Month: August 2011

Some people think Exile On Main Street is the best album the Rolling Stones ever recorded. Those people are wrong. And it’s certainly not “the rock and roll Bible,” as Sheryl Crow proclaims in this documentary on its making and lasting mystique.

Crow (one of several personalities interviewed for the DVD, including Don Was, will.i.am, Jack White, Martin Scorsese, and, for no apparent reason, actor Benicio Del Toro) comes to this conclusion because of the songs’ juxtapositions and marriages of rock’s building blocks of blues, country, and gospel – as if that weren’t the case with the preceding Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers,or, to some degree, Goats Head Soup that followed.

To put it another way, “We went back to our roots with Beggars Banquet, and then we just continued in that way. I don’t see a lot different in Exile On Main Street from the two albums before or the one after it. They’re all my favorite albums of the career. I think that’s when we were at our peak – musically, inventively, creatively, and onstage. We were dynamite. No one could come near us onstage. No one.” That’s bassist Bill Wyman speaking, in another of the film’s interviews.

The five albums Wyman mentions were, not coincidentally, all produced by Jimmy Miller. Although he’s another interviewee, he’s sadly underutilized, as he’d no doubt be able to considerably illuminate the musical side of things.

All of the members talk about recording with no master plan, just accumulating tracks as they’d always done – eventually stopping to determine which songs comprised “an album.” The “sprawling, gutsy” (to quote Mick Jagger) double-LP Exile was even less focused than usual. Keith Richards says, “I never plan anything. This is probably the difference between Mick and myself. Mick needs to know what he’s going to do tomorrow; me, I’m just happy to wake up and see who’s hanging around. Mick’s rock, I’m roll.”

He’s speaking, of course, of Jagger, but another key figure during this period was lead guitarist Mick Taylor, the 21-year-old who left John Mayall to replace the Stones’ once-leader, Brian Jones – wetting his feet on “Honky Tonk Women” and a few tracks on Let It Bleed before really making his presence felt on Sticky and Exile. “Musically, he was a better musician than any of us in the band, definitely,” Wyman adds. “Some of the things he did were just amazing.” Indeed, a song like “Casino Boogie” would be almost a throwaway if not for Taylor’s bluesy playing.

What makes this documentary interesting is, in part, the same thing that made the album compelling: the story surrounding it (of the Stones moving to France as tax exiles and fitting in sessions, and various other excesses, at Richards’ villa over a six-month period). The other selling points are the Stones’ participation (Jagger, Richards, and Charlie Watts are executive producers) and the inside glimpse that the abundance of stills and footage, both current and archival, afford.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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It’s been a few years since Los Lobos released original material, but Tin Can Trust is worth the wait. Its music is a mix of rock, R&B, soul, folk, and various Latin styles – and the band excels at all of it. While its song lyrics reflect tough times, every song serves up musical treats and surprises.

This band has three fine guitarists, including David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas, who (somewhat uncharacteristically) show their chops in the instrumental R&B stomper “Do the Murray.” But the band’s subtle side dominates this record. “Jupiter or the Moon” is an atmospheric sonic masterpiece that would fit well on their classic album, Kiko. It’s jazzy, with a clever Hidalgo solo that finishes with a tip of the cap to Kind of Blue-era Miles Davis. “I’ll Burn It Down” has a loping beat with great hooks, and the title cut’s mix of guitars shows the empathy between Hidalgo, Rosas, and third guitarist Louie Perez, while the bluesy solos by Hidalgo are the perfect complement. For more guitar interaction, check out the cover of the Grateful Dead’s “West L.A. Freeway,” where solos and guitar lines form the melody.

Tin Can Trust adds to the legacy of one the finest rock and roll bands.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Sept. ’08 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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In the ’90s, Mark Chesnutt had a string of 21 Top 10 singles, eight of them topping Billboard’s country chart. He played George Jones (hailing from the Possum’s hometown of Beaumont, Texas) on the heels of Dwight Yoakam’s Buck Owens.

Despite its crossover success, the neo-traditionalist veered off course with his cover of Aerosmith’s ballad “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” and when a couple of albums flopped, in typical Nashville fashion, he lost his major-label deal.

