Gong

Gong - A Wingful Of Eyes: A Retrospective '75-'78 - 1986 - Virgin

This is a compilation from three of Gong's mid-'70s releases, Shamal, Expresso II, and Gazuese!. There's not a weak song in the bunch, but then again all three of the aforementioned recordings were all excellent. This period for Gong found them playing mostly instrumentals with a heavy percussive sound which can be attributed to the leadership of drummer Pierre Moerlen. Although they are usually listed as one of the great progressive rock bands, closer inspection reveals that this lineup actually offered more to the jazz-rock fusion movement of the mid-'70s. Their contributions went largely unnoticed at the time, but it later became clear that they had carved out a unique and fresh approach to what had become a style bogged down in technical showmanship. It wasn't until bands such as Ozric Tentacles and later Phish, began to surface in the '80s and '90s that the influence of Gong began to be felt again. This is the original jam music. © Robert Taylor © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-wingful-of-eyes-r39153

Incredible progressive jazz fusion from the monumental Gong. This is a compilation album from Gong's "Shamal", Expresso II", and Gazuese!" albums. If you like Gong you are bound to have heard all these tracks. If not, listen to the brilliant musicianship involved in this music. "A Wingful Of Eyes" is VHR by A.O.O.F.C. If you would like to sample Gong's earlier work, you should listen to their their classic psychedelic "Camembert Electrique" album, from 1971. Check this blog for more Gong related releases, especially Gongzilla, and the late Pierre Moerlen

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Heavy Tune - Moerlen 6:26
2 Cat In Clark's Shoes - Malherbe 7:43
3 Night Illusion - Holdsworth 3:48
4 Golden Dilemma - Rowe 4:55
5 Wingful Of Eyes - Howlett 6:23
6 Three Blind Mice - Moerlen 4:51
7 Expresso - Moerlen 6:00
8 Soli - Rowe 7:41
9 Shadows Of - Holdsworth 7:52
10 Mandrake - Moerlen 5:02
11 Bambouji - Malherbe 5:10

Recorded: Nov 1975-Aug 1977

MUSICIANS

Allan Holdsworth: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar, violin, pedal steel guitar
Mick Taylor: lead guitar
Bon Lozaga: rhythm guitar, guitar
Francis Moze: Fretless bass, gong, acoustic & electric piano
Hansford Rowe: bass, rhythm guitar
Pierre Moerlen: drums, glock, marimba, vibraphone, xylophone, timpani, tubular bells
Benoit Moerlen: vibra, marimba, percussion, tubular bells, glockenspiel, claves, xylophone
Mireille Bauer: marimba, vibraphone, glock, toms
Francois Causse: congas
Didier Malherbe: Tenor sax, flute
Darryl Way: violin

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Gong is a progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Mike Howlett and Pierre Moerlen. Others who have, albeit briefly, played in Gong are Bill Bruford, Brian Davison and Chris Cutler. The various incarnations of Gong, its spin-offs and related bands, such as Pierre Moerlen's Gong, have become known as the Gong Global Family. Gong formed in 1967, after Allen—then a member of Soft Machine—was denied entry to the United Kingdom due to a visa complication. Allen remained in France where he and a London-born Sorbonne professor, Gilli Smyth, established the first incarnation of the band. This line-up fragmented during the 1968 student revolution, with Allen and Smyth forced to flee France for Deya in Majorca. They allegedly found saxophonist Didier Malherbe living in a cave in Deya, before film director Jérôme Laperrousaz invited the band back to France to record the soundtrack of his movie Continental Circus. They were subsequently approached by Jean Karakos of the newly formed independent label BYG and signed a multi-album deal with them (Magick Brother, Mystic Sister, "Camembert Electrique" and Allen's solo album Bananamoon were all released on BYG). Gong played at the first Glastonbury Festival in June 1971, which they followed up with a UK tour the following Autumn. They were subsequently (late 1972) one of the first acts to sign to Virgin Records, getting first pick of the studio-time ahead of Mike Oldfield. By now, a regular line-up had established itself and Gong released their Camembert Electrique album. After the band signed with Virgin, subsidiary Caroline Records "Camembert" was given a belated UK release in late 1974. It was priced at 59p (that is, the price of a typical single rather than an album), ensuring that sufficient numbers were sold for the album to chart had it not been barred from the charts for being so cheap. Between 1973 and 1974, Gong, now augmented by guitarist Steve Hillage, released their best-known work, the Radio Gnome Trilogy—three records that expounded upon the (previously only hinted at) Gong mythology. At a gig in Cheltenham, in 1975, Allen refused to go on stage, claiming that a "wall of force" was preventing him, and left the band. With both Smyth, who wanted to spend more time with her two children, and synth wizard Tim Blake having jumped off in previous months, this marked the end of the 'classic' line-up. The band continued, touring the UK in November 1975 (as documented on the 2005 release Live in Sherwood Forest '75) and working on their next album Shamal, but Hillage, who had been the band's de facto leader since Allen's exit, and his partner Miquette Giraudy, who had taken over from Smyth in late 1974, left before Shamal was released in early 1976. They re-joined the band briefly for a 1977 live reunion in Paris. Drummer Pierre Moerlen, who had been persuaded by Virgin to rejoin Gong as a co-leader with Malherbe (after his spell with the French contemporary ensemble Les Percussions De Strasbourg) in 1975, gradually took over the band's leadership. When Malherbe, the only remaining founding member, finally left in 1977, Moerlen formed a new percussion-based line-up with American bassist Hansford Rowe and percussionists Mireille Bauer and Benoit Moerlen. To avoid confusion, it became known as Gong-Expresso, and from 1978 on, as Pierre Moerlen's Gong. Allen, however, continued to develop the Gong mythology from the late seventies up until the nineties in his solo work, and with bands such as Euterpe and Planet Gong (which comprised Allen and Smyth playing with the British festival band Here & Now), while Smyth formed a separate band: Mother Gong. After spending most of the Eighties in his native Australia, Allen returned to the UK in 1988 with a new project, the Invisible Opera Company of Tibet, whose revolving cast included the likes of Harry Williamson, violinist Graham Clark and Didier Malherbe. This morphed into GongMaison and by 1992, the name Gong was again in use, by which time original drummer Pip Pyle had also rejoined. The band released the album Shapeshifter (subsequently dubbed Radio Gnome part 4), followed by extensive touring. In 1994, Gong celebrated its 25th birthday in London, including a performance by most of the 'classic' line-up, including the returning Gilli Smyth and Mike Howlett. This formed the basic of the "Classic Gong" band which toured worldwide from 1996 to 2001 and released Zero to Infinity in 2000 (by Allen, Smyth, Howlett and Malherbe plus new recruits Theo Travis and Chris Taylor). However, 2003 saw a radical new line-up called Acid Mothers Gong, including Acid Mothers Temple member Kawabata Makoto and University Of Errors guitarist Josh Pollock. Allen and Smyth's son Orlando Allen drummed on the album Acid Motherhood but the drummer on most of the band's live dates was Ruins drummer Tatsuya Yoshida. While the "Classic Gong" line-up retired from regular touring in 2001, there have been one-off reunions since, most notably at the "Gong Family Unconvention" (Uncon), the first of which was held in 2004 in the Glastonbury Assembly rooms as a one day event. The 2005 Uncon was a 2-day affair featuring several Gong-related bands such as Here and Now, System 7, House of Thandoy and Kangaroo Moon. The most recent Uncon was a 3-day event held at the Melkweg in Amsterdam on 3-5 November 2006, with practically all Gong-related bands present: classic Gong (with Allen, Smyth, Malherbe, Hillage, Blake and Howlett, plus Miquette Giraudy, Chris Taylor and Theo Travis), System 7, Steve Hillage Band, Hadouk, Tim Blake & Jean-Philippe Rykiel, University of Errors, Here & Now, Mother Gong, Zorch, Eat Static, Acid Mothers Gong, Slack Baba, Kangaroo Moon and many others. These events have all been compèred by Thom the Poet.

Greenslade

Greenslade - Live - 1999 - Mystic Records

The Live 2001 album, I am sad to say, should be avoided by all but obsessed Greenslade fans. The group has always been stronger in the studio than live, and from what I've seen, the album captures one of their weaker performances. Rather than get the album, I suggest you go see them live yourself. They have added material onto songs such as "Catalan" and "Joie de Vivre", and on the whole their shows are quite an experience. Though usually classified as "elitist", for those who can appreciate Greenslade's work, the stuff is 80% fun and 95% genius. Highly recommended for those who think they might enjoy highly complex, r&b-influenced prog. If you like more sadistic stuff like King Crimson or Air Conditioning-era Curved Air, try something from the early period (preferably one of the first two albums). If you feel you need something more soothing, start with Large Afternoon. © Robert Orme © http://www.gepr.net/gr.html#DAVEGREENSLADE

It has often been said that Greenslade's albums are "complex and rather elitist" which gives the impression that the band are a bunch of "musical mystics" whose music can only be appreciated by an enlightened few. The same has been said of many jazz musicians' work. This ridiculous "snobby" attitude to music is all too prevalent, even today. The facts are that the band's first four albums were well received by fans of good Progressive Rock, and Greenslade's music is very accessible and enjoyable. Greenslade was formed in 1973 as the brainchild of bassist Tony Reeves and keyboard player Dave Greenslade, both from the Progressive Blues/Jazz Rock band, Colosseum. The band was augmented with the addition of keyboardist and vocalist Dave Lawson (Episode Six), and drummer Andrew McCulloch (King Crimson). This Live album is a perfect testament to the band and their classic rock history. The music is great '70's classical symphonic progressive rock with some brilliant jazzy passages. The dual keyboards are ELP/Egg influenced and if you like Egg or Emerson, Lake & Palmer you may appreciate Greenslade's talents. Listen to Greenslade's "Bedside Manners Are Extra" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Sundance (Greenslade)
2 Drowning Man (Greenslade)
3 Feathered Friends (Greenslade/Lawson)
4 Melange (Reeves/Greenslade/Lawson)
5 Joie de Vivre (Greenslade/Hall)
6 Bedside Manners are Extra (Lawson/Greenslade)
7 Sundance (Greenslade)
8 Red Light (Lawson)
9 Spirit of the Dance (Greenslade)

Tracks 1 - 4 are from 1973. Tracks 5 - 9 are from 1975

BAND

Dave Greenslade - Keyboards
Tony Reeves - Bass Guitar
Dave Lawson - Keyboards & Lead Vocals
Andrew McCulloch - Drums & Percussion

