Saturday, August 6, 2011

Bill Morrissey...one last drink for old times sake

I haven't taken to posting YouTube stuff or any kind of videos and God knows that plenty of hugely important artists have come and gone during the few short years that this blog has been around. But a couple weeks ago I learned of the passing of Bill Morrissey, a song writer and singer that touched the folk music community and probably beyond, and one that has left more than a handful of what I will call breath taking moments. Poetry that hits home and tunes that drive into your deepest insides. Songs that will make you stop everything you're doing when you hear them. How sad to lose that artistry, that musical companion, so young (60 years old). Many people are quick to describe Bill's work as sad and depressing and although they usually mean it in a complimentary way, I don't think it quite does justice to how Bill Morrissey captured the elements of life, and when powerful words and feelings hit you just right, it's easy to say it's sad. For me, it's just right. It's what life is that flows through his lyrics and sounds. It's thoughtful, sensitive and full of irony and humor, the things that memories are made of, the things that freeze time, that take you back until you are no more, and you feel like the spirit rather than the vessel. So here I have posted a video someone has on YouTube, a song that is so Bill Morrissey and so much one of my go to songs when I need to get perspective. Somehow it always manages to leave me looking up and set for good things. I don't know how Bill does that but for me he does. And to do complete justice to this great song and the memory of the man who wrote it, I also offer the following lyrics that I deciphered on my own (so please let me know if you see any mistakes). I am very grateful for the legacy this man left behind and how he has enriched my life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvlQFhm6X9Q&feature=related

These Cold Fingers by Bill Morrissey

Gina left town with the, first snow of the year
He drove her to the airport in his Ford.
And he, tried to propose as he ordered one more beer,
But the P-A drowned his words, and it was time for her to board.

So he walked her to the gate, he took his hat off as he kissed her,
He needed one more drink to take the chill out of his soul.
He said a quick goodbye, then spent two hours in the bar,
Finally paid his tab and kept a dollar for the toll.

(chorus)
Everything slips, through these cold fingers
Like trying to hold water, trying to hold sand,
Close your eyes, make a wish, and listen to the singer,
One more round bartender, pour a double if you can.

It’s 4 o’clock, and the sun’s gone down the drain,
It’s still late winter, but they say it’s early spring.
Lewis reads the gas pumps, Rossi counts the oils,
But me I’m done, so punch the clock and see you in the morning.

There’s nothin’ back at home that ain’t gone greasy with the stove,
I never laughed so hard as when that typewriter broke.
Think I’ll stop along the River Road for a half pint and some beer,
Well everything would be okay if these old dreams would disappear.

(chorus)

The dog can’t move no more, surprised he made it till the spring,
His pain won’t go away, and the pills don’t do a thing.
You’ve known that old hound longer, than you’ve known most of your friends,
And no matter how you let him down, he’d always take you back again

So it’s one tall glass of whiskey, one last drink for old time’s sake,
The dog just lays in bed, and watches every move you make.
Wrap him in his blanket, hold him once more close to you,
Lead him out behind the barn with a borrowed 22.

(chorus)

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Singing When You're Stinking From Drinking

Here's a collection of songs from various artists from around the Danbury, Connecticut area. The theme you will see is...drinking, and the artists cover a wide range of genres. I had the pleasure of contributing the country tune here but all the tracks are great stuff, no matter what your musical preferences may be. Most of the performers can be found on Facebook or MySpace if not other sites, including i-tunes. Now pour yourself a cold one and let 'em rip!

Drinking Songs

Various Artists 
"Chowdahouse Inc. Presents DRINKING SONGS"

1 -   Chowdahouse Inc. - Coolest Motherfucker on the Planet
2 -   Not the Kid - Drinking Song
3 -   The Boardlords - I Told You
4 -   MC Sexscene & Homeblind - Give It To You Good
5 -   Brenton Vaughan - Carry Me Home
6 -   Dick Lexus - Hip Hop for the Middle Aged
7 -   Six7 - Deathstarz
8 -   Orangatwang - Fish n' Chips
9 -   Chowdahouse Inc. - Closing Time
10 - Sarianna & The Swell - Drink
11 - The Dalliance - Pain Has Gills
12 - The Reins - Give It Up
13 - Cash Fur Gold - Whiskey and Chex Mix
14 - Don Ryan - Down and Out
15 - Durge - Just An Old Cowboy Again
16 - Si Ombrellone - Moonshine
17 - Mittimus - Diamond Jim's Spirits and Rumours
18 - The Artimus Formerly Known As - Good Friday

Produced by Chowdahouse Inc. (Released July 2011)

