famous as a slide guitarist. He had a rich soulful voice and wrote some great songs. In short, he is an amazing footnote in rock music history.
This album is a perfect calling card for the music of Lowell George. It’s pretty easy and inexpensive to acquire on LP and CD (under $5).
The album opens with a brilliant cover of the Allen Toussaint song “What Do You Want the Girl to Do.” This song opened the door for me to the genius of Allen Toussaint. Little Feat stood on the broad shoulders of Toussaint’s New Orleans funk.
“Honest Man” is a George original and it has a slight reggae lilt.
“Two Trains” is a reprise of a Little Feat classic (originally composed by George). This version is a bit funkier than the original from Dixie Chicken.
Side one ends with another perfect cover: Ann Pebbles’s “Can’t Stand The Rain.” The Pebbles original is amazing and some how George manages to duplicate the beauty of the original, yet make it his own.
Side two opens with a Lowell George, Van Dyke Parks and Martin Kibbee (aka Fred Martin) number that has a mariachi feel. “Cheek To Cheek” is a love song to a woman stranded south of the border (I guess this has been a long-standing issue in America).
George takes Rickie Lee Jones’ lethargic “Easy Money” and turns it into Little Feat magic.
“20 Million Things” is a George original that is heartbreakingly beautiful. I would love to hear Keith Richards cover this song – it would be perfect for him.
“Find A River” is by session ace Fred Tackett. It has a nice Jackson Browne feel.
“Himler’s Ring” is written by the great songwriter Jimmy Webb. George gives it and old-time vaudeville flavor. Himmler, who was the head of the Nazi SS, awarded honor rings, also known as death’s-head rings, to his most loyal and valiant officers.
The playfulness of this song is quite ironic given the ghoulish source of its inspiration.
“Heartache” is a George original that is a CD bonus track (it is also on the Spotify version of the album). It has a country song feel. It is the least produced song on the album and it is a nice little coda.
The cover art is by Neon Park (he did all the Little Feat LP covers except their debut) parodies Édouard Manet’s famous painting “Le déjeuner sur l’herbe” with Marlene Dietrich, Fidel Castro and Bob Dylan having a picnic.
This album would be in my hall of fame, if for no other reason than it turned me on to Little Feat and Allen Toussaint, but it is a classic in its own right.
One of my earliest rock and roll memories is listening to an 8 Track of Deep Purple’s Machine Head in my camp counselor’s pick up truck. I would have been about twelve at the time. I was pretty naive about rock and this album captured my imagination: it sounded wild, dangerous and forbidden.
Deep Purple was what we used to call heavy metal or hard rock. They were part of the “unholy trinity” of British heavy metal (Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath). For whatever reason, Zeppelin and Sabbath have never lost their cachet, but Deep Purple has fallen off the radar (it took until 2016 to get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame – a criminal omission – and at that date an insulting afterthought). You can easily pick up this double LP in good condition for under $5 (it sold over 2 million copies in the US). I paid $4 for a near mint copy, however it is a record club edition (these can sometimes be of dubious quality, but I got lucky this is a good one and sounds great).
Made In Japan, like Machine Head is the Mark II line up – the second and most commercially successful Deep Purple line-up: Ian Gillan (vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards, backing vocals), Roger Glover (bass), Ian Paice (drums), and Ritchie Blackmore (guitar). It is a live album featuring their best songs.
Deep Purple was epic because it had it all: great riffs, face melting guitar solos, thundering drums, seismic bass, the devil’s organ and classic hard rock vocals. But none of that would have mattered if they didn’t have great songs – Deep Purple had great songs.
I remember a few years ago, a friend of my son, called me up and asked me why the vintage vinyl double album he just bought had odd side numberings. The flip side of side one was side four and the flip side of side two was three. There is a good reason. Back in the day there used to be a kind of turntable called a “changer.” With a changer you would stack several records on a spindle and it would play multiple records in sequence without user intervention. Often double albums were designed with disk one with side one and four and disk two with a side two and three. Then you could use a changer to play side one and two without having to get up to flip the record. Once those two sides were done you would flip both records without shuffling and it would play sides three and four.
I was reminded by this when I was playing the LP version of Made In Japan and I was expecting to hear side two after the flip, but instead I heard side four. Instead of hearing the heavy metal classic “Smoke On The Water” I heard the equally classic “Space Truckin’.” I knew it was wrong, but “Space Truckin'” live is such a great jam I had to hear it out. A full side of glory.