SHORT BIO

Dave Greenslade (keys) and Tony Reeves (bass) formed Greenslade in 1972. The two had previously played together in Colosseum and they recruited Dave Lawson (Episode Six) as vocalist. For a drummer the group added Andrew McCulloch (King Crimson, Crazy World of Arthur Brown) and their self-titled album was released the following year. A considerably prolific band, they released two more albums in 1973, the first of which was Bedside Manners Are Extra. By the time they recorded a third album, Spyglass Guest, they had added Dave Clempson (Humble Pie) on guitar and Graham Smith on fiddle. The next year Reeves left the band, being replaced by Martin Briley. After releasing Time And Tide in 1975, they broke up in early 1976. A different lineup of the band made a brief attempt at it in 1977, but it just didn't work, however 23 years later in the year 2000, the group re-formed to begin another journey through their style of progressive rock. They released Large Afternoon that year and an album of live recordings from the classic days of the band was also released in 2000. © Gary Hill © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/greenslade-p18021/biography

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Greenslade is an English progressive rock band. It was originally formed in the autumn of 1972 (making its live debut at Frankfurt's Zoom Club in November) with the following line-up : Dave Greenslade - keyboards and vocals (born 18 January 1943, Woking, Surrey) : Tony Reeves - bass guitar (born Anthony Reeves, 18 April 1943, Lee Green, South East London) : Dave Lawson - keyboards and vocals (born David Lawson, 25 April 1945, Hampshire) :Andrew McCulloch - drums (born 19 November 1945, Bournemouth, Dorset). Longtime musical associates, with a common background in jazz, Greenslade and Reeves had been original members of Colosseum. Lawson was previously a member of The Alan Bown Set, Web and Samurai, whilst McCulloch was briefly a member of King Crimson, playing drums on that band's third album, Lizard (1970), and Fields, the band formed by ex-Rare Bird keyboardist Graham Field. Dave Clempson (ex Humble Pie) guested on Greenslade's third album, playing guitar on two tracks. Reeves left around that time and was replaced on the U.S. tour and subsequent fourth album, Time And Tide, by Martin Briley who also contributed on guitar. Greenslade announced their disbandment in early 1976. Dave Greenslade went on to record his debut solo album, Cactus Choir, and in late 1976 and early 1977 put together a new band line-up with ex-Manfred Mann's Earth Band frontman Mick Rogers. Initially the rhythm section consisted of Dave Markee and Simon Phillips, who had played on the album, but they were replaced by Tony Reeves (who had in the meantime joined the final line-up of Curved Air) and Jon Hiseman (then concurrently leading his own Colosseum II) for the 1977 dates. In 2000, Greenslade and Reeves, after considering a full-blown reunion of the original line-up, teamed up with drummer John Trotter and vocalist/keyboardist John Young, and recorded a new Greenslade studio album: Large Afternoon. A tour followed, and this was recorded, and subsequently released in 2002, as Greenslade 2001 - Live: The Full Edition.

Cosmo St. Clair

Cosmo St. Clair - Now Blues for Now People - 2002 - Analog y Digi-tal Recordings

"There is a punkish sentimentality in the way St. Clair presents these tracks, more of a laid back cool energy inherent in his playing. (This "coolness" got an extra point in the rating!) ...good song choices, some fine playing...catch this act live! - © www.cosmostclair.com. © Bruce Coen © 2002, Blue Night Productions. All rights reserved http://www.bluenight.com/BluesBytes/wn1002.html

Great high-energy blues from L.A.-based Cosmo St. Clair. The album has an early sixties London sound reminiscent of the early Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, John Mayall, and The Animals. The album also retains the Chicago and Detroit blues sound. Dynamic stuff, and HR by A.O.O.F.C

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Things I'd Do for You, The - London
2. Spider and the Fly, The - Richards, Jagger
3. If You Love Me - Little Johnny Taylor
4. Down Home Girl - Butler / Leiber
5. Little Bit - Bass / Brown / Thornton / Washington
6. Oh Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin') - Ozen
7. Boom Boom - Hooker
8. Jealous Man - A.Corthen
9. Palm of My Hand - M.Bloomfield
10. Sugar Coated Love - J.D Miller
11. Got Love If You Want It - James Moore

MUSICIANS

Cosmo St. Clair (vocals, bass, guitar)
Larry Rott (bass)
Doug Nahory (organ)
Rob Klonel (drums)
Sunny Girl Yoko (harp)

BIO

Cosmo St. Clair was raised in Detroit and migrated to Los Angeles in the late eighties. "Growing up in Detroit was like growing up on the way-east side of Chicago," says Cosmo. "The Blues was everywhere. From the moment I heard the Blues I was hooked for life. It was so pure." Cosmo's earliest influences were B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. His passion for the Blues grew as he discovered all of the American Blues icons. As a teenager Cosmo became a fan of the early sixties British Blues bands starting with Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies, Long John Baldry, and following the branches to The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Animals, to name a few. Cosmo's style blends authentic American Blues styles with the high-energy British styles of that early sixties period. Sum it up as Rhythm & Blues with attitude. Fans have come to refer to it as, Cosmostyle! "In the last few years, I haven't heard anything new on the Blues scene that matches the rebelliousness and excitement of the older stuff that first hit me like a bolt of lightning. That's why I decided it was time to do start recording what I had in my head and hit the road," says Cosmo. In 2004 Cosmo hit the Euro Blues circuit, playing club dates as well as the popular Delirium Blues Festival in Belgium, along with Byther Smith and Louisiana Red, and the four day long Breda Jazz Festival in Holland where he did two shows. Cosmo spent November touring Japan and in January 2005 performed a repeat four-show engagement in Hong Kong, a favorite stomping ground for him. When Cosmo is at home in Los Angeles, he can be seen doing his regular Wednesday Midnight Jam set at Michael's Pub in North Hollywood, featuring Sunny Girl Yoko on Blues Harp and an array of guest artists. Cosmo's current release is titled, Now Blues For Now People. It has received rave reviews from prominent music magazines all over the world. In December 2005, Octet Records released 'Now Blues For Now People' in Japan. © http://www.cosmostclair.com/bio.html

Scott Ellison

Scott Ellison - One Step From The Blues - 2000 - Jse Recordings

Scott Ellison is a very talented guitarist, singer and composer originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the late 70's and throughout the '80's Scott played with many traditional blues artists around the Oklahoma and surrounding areas. In 1981, he played with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. While living in California, he played with great artists like The Coasters, The Drifters, Gary "U.S." Bonds and The Box Tops. In the 90's, he got a band together and opened for artists like Joe Cocker and Buddy Guy. In the second half of the '90's he began recording solo albums, and also composed some well known TV music. "One Step From The Blues" is a good album. Not a groundbreaking album, but it showcases the guy's great guitar technique and vocals. He also covers various blues styles, and his backing musicians are terrific. Scott's "Ice Storm" album is even better than this one, and if you see his " Live at Joey's" album, buy it. It fully demonstrates Scott Ellison's talents

TRACKS

1. One Step from the Blues
2. These Blues Gotta Hold on Me
3. Pocket Full of Love
4. I Got My Mojo Workin'
5. Diamond in the Dark
6. Bury Your Bone at Home
7. Don't Push You Luck
8. Ice Storm
9. Cryin' Like the Rain
10. Pride
11. Crawlin' on My Knees
12. Take Me With Ya
13. Darker Shade of Blue

MUSICIANS

Scott Ellison - Guitar, Vocals
Tommy Waggoner, Jim Strader - Bass
Walt Richmond - Keyboard, Bass, Piano
Spencer Sutton - Organ, Piano
Russell Wheeler - Organ (Hammond)
Larry Bell - Organ
John Hoff, Chuck Blackwell - Drums
Jim Karstein - Conga, Percussion
Kurt Lybarger - Saxophone
Don Colopy - Trumpet
Debbie Campbell - Vocals (Background)

REVIEW

If you need a good shot in the arm of wailin' guitar blues, then let me suggest Scott Ellison's latest release, One Step From The Blues. 12 of the CD's 13 tracks were written or co-written by Scott Ellison and showcase an excellent songwriter as well as guitar player and singer. With biting guitar tone and singing with conviction, Ellison draws you into a world of blues that is all his own. A native of Tulsa, OK, Scott Ellison has done a lot of playing in his time. In 1981, he joined Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown for a time. Later, living in California, he played with The Coasters, The Drifters, Gary "U.S." Bonds and The Box Tops. He has several TV and movie credits that don't just include session work, but featuring Scott Ellison compositions. In 1993, he returned to Tulsa to concentrate on his solo career. One Step From The Blues kicks off with the title cut, that wastes no time letting you know what you're in for. "One Step From The Blues" is a great opening shuffle with a hard drive and plenty of guitar tension to keep you there for the next cut, "These Blues Gotta Hold On Me". With plenty of grit and growl, Ellison slows things down and sings the classic broken heart blues. "Pocket Full Of Love" starts off as a rhumba and makes a slick change to a shuffle midstream and later back to rhumba. Other notable tunes include a slightly funky tune, "Diamond In The Dark", "Ice Storm" an excellent upbeat instrumental with great horn work by Kurt Lybarger, and "Crawlin' On My Knees" a dark number in the vein of "Thrill is Gone". All of the cuts on One Step From The Blues have their own identity. Scott Ellison's songwriting and production make each cut sound different and yet all woven into the same fabric. Throughout the CD, Scott Ellison's guitar playing changes with each tune and hits the mark every time. He is a very fluid and expressive player who's not afraid to put on a little fuzz and let it rip. Ellison also sings with a lot feeling and is able to change his vocal attack to fit the songs. The musicians who recorded with Ellison are too numerous to mention, but all turn in solid performances and lend to the different styles of the cuts. Several tunes have horn parts that are arranged so that they are present but the cuts remain guitar driven. All in all, One Step From The Blues was an unexpected surprise that keeps getting better. I don't know if he's really one step from, I'd say he's smack in the middle of... the blues. © Pete "Bootlegger" Barbeck © Southwest Blues CD Review - August 2001 © http://www.southwestblues.com/reviews/2001/cd-08-01ellison.htm