Saturday, July 16, 2011

If Anyone Can Sing, Les Mc Can

Since the inception of this sporadic blog of mine, I've advertized my desire to track down one of the early albums by Les McCann called simply, "Les McCann Sings". I believe my familiarity with this recording came from an old 8-track I had of it back in my college years in the 70's. Some of the beautifully rendered ballads on this album provided just the right sort of fodder for those heart broken moments of my early relationships. I can remember sitting in the stairwell of the Computer Center on the Storrs campus at UCONN just singing a couple of those songs inspired by Les McCann's easy vocals and gentle piano playing. I can still hear my voice echoing up that stairwell into the emptiness of late nights waiting for my computer programming cards to finish running in the busy room outside the stairwell. I'd listen for any signs of life so I could quickly shut up to avoid any embarrassment with passers by. McCann's timing is so true and real, his delivery so perfect yet relaxed and comforting. So I wanted to recapture these tracks, so long OOP except for a few cuts on the later collection called "More or Les McCann" released much later (and also OOP). And out of nowhere came Rick with a friendly offer to deliver the tracks in their entirety so I could enjoy them fully once again and share them with you here. This is the kind of thing that makes a blog like this of value to me. Making priceless music available to the discerning listener when it is otherwise dead to the commercial world. I'm very happy to be able to post this beautiful work that ranges from Les' soulful side to his most melancholy. Not entirely different from most of his usual fine work, but perhaps one of the more elemental examples of Les' rare talent that bridges so many feelings and colors. Never a show off, just a man to capture emotions and deliver them to your ears and to wherever you want them to go. I've said too much. Just enjoy it and remember to thank Rick!

Les Sings

Les McCann - "Les McCann Sings" (1961)
Pacific Jazz # PJ-31 / ST-31 (LP) 

1.  Wonder Why (Nicholas Brodsky/Sammy Cahn) 2:58  
2.  It's Way Past Suppertime (Les McCann/Vicki Arnold) 3:06  
3.  'Deed I Do (Walter Hirsch/Fred Rose) 2:54  
4.  Since I Fell For You (Buddy Johnson) 3:37  
5.  But Not For Me (Ira Gershwin/George Gershwin) 2:58  
6.  I Cried For You (Gus Arnheim/Abe Lyman/Arthur Freed) 2:24

(side 2)

7.  Sweet Georgia Brown (Kenneth Casey/Ben Bernie/Macio Pinkard) 2:27 
8.  Please Send Me Someone To Love (Percy Mayfield) 2:32
9.  Next Spring (Marvin Jenkins) 3:21 
10.Love Letters (Edward Heyman/Victor Young) 3:16 
11.On The Street Where You Live (Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe) 3:10
12.Bye Bye Black Bird (Ray Henderson/Mort Dixon) 2:07

Aug. 1961 at Pacific Jazz Studios, Hollywood, CA (except track 9)
Mar. 1961 at Pacific Jazz Studios, Hollywood, CA (track 9)

Les McCann (piano, vocals)
Herbie Lewis (bass)
Ron Jefferson (drums)

Gerald Wilson (conductor, arranger) (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 & 10)



(tracks 1, 4, 6 & 8)
Harold Land, Teddy Edwards, Buddy Collette, Jack Nimitz, Charles Lloyd (reeds) Jimmy Zito, John Audino, Ray Triscari, Charlie Meeks, Bob Edmondson, John Ewing, and Kenny Shroyer (brass)

(tracks 2, 5 & 10)
Dolo Coker (rhythm piano) Jerome Reisler, Dan Lube, Carl Kalash, Darrel Terwilliger, Myron Sandler, Bobby Bruce, Edger Lustgarden, George Poole, Charles Gates (strings) (track 9) Richard "Groove" Holmes (organ) Ben Webster (tenor sax) Lawrence "Tricky" Lofton (trombone)

Richard Bock (producer, audio engineering)
Woody Woodward (cover design, back photos)
Chester Maydole (cover photo)
Vicki Arnold (liner notes)