Back to side one. It opens with a pretty close to the studio version of Machine Head’s “Highway Star.” Which is one of the most bad ass songs of the early heavy metal period. Ian Gillian’s vocals are perfect. Richie Blackmore’s guitar solo would not sound out-of-place in a Metallica show. A great live presentation. This is followed by a more adventurous reading of “Child In Time” from Deep Purple in Rock. This is almost prog. This is a great opportunity to hear what a great vocalist Ian Gillian is. He goes from a whisper to a scream. And what a screamer Ian is. It is raw emotion. On par with anything Plant or Daltrey has done. And so blatantly British. Again Blackmore let’s it rip. I had forgotten how great he is. Bluesy, but foreshadowing thrash. These guys are as good as Zeppelin.
Side two opens with the one song that will not allow Deep Purple to be forgotten: “Smoke On The Water” which is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. One of the first and only riffs I ever learned on the electric guitar. That riff is so iconic and perfectly simple. Blackmore had the ability to create both simple monster riffs and complex epic solos.
“The Mule” is from The Fireball. The song is famous for drummer Ian Paice’s live solos on this song. On this version he solos for about 6 minutes. It is actually a pretty tight and engaging drum solo. The album has a nice stereo mix of the drum solo which is a bonus.
On to side three. “Strange Kind Of Woman” is also from Fireball. It is probably the most conventional blues boogie in the album. Again Ian Gillan and Blackmore steal the show. There is a great volley back and forth between Blackmore and Gillian as Blackmore tears off a lick and Gillian imitates it with his voice. The songs ends with a tremendous Gillian scream that must have inspired many a heavy metal vocalist.
Lazy is from Machine Head. The song opens with a spacy and trippy keyboard with a hint of garage rock before it finds a sweet jazzy groove. Blackmore joins the groove with some funky guitar. He introduces the riff gently and then the band explodes the riff and we have a heavy metal song. Yet the song swings. This is something that AC/DC must have been inspired by – as heavy as AC/DC is, they always swing. The song is playful as heck – something often missing in metal is fun and humor (again AC/DC never forgot that).
If you are not familiar with Deep Purple this would be a great introduction. If you are a fan you probably already own it. If you are a casual fan of classic rock, this need to be in your collection. If you are a jam band fan you will appreciate the imaginative and stretched out arrangements of Deep Purple’s hits. There is also a deluxe CD edition (also available on Spotify) that extends the album with an extra five songs. I have not listened to that version – as I prefer to take the medicine in its original form.
Rosewood is one of my first jazz crushes. Woody was on Dexter Gordon’s 1976 Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard and 1977 Sophisticated Giant. Sophisticated Giant and Homecoming would make my top-10 jazz albums. On both albums Woody’s horn playing really stood out. Each album had a Shaw composition too. When Rosewood came out the next year I was ready to check out Dexter’s gifted sideman. It was Shaw’s major label debut (Columbia) and it featured three of his compositions.
The late 70s was a good time for straight jazz. A major label, like Columbia, was so rich it could afford prestige artists like Dexter Gordon and Woody Shaw. The fusion era had created major successes like Weather Report. Jazz artists like George Benson where commercializing their sound and making hits. Artist like Gordon and Shaw where moderately successful – major successes by jazz standards – creating an environment where a major label like Columbia was comfortable making a major investment in straight ahead jazz. I am convinced this created a vibe where Columbia was brave enough to invest in the Young Lion movement led by Wynton Marsalis.
An album like Rosewood was actually promoted by Columbia. In hindsight this is pretty amazing because Rosewood is straight ahead neo-bop. This is not diluted cross over jazz. It is real jazz, yet accessible. This kind of jazz had kind of fallen off the face of the earth – but not really – it was alive and well in Europe. Gordon’s 1976 New York “homecoming” created a buzz and interest in bop that he and others had kept alive in Europe while they had fallen off the radar in the United States. Rosewood was part of this neo-bop buzz. I had the good fortune of busting my jazz cherry on albums like Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard, Sophisticated Giant and Rosewood.
Woody Shaw toured on Rosewood and I got to see the Shaw quintet live at the University of Minnesota’s Whole Coffeehouse in 1978 (a perfect venue for acoustic music). That tour was documented on Stepping Stones – Live at the Village Vanguard.
What I love about this album is:
- Woody – his trumpet has great tone and his soloing is muscular and sophisticated. It is technical, yet musical.
- Compositions – there are great jazz songs. Memorable melodies and great foundations for the soloists.
- Arrangements – the album presents both Woody’s working quintet and his concert ensemble. The concert ensemble arrangements are gorgeous and the quintet is dexterous.
- Listenable – I have listened to this album hundreds of times and I have never tired of it and I never stop discovering additional nuances on each listen.
The titular piece “Rosewood” opens the album. The Shaw composed piece was written for Shaw’s parents. The song exploits the concert ensemble. It sounds like a jazz orchestra. The song has a hummable melody. The arrangement is stunning and complex, yet it allows ample space for the soloists.