BIO

A talented singer/songwriter, guitarist, and blues-rocker, Scott Ellison was born on February 13, 1954, in Tulsa, OK. By the '70s, Tulsa had become an unexpected hotbed of blues-based rock bands (as proven by both Eric Clapton and Freddie King's backing bands hailing from the area), which was around the same time that Ellison began playing with others, such as country singer Jesseca James (Conway Twitty's daughter) in 1977 and renowned bluesman Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown in 1981. Ellison relocated to Los Angeles by the mid-'80s, however, keeping his music career going by playing with the Box Tops, the Shirelles, the Coasters, and Peaches & Herb, and by the '90s he had formed his own blues band and opened for the likes of Joe Cocker, the Fabulous T-Birds, and Buddy Guy. It was also around this time that Ellison began issuing solo albums, including the titles Chains of Love and Live at Joey's. Shortly after returning back home to Tulsa, Ellison issued his third release, Steamin', followed by One Step From the Blues, which featured several other Tulsa musicians backing him. In addition to solo records and playing with other artists, Ellison has also penned songs that have appeared in such hit TV shows as Sister Sister, Eye on L.A., and the soap opera Santa Barbara, as well as the soundtrack to the Ben Affleck motion picture Reindeer Games. In 2001 Ellison issued his first release for the Burnside label, Cold Hard Cash, produced by longtime Robert Cray producer Dennis Walker. © Greg Prato © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/scott-ellison-p204873/biography

MORE

Scott Ellison isn't one to waste time. Signed by Burnside Records in the spring of 2001, his label debut, Cold Hard Cash, exposed Scott's versatility as a singer, songwriter and talented guitar player. In 2003 the Oklahoma native delivers Bad Case Of The Blues a mature and distinctly progressive outing full of melody, grace and blues. Recorded at Ellison's own Home Front Studios in Tulsa, OK, the disc displays a maturity that is best described as capturing his melodic songwriting with the fire of his live set. "I feel this is more my baby," says Ellison "Cold Hard Cash was produced by Dennis Walker (Robert Cray) and though I really enjoyed the process, I wanted this record to have more of my stamp on it. "Ellison's influences are clearly apparent in the phrasing of Bad Case Of The Blues. The Steely Dan texture of "Fantasy" radiates his passion for hook-filled melodies. "Pain Full Love," pays tribute to the energy of Stevie Ray Vaughan where "Whiskey and Rum" highlight his love of Muddy Waters. Then there's the Elmore James inspired roadhouse "Voodoo Curse" - a rowdy foot-stomper now famous at the end of Ellison's live set. "I write a lot of songs and play them live before I commit to recording them," expresses the guitarist. "I also record a lot before I pick just the right numbers to put on a CD." Surrounding himself with top musicians, Ellison hand selected Tulsa's highest rated session men including Eric Clapton's organist Dick Simms and percussionist Jimmy Karstein. Also featured on several of the record's tracks are local greats, Mike Turner (rhythm guitar), Jim Pugh (Hammond B3 organ), Jim Strader (bass) and Bill Belknap (drums). "I wanted a record that had peaks and valleys," says Ellison. "One that would breathe, moving easily from song to song. I spent as much time milling over the running order as I did selecting the songs." Ellison caught the music bug at an early age - February 13, 1964, to be exact - and just like every other 9-year-old that was watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan that night, he fell in love with the guitar. During the '70s, Tulsa was a hotbed of musical talent. Eric Clapton and Freddie King's bands were both based out of Tulsa, as well as Leon Russell's label, Shelter Records. Electrified by the British Invasion as well as the sounds of Motown and touched by the soulfulness that was rhythm & blues, Ellison formed his own band in 1977. He began touring with country singer Jessica James (Conway Twitty's daughter), and by 1981, veteran bluesman Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown plucked the energetic guitarist as rhythm player for his own band. A move to Los Angeles during the mid-'80s found Scott playing and touring with the likes of The Box Tops, The Shirelles, The Coasters and Peaches and Herb. By the 1990s, Scott formed his own blues band and opened up shows for such legends as Joe Cocker, Roy Orbison, The Fabulous T-birds and Buddy Guy. Writing constantly, Scott was able to compose enough material to record and release his first two solo efforts, Chains of Love (Quicksilver Records) and Live at Joey's (Red Hot Records). Both records reflected his love for the blues and his talent as a writer. Returning back to his home in Tulsa, Scott teamed up with longtime friend Terry Lupton to write 10 more original tunes for his next release, Steamin' (Fishhead Records), which garnered much critical acclaim. Ellison then co-wrote and recorded One Step from the Blues (JSE), a Tulsa sound rhythm & blues record featuring a number of well-known Tulsa musicians. As a songwriter, Scott has had his songs featured on the hit TV shows 'Sister Sister,' 'Eye on L.A.' the steamy soap opera 'Santa Barbara' and 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer.' Burnside Records is proud to release Bad Case Of The Blues available at all fine record stores, by mail-order through Burnside Records or online at www.burnsiderecords.com. Scott is currently touring across the U.S., Canada and Europe with accompanying radio and retail in-store performances. © http://www.burnsiderecords.com/ellison.html

MORE ABOUT SCOTT ELLISON / ALBUM [ from Step up. Moving from Los Angeles to Tulsa has brought bluesman Scott Ellison closer to the big time. By Scott Wilson Thursday, May 18 2000 ]

Blues guitarist Scott Ellison's new disc is called One Step From the Blues, but he's really more like 16 hours from the blues. Riding the momentum of an album that delivers a serious dose of the Tulsa, Okla., sound, Ellison is collaborating with acclaimed producer Dennis Walker -- by Federal Express. "I put the whole track down myself: guitar, bass, and drums," Ellison says from his Tulsa home. He's been blasting a tape of a song called "Just Got to Know," which, over the phone at least, doesn't sound like the work of a one-man band. "Dennis is a real good lyricist. I'm more a composer. I come up with the chords, the hook, the vocal melody, and the title. Then I FedEx it to Dennis and he fills in the blanks." "When I finished One Step, I felt real good about it, so I called up Lee Spath and asked him to put me in touch with Dennis," Ellison explains. Two years ago, Spath filled in for Ellison's longtime drummer, Rich Shlosser, who went to work for Van Morrison. "Lee just came in and nailed it. He'd worked with Robert Cray, and I knew Dennis' work from those albums, so I filed that away." Ellison, 45, has waited a long time for the opportunity to connect with a name producer, particularly the Grammy-winning Walker, an architect of the sound that made Cray famous. "It's so funny that I couldn't get to (Walker) during the 10 years I lived in Los Angeles. Dennis was making those Robert Cray albums during that time, from 1983 to 1993, and I couldn't get arrested. I just finally realized recently that every level jump is about who you know. Now I'm back in Tulsa and I've got 90 more things going here." Among the benefits of moving home for Ellison was the opportunity to showcase the musicians he grew up with. "For One Step, I wanted to use all my homeboys, all my favorite Tulsa musicians. It was a grassroots project, and this city definitely has its own sound. It's that Leon Russell mix of R&B and gospel and rock." Russell is the ultimate Tulsa blues son, Ellison says reverently. And like Russell, Ellison has his eye on future projects that will allow his guitar to roam into rock territory and beyond. He says that's the kind of album that could be made in his home studio using drum machines (his mother was a drum-and-keyboard player who taught her son a keen appreciation for powerful rhythm). "We're toying with rock, but the blues is my number-one thing. For that album, I'd aim for that mixture of Stax and Motown. But for the blues, you have to have real humans to lay it all in," he says. Blues might be Ellison's number-one thing musically speaking, but his thoughts remain in Tulsa with his 3-and-a-half-year-old son, Taylor James. Taylor already owns a mini-Strat. "He's got great rhythm," Ellison says. "It gets hard to be on the road 250 days a year, especially since I started late with the fatherhood thing. I think of him 24 hours a day, and I'm a happier person since he came along. Food tastes better. Life tastes better. And I miss my wife a lot when I'm gone, but it's a sacrifice you have to make to be a full-blown artist." All that familial bliss shouldn't suggest that Ellison makes a Billy Joel-ified blues. He says the travails of an itinerant musician's lifestyle and the demands of turning his music into a business are plenty to fuel the steam engine of his vigorous style. Already a casualty of a shut-down label (he doesn't have the masters back but was able to refashion the material for release), Ellison complains good-naturedly that one of his songs just missed inclusion on Kenny Wayne Shepherd's recent platinum disc. "That's the fish that got away. It broke my heart," he says. The song ended up gracing the new Jimmy Dawkins album, with Francine Reed singing, which more than appeased Ellison. "The most flattering thing besides getting a record deal is when someone you respect cuts your tune. There's so many great songs out there. You really know that it's a numbers thing, so when it makes the cut, it's an amazing honor," Ellison explains. It might be less flattering, but the WB television network also has taken a shine to Ellison. One of his songs has turned up on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ("I haven't watched the show, but I saw that girl on the cover of Rolling Stone. She looks great," Ellison says), a fish out of water rather than one that got away. Another Ellison recording has been played on Sister, Sister. Considering that even a show in the Nielsen cellar gains exposure beyond what most conventional pop gets on mainstream radio, Ellison isn't about to hold out for Touched by an Angel. However, he's not prepared to chuck the performing life to write songs for other people. "It's a balance of the writing and the playing. The playing is still fun," Ellison says. After almost two decades of journeyman gigs with draws like Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown ("The most fun I've ever had," Ellison says), first as sideman and then as supporting act, Ellison has seemingly lost none of his desire to play as often as possible, especially now that he has more of his own songs at the ready. "My voice has gotten better. Until 1988, I used to be a sideman, so I'd maybe sing two songs a night. When I started singing more, I saturated myself with Bobby 'Blue' Bland and Otis Redding. Otis changed everything. You listen to Otis or Al Green and it comes to you by osmosis. I always get something from Al." Ellison says he could talk endlessly of the Memphis R&B sound and his Tulsa music roots, but he sums it up with the succinctness of a true bluesman, admitting "I'm pretty ate up with music." © Scott Wilson © 2010 Kansas City Pitch, LLC, All rights reserved http://www.pitch.com/2000-05-18/music/step-up/

Avant Garden

Avant Garden - Maelstrom - 2001 - Blackfish Recordings

Powerful jazz-fusion with strident arpeggios by guitarist Brian Gould, over a busy rhythm section. Steve Roach guests on didgeridoo, spirit catcher, loops and percussion. The sax work by Flamp Sorvari is first class, and Miles Gilster lays down some brilliant bass lines. . If you like Jethro Tull, Jade Warrior, King Crimson, Gong, Steve Hillage, Kraan or Canterbury rock in general, you may like this album which is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Has this band released any other albums?