He regained his street cred in 2004, with a nice back-to-the-roots album, Savin’ The Honky Tonk (on the indy Vivaton) and now picks up where he left off, with an even bolder hardcountry statement: an all-covers album from “outlaw” artists and songwriters.

From Willie and Waylon (the latter represented three times, counting Jimmy Bryant’s “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line” and Neil Young’s “Are You Ready For The Country” – both part of Jennings’ repertoire) to two each by Hank Jr. and Kristofferson, Chestnutt obviously relishes sinking his teeth into the material.

Not surprisingly, tending bar at this audio saloon is Pete Anderson. Yoakam’s longtime producer handles guitar, bass, and harmonica (deferring to Mickey Raphael on “Bloody Mary Morning”) with an assist from keyboardist Michael Murphy, who co-produced Anderson’s blues outing, Even Things Up. He trades chicken-picked squawks with Gary Morse’s steel on “Need A Little Time Off For Bad Behavior” and summons a “Thousand Miles From Nowhere” vibe for “Desperados Waiting For A Train.”

At the risk of alienating Chesnutt’s diehard fans while seeking a new roots-leaning audience, Anderson could have gone further out on a limb by bringing in, say, Jason Ringenberg to pump up Chesnutt’s Waylon-ized take on “Are You Ready For The Country.” As it is, Amber Digby is a deft choice as duet partner on Shel Silverstein’s “A Couple More Years.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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The idea of a straight jazz album from Steve Howe might bring out the skeptic in proggers and beboppers alike, but Travelling is a pleasant surprise. Certainly, Howe’s jazzflavored leads were prominent in the early Yes years and his penchant for big Gibson archtops like the ES-175D and Switchmaster provided another clue – but with the Trio, he tries to walk the walk.

Howe isn’t a trained jazzer, but he plays to his strengths on this album – namely, single-note improv – leaving the harmonic and rhythmic support to organist Ross Stanley and his son, drummer Dylan Howe. And by and large, it works pretty well.

This live CD opens with “Blue Bash,” a jazz-blues ripe with a hipster/ early-’60s vibe. Howe pulls out bluesy licks and Wes-styled octaves with aplomb. “Dream River” is a light, swinging tune with jaunty diminished-scale runs, while the soft strains of “The Haunted Melody” make one feel like they’re sitting in a smoky L.A. jazz club in 1963. Howe is wise to throw in some jazzed-up Yes covers, including new readings of “Siberian Khatru,” “Close to the Edge,” and a clever arrangement of his Spanish-guitar classic, “Mood for

a Day.” And on a lark, the Trio also covers the Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”

While serious bop pickers may point out the limitations in Howe’s jazz chops (notably in the chordal work), his choice of an organ-trio format is inspired, and Hammond-man Stanley is a real find.

All told, Travelling is another feather in the cap for the 63-year-old guitar hero and, hopefully for his prog legions, an introduction to the timeless fatbody licks of Johnny Smith, Barney Kessel, and Howard Roberts.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Grant Gordy’s thing is acoustic jazz. But unlike most jazz guitarists, his axe of choice isn’t a big ol’ carved archtop, but a dreadnaught-sized flat-top. Gordy still plays with the David Grisman Quartet and tours with his new group made up of the folks who played on the album. In many ways, the music on this first solo release isn’t that far afield from his regular gig.

The musicians are different (except for one cut which features Grisman on mandolin) with Domenic Leslie (mandolin), Alex Hargreaves (fiddle), Paul Kowart (bass), and Jayme Stone

(banjo). Stone also serves as coproducer. How does Gordy’s music differ from Grisman’s? He tends toward a more-lyrical, more-melody-driven approach compared with Grisman’s rhythmic/groove-oriented tunes. Also, Gordy’s arrangements are more straightforward theme-thenvariations rather than riffs.