“Every Time I See You” is another ensemble piece. The song was composed by the band’s pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs. It reveals all the musical glory of the ensemble and it allows Woody to tear off a bad ass solo. Woody is quoted on the linar notes regarding this song: “It’s hard to play simply and still make it work.”
“The Legend of Cheops” is yet another composition by one Of Woody’s sideman, this time drummer Victor Lewis. Again this is a tune that highlights the ensemble strengths: elaborate musical arrangements and brilliant soloing.
“Rahsaan’s Run” starts side two. This song features the quintet. This Shaw composed number is a tribute to Rahsaan Roland Kirk, who at the time of this recording had recently passed. Shaw had worked extensively with Kirk. The song is not a dirge, but a joyful expression of the man.
“Sunshowers” uses the ensemble and is a tune by Woody’s bassist Clint Houston. The song offers a great opportunity for the horns and piano to solo unbridled. It is beautiful noise.
“Theme For Maxine” is for Woody’s wife and manager Maxine Gregg. This is, as you might guess, a beautiful ballad. The song featuring the quintet, replaces regular sax man Carter Jefferson with Joe Henderson (who has a history with Woody as they played together with Horace Silver in the mid 60s). Woody and Joe each solo brilliantly, but the real thrill is when they play together in tandem. Their two horns together is like hearing a whole orchestra or choir. It is truly a 1+1>2 equation.
The CD reissue includes three additional tracks: “Isabel, the Liberator,””Joshua C.” and “Why?”
This album is one of a handful that lured me into a life long love of jazz. No matter how complex jazz gets, it ultimately must have a deep groove to capture my heart. This album grooves deeply.
A final note: this album is finely recorded and is one of my reference recordings.
When this album came out in early 2016 I was aware of it and I listened to it on Spotify, but it did not grab me. My wife and daughter were recently at the taping of the Ellen Show and .Paak was the musical guest. Seeing him on the Ellen Show I was impressed by his music and showmanship. My wife got a free CD from the Ellen Show so I gave it a second chance. See .Paak’s performance on Ellen below:
.Paak alternates between neo-soul and hip hop. My first listen immediately invoked Kendrick Lamar and D’Angelo – two guys who are not afraid to show their love of soul, jazz and funk in their productions. I was surprised, after reading about .Paak, that he was under the influence of Dr. Dre vs. Lamar and his cohorts. The more I listened, the more I concluded that .Paak is a hip hop Marvin Gaye. His pop sensibilities are on the level of Michael Jackson. I realize that these are over the top comparisons and they are meaningless unless .Paak continues to deliver for another twenty years. But for this one moment .Paak has delivered a pop masterpiece so lets just savor it.
The opening track “The Bird” is a neo-soul-jazz gem. The song appears to be autobiographical and highlights influences – positive and negative in his life. .Paak has a nice gritty croon on this song.
On “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance,” .Paak has a sing-song rap flow. The cinematic song has a sexy feel, both musically and lyrically.
“The Waters” is produced by Madlib and features BJ the Chicago Kid. This is a nice slow burning rap. This song would sound amazing in a dark club with disco ball raining shards of light on the crowd.
“The Season / Carry Me” is an elaborate hip hop masterpiece that weaves two productions seamlessly together.
“Put Me Thru” has a Prince meets Stevie Wonder vibe. Retro in a very cool way.
“Am I Wrong” (featuring Schoolboy Q) is a hit single and has a dab of Kendrick Lamar, Outcast, Earth Wind & Fire and Dr. Dre. This is brilliant pop hip hop. As slick (in a good way) as anything Quincy and Michael produced. See the Ellen clip above: .Paak can deliver the goods live too.
“Without You” – Throughout Malibu, .Paak has been referencing a gal he is falling for. Here he fully proclaims his love. He trades rhymes with Rapsody (who makes it clear .Paak had better stay true) and the song is finished off with a cool little vocal from Nai Palm from Hiatus Kaiyote.
“Parking Lot” has a Vampire Weekend feel. A bouncy, summertime, roll down your windows and cruise track.
“Lite Weight” (featuring The Free Nationals United Fellowship Choir) opens with a Wolfman Jack sample with a surf music reference. Throughout the album .Paak slips in clips that have a surfer theme – I have not figured out what this has to do with the songs – beyond the album is called Malibu and Malibu has great waves. “Lite Weight” has a monster groove in the tradition of Dr. Dre.
“Room in Here” (featuring The Game and Sonyae Elise) has a modern groove over a tasteful cocktail-jazz piano.
“Water Fall (Interluuube)” is a short mellow ballad where .Paak brags about his abilities to make his gal – well you know…
“Your Prime” is a lush ballad that feels like a warm cozy blanket. Lyrically it is a bit dark in that .Paak is lecturing his lady. She will only be in her prime of her beauty for a short time and she better leverage that to get her man before she is past her prime.