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Dragon Feed - Brian Gould (10:03)
2 Archemedes Tub - Brian Gould, Flamp Sorvari (9:14)
3 Oceania - Mike McLatchey (12:32)
4 Into The Maelstrom - Brian Gould (7:57)
5 Path Of The Farwind - Brian Gould (18:25)

MUSICIANS

Brian Gould - acoustic and electric guitars, e-bow, glissando
Miles Gilster - bass
Jason Kenney - drums and percussion
Steve Roach - didgeridoo, spirit catcher, loops and percussion (3, 5) [Guest]
J D Gardemeyer - percussion (3) [Guest]
Jesse Winn - percussion (3) [Guest]
Chris Dugan - percussion (3) [Guest]
Flamp Sorvari - alto sax and flute

REVIEWS

There is no casual entré into the confines of Avant Garden, you are plucked off your feet and deposited in the midst of their Maelstrom right with the first track "Dragon Feed." And only once you are fully ensconced does it throttle back and start to entertain at a more leisurely pace. Make no mistake though, this leisurely pace is still swirling about you with a metal ferocity - and in fact, if Rush were an avant-garde instrumental unit, this is probably what they would sound like. Like a jazzier "XYZ," to be a bit more precise...which was instrumental I know, but was it avant-garde? No. However, at just a little over 10-minutes, the track does seem overlong. There are many points along it's path where you think to yourself, ah it's about to end, and then it picks up again. Not like the false stops, mind you, where you think it is over, or a fade out/fade it, just that the it seems like they come to the end of the statement. Only to start over again... great playing, of course,... and it does eventually shift gears for a short passage, but I would have shortened the trip there by a couple of minutes, because it takes a while to get to a searing guitar solo from Brian Gould. On the way there, though we get to hear some hot horn blowing from saxophonist/flautist Flamp Sorvari, taut and punchy drumming from Jason Kenney, and basswork that is all over the map but grounded from Miles Gilster. "Archemedes" is at first dark, as with King Crimson, brings in a bit of Jethro Tull with Sorvari's flute colourings, and at times sounds like a fusion version of the Yardbird's "I'm A Man" was used as launching point. Now this is a facinating piece that has much more movement and variation over it's 9-minute plus length, that the minutes go buy unnoticed (and but for the first track, I probably wouldn't even had made mentioned of times). This track plays things very tight, grinding around, harsh and acidic, with an edge the likes of which many a metal band would envy. Throw into this Sorvari's light an airy flute lines, and you have some interesting textures at work. Respite is garnered from the mellow strains of "Oceania" -- say the word, see the gentle undulating sea, a near cloudless sky as a gentle breeze flaps your hair as you sail. There is an old world feel, a folky, Celtic feel. While the rhythm churns, the overriding sense is from the flute. Acoustic guitars enter at one point, playing against the flute. Here's the interesting thought - I kept thinking of the flute phrase that Anderson played for his guest stint on Honeymoon Suite's "All Along You Knew" (The Big Prize, 1985). Now, I'm not assigning any correlation, other than perhaps Sorvari is an admirer of Anderson and Anderson certainly gives his own flute playing a distinctive quality. Unfortunately, yes, it looks like another flute = Anderson reference, but I wouldn't make if I didn't think it. I say mellow, but these seas do get stormy at about 9 minutes in (this track is 12+ minutes, yet doesn't seem that long at all). The storm goes from wicked flurries to something sinisterly calm -- like being in the eye of a hurricane. Steve Roach guests on this track, playing didgeridoo, while it also features 3 guest percussionists, Jesse Winn, Chris Dugan and JD Gardemeyer, the latter of whom, the liner notes, has joined the band as bassist. The album was recorded in 1998 and 1999, but released only in 2001. "Into The Maelstrom" is aptly titled, as this is where the band really lets their hair down -- well, perhaps no more so than on the title track, but certainly as much so. Each player getting into their own groove that somehows seems to mesh well together and leds them to the same place. A cool point (on of many) comes at the end, when Sorvari and Gould play double lead - sax and guitar. Terrific stuff. The album concludes with "Path Of The Farwinds." As did "Oceania," this begins in a very mellow, laidback manner. This is the kind of material one finds on a Narada or Miramar release - warm, textured, contemporary instrumental. But again, you know, with an album titled Maelstrom, and band name called Avant Garden, we aren't going to get just easy, gentle pieces. There's a darker undertone to even this piece, not necessarily sinister or anything, as elsewhere, but Gilster's deep, throaty basslines keep everything anchored, along with Kenney's taut and tense drumming, while guitars and sax take to the air. While they trade lead spots, it's not a competition, just each making a statement that compliments the other. By the time the track is almost over you have been fully possessed, dancing about like a deliriously happy whirling dervish, totally forgetting that there is a world outside, there, beyond those trees. You feel heady, drunk on life, drunk on the clear air the maelstrom has brought in by its passing through, sucking up the bad, the negative. You have been brought to an oasis...an avant garden of eden... I heartily recommend you get caught up in the Maelstrom and find yourself landing in the verdant lawns of the Avant Garden. **** 1/2 Stephanie Sollow August 25th 2002 © 1997 - 2010 ProgressiveWorld.net and respective authors http://www.progressiveworld.net/html/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=3810

Holy shit. What more can I say about an album that grabs you by the balls and won't let go for the first ten minutes? And if this wasn't enough, the grip is loosened for only the occasionally brief respite, leaving the listener in the wake of the pummeling aural assault for the remainder. Make no mistake, these guys are out to kick your ass. Don't take it personally though - they only have the best intentions in unleashing this hybrid of psychedelia and jazz-rock. "Dragon Feed" starts the proceedings with massive guitar riffage and sax honking, leading into a steady groove before again exploding. Steady interplay between guitar and sax advances the piece along, aided and abetted by the deft rhythm section. The overall sound here is fairly reminiscent of the intense moments of Trilogy-era Gong, or Hillage's Fish Rising, taking the best of the fiery instrumental passages. Certain parts are not unlike Ozric Tentacles minus the sequencers. While the instrumental flair is instantly captivating, there is no lack of well crafted writing underneath. The songs stay perfectly focused and dynamic, while still allowing for the loose feel necessary for the searing passages that threaten to burn a hole in the speakers. The beautiful intro to "Oceania" shows the band knows when to shift gears, with lucid flute and acoustic guitar strumming. The later part of the song features ethnic flair courtesy of Steve Roach on didgeridoo and assorted hand percussion, adding another distinctive element to the sound. "Into The Maelstrom" is the most successful in striking a balance between the dichotomy of frenetic and tranquil, with Sorvari providing the impetus for the chosen direction, echoing the spine tingling sax tones of "Master Builder" during the chaos, and switching to flute to ease off the climactic highs. A breath of fresh air breathed into a retro sound, Avant Garden are waiting to give you a sonic beating. Embrace it. © Mike Prete 19-July-2002 © progweed.net © http://gnosis2000.net/reviews/avantgarden.htm

Don't be put off by the name. This is a high-energy album of fiery playing. An all-instrumental effort is what we have here from this California quartet's debut release. Five lengthy tracks, served up with some blistering guitar, sax and flute solos. While they "jam", they are in no way a "jam" band. There is a strong sense of melody present amongst all of the ripping. I'm hard pressed to say they sound like this or that, but if one were to make comparisons, one might say that they operate in the same area as Spaced Out sans the keyboards, although there is less of the fusion slant apparent. Maybe a less quirky version of Boud Deun, with sax and flute replacing the violin, would be a better starting point. I'm also reminded a little bit of later Kraan. They kick the album off with a couple of stellar numbers, "Dragon Feed" and "Archemedes Tub". Both of these songs kick it into high gear right away showing that band has chops. The playing is tight and energetic all the way through both of these tracks. They do take a breather here and there, like at the beginning of the third track "Oceania". Some nice rolling guitar and flute give way to a subtle intensity that builds up to a melodic guitar solo. The song finally breaks forth into mayhem and a nice guitar solo interspersed with sax flurries only to wind down into a nice percussive outro, featuring none other than Mr. Ambient himself, Steve Roach. They close out the album with an 18-minute tune, "Path Of The Farwinds". This is another track that starts off with some nice guitar and flute interplay. Shades of Gong creep in with the addition of some glissando guitar work, though it soon breaks into the speedy breakneck pace that drives a lot of the album. All in all, there is some great, tight playing, with enough variety to keep you interested for the duration of the disc's 60 or so minutes. I like it. © Joe Fischer 19-July-2002 © http://gnosis2000.net/reviews/avantgarden.htm

Out of nowhere comes this startlingly smokin set of instrumental brilliance from California four-piece Avant Garden. Combining the complexity of progressive rock, ripping hard rock guitar, and sax playing that recalls the heyday of fusion, this band lays down an assault on your eardrums that levels you to the ground but brings you back to your feet wanting more. Many bands have a hard time finding a satisfying balance between raucous riffing and soloing, and quieter, more introspective moments. Not Avant Garden. On the opening track, "Dragon Feed", guitarist Brian Gould and sax player Flamp Sorvari trade vicious solos that make the main melody line, as complex as it is, seem like a cakewalk. Tucked in the middle of all the mayhem is the slippery bass grooves of Miles Gilster, who despite having amazing technical prowess, shows great restraint and dexterity, even during his brief and tender solo spot that is sandwiched between the onslaught from Gould and Sorvani. "Archemedes Tub" kicks off in almost metal fashion, before giving way to some Jethro Tull inspired flute rave-ups. The contrast between the crunchy guitar, driving rhythm, and lilting flute is astounding. Guitarist Gould has a great tone, thick and menacing, as well as great dexterity. His style is somewhat reminiscent of Martin Barre, Steve Hillage, or Warren Haynes. Flamp Sorvani has that Michael Brecker fire in his sax playing, and his jazzy leads are the perfect compliment to the frenzied wailings of Gould. All the tracks here exceed eight minutes, and are like mini mystical journeys, but the real kicker is saved for last, the eighteen-minute "Path of the Farwinds." While the band segues in at an almost Jade Warrior-like entrance featuring lush flutes and acoustic guitars, before long things shift to intense space rock territory with wailing sax and interstellar guitar overdrive. What a way to end a terrific hours worth of complex instrumental rock from a highly talented bunch of musicians. © Clear Spot http://www.clear-spot.nl/item/235242/avant_garden_maelstrom.html

