Shadows Quickie

“Shadows Quickie” is an original instrumental intended to sound like something the Shadows might have recorded in the early 1960s. In particular with this tune I wanted a basic, “just the guys”, instrumental that would not have been “produced” with additional strings or arrangements. I also wanted to see how long it would take me to do it, from start to finish – composition to completed recording. Not counting the time to edit the video, it was two hours.

Solar Flair

“Solar Flair” is an original instrumental intended to sound similar to one of my favorite guitar-rock sub-genres, “Space-Rock”. This style is exemplified by the Ventures 1964 album “Ventures in Space”, and features unusual chord changes and spacy sound effects.

What You Won’t Do for Love

This is my instrumental cover of “What You Won’t Do for Love”, which was a top-10 hit for singer/composer/multi-instrumentalist Bobby Caldwell in 1979.

If This Could Be the Last

“If This Could Be the Last” is an original instrumental intended to have a “nostalgic” vibe.

More Cheep Philz

“More Cheep Philz” is an original instrumental intended to sound like one of my favorite “genres” — which is 12-bar based instrumentals used to fill up albums by instrumental groups like the Ventures back in the early 1960s.

Genesis

This is my cover of “Genesis”, which was composed by Hank Levine and released as the “B-side” to the Ventures 1962 single, “Yellow Jacket”, which did not chart. It never appeared on any album, as far as I can tell.

This track qualifies as a “deep cut” to me. I only just discovered it yesterday, and I have been studying, transcribing, arranging and recording Ventures material for a decade or more…and have done over 150 of their songs. It is quite unlike anything else they ever did – it is very atmospheric/ambient in nature. They apparently never played it live, either.

Composer Hank Levine did the orchestral arrangements for the Ventures 1961 album “Colorful Ventures” and also composed one of the tracks on it, “Silver City”. “Yellow Jacket” was also on “Colorful Ventures”.

I used my baritone guitar for the lead part.

Once When I Was Much Older

“Once When I Was Much Older” is an original instrumental intended to be similar in style to the Shadows.

Finger Pickin’ Shuffle #2

“Finger Pickin’ Shuffle #2” is an original instrumental intended to be similar in style to some of the early country-influenced Ventures tracks.

The McCoy

This is my cover of “The McCoy”, an instrumental which was the “B-side” to the Ventures first hit “Walk Don’t Run” in 1960 on the “Dolton” label. The B-side to the earlier “Blue Horizon” version was “Home”. “The McCoy” also appeared as a track on the Ventures debut album. Composed by founding members Bob Boble and Don Wilson, It is a twelve-bar blues in E which features the two guitarists exchanging leads on alternating verses.

Theme from ‘Plains Rider’

“Theme from ‘Plains Rider'” is an original instrumental intended to sound like the main theme of a Western movie as performed by the Shadows.

Now Is Not a Good Time

“Now Is Not a Good Time” is an original instrumental intended to sound like something the Shadows might have recorded in the 1980s.

Shuffle Town

“Shuffle Town” is an original instrumental intended to sound like something the Ventures might have recorded in the middle to late sixties – after what we now call “classic rock” started to emerge.

Feels So Good

This is my cover of “Feels So Good”, which was a huge hit for Chuck Mangione on his 1977 album and as a 1978 single. The album version of “Feels So Good” runs almost ten minutes, but an edited (3 min 28 sec) version was released as the single in early 1978, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June of that year after spending a week atop the Billboard easy listening chart in May. The recording was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Record of the Year at the ceremony held in 1979, losing out to Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are”.

Finger Pickin’ Shuffle #3

“Finger Pickin’ Shuffle #3” is an original instrumental intended to be similar in style to some of the early country-influenced Ventures tracks.

Last Train Home

This is my cover of “Last Train Home”, a jazz/fusion composition by Pat Metheny. It first appeared on the Pat Metheny Group’s 1987 album, “Still Life Talking”.