“Come Down” is a nice funk workout and party anthem.
In “Silicon Valley” .Paak gets serious and talks about real love. He wants to get beyond the pretty package. He says to his lady: “open your heart.” .Paak does not lose his humor in this seduction, asking “What’s behind them tig-ol-bitties?” That is a term I have never heard before, but I figured it out pretty quick given the song’s title.
“Celebrate” has monster riffs: first a bass, then a guitar and finally some funky gospel piano. It then has a gorgeous bridge that is soaked in 70s LA pop sheen.
“The Dreamer” (featuring Talib Kweli and Timan Family Choir) opens with chorus pedal infused guitar riff intertwined with a choir. This song is .Paak’s declaration of how far he has come and a shout out to the other dreamers who .Paak is reminding “you can do it too.”
This one’s for all the little dreamers
And the ones who never gave a fuck
I’m a product of the tube and the free lunch
Living room, watching old reruns
And who cares your daddy couldn’t be here?
Mama always kept the cable on
I’m a product of the tube and the free lunch
Living room, watching old rerunsDon’t stop now, keep dreaming
Don’t stop now, keep dreaming
Don’t stop now, keep dreaming
Don’t stop now, keep dreaming
Don’t stop now, keep dreaming
Don’t stop now, keep dreaming
Don’t stop now, keep dreaming
Don’t stop now, keep dreaming
Don’t stop now, keep dreaming
Overall this album is an ambitious piece of pop. A hip hop Pet Sounds or Off The Wall. It comes from the tradition of Kendrick Lamar, D’Angelo, Outcast, The Roots etc. Artists who know how to mine soul, funk, disco and pop and make it their own.
I have not quite figured out the surfer narrative samples. But that will give me something to think and Google about. Sorry I missed this on my best of 2016, but at least I finally caught up to it (thanks to my wife and daughter’s trip to see Ellen). Consider this post an amendment to the 2016 best of list.
Larry Coryell is one of the guitar gods of the jazz fusion era. His band The Eleventh House is right up there with fusion masters like Weather Report, Return To Forever and Mahavishnu Orchestra. The Eleventh House is on the funkier side of fusion.
This album is a joint venture with the Brecker Brothers. Their horns spice up the album and Randy Brecker is the producer.
I was familiar with The Eleventh House, Coryell and the Brecker Brothers when I pulled this album from the crates of The Electric Fetus. The pedigree caught my eye, but the $1.99 price sealed the deal.
The combo of Coryell’s searing guitar and funky horns is a match made in heaven. The rest of the band is outstanding too. The arrangements are complex, yet accessible.
I have picked up a variety of Coryell, The Eleventh House and other Coryell combos over the years, but none of them has resonated with me. For some reason this LP did resonate with me. Perhaps it is the funky nature of the album or the presence of the horns, but of course it is the guitar. Coryell has a relaxed swagger that is irresistible.
Bob Lefsetz has said for a while now that contemporary country music is today’s classic rock (or something like that). Eric Church is what we used to call country rock. Church’s music works as well as anything you hear on classic rock radio. If you are a country fan, it works for you too. My wife and I saw him at his recent Minneapolis concert and he delivered all the goods: great songs, country, rock and a true entertainer’s savvy to pull it off in a sold out arena.
I don’t have a lot of experience with contemporary country, but as a general music fan I was impressed. My tastes trend towards alt-country/Americana, yet I am not such a music snob that I can’t recognize good music in genres I am not that familiar with. I first got turned on to Eric Church from his hit “Springsteen” from his album Chief. That song and album told me this guy was the real deal. This past spring our family went to the Grand Ole Opry and Church was the featured act. He did about an hour solo acoustic and it was pretty obvious he was a great songwriter.
There is nothing better than seeing an artist that is at the crest of their wave. Church has been around long enough that he has a catalog of hits and deep cuts to fill out a three-hour show. He has a devoted tribe that can sell out an arena. Even though I am a minor fan, it was a thrill to be part of an arena throng that sing along to their favorite songs.
I really appreciate that despite his status, Church made the tickets affordable (ours were 25 bucks) and he has made it nearly impossible for scalping.
In this day in age, when records are merely advertising for the live show, you better know how to present your goods live. Church had a nice stage, a great band, simple effective lighting and about as good a sound as you can expect in an arena known for its bad sound. Church has a big enough personality to work an arena audience, without it seeming contrived. He has the magic one-two punch: great songs and a genuine passion to perform them.
Some bonus points for the show: it was a Friday night, a limited edition poster (above) and it was my wife’s birthday. Thanks for a great birthday present for Laura Mr. Church! I am officially converted.
I compiled the playlist below from Setlist.fm and it appears accurate from my memory.
Axl's Catch Groove 