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.

Nash Cache

“Nash Cache” is an original instrumental in classic rock style that I put together to showcase three of my Bill Nash guitars.

Statesboro Fistful

“Statesboro Fistful” is an original instrumental in a classic-rock/southern-rock style.  When I started work on it, I mainly intended to do something traditional in this vein…however, apparently my recent work arranging some of Ennio Morrione’s material lingered in my brain, as I think the melody and chords are reminiscent of his music.

 

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A Living Trust

“A Living Trust” is an original composition in a classic rock vein…sort of an Allman Brothers style ballad. There is even a section which could be turned into an extended jam — although I did not do that here.

Warmed Up

“Warmed Up” is an original instrumental featuring three of my Nash guitars:

1. Les Paul
2. S-57
3. PB-57  (not visible in the video)

Is this in a classic-rock or jazz-fusion style? You can decide which and let me know which you think!

Relic

“Relic” is an original composition in classic rock style, arranged for guitar, bass, organ and drums.

Naima

“Naima” is a jazz ballad composed by John Coltrane in 1959 and named after his wife, Juanita Naima Grubbs. It first appeared on the landmark album Giant Steps and is notable for its use of a variety of rich chords over a bass pedal.

My  version uses classic rock instrumentation and has a rock feel.

Tobacco Road

“Tobacco Road” was written and first recorded by John D. Loudermilk in 1960. Released on Columbia Records, it was not a hit for him, achieving only minor chart success in Australia. Other artists, however, immediately began recording and performing the song.

The English group The Nashville Teens’ garage/blues rock rendering was produced by Mickie Most with the same tough-edged-pop feel that he brought to The Animals’ hits. In this version, “Tobacco Road” was a trans-Atlantic pop hit in 1964, reaching number 6 on the UK singles chart and number 14 on the U.S. singles chart.

“Tobacco Road” has been performed by a great number of other artists. Notable renderings include Lou Rawls,  Jefferson Airplane, Edgar Winter’s White Trash, Eric Burdon & War, Spooky Tooth, Status Quo, Shocking Blue, David Lee Roth, Blues Magoos, Bobbie Gentry, Rare Earth, and Jimi Hendrix.

I Can’t Turn You Loose

“I Can’t Turn You Loose” was written and first recorded by Otis Redding. It was released as the B-side to his 1965 single “Just One More Day”. The up-tempo song was a bigger hit on the US R&B chart than its A-side and became one of Redding’s signature songs — often appearing in his live performances.

It is a popular cover tune, done by Wayne Cochran and Edgar Winter. In 1968, the Chambers Brothers’ version of this song reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Silent Night

This is my first new arrangement of the 2017 holiday season. The Allman Brothers Band never made a Christmas album. Here is an arrangement of “Silent Night” in Southern Rock style.

All You Need Is Love

“All You Need Is Love” was released as a non-album single in July 1967. It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney.

The song captured the utopian sentiments of the Summer of Love era and topped singles charts in Britain, the United States and many other countries.

“All You Need Is Love” was later included on the US Magical Mystery Tour album. It also appears in a sequence in the Beatles’ 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine and on the accompanying soundtrack album.

My instrumental arrangement is in a classic rock style, which seems to get along well with much of the Beatles later material.

Fleeting Feather

“Fleeting Feather” is an original, instrumental composition which blends several of the styles that have influenced my work — a Hendrix-inspired rhythm guitar part, keyboard parts reminiscent of the Allman brothers, and a cleanish lead part with Hank Marvin touches (and some Allman brothers style dual leads).

The resulting final product has quite a country feel.

 

PT Blues Part 4

“PT Blues Part 4” is an “original” instrumental 12-bar blues.

My Tribute

“My Tribute” is my instrumental homage to all the great musicians — many of whom were big influences on me and my work — whom we have lost in 2017.

Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, Walter Becker, Glen Campbell, Al Jarreau, J. Geils, Allan Holdsworth, John Abercrombie, James Cotton, Tom Petty, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Col. Bruce Hampton, Larry Coryell, and Clyde Stubblefield.

It’s just a partial list.

Normal Form

“Normal Form” is an easy-going rock instrumental with some jazz touches. I began it thinking it would be more in a classic-rock vein, but I think that — other than the B-3 — it turned out a bit more seventies/Steely Dan-ish.