Take Five

This is my cover of the jazz classic, “Take Five”. It was composed by Saxophonist Paul Desmond for the Dave Brubeck Quartet, which recorded and released it on their landmark 1959 album, “Time Out”. When released as a single in 1961, it reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the Easy Listening chart. In spite of it’s success, it was, as far as I can tell, never covered by either the Ventures or the Shadows, although Hank Marvin much later recorded the tune for his 1993 album Heartbeat. For my arrangement I tried to imagine how the Shadows might have done the song in the mid-1960s.

Looking Up

“Looking Up” is an original instrumental composition intended to sound like something the Ventures might have done in the mid 1960s.

My Last Ride

“My Last Ride” is an original instrumental composition intended to be similar to the country-style songs the Ventures did in the early 1960s. Nokie Edwards was a great country guitarist, and although the Ventures are not thought of as a “country” group, they recorded plenty of country material.

Salsa Blanca

“Salsa Blanca” is an original instrumental composition intended to sound similar to the sorts of things the Shadows recorded in the early 1960s.

The Time of Disquiet

“The Time of Disquiet” is an original instrumental composition intended to sound like something the Shadows might have done in the 80s or 90s.

Jessica (redux)

This is my new attempt at a cover of the Allman Brothers’ classic “Jessica”. My first attempt was back in 2014. It’s not so much that I play better now (though I like to think I do), but I definitely am better at recording. I could also mention that I find Dickie Bett’s playing to readily influence mine. It’s interesting how that works. There are many guitarists I admire greatly but their approach just doesn’t come easily to me: Nokie Edwards, Ritchie Blackmore, Duane Allman, chicken pickers like Johnny Hiland, etc. Then there are those like Dickie Betts, Larry Carlton and Hank Marvin, whom I can hear in my playing all the time.

Shufflin’

“Shufflin'” is an original instrumental composition intended to be similar in style to the early 1960s instrumental guitar rock groups like the Ventures.

Boxing Day Blues

“Boxing Day Blues” is an “original” 12-bar minor blues that borrows heavily from Miles Davis’ “All Blues”. The title is a simple reflection of when I wrote and recorded it – December 26th. Naming a blues is often little more than looking around for something going on at the moment. As usual, I played guitars and bass and used the computer to create the drum and organ parts. There is one unusual aspect to this track — each of the three on-screen parts took only one take.

Just Me Three

“Just Me Three” is an original instrumental in a “classic rock” style…specifically, a “power trio”.