    Friday, January 21, 2011

    Hits and Hurts

    Yes, here is yet another Buddy Fite posting, a guitarist with very few recordings but a great sound. I've become a bit focused on collecting all of his meager number of LP's so I had to find this album, even though I knew that 6 of the 9 tracks were repeats of tracks from other albums. As noted earlier on this site, from what I can tell, Buddy only has six LP's as a leader, and of those, only one, "Buddy Fite & Friend", is free of any repeat tracks. So I went ahead and ripped the whole album here, even though only three tracks appear to be unique. Right off the bat I was shocked to hear a vocalist anchoring the first tune, "I Feel The Earth Move". I will say that the singer here does a nice job with earthy, David Clayton Thomas type vocals over a nice bluesy/jazz combo setting where Buddy takes a one minute solo in the middle. Nice enough and definitely different from anything I've heard on any of his other albums, but I have to say I was disappointed to hear something that didn't just feature Buddy throughout. With so few recordings to enjoy, I just want to hear the man play his guitar. Moving into the next few tracks on side one we get back to featuring Buddy, but this whole side is pretty different too in that it concentrates on the bluesy side of Buddy. Each of these three songs offers a different accompanist soloing on saxophone, flute and finally a nice organ over spirited scatting. All very nicely done, all very much in a combo setting, but unfortunately there is no mention of the personnel on the cover. In fact, the recording itself is noticeably of relative poor quality with inconsistencies in the integrity of the sound, volume variations at a few moments, etc. Not terrible, but I guess there's a reason why this seems to be the scarcest of the Fite LP's. Then again, as always, there really is some "tasty" guitar playing throughout. Side 2 opens with what made me completely satisfied that I sprung for a considerable sum to acquire this piece of vinyl. The tune is "Love's Been Good To Me" and Buddy's treatment is creative, unique and very pretty. Along with the opening song on side 1 and Satin Doll, this makes up the three unique tunes for this album. Satin Doll is also very nicely done in an up tempo mode. So for anyone else that has become enamored with Buddy's bright and masterful craft work, I hope you'll enjoy this small dose of new material.While each is indeed a hit with me to varying degrees, it just hurts that only three cuts are additive to the collection. But as hoped, the hits outweigh the hurts mightily...enjoy!

    Hits

    Buddy Fite - The Hits of Yesterday (1977)

    CMI 1005

    I Feel The Earth Move
    Barney's Blues
    Sneakin' One
    No Particular Blues

    Love's Been Good To Me
    Summer of '42
    Satin Doll
    Willow Weep For Me
    Angel Eyes

    Buddy Fite - guitar
    no other personnel listed

    Monday, January 17, 2011

    In Bob We Strut

    Here's an early seventies album that seems to be generally MIA and upon my recent reintro-duction I'm all too happy to get it out there where it belongs. I know very little about Bobby Bryant. I see that at least one or two other LP's from Mr. Bryant are out there, but this one, which appears to be his last as a leader according to AllMusic, seems plenty worthy of joining the living. First I must say that of the seven tracks, I think the title track is perhaps the weakest. Enjoyable, somewhat funkified jazz with solid instrumentation, but not much feeling. Easy to dance to. But from there I think the rest is really solid to excellent with some impressive playing in a near big band sort of sound. "A Prayer For Peace" brings some prettier sounds and you start to hear Bobby's chops only to be followed by a beautiful interpretation of Horace Silver's "Peace". Side 2 is full of more great playing from Bobby and his supporting cast. Kriss Kross is pretty heavy stuff, and then a great surprise with "We've Only Just Begun". This Paul Williams/Carpenters tune wound up coming off beautifully with a sweet intro that breaks into a very happening workout including some clever soloing while keeping the tune intact. Another highlight of the album is John Klemmer's "The Beauty of Her Soul". This again features the sensitivity of the musicians to flow in and out of the light and airy butterfly sounds into the classic Klemmer thunder. The album closes with a more worthy "strut" in Bobby's own "Nite Crawler". Funky and full of big sounds including a long guitar workout from David T. Walker (I believe, although Arthur Adams is on board also). All in all I have to say that this is a very soulful album that successfully captures a variety of musical moods. While the "strut" is definitely in evidence, there is much more going on here. I like the mini-big band flavor and was impressed with the solo efforts coming out from all the players. Some of it borders on getting pretty loose while some captures more of a late sixties Blue Note sound. Either way it's really good, strut me...

    Trust

    Bobby Bryant - Swahili Strut (1971)

    Cadet (CA 50011)

    Swahili Strut (Bobby Bryant)
    A Prayer For Peace (Herman Riley)
    Peace (Horace Silver)

    Kriss Kross (Red Holloway, Art Hillery)
    We've Only Just Begun (Paul Williams, Roger Nichols)
    The beauty of Her Soul (John Klemmer)
    Nite Crawlers (Bobby Bryant)

    Bobby Bryant (trumpet)
    Bob Norris (congas)
    Herman Riley & Charles Owens (tenor sax)
    Carl Lott (drums)
    Henry Cain (organ)
    David T. Walker & Arthur Adams (guitar)
    Willie Allen & Max Bennett (bass)

    Personnel on "The Beauty of Her Soul" & "A Prayer For Peace";
    Bobby Bryant, Buddy Childers, William Cat Anderson, Albert Arrons, 
           Oscar Brashear & Freddy Hill (trumpet)
    Bob Norris (congas)
    Herman Riley & Charles Owens (tenor sax)
    Delbert Hill (baritone sax)
    Carl Lott (drums)
    Henry Cain (organ)
    Dennis Budimir (guitar)
    Gordon Maron (electric violin)
    Willie Allen (bass)
    Joe Sample (piano)
    David Duke (French horn)
    Groven Mitchell, Lou Blackburn, Mike Wimberley &
          George Bohannon (trombone)
    Tommy Johnson (tuba)

    "The Beauty of Her Soul" arranged & conducted by John Klemmer

    Saturday, January 15, 2011

    Don't You Love Her Bradley...