Older jazz buffs will especially enjoy Gordy’s modern, lyrical approach.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Piedmont (or East Coast) blues guitarists like Brownie McGhee, Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Blake, and Mississippi John Hurt had a tremendous influence on the likes of Jorma Kaukonen, Mark Knopfler, Leo Kottke and more recently, Samuel James, and Jack White. Sometimes dismissed as not being true blues, Piedmont was a lively, danceable, very popular pre-electric music. Traces found their way into rockabilly and some types of country music, but it didn’t grow in popularity like other blues styles. Piedmont’s precise ragtime-based rhythms and intricate fingerpicking weren’t immediately accessible to players who found that string bending and other emotionally dynamic techniques common to other styles could sometimes substitute for virtuosity.

John Jackson was a fabulous musician who returned to playing in the mid ’60s, after a 20-year break. Hearing the intricate runs, chord patterns, and timing he employs on this album, it’s hard to believe he took time off for anything but eating and sleeping. Johnson played in standard tuning and his technique is as flawless in a rendering of “John Henry” from 1997, when he was in his early 70s, as it’s in “Don’t You Want To Go Up There” recorded almost 30 years earlier. Jackson’s version of that song is likely based on the Carter Family’s recording of it, “There’ll be Joy, Joy, Joy.” Like his reading of Blind Blake’s “Too Tight Rag,” which echoes Bo Carter and even Robert Johnson, the Carter tune is a reminder that it’s dangerous to be too strict about categories – that could lead to missing great music.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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A regional star, local TV luminary and jazz virtuoso even before beginning his 32-year tenure as Mister Rogers’ favorite handyman, Joe Negri (see feature in the September ’10 issue) was woefully under-recorded until making three albums a few years ago.

Despite leading trios for nearly 65 years, he never recorded in that setting until now. Dream Dancing reveals him solidly within the bebop style he first embraced during his Army days in the mid ’40s. With solid support from his trio, drummer Tom Wendt and bassist Brian Stahurski, he plays with a zest and flair that belies his 83 years.

In characteristic bop form, he uses pop standards as a launch pad, showcasing his rich, pianistic approach to the guitar. He alternates sinuous single-string lines with chord melodies on “I Never Knew,” Cole Porter’s “Dream Dancing” and the ballad “You’ve Changed” ride atop buoyant Brazilian rhythms. “The Girl Next Door,” usually performed as a ballad, becomes an uptempo, playful vehicle for Negri’s fluid technique. “Darn That Dream,” by contrast, becomes an expressive ballad. “LaVerne Walk,” written by bassist Oscar Pettiford long ago, is a sleeper where Negri builds on the theme to make it a wide-ranging bop exploration, one allowing Stahurski room to stretch as well. The sole Negri original, “You Are All,” in true bop form, is an improvisation on the harmonic structure of “All the Things You Are.”

While his medley of four tunes by Johnny Mandel is straightforward, at the end he spends nearly seven minutes exploring Thelonious Monk’s venerable standard “After Midnight.” That may seem an unusual closing track, yet Negri’s hypnotic focus provides a smart contrast to the various upbeat tunes. Mark Yacovone’s crisp, lean production leaves nothing hanging. It allows Negri to stretch and if anything, demonstrate a vitality and with that, amply justifies similar albums in this vein.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Veteran jazz guitarist Cotsirilos’ latest record is a swinging set driven by his considerable chops and skill at composing and interpreting music. His bandmates, Robb Fisher (bass) and Ron Marabuto (drums), are the perfect match with their ability to follow their leader’s moves.

On “Good Wood,” Cotsirilos mixes chords and single notes to state the jumping melody. Like many of the songs here, it’s a swingfest. The style also dominates on “Franny’s Jump” and “Rosie’s Tune,” the latter finds Fisher stating the melody with the guitarist until Cotsirilos breaks into a clean, swinging solo pushed along by the rhythm section. Cover tunes supply some of the quieter moments; the pathos of “What Kind of Fool Am I?” is captured wonderfully by Cotsirilos’ unaccompanied acoustic guitar. Same goes for “Without a Song,” where the melody is stated with octaves and the improvisation is goosed perfectly by the rhythm section. The title cut is played on acoustic, giving a perfect mix of chords, single lines, and a memorable melody.

Past Present may not be groundbreaking, but Cotsirilos and his band proffer fine musicianship, memorable songs, and a soulful delivery that is missing from many traditional-jazz guitarists of his generation.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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