SHORT BIO

AVANT GARDEN is a Sacramento quartet whose music is an eclectic blend of fusion with rock and psychedelia. Consisting of Brian Gould (acoustic and electric guitars, e-bow and glissando), Jason Kenney (drums and percussion), Flamp Sorvari (alto sax and flute) and Miles Gilster (bass), the band plays with abandon and combines the complexity of progressive rock, ripping hard-rock guitar and sax, recalling the heydays of fusion. Their only album to date, "Maelstrom", is a smoking set of instrumental brilliance. Consisting of five rather lengthy tracks, it features fiery instrumental sections, tight rhythm support, laid-back jam grooves and a liberal amount of dissonance and metric shifts. Yet, there is a strong sense of melody present among all this ripping euphoria. Whether it's the exquisite flute, the blistering sax/guitar duels, the adrenaline-packed percussion or the hyper-active bass, the music of AVANT GARDEN is a veritable sonic trip of controlled mayhem. It also displays a rare balance between raucous soloing and quieter, more introspective moments. There is not one dull moment on the entire album. If you enjoy a good sonic beating, AVANT GARDEN can't wait to give it to you. © Lise (HIBOU), CANADA © Prog Archives, All rights reserved http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1221

Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck - At The Grammy Museum - 2010 - Woody's Bootlegs

To celebrate the release of his "Emotion & Commotion" album, the legendary guitarist Jeff Beck played "a secret listener show" live from the GRAMMY Museum in LA, CA on Thursday, April 22, 2010. The audience numbered around 200 people. The broadcast was webcasted live at KLOS.com in association with Rhino Entertainment, and the radio broadcast of the event was aired on KLOS FM. The album is available officially from various sources, but most official issues do not include the introduction, interviews, or outro on the version here. The track "Brush With The Blues" is on the official release but not on this version. A version of this song can be found on Jeff's "Who Else" album. Listen to Jeff's brilliant "Blow By Blow" album.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

Introduction - 1.49 *
Corpus Christi - Benjamin Britten 3.23
Hammerhead - Jeff Beck / Jason Rebello 4.37
Over The Rainbow - Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg 3.19
Serene - Jeff Beck / Jason Rebello 6.10 *
A Day In The Life - Paul McCartney & John Lennon 5.08
Nessun Dorma - Giuseppe Adami / Giacomo Puccini / Renato Simoni 4.08
How High The Moon - Nancy Hamilton / Morgan Lewis 2.16 #
Interview with KLOS DJ Jim Ladd - Part A 4.18 *
Interview with KLOS DJ Jim Ladd - Part B 4.37 *
Interview with KLOS DJ Jim Ladd - Part C 4.16 *
Interview with KLOS DJ Jim Ladd - Part D 4.26 *
Interview with KLOS DJ Jim Ladd - Part E 4.34 *
Interview with KLOS DJ Jim Ladd - Part F 3.58 *
People Get Ready - Curtis Mayfield 4.48
Outro / Final Thanks - 1.19 *

N.B: * Not included on most official releases. The track "Brush With The Blues" is on the official release but not on this version. A version of this song can be found on Jeff's "Who Else" album. # A year after Les Paul died, Jeff paid tribute to Les Paul and Mary Ford at the 2010 Grammy Awards Ceremony by playing a note-for-note version of this track with the great Irish rockabilly artist Imelda May singing.

MUSICIANS

Jeff Beck - Guitar
Rhonda Smith - Bass
Jason Rebello - Keyboards
Narada Michael Walden - Drums

JEFF BECK BIO

While he was as innovative as Jimmy Page, as tasteful as Eric Clapton, and nearly as visionary as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck never achieved the same commercial success as any of his contemporaries, primarily because of the haphazard way he approached his career. After Rod Stewart left the Jeff Beck Group in 1971, Beck never worked with a charismatic lead singer who could have helped sell his music to a wide audience. Furthermore, he was simply too idiosyncratic, moving from heavy metal to jazz fusion within a blink of an eye. As his career progressed, he became more fascinated by automobiles than guitars, releasing only one album during the course of the '90s. All the while, Beck retained the respect of fellow guitarists, who found his reclusiveness all the more alluring. Beck began his musical career following a short stint at London's Wimbledon Art College. He earned a reputation by supporting Lord Sutch, which helped him land the job as the Yardbirds' lead guitarist following the departure of Eric Clapton. Beck stayed with the Yardbirds for nearly two years, leaving in late in 1966 with the pretense that he was retiring from music. He returned several months later with "Love Is Blue," a single he played poorly because he detested the song. Later in 1967, he formed the Jeff Beck Group with vocalist Rod Stewart, bassist Ron Wood, and drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who was quickly replaced by Mickey Waller; keyboardist Nicky Hopkins joined in early 1968. With their crushingly loud reworkings of blues songs and vocal and guitar interplay, the Jeff Beck Group established the template for heavy metal. Neither of the band's records, Truth (1968) or Beck-Ola (a 1969 album that was recorded with new drummer Tony Newman), was particularly successful, and the band tended to fight regularly, especially on their frequent tours of the U.S. In 1970, Stewart and Wood left to join the Faces, and Beck broke up the group. Beck had intended to form a power trio with Vanilla Fudge members Carmine Appice (drums) and Tim Bogert (bass), but those plans were derailed when he suffered a serious car crash in 1970. By the time he recuperated in 1971, Bogart and Appice were playing in Cactus, so the guitarist formed a new version of the Jeff Beck Group. Featuring keyboardist Max Middleton, drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Clive Chaman, and vocalist Bobby Tench, the new band recorded Rough and Ready (1971) and Jeff Beck Group (1972). Neither album attracted much attention. Cactus dissolved in late 1972, and Beck, Bogert, and Appice formed a power trio the following year. The group's lone studio album -- a live record was released in Japan but never in the U.K. or U.S. -- was widely panned due to its plodding arrangements and weak vocals, and the group disbanded the following year. For about 18 months, Beck remained quiet, re-emerging in 1975 with Blow by Blow. Produced by George Martin, Blow by Blow was an all-instrumental jazz fusion album that received strong reviews. Beck collaborated with Jan Hammer, a former keyboardist for Mahavishnu Orchestra, for 1976's Wired, and supported the album with a co-headlining tour with Hammer's band. The tour was documented on the 1977 album Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group -- Live. After the Hammer tour, Beck retired to his estate outside of London and remained quiet for three years. He returned in 1980 with There and Back, which featured contributions from Hammer. Following the tour for There and Back, Beck retired again, returning five years later with the slick, Nile Rodgers-produced Flash. A pop/rock album recorded with a variety of vocalists, Flash featured Beck's only hit single, the Stewart-sung "People Get Ready," and also boasted "Escape," which won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. During 1987, he played lead guitar on Mick Jagger's second solo album, Primitive Cool. There was another long wait between Flash and 1989's Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas. Though the album sold only moderately well, Guitar Shop received uniformly strong reviews and won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. Beck supported the album with a tour, this time co-headlining with guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Again, Beck entered semi-retirement upon the completion of the tour. In 1992, Beck played lead guitar on Roger Waters' comeback album, Amused to Death. A year later, he released Crazy Legs, a tribute to Gene Vincent and his lead guitarist, Cliff Gallup, which was recorded with Big Town Playboys. Beck remained quiet after the album's release prior to resurfacing in 1999 with Who Else! You Had It Coming followed in 2001 and his 14th release, Jeff, was issued on Epic two years later. An excellent live set, Performing This Week: Live at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, was released in 2008 by Eagle Records. Emotion & Commotion, Beck's first new studio album in seven years, appeared in the spring of 2010. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-beck-p3650/biography

Joe Pitts

Joe Pitts - Just A Matter Of Time - 2007 - Kijam

"Just a Matter of Time" is one of the best new CDs we have heard in some time. - Bill Ector - Hittin' the Note

"Joe wanders the world leaving an indelible footprint on the souls of those passed in the night or viewed through the haloes of spotlights burning down on the stage." - David Hughes - Nightflying Magazine

"Arkansas native Joe Pitts is a guitar monster, an excellent blues player who sounds at times like Duane Allman and at others like Walter Trout. " - Michael Buffalo Smith - Gritz Magazine

"One of the most soulful blues rock guitarists of our time." - Nightflying Magazine

Joe Pitts - "Just a Matter of Time" features world class players and good friends John Davies - Bass Guitar(Cate Brothers/Levon Helm) and Jahleel Eli - Drums and Percussion (Eric Gales, Public Enemy, Movie "The Drumline). Along with special guest Alligator Recording Artist Michael Burks, Hammond B3 wizard Wayne Sharp and keyboard virtuoso Stephen Winter, the music, from Rock, Blues and Jazz roots, shines through. There is also a BONUS hidden treasure that Joe included, just for the fans. Receiving rave reviews, the critics are calling this album a must have. - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pittsjoe

The Joe Pitts Band is a dynamic band that swings from rock to jazz fusion and back to blues and funk that has a HUGE sound, and really focus on their musicality, with great songwriting, exploratory improvisation and a big groove. - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pittsjoe

"Just A Matter Of Time" is a good Southern rock style album with elements of jazz, blues and funk. There are some great rhythmic grooves throughout. The playing is Grade A. Michael Burks plays lead guitar on a great cover of J. Mayall's "Rolling with the Blues". The album also includes good covers of Roy Buchanan's "Nickle and a Nail" and Jeff Beck's "Ice Cream Cakes". Listen to the band's great live album, "One Night Only"

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Blue Light Rain - J. Pitts
2. Nickle and a Nail - R. Buchanan
3. Lonesome Boy from Yesterday - J. Pitts
4. Just a Matter of Time - J. Pitts
5. Ice Cream Cakes - J.Beck
6. Zambified - J. Pitts
7. Shoulda Seen It Coming - J. Pitts
8. Rolling with the Blues - J. Mayall
9. Sealed Inside Good Intentions - J. Pitts
10. Sublime Angel - J. Pitts
11. Funked Up - J. Pitts

MUSICIANS

Joe Pitts Guitar, Vocals
Michael Burks - Lead Guitar (Guest) on Track 8
John Davies - Bass Guitar
Stephen Winter - Keyboards (Guest) on Track 6
Wayne Sharp - Hammond B3 (Guest) on Tracks 2, & 8
Jahleel Eli - Drums and Percussion

SHORT BIO

Hailed as one of the most soulful blues-rock guitarists today, Joe Pitts is pulling influences from yesterday into today. Joe has been compared to guitarists such as Duane Allman and Walter Trout. Although his influences range from Jeff Beck to Roy Buchanan, Joe is known worldwide for his slide guitar work. Studying at Berklee College of Music, set Joe up for the possibilities that are endless on a stringed instrument. From funk to jazz to blues to rock, and everything in between, Joe is a musician's musician. Touted as one of Arkansas' best musicians, this international touring artist has played hundreds of shows, touring Europe and the Midwest to Southeast US constantly. http://www.joepitts.com/bio.html

Nicola Hitchcock

Nicola Hitchcock - A Bowl Of Chalk - 1993 - F-Beat

“There’s something indefinably magical in her delivery and in the very human troubled personal conflicts in her exceptional lyrics … a remarkable debut” (Colin Irwin, Folk Roots).