    Want to meet her Dadley...okay, another real stretch at a pun...but if you did love her madly, this Harold Bradley album just might be an appropriate backdrop. I won't pull any punches here, this is music that many would simply tag as easy listening. I found this on eBay several years ago and had no idea what to expect other than the hope that there might be some masterful guitar playing to enjoy. Then, when I ripped it I was a bit disappointed at the unusually reserved playing and also had a lot of LP noise on my vinyl. So I never thought to post it and haven't listened to it again. That is until I just today broke down and got the "ClickRepair" software that has been touted so highly of late. And now, well, it's certainly cleaned up a lot, and now I kind of like this collection of pretty tunes. Yes, it includes beautiful voices and strings lusciously arranged and conducted by Bill McElhiney, and yes, Harold's playing is decidedly deliberate and at times almost painfully slow. But, as the title suggests, this is supposed to be romantic, mood music of sorts, and as such, it has its moments and generally provides some very nice guitar sounds for the intended mood. I know very little about Harold Bradley except that he was apparently a very successful guitarist during the 50's and 60's and beyond. According to the liner notes he was particularly busy as an accompanist to many pop-country artists like Brenda Lee, Connie Francis, Red Foley, Burl Ives, Patti Page, Anita Bryant and Ann Margret. He seems to have country roots but clearly understands the jazz sensibilities as he pretty much displays throughout this album of jazz-pop standards. He makes the guitar sound beautiful and every so often adds a nice run of single notes to bridge his pleasant "chordings". A few of the tunes are a bit weak, but I really think most of them have some worthwhile sounds to enjoy for even the more advanced jazz aficionado, much as I have enjoyed with the likes of Tony Mottola. Anyway, thanks to "ClickRepair", which now opens up a few more obscure LP's from my humble collection, I hope you'll enjoy this somewhat obscure old LP. Maybe you'll love it...as you're walkin' out the Doors...........(ugggghhh)

    Tell Me What You Say...

    Harold Bradley - Guitar for Lovers Only (1966)
    Columbia (CL 2456)

    Dream
    Autumn Leaves
    Dear Heart
    Theme From "Picnic"
    Love Letters
    Moon Mist

    Fly Me To The Moon
    Serenade In Blue
    As Time Goes By
    Days of Wine and Roses
    Moon River
    Vibrations

    Harold Bradley - guitar
    Voices & Strings arranged & conducted by Bill McElhiney

    Tuesday, January 11, 2011

    No man is a failure that has a Buddy...

    I thought the Christmas oriented subject line (quoting loosely from Clarence's famous note at the end of "It's A Wonderful Life") was appropriate in this post holiday wash into 2011, especially considering that I just purchased this LP as a Christmas gift to myself. As noted in my earlier posts, I enjoy guitar playing probably more than any other instrument, especially in the jazz vein, and often especially in the interpretation of pop music as is the case with greats like Howard Roberts and even Grant Green among many others. Once again, I want to pay tribute here to one of my most unsung heroes, the painfully under-recorded, Buddy Fite. While some may dismiss it as more pop than jazz, I could care less, and happen to believe it's as creative as most anything when one listens to the finely crafted subtleties of Buddy's comfortable and bright rendering of this collection of mostly well known tunes. His tone is true, metallic, yet warm as he rings through each song like they were old friends. My only disappointment, as I'm just beginning to fully quantify the scant discography of Buddy Fite, is that half the tracks on this record are duplicated on other Fite albums. That is truly frustrating. I am so eager to collect more of his work and find out that apparently all but one of his records include tracks that are shared. None the less, I am grateful for any track that I can add to the collection and this one offers four unique ones; "Girl Talk", "Michelle", "Summer of 42" & "Sunny". The other six can be found on his "Changes" album (also posted on this blog) or "Buddy Fite!" or "The Hits of Yesterday". I included all the tracks here for your full appreciation of this long out of print LP. I can't really pick a favorite here, each is signature Buddy. And although we have to accept that these aren't all new tracks to those of us that already enjoy his other albums, let's just be glad to have even one new Buddy.

    One New Buddy

    Buddy Fite - Plays For Satin Dolls (1975)

    Here's That Rainy Day
    I Can't Get Started
    Moonlight In Vermont
    Willow Weep For Me
    A Day in the Life of a Fool

    Summer of 42
    Angel Eyes
    Sunny
    Michelle
    Girl Talk

    Buddy Fite - guitar
    Other personnel not listed