In Post 35 I talked about the metaphor and archetype of a building. When I redevelop an old building, my first task is to strip off all the old paint, stucco, siding, interior walls, ceiling, and floor coverings. Now, if I started with a sweet vintage structure, I’m usually left with some NICE BONES. Then I just add back the right components, creating a new edifice to hopefully shine for another sixty years.
I use the same approach in music, whether I am crafting a Crawdaddy original or re-interpreting a mid-century classic. Having grown up in that magical musical cradle called the American Gulf Coast, I combine the best ‘building materials’ called Groove, Energy, Tone, & Space. This approach usually GETS the job done. Please enjoy my latest construction project, which I call NICE BONES.
You can hear/buy tracks at
http://thecrawdaddy.bandcamp.com/album/nice-bones
Album Personnel (lots of great guest artists!):
Richard “The Crawdaddy” Dance: Vocals, guitars, bass, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, Motif synth, live drum trigger, horn arrangements, sound engineering, production, & mix down
Chuck Hall: Right channel guitar/solo on Young Boy
Diana Lee: Vocals on Baby I Love You
Greg Warner: Drums on Dreams
Dan Tomlinson: Percussion on Dreams
Makenzie Heinemann: Background vocals on Wee JT
Bill Tarsha: Harmonica on Blue Monday
Katherine Reckling: Background vocals on All That You Dream
Jerry Donato: Tenor sax and flute on IJWMLTY
Here’s a little write-up on each tune, which also tells you about each guest artist:
1. The Breakdown (3:55) – First job on every record project is to get the party started right. Here’s my slant on a dance record from The Memphis Bulldog Hisself...Rufus Thomas. This ’71 Stax classic makes you want to get up & shake your butter bowl…ready ladies?
2. No Valentine (4:08) – Ever notice repeating patterns? For some reason whenever I have a major relationship change (get dumped), it always seems to happen in February...hmmm...Had to pen one on that particular pheenom.
3. Just Got Paid (4:15) – Have always loved the guitar hook that drives this slice of groove heaven from ZZ Top, circa ‘72, and wondered what it would sound like clean vs. crunched. I finally get my chance here. Subtle vocals and a clean-tone solo ease it down real low.
4. Young Boy (5:10) – Long-time runnin’ pardner Chuck Hall (Fender Musical Instruments) wrote this tune in the ‘80’s as a shuffle. When I asked if I could “crawdify” it for the 21st century he said, “Sure, but I want to play on it!” Dr. Hall rips a great one in the right channel. On the surface, the clever lyrics are the macho rant of an adolescent hetero. But underneath, they’re the tale of a switch-hitter bottom who insists he’s a top.
5. Baby I Love You (4:29) – Aretha’s ’67 hit was always a bar-crowd favorite whenever I had a chick singer in the band who could do it justice. I got excited when local badass Diana Lee (Sister Sledge) agreed to sing it on this record, which she did in one take...uncanny. I used no limiter on her voice so you could dig the live energy Princess Diana brings in that Phoenix “Maryvale” style.
6. Dreams (4:48) – Wanted to pay my respects to the first band that really made me sit up and pay attention to song-crafting way back in the game. This ‘69 Allman Bros. classic should get more airplay on vintage rock stations. Drummer buddies Greg Warner (Dionne Warwick) & Dan Tomlinson (Lyle Lovett) swing it real nice.
7. DNA (4:06) – A Crawdaddy original with a hook inspired by Bobby Rush, the Chitlin’ Circuit master of night-fishin’. I take this opportunity to shout out my irritation with that personal jailer we all confront called genealogy. Who are we anyway?
8. Wee JT (3:39) – Wrote this speed funk vignette back in the mid-90’s when a certain young lady served as muse and front girl in my Fat Chance band. JT is long gone, but my talented young friend Makenzie Heinemann cowgirls up with some fine backup vocals for this 2010 version.
9. Tunnel Vision (4:12) – Ever meet someone who doesn’t know that they don’t know? Those who follow my professorial life as The Old Silk Road Philosopher understand me when I say, “Ultimately, all religion is projection.” To each his own, not your own. Get a clue ye opiated masses.
10. Blue Monday (2:25) – Had to include one from the year of my birth...and from the most important music city in the world, where I was fortunate enough to live for awhile. Please Digg this Fats Domino classic from 1955 New Orleans, with the legendary Bill Tarsha (Rocket 88’s) doing some fine suckin’ and blowin’ on the Mississippi saxophone.
11. All That You Dream (3:52) – Always enjoy rockin’ this one loud & proud, which contrasts nicely against the melancholy message...and thus the necessary release occurs. This craw-altered Little Feat tune gets some tasty backup vocals from long-time friend Katherine Reckling (Azz Izz).
12. IJWMLTY(4:02) – It’s true...I Just Wanna Make Love to You. Many have covered this ‘54 Willie Dixon standard, in all kinds of ways. I pointed it towards Augusta, Georgia, applying a Godfather of Soul spin. Phoenix woodwind expert Jerry Donato (Tower of Power) sweetens the pot with some fine flute & tenor sax.
13. I Got a Woman (4:01) – Ray Charles is probably my favorite singer in the whole world and makes me proud to be from North Florida (his home too). I intuitively get him so it was easy to downshift his up-tempo gospel classic to a slow drag...but I knew he wouldn’t mind. You see, Ray was always stirring the pot himself, spinning gospel into blues and soul into country...what have you, so forth and so on.