Good album from the former Mandalay vocalist and musician, Nicola Hitchcock. "A Bowl Of Chalk" borders on the edge of electronica, in the manner of bands like Zero 7, and Portishead. However the overall sound is softer. This is music with elements of soft rock, Motown, and folk. It could be called "alternative" music, but defining musical genres are generally a waste of time. This is a very good album with great lyrics and musicianship. Musicians include the legendary Prefab Sprout drummer, Neil Conti. Listen to Nicola's "Passive Aggressive" album

TRACKS

1 Pick Up Your Coat 3:18
2 My Mistake 4:01
3 Surf On Shingle 3:08
4 Saddest Day 3:27
5 Writings I Hide 3:31
6 Down To The Station 3:51
7 What You See Is What You Get 4:38
8 How Do You Feel 4:41
9 Strange Times 3:49
10 Queen Of The Blues 3:30
11 Where Are We Now 3:12
12 Maire 4:37

All songs composed by Nicola Hitchcock

MUSICIANS

Nicola Hitchcock - Whistle, Accordion, Hand Drum, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals
Danny Thompson - Bass
Neil Conti - Drums

A BOWL OF CHALK (WIKIPEDIA)

One of the record companies to which Hitchcock had sent tapes was F-Beat Records, who signed her up for her first solo album, 1993's A Bowl Of Chalk. In contrast to her later work with Mandalay and others, A Bowl Of Chalk was a low-key and mostly acoustic affair with a strong folk music influence. Hitchcock added folk instrumentation such as whistle, accordion and hand drum, and several tracks featured the celebrated British jazz/folk musician Danny Thompson (ex-Pentangle/John Martyn) on double bass. (Other performers included Prefab Sprout drummer Neil Conti). In a Folk Roots magazine review, Colin Irwin praised Hitchcock's songwriting, commenting "there’s something indefinably magical in her delivery and in the very human troubled personal conflicts in her exceptional lyrics... a remarkable debut." A Bowl Of Chalk boosted Hitchcock's reputation on London’s folk and acoustic circuit and led to full band performances at the Guildford Folk Festival, the Cambridge Folk Festival and the Phoenix Festival. Unfortunately, F-Beat Records folded shortly afterwards and the album went out of print.

BIO

Nicola is based in London, UK. In 1992 a home recorded, self-produced, 3-song demo was sent out to a few hand-picked record companies and as a result, Nicola was signed to Demon Records. Her debut solo album “A Bowl of Chalk” was released on FBeat/Demon Records in ‘93 and featured guest musicians Danny Thompson on bass (Kate Bush, David Sylvian) & Neil Conti on drums (David Bowie, Prefab Sprout). She became a regular face on London’s folk/acoustic circuit, including performances at the Guildford and Cambridge Folk Festivals and Phoenix Festival. “There’s something indefinably magical in her delivery and in the very human troubled personal conflicts in her exceptional lyrics … a remarkable debut” (Colin Irwin, Folk Roots) Inspired by the music of Portishead and Massive attack, in ‘95 she went on to form Mandalay with Saul Freeman and signed to David Steele’s independent label Organic Records. The first single release “Flowers Bloom” got single of the week in Melody Maker. “Nicola’s voice is extraordinary, a sort of static shiver … as chillingly beautiful as liquid nitrogen sculpture.” (David Stubbs, Melody Maker). Shortly after the release of their first single, David Steele was asked to head up Richard Branson’s new label V2 Records and took Mandalay with him. Mandalay’s debut album “Empathy” was released to critical acclaim, co-produced with Guy Sigsworth (Bjork, Madonna, Bebel Gilberto) it featured drummer and percussionist Steve Jansen (Japan) and the beautiful ethereal sounds of Jon Hassell on trumpet (Brian Eno, Harold Budd). “one of the most surprising understated albums in eons … illuminating and optimistic. A muted beauty.” (Andrew Emery, Vox). “passionate and honest … moody mood music of the highest order … a fine debut” (Phil Strongman, The Mix). Mandalay’s live performances included Andy Gangadeen on drums (massive attack, faithless) and they became a regular favourite at The Big Chill festivals. “Troubled fluid, gorgeous oils and waters creating a river of sound that leaves you aching for more” (Melody Maker Live Review). On hearing “Empathy”, Madonna sited Mandalay as her favourite band and chose the first single “This Life” to be featured on the film soundtrack for her film. “The Next Best Thing”. “This Life” was also chosen to feature on the soundtrack to the hit British film “This Year’s Love”. “a fusion of classical music, electronics and dance beats. Nicola Hitchcock’s strange, emotive vocals seem to come from someone on the edge of a meltdown. The musical canvass paints a picture of a musical Ice Age to come.” (NME singles review). Many other Mandalay songs were featured on cult TV series’ including “La Femme Nikita”, “Six Feet Under” and “CSI MIami”. The third single “Beautiful” appeared on a number of chillout albums of the time including the world famous compilation series’ “cafe del mar (vol 6)” and Hedkandi’s “Serve Chilled”. As a result Mandalay were invited to headline at the Cafe del mar 2oth anniversary celebrations in Ibiza in 2000. A sunset remix of “Beautiful” was recorded and mixed by Lenny Ibizarre, the leading chillout DJ/musician on the island. The song “Beautiful” went on to win a major advertising campaign (Estee Lauder, featuring Liz Hurley) and was chosen for the title track of German film “Der Eisbar”. More recently “Beautiful” was covered by Sarah Brightman and released as the lead single for her hit album “Harem”. Mandalay’s 2nd album “Instinct” was co-produced with Andy Bradfield (Everything But the Girl, Future Sound of London, Bjork) and Yoad Nevo (Jem). “.. draws inspiration from jazz and classical music to create resolutely elegant, affecting pop …. lush and expansive, Instinct’s musical world is perfectly realised” (MK The Guardian). A third and final album “Solace” was released exclusively in the U.S. Mandalay disbanded in 2002. In the following years Nicola began working with avant garde composers Hector Zazou and Ryuichi Sakomoto, Lenny Ibizarre and the underground artist & DJ Chris Brann (Wamdue Project, P’taah etc). The resulting album “Passive Aggressive” stands a collection of her favourite songs from this time and is the first release on her own label Tempted. ” …. Plaintive, melancholy and full of feeling; Nicola’s songs have an honesty that you can feel in her voice even before you hear it in the words. The singing here is soft, close up, often little more than a whisper. The uncluttered arrangements on this CD add to the intimacy, at times just drums, bass and minimal pianos or electronica. The more intense musical structure of ‘I Forgive Me’ combines with sweet vocals to create a sense of brooding, a weight that carries over into the following track ‘Cloudy Skies and Rain’ where the drums are stronger and looser than most of the album. There is a beautiful surreal quality to the final track ‘Morning’ featuring Ryuichi Sakomoto’s subtle piano, enhanced by an achingly melancholic string arrangement from Hector Zazou”. An exclusive edition of Passive Aggressive was subsequently released in the US by Barnes & Noble including two previously unreleased tracks (currently available as free downloads via her website to those on the mailing list). Nicola is currently working on a new solo album. © 2009. Nicola Hitchcock. All Rights Reserved http://www.nicolahitchcock.com/biography

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Nicola Hitchcock (born in Paddington, London, UK) is a British singer and songwriter. She is best known for having been the singer of the band Mandalay (a critically-acclaimed trip hop duet from the United Kingdom). Following the demise of Mandalay, she has worked with various dance music and avant-garde musicians. Nicola Hitchcock's father was a musician and actor turned TV producer/director, while her mother was a former actress - they divorced when Nicola was three. She has credited her father for her initial interest in music and for teaching her how to create her first songs. She began seriously writing songs from the age of nine, when she received her first acoustic guitar. Early influences included The Beatles and Carole King. From the age of 15, she began gaining stage experience in local covers bands, learning to play accordion, keyboards and percussion in addition to her vocal and guitar skills. While training as a teacher (a career which she was ultimately unsuited for) Hitchcock took the opportunity to learn from degree music students, gaining lessons on classical composition and opera singing as well as keyboard skills. During her twenties, Hitchcock gained work as a backing vocalist (and occasional instrumentalist) on the London live music circuit. Still lacking in confidence, she took a self-development course which gave her the courage to approach a band with an existing record deal who'd advertised for members in Melody Maker, and to gain a place with them playing keyboards and singing backing vocals. The band recorded one album and split up, although Hitchcock continued working with their bass player for another three years. Following this, she wrote and recorded several 4-track demos of her own (using keyboard, acoustic guitar and drum machine) and marked time by performing solo as a voice-and-guitar act in various acoustic and folk clubs in London. One of the record companies to which Hitchcock had sent tapes was F-Beat Records, who signed her up for her first solo album, 1993's A Bowl Of Chalk. In contrast to her later work with Mandalay and others, A Bowl Of Chalk was a low-key and mostly acoustic affair with a strong folk music influence. Hitchcock added folk instrumentation such as whistle, accordion and hand drum, and several tracks featured the celebrated British jazz/folk musician Danny Thompson (ex-Pentangle/John Martyn) on double bass. (Other performers included Prefab Sprout drummer Neil Conti). In a Folk Roots magazine review, Colin Irwin praised Hitchcock's songwriting, commenting "there’s something indefinably magical in her delivery and in the very human troubled personal conflicts in her exceptional lyrics... a remarkable debut." A Bowl Of Chalk boosted Hitchcock's reputation on London’s folk and acoustic circuit and led to full band performances at the Guildford Folk Festival, the Cambridge Folk Festival and the Phoenix Festival. Unfortunately, F-Beat Records folded shortly afterwards and the album went out of print. Recently inspired by the developing trip-hop music scene (as spearheaded by Massive Attack and Portishead), Hitchcock now began to seek out other musical opportunities. Replying to another advert in Melody Maker put her in touch with Chrysalis Music and with Saul Freeman. Freeman was a multi-instrumentalist/producer who had initially been the other half of the acclaimed pop duo Thieves, before a falling-out with his partner (singer David McAlmont) had left Freeman without a band and with his work released as McAlmont's debut album. Hitchcock and Freeman formed another pop duo, Mandalay, which blended Hitchcock's interest in singer-songwriter material and psychological/psychotherapeutic concepts with Freeman's textured arrangements and his mixture of trip-hop dance smoothness and post-punk avant-garde textures. Mandalay were courted by various major labels on completion of their first demos, but opted instead to sign to David Steele’s independent label Organic Records. Mandalay’s first single release, "Flowers Bloom" gained the Single of the Week award in Melody Maker, immediately strengthening their position. They subsequently signed to V2 Records, for whom they would release two albums, Empathy and Instinct. Mandalay lasted for seven years, during which they received a good deal of critical acclaim and the tag of "Madonna's favourite band." The project ended in 2002 due to musical and personal differences. Hitchcock has hinted that one of the reasons may have been frustration at Freeman's degree of control over instrumentation, arrangement and production. After Mandalay's demise in 2002, Hitchcock's songwriting and vocal talents were sought out by Tiësto who chose her song "In My Memory" for his first album, In My Memory. With a deft remix from him, it became the lead single for the album, the success of which led to a live performance by Hitchcock at the Dutch Music Awards in 2002Hitchcock's career was interrupted by a car accident, a relocation to Devon and a period spent recuperating from the Epstein-Barr virus. However, during this time she continued to be sought out by artists, musicians, and DJs contacting her via the internet and email with requests for possible collaborations. She began working on tracks from avant garde composers Hector Zazou, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Lenny Ibizarre and the underground artist & DJ Chris Brann (Wamdue Project, T'paah etc). In 2005 Hitchcock released her second solo album Passive Aggressive, on her own label Tempted Records. The album compiled many of her recent collaborations - excluding "In My Memory" but including the work with Sakamoto, Brann, Ibizarre and Zazou (as well as newer work with Sounds from the Ground, the string trio Echo and frequent Thieves/Mandalay collaborator Michael J. Ade). In 2006, Hitchcock was approached by Justin Elswick of the electronic dance project Sleepthief, which led to her co-writing and performing the song "You Did A Good Thing" on Sleepthief's debut album The Dawnseeker. Hitchcock is currently working on her next solo record

