Forward Gears

“Forward Gears” is an original instrumental in a classic rock style, with some jazz elements as well. Likely you will hear the influence of Southern Rock and Santana.

Comp Canon Duo

“Comp Canon Duo” is an original instrumental composition intended to be similar in style to the Shadows.

Hey Paula

This is my instrumental cover of “Hey Paula“, originally recorded by the singing duo “Paul & Paula” in 1962. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending February 9, 1963 “Paul” was the song’s writer, Ray Hildebrand, a student at Texas’ Howard Payne University. “Paula” was Jill Jackson, the niece of the owner of the boarding house where Ray lived.

The Ventures have included the song on a number of albums since the late 1980s.

Move Along

“Move Along” is an instrumental track intended to evoke the style of an early 1960s album track by the Ventures.

Comp Canon

“Comp Canon” is an original instrumental intended to be in the style of the Shadows.

Walkin’ Silly, Rockin’ Willy

“Walkin’ Silly, Rockin’ Willy” is an original composition intended to be in the style of 1960s guitar instrumentals like the Ventures did. In particular, this one pays tribute to the 12-bar blues-based tracks frequently used to fill out albums.

Wave

This is my arrangement of “Wave”, which was composed by the great Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was first recorded as an instrumental by Jobim for his 1967 album “Wave”. Jobim later wrote English lyrics which were subsequently used in recordings by Frank Sinatra and many others. The song has been recorded by over 500 different artists.

Meditation

This is my instrumental arrangement of “Meditation”, which was composed by the great Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim with Portuguese lyrics by  Newton Mendonça and English lyrics by Norman Gimbel. The first recording was by Brazilian singer/guitarist João Gilberto in 1960. It has been recorded by many other vocal and instrumental artists and is considered a jazz standard.

Alfie

This is my instrumental cover of “Alfie”, which was composed by Bert Bacharach with lyrics by Had David. It was written to promote the 1966 film,”Alfie” which starred Michael Caine as a Cockney womanizer. It is not part of the original soundtrack, playing only during the final credits.

It was first recorded and released by Cilla Black in January 1966, four months prior to the opening of the film. The single was intended as a specialty item to foster interest in the upcoming film rather than a mainstream hit. However the track accrued enough interest to enter the UK Top 50 in April 1966, reaching #9 that May.

Cher was recruited to record a version for the US market and her version reached #32 on the US charts, also in 1966.

“Alfie” would not become a Top 15 hit in the US until the spring and summer of 1967 when Dionne Warwick, the most prolific interpreter of Bacharach/David compositions, recorded the song. Warwick’s version peaked to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. She reportedly needed only one take.

Hank Marvin recorded an instrumental cover in 2017 for his album “Without a Word”.

 

Pepper’s Blues

“Pepper’s Blues” is an original 12-bar blues in a jazzy, swing, classic rock style. I played the guitar and bass parts (on screeen) and programmed the drum and organ parts.

I’ll Never Fall in Love Again

This is my instrumental cover of “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”.  It was written by composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David for the 1968 musical “Promises, Promises”.

Several recordings of the song were released in 1969, the most popular of which was by Dionne Warwick, who took it to number six on Billboard magazine’s Hot 100. Another popular version was by Bobbie Gentry, who topped the UK chart. Many people are also familiar with the Carpenters’ version from their 1970 album “Close to You”.