14. Nice Bones (4:28) – I always toss in an original instrumental on every record. This album title track attempts to live up to Albert Collins’ gracious comments (see back panel). So Part A is Memphis fanfare; Part B is New Orleans stumble-funk; and Part C is straight-up Muscle Shoals... three primary sources that contribute to bones of American roots music.
I use the same approach in music, whether I am crafting a Crawdaddy original or re-interpreting a mid-century classic. Having grown up in that magical musical cradle called the American Gulf Coast, I combine the best ‘building materials’ called Groove, Energy, Tone, & Space. This approach usually GETS the job done. Please enjoy my latest construction project, which I call NICE BONES.
You can hear/buy tracks at
http://thecrawdaddy.bandcamp.com/album/nice-bones
Album Personnel (lots of great guest artists!):
Richard “The Crawdaddy” Dance: Vocals, guitars, bass, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, Motif synth, live drum trigger, horn arrangements, sound engineering, production, & mix down
Chuck Hall: Right channel guitar/solo on Young Boy
Diana Lee: Vocals on Baby I Love You
Greg Warner: Drums on Dreams
Dan Tomlinson: Percussion on Dreams
Makenzie Heinemann: Background vocals on Wee JT
Bill Tarsha: Harmonica on Blue Monday
Katherine Reckling: Background vocals on All That You Dream
Jerry Donato: Tenor sax and flute on IJWMLTY
Here’s a little write-up on each tune, which also tells you about each guest artist:
1. The Breakdown (3:55) – First job on every record project is to get the party started right. Here’s my slant on a dance record from The Memphis Bulldog Hisself...Rufus Thomas. This ’71 Stax classic makes you want to get up & shake your butter bowl…ready ladies?
2. No Valentine (4:08) – Ever notice repeating patterns? For some reason whenever I have a major relationship change (get dumped), it always seems to happen in February...hmmm...Had to pen one on that particular pheenom.
3. Just Got Paid (4:15) – Have always loved the guitar hook that drives this slice of groove heaven from ZZ Top, circa ‘72, and wondered what it would sound like clean vs. crunched. I finally get my chance here. Subtle vocals and a clean-tone solo ease it down real low.
4. Young Boy (5:10) – Long-time runnin’ pardner Chuck Hall (Fender Musical Instruments) wrote this tune in the ‘80’s as a shuffle. When I asked if I could “crawdify” it for the 21st century he said, “Sure, but I want to play on it!” Dr. Hall rips a great one in the right channel. On the surface, the clever lyrics are the macho rant of an adolescent hetero. But underneath, they’re the tale of a switch-hitter bottom who insists he’s a top.
5. Baby I Love You (4:29) – Aretha’s ’67 hit was always a bar-crowd favorite whenever I had a chick singer in the band who could do it justice. I got excited when local badass Diana Lee (Sister Sledge) agreed to sing it on this record, which she did in one take...uncanny. I used no limiter on her voice so you could dig the live energy Princess Diana brings in that Phoenix “Maryvale” style.
6. Dreams (4:48) – Wanted to pay my respects to the first band that really made me sit up and pay attention to song-crafting way back in the game. This ‘69 Allman Bros. classic should get more airplay on vintage rock stations. Drummer buddies Greg Warner (Dionne Warwick) & Dan Tomlinson (Lyle Lovett) swing it real nice.
7. DNA (4:06) – A Crawdaddy original with a hook inspired by Bobby Rush, the Chitlin’ Circuit master of night-fishin’. I take this opportunity to shout out my irritation with that personal jailer we all confront called genealogy. Who are we anyway?
8. Wee JT (3:39) – Wrote this speed funk vignette back in the mid-90’s when a certain young lady served as muse and front girl in my Fat Chance band. JT is long gone, but my talented young friend Makenzie Heinemann cowgirls up with some fine backup vocals for this 2010 version.
9. Tunnel Vision (4:12) – Ever meet someone who doesn’t know that they don’t know? Those who follow my professorial life as The Old Silk Road Philosopher understand me when I say, “Ultimately, all religion is projection.” To each his own, not your own. Get a clue ye opiated masses.
10. Blue Monday (2:25) – Had to include one from the year of my birth...and from the most important music city in the world, where I was fortunate enough to live for awhile. Please Digg this Fats Domino classic from 1955 New Orleans, with the legendary Bill Tarsha (Rocket 88’s) doing some fine suckin’ and blowin’ on the Mississippi saxophone.
11. All That You Dream (3:52) – Always enjoy rockin’ this one loud & proud, which contrasts nicely against the melancholy message...and thus the necessary release occurs. This craw-altered Little Feat tune gets some tasty backup vocals from long-time friend Katherine Reckling (Azz Izz).
12. IJWMLTY(4:02) – It’s true...I Just Wanna Make Love to You. Many have covered this ‘54 Willie Dixon standard, in all kinds of ways. I pointed it towards Augusta, Georgia, applying a Godfather of Soul spin. Phoenix woodwind expert Jerry Donato (Tower of Power) sweetens the pot with some fine flute & tenor sax.
13. I Got a Woman (4:01) – Ray Charles is probably my favorite singer in the whole world and makes me proud to be from North Florida (his home too). I intuitively get him so it was easy to downshift his up-tempo gospel classic to a slow drag...but I knew he wouldn’t mind. You see, Ray was always stirring the pot himself, spinning gospel into blues and soul into country...what have you, so forth and so on.
14. Nice Bones (4:28) – I always toss in an original instrumental on every record. This album title track attempts to live up to Albert Collins’ gracious comments (see back panel). So Part A is Memphis fanfare; Part B is New Orleans stumble-funk; and Part C is straight-up Muscle Shoals... three primary sources that contribute to bones of American roots music.
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