Kelly Flint (Dave's True Story Related)

Kelly Flint - Drive All Night - 2007 - BePop Records

"It seems like someone will have an entire popular music collection — and then they'll have all three of our albums. It seems to transcend age." — Kelly Flint
"Kelly's warm, sure singing is the album's glue. Her voice is a warm hug, a dear companion on a lonely day. Drive All Night is a touching album that really can help keep shadows at bay while it plays" © Michael Tearson 2009 Sing Out Corporation http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-168918725.html

Kelly Flint is the singer, and interpreter of the songs of songwriter/guitarist David Cantor of the band, Dave's True Story who have released five critically acclaimed albums. If you are familiar with DTS, you will recognize Kelly Flint's voice. Her singing style has been described as "a femme-fatale's alto, unornamented except for a judiciously applied burr which she uses like a drummer uses his brushes". "Drive All Night", Kelly's first solo CD includes 13 excellent Kelly Flint originals and an unusual but beautiful cover of Justin Hayward's (Moody Blues) "Story in your Eyes." All the songs revolve around her acoustic guitar, and the album is very much in the "indie folk" mould. The album is very different from the sparse, cool, sophisticated cocktail jazz sound of DTS, but it is a brilliant album, and just as enjoyable as any of the DTS albums. Production is top notch, and David Cantor (DTS) has said that "Her melodies are beautiful one moment, then, in the next, as pop as anything you might ever hear. And sung with that voice! She is engaged with the world and her take on it is truly unusual and insightful. Though wry and funny at times, her words come from deep places, and she finds the emotional truth in the everyday event, the heartbreaking core in simple acts and moments." "Drive All Night" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Watch out for Kelly's next release, and check this blog for other DTS releases. Read a great article about DTS @ http://www.offoffoff.com/music/2003/davestruestory.php/

TRACKS

Blood and Bone
Drive All Night
Story in Your Eyes
The Letter, 1974
Cartoon
Never Unless
Song to My Soldier
Waiting For the Weather
Are You Blue?
Snow Angels
Deep Freeze
Bottle Rocket (The Truth Hurts)
Marilena
Alchemy

All songs written by Kelly Flint except "Story in Your Eyes" written by Justin Hayward

MUSICIANS

Kelly Flint - Guitar, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Gerry Leonard - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Mandolin
Carmen Yates - Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Jeff Eyrich - Bass (Acoustic), String Arrangements
Jon Dryden - Organ (Hammond), Wurlitzer
Steve Rossiter - Organ
Jacob Lawson - String Arrangements, Violin
Libby Johnson - Vocals (Background)

REVIEWS

There are fifteen reasons you should check out Drive All Night. Fourteen of them are songs. Kelly Flint can write them (well, thirteen of them anyway, the fourteenth being an excellent cover of Justin Hayward's Story In Your Eyes). Boy, can she write them. Lucky for her (and us), she can sing them as well, and she does so in such an unassuming and understated way that you know you're getting the real Kelly Flint, in the musical flesh. The fact that the flesh is, in many instances, shall we say, exposed makes for some truly outstanding moments. One of those moments is Cartoon, an almost science fiction look at relationships through the analogy of animation. With a line in the chorus like "It's a cartoon, where the guy falls off the cliff and he's flat", you can't help but get the mental picture. It's Wiley Coyote and the Roadrunner in love (with cartoon effects), except that it is real and the effects are obviously a bit more than stated. In this case, Flint took a good idea and turned it into folk/pop gold. The lightly upbeat and country rocking Drive All Night is deceptive in its simplicity. With shuffling beat, Flint rides into a promising sunset, or so you think, but instead rides just to be riding because in spite of the positive tone, something is wrong and someone is gone. It is a song of survival. If you don't pay attention, you won't even know. The Letter, 1974 is as straightforward as Flint gets, a young girl writing to an absent father while watching her mother disintegrate. A child left behind, with her mother and yet alone. "And daddy, I don't know how you feel," she sings, "I fill in the blanks and I'm always to blame, but come home soon, there's no one at the wheel, and I can't figure out how to explain." A magnificent but devastating song. She lounges it up with Deep Freeze, Wurlitzer piano laying out a slow, bluesy background while she squeezes just enough out to capture the blues. When you're in a bar drinking and a song like this comes on, you stop. If you're not drinking, you start. Flint flashes back to the fifties and sixties on Marilena, the shuffling brushes and the guitar riff out of a Ricky Nelson song like Poor Little Fool but taken in a different direction. And the chorus is a great example of what she does so well—adding a couple of words onto the ends of certain lines, giving the chorus a unique twist, a different rhythm. This is not the only time she does it, but it is the most obvious. As for Story In Your Eyes, the only borrowed song, bongos and semi-jazz acoustic guitar offset Flint's voice so well it might take awhile to realize where you heard it before. It is a Moody Blues song, of course, but the treatment here is in another dimension altogether. Flint slows it down and uses phrasing to make it her own. For straight pop fans, there is a bit of a mid-period Brit rock feel to Are You Blue?. One and a half minutes of Beatles-inspired pop, maybe? The following track, "Snow Angels", has a hook and a half as well as a catchy chorus. The package itself is very well done, though the layout is more Nashville than it should be. Kelly Flint barely skirts modern country on this CD and Nashville is only a whisper. It is much more folk, pop and rock than country, but you can label it what you want. Flint is a solid songwriter, a good vocalist and a superb lyricist. One of those is a good thing. Two is a score. Three, my friends, is a hat trick. [A review written for the Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange
by & © Frank Gutch Jr. - Edited by: David N. Pyles - © 2007, Peterborough Folk Music Society. http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p04155.htm

The very direct Kelly I would say.Is filled with passion when you talk about the musical road she has taken to get where she is today. CELEBRITY KELLY FLINT sits down with CEO-JOEL CRAFTON: (Joel Crafton) The CD of KELLY FLINT titled (DRIVE ALL NIGHT) on BEPOP RECORDS falls nothing short of pure genius, after hearing Kelly’s CD I was taken in on a musical ride of melodic riffs that compliments every strum and cord on her acoustic guitar. The very direct Kelly I would say.Is filled with passion when you talk about the musical road she has taken to get where she is today. Although she has made a modest living, Kelly is sincere when she credits those who have set the pathway in her development in music, like Joni Mitchell, who is the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 1969-2002. (KELLY) I would perform at the New York Club (“THE LIVING ROOM”) frequently, when the (“THE LIVING ROOM”) had its 10th anniversary that lasted for three weeks. Kelly Flint was invited to open up for Nora Jones. Before Nora Jones was famous she would open up for Kelly. Kelly gives great respect to the success of Nora Jones. Kelly has also opened up for Patti LaBelle, as Kelly traveled performing about eighty gigs per year. The world has not forgotten the full life size cutouts of Kelly Flint you would find in music stores of her past hit CD/Album. (KELLY) How I learned to sing, I would put the needle on the record listen to the vocals until my pitch was correct. From that point on I started developing my skills as a singer, song writer and performer, singing some cover tunes as well as creating my own songs in search of the perfect story line song idea. (Joel Crafton) If I were to summarize the CD of KELLY FLINT titled (DRIVE ALL NIGHT) on BEPOP RECORDS produced by JEFF EYRICH, it would surely get four stars. Kelly’s other works were “Dave's True Story”. Kelly made five albums, and was the toast of The New York Times. Some of the well known talk shows that have superstars or even up and coming artist might have slept on this one. It is never too late to undo what they have not done. Get Kelly on your show for this CD is hot! © CEO - JOEL CRAFTON Of Craftone Music aka/ Black Pinoy © CraftoneMusic.com 2008 http://www.craftonemusic.com/kellyflint.html

ABOUT KELLY FLINT / DAVE'S TRUE STORY

The story behind the band, Dave’s True Story, is every bit as interesting as Dave Cantor’s lyrics. Dave Cantor, singer/songwriter and the Dave of Dave’s True Story, grew up in New York, (Long Island to be exact), and had a dream of wanting to become a novelist out of college. The novel didn’t work out, nor did the playwriting, so instead he turned to writing songs, where his lyrics are like mini-scripts with dramatic monologues. Kelly Flint grew up in the mid-west, (Michigan City, Indiana) came to New York with $400, a suitcase and like so many people that come to New York, with a dream of becoming an actress or a singer. It was something that she desperately wanted, but she put off going to a club called the Speakeasy for their Open Mike night for a few years, because she said that she knew once she went it would change her life, and it did. She became involved with the Fast Folk Musical Group, which is where she met Dave in 1989. Friends encouraged Kelly to sing Dave’s songs, since she needed material and was not a prolific writer herself, but Kelly didn’t really “get” Dave, and didn’t like his style of jazz. Over drinks one night, Dave taught Kelly one of his songs, and when she sang it, she “got” it, and went on to learn a few more of his songs. Fast-forward, Dave and Kelly went to a Folk Festival that Jack Hardy put on with 33 performers. Although Dave and Kelly were not on the line-up to perform, at the third from the last of the performers, they decided to sing one song, and the audience loved them. At the end of the concert, the audience cheered Dave and Kelly to come back on and sing another song. Ironically, the only other Dave’s song that Kelly knew was a Christmas song, which they performed, so what that it was July! Encouraged by their reception at the concert, they went on to do a couple of gigs. In 1994 they formed Dave’s True Story, released an album, and in 1995 they won the prestigious Kerrville New Music Award. The story gets even better; in 1994 Kelly met Southern California Surfer/bassist, Jeff Eyrich, who was living in Malibu, in an Internet chat session called the Surf Lounge Tijuana Brass Cocktail. Encouraged by their chats, Kelly sent Jeff their album so that he could try to generate some interest for it on the West Coast. When he heard the album, coupled with his growing online relationship with Kelly, he moved to New York and joined Dave’s True Story in 1998. Their first release together was Dave’s True Story (1994, re-released in 2002), Sex without Bodies (1998), followed by Unauthorized (2000), which is when I first became a fan of Dave’s True Story. Their latest release, Nature, from BePop Records was just released on April 19, 2005. The story gets even better! Their song, Crazy Eyes, was featured in the film Kissing Jessica Stein, and the second track, Dog’s Life, from the Nature release is in the documentary, Dog’s Life: A Dogmentary, from Emmy award winning television producer Gayle Kirschenbaum. On June 3, 2005 Edward F. Nesta and I, along with our friend, Tim Garrabrandt, had the opportunity to listen to Dave’s True Story perform at the club, Satalla, in New York, and to interview them to get their “story”. When I asked what inspired Dave, Kelly quickly responded, “he gets his inspiration from Kelly”, to which Dave added, “or else.” Actually, he grew up liking (surprise!) music, which was definitely off the beaten track, which included The Mothers (Frank Zappa) and Captain Beefheart. He also admitted that he was a Steely Dan fan. Jeff was inspired by the Southern California surfer instrumental pipeline music. He said that sometimes people say that he plays “surf guitar.” Hearing Dave’s True Story perform live is about as good as it gets. Joined by drummer, Richard Zukor, the band clearly was in their element. Although Dave may not have written a bestselling novel, his lyrics are clearly bestselling stories; and it appears that Kelly didn’t have to choose between acting or singing, as she captures the audience with her mesmerizing voice and sassy attitude; and as for Jeff, this cool California surfer plays his bass with the ease of a champion surfer coming out of a long pipeline. I can’t wait to hear the next story from Dave’s True Story, as the stories just keep getting better and better. Written by & © Debra C. Argen © August 2005. Luxury Experience. www.luxuryexperience.com All rights reserved http://luxuryexperience.com/music_scene/interviews/daves_true_story_interview.html

Tommy Emmanuel

Tommy Emmanuel - Determination - 1992 - Mega Records

Tommy Emmanuel (born 31 May 1955 New South Wales) is an Australian guitarist, famous for his intricate fingerpicking style, where he plays the melody, harmony and rhythm and produces percussive effects on just one guitar. Tommy is regarded by many musicians as one of the most talented guitarists in the world. A certain Mr. Chet Atkins stated that Tommy Emmanuel stands as, “one of the greatest guitarists on the planet”. He has a dynamic stage presence, and truly is a brilliant musician as demonstrated on this album. His performing and recording credits include work with Sir George Martin, John Fogerty, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Chet Atkins, Albert Lee, and Larry Carlton. His collection of accolades and awards includes a 1997 ‘Grammy’ nomination, a 1999 ‘CGP’ (Certified Guitar Player), a 1997 ‘Nammy’ (Nashville Music Award), two ‘MO’ Awards for ‘Performer of the Year’ (1995 and 1997), as well as two ‘Australian Ambassador of Music’ awards and five for ‘Australian Guitarist of the Year’. The guy still needs and deserves a bigger audience. Tommy Emmanuel is a gifted guitarist, and if you are into great instrumental guitar, then this album is for you. Listen to his outstanding "Midnight Drive" album and consider buying his "The Mystery" album. His "Only" album can be found @ TOM/EMM/ONLY

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1."Who Dares Wins" - Tommy Emmanuel
2."Mountain of Truth" - Mason Emmanuel
3."Determination" - Tommy Emmanuel
4."'Cross the Nullabor" - Tommy Emmanuel
5."Initiation" - Tommy Emmanuel
6."From the Hip" - Tommy Emmanuel
7."Imagine" - John Lennon
8."When You Come Home" - Tommy Emmanuel
9."Fiesta" - Tommy Emmanuel
10."Precious Time" - Tommy Emmanuel
11."The Sweetest Love" - Tommy Emmanuel / Sam McNally
12."Stevie's Blues" - Tommy Emmanuel
13."Nu Shoos Blues" - Tommy Emmanuel

MUSICIANS

Tommy Emmanuel - Bass, Dobro, Drums, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Noise, Percussion, Stick, Tambourine
DJ Rob - Little Bass
Robyn Payne, Roger Mason - Keyboards, Percussion
Phillip Campbell - Drums
Kevin Murphy - Drums, Tambourine
Joe Chindamo - Accordion

BIO

Tommy Emmanuel, four-time winner of Australia's Best Guitarist award, has helped bring the art of rock guitar down under to a higher awareness over his two-decade-long career by bringing a sense of jazz improvisation into a mix that also includes blues, country, rock, classical, and Spanish music. After years as a popular sideman and ace songwriter, the two-time ARIA (Aussie Grammys equivalent) award winner launched his solo career in 1988 with Up from Down Under. Several releases have followed, most notably his critically acclaimed 1993 release The Journey, which hit high on Gavin and Radio & Records NAC airplay charts. He has shown a mastery and affinity for both electric and acoustic axes and has been singled out by the likes of notable musicians such as Chet Atkins, with whom he recorded The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World in 1997, and Todd Rundgren as being an innovator on the instrument. Only appeared in 2001, followed by 2002's Endless Road (it was finally released in the U.S. three years later), 2005's Live One, and 2006's Happy Hour (with Jim Nichols) and Mystery. © Jonathan Widran © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tommy-emmanuel-p6459/biography

Dave Davies

Dave Davies - AFL1-3603 - 1980 - RCA Victor

For his first solo disc, Dave Davies came out swinging with the great AFL1-3603, titled after the record's catalog number and also as a slap at the bar coding that had begun to be put on nearly everything. This album rocks; from the opening "Where Did You Come From" right on through to "Run," there is a sense that Davies was out to prove that his brother Ray wasn't the only force in the Kinks. Chock-full of the best bits of the Kinks' guitar rockers, AFL1-3603 also holds lots of power pop treasures, such as the very lovely "Imaginations Real" and the nice change of pace "Visionary Dreamer." Doing all the guitars, vocals, keyboards, and most of the bass and drums, as well as producing and writing all the tunes, Dave Davies proves he can out-Kink brother Ray and do it with a refreshing style. AFL1-3603 is a winner. © James Chrispell © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/afl1-3603-r66481

Dave Davies has never been regarded as a great vocalist. However, in that respect he's part of a huge club! Great vocals don't always make a great album. Dave is a notable songwriter and superb musician. His guitar playing is impressive, and often agressive throughout, and his songs are full of great hooks. The songs stand by themselves as an example of his songwriting abilities. Dave performed much of the instrumentation himself, but there is plenty of superb assistance by several experienced musicians including Linda Ronstadt on vocals. The sound of the album, not unusually is partly caught up in the '80's swishy synth overproduced sound, but this album is miles ahead of most early 80's albums in terms of musicianship and songwriting quality. This album should not be compared to Kinks or Ray Davies material. Listen to his "The Album That Never Was"

TRACKS

A1 Where Do You Come From
A2 Doing The Best For You
A3 Visionary Dreamer
A4 Nothin' More To Lose
A5 The World Is Changing Hands

B1 Move Over
B2 See The Beast
B3 Imaginations Real
B4 In You I Believe
B5 Run

All songs composed by Dave Davies

MUSICIANS

Dave Davies - Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals
Mac Gayden, Dianne Davidson - Guitar, Vocals
John Drummond - Guitar
Charlie McCoy - Bass, Guitar
Ron Lawrence, Tim Drummond - Bass
John Harris - Keyboards
Nick Trevisick, Kenny Buttrey - Drums
Linda Ronstadt - Vocals

BIO

Although he took a largely subordinate role to his brother Ray in the Kinks, Dave's fierce guitar work and hoarse but effective background (and occasional lead) vocals were key elements of the band's appeal. Dave also occasionally wrote songs for the Kinks that showed him to be a writer of considerable skill and wit, if not up to the same level as Ray. In the late '60s, Dave made some solo singles that met with critical success in Britain, although they were unknown in the U.S. "Death of a Clown" (also included on the Kinks' Something Else LP) made number three on the British charts in 1967, and the follow-up, "Susannah's Still Alive," also did fairly well. Dave began to consider making a solo album, but after a couple other solo singles flopped, he seemed to lose heart and abandoned his plans (some unreleased solo tracks from this period turned up on the obscure Kinks bootleg Good Luck Charm). In the 1980s, Dave finally began a solo career in earnest, releasing a series of mainstream rock albums and various collections of demos and outtakes that found little critical or commercial acclaim, before his work was neatly summarized on Unfinished Business: Dave Davies Kronikles 1963-1998. The hard-rocking Bug from 2002 was his first album of new material in nearly 20 years. Davies suffered a major stroke in 2004 and used composing and painting as therapy during the lengthy recovery period that followed. The new song "God in My Brain" was inspired by the stroke and appeared on the 2006 compilation Kinked. In 2007 Davies released his first full-length post-stroke studio album, Fractured Mindz, on the Koch label. Richie Unterberger © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dave-davies-p16868/biography