Tom Williams plays acoustic guitar,flute and percussion and backup vocals, Jack Bagby on bass and backup vocals, moi on the keys,guitar, harmonica and native flute and belting the songs. Grace Note is Tom, Jack and myself! .... Sharon Feury and i have formed a duo that features both of our originals and a selection of contemporary and standard songs we really enjoy sharing! Her fine guitar and vocal work are a pleasure for me to combine with. Both groups are a lot of fun!
Influences
John Martyn, The Sons Of Champlin, Iaan Matthews, Jules Shear, Leonard Cohen, The Beatles, The Byrds, Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Shawn Phillips, Kate Wolf, Jimmy Webb,( his book Tunesmith is a great read!) , John Hiatt, The Grateful Dead and tons of other "influences" beyond the realm of music, Reiki, Rumi, Native American teachings, Thomas Moore, Swami Vishnudevananda, Deepak Chopra, Lee Stone, Wayne Muller, The I Ching and Carol Anthony,Dalai Lama, Unity, Abraham-Hicks, Maharaji and on we go!
Sounds Like
i touch a lot of different bases in my writing,what keeps me inspired is to reveal the moment though song..i recieve songs in dreams and give thanks for every one that comes through.. often showing me how to be Here, Now.. seems like we all sound like each other at some point, hey we are one and the contrast we have created is delightful..
My latest cd, Red Ripe Apples, is a combination of fine musicianship (how can you go wrong with the likes of Gary Everett on sax, Martin Scudder on electric violin, Tom Williams on acoustic guitar, Randy Anders on drums,Jack Bagby on bass, Joel Venditti on electric giutar, Sharon Fuery blending vocals , Janiah Allen on Percussion, Abe Gorsky on mandolin, Erica Lipps on cello and more ) and my writing in songs that share simple passions and personal reflections of life. The music moves from simple phrases to large textures with my baritone voice and funky/smooth piano pointing the way. This is my tenth project and my first with live studio performances on several songs. There are 10 new songs and 3 songs revisited including Bad Back Blues, Warriors of the World and Bring Peace to the World.
Here's the lineup and a little about each track:
numero 1. Cup of Coffee. I got the idea for this song from Sally Walker and her wonderful establishment Cafe Del Sol and the fact she's putting together a coffee cd.. thought she might use a tune by a local writer (we'll see about that). It's got a 20's feel with Randy pushing us all along! And i haven't had a cup of coffee in almost 30 years! Fancy that!
2.Medicine Wheel. A straight up rockin tune with a big finish! “Life's a medicine wheel turning round and round with what you feel, every chance you get make the best of it”
3. Some of you are familiar with The Bad Back Blues.. i have always wanted to do a more kickin version and here it is with some great harmonica (Wes Chapman) and saxophone getting down and dirty.
4. Are You Dreaming Now is as close to new age as will be revealed on this cd and yet has a large textured cello and drum thing happening.. The lyrics came to me from 3 to 6 one fine morning last winter and has a overtone of archetypal references (one verse about warrior energy,then priest energy and then lover energy).. Are You Dreaming Now?
5. Then there is this little love song to everyone and everything called Heaven's Sweetest Part. (guess where that is!) A simple song that i have been sharing out for a few months and audiences seem to love.
6.Red Ripe Apples is a bouncy tune that has been grabbing folks in live performance for over a year. I wrote this song for Flo (my partner) and sometimes she gets up and sings it with me! By the time the last verse gets around you can taste them Red Ripe Apples!
7.Warriors of the World was written (or should i say received in a dream) back in the late 1980's and has been part of my repertoire ever since. When i woke up with this song running in my head the first two verses and refrain were already done. It basically wrote itself! There is some fine violin work done here by Martin Scudder who played this tune with me for 15 years in Grace Note and this is basically a live performance in studio, with a reggae feel. We had fun!
8.Then we take a lyrical break with the instrumental Breezin in Blue featuring a cross melody with the piano and cello. Erica Lipps was a trooper working late even though she was 3 ½ months pregnant! The baby is due any day and i know a lot of folks are wishing her and the baby well!
9. And then Running from the Blues came along this late winter and as often happens another song got added to the project! I immediately envisioned this song with saxophone and keys leading the way. Gary Everett did a fantastic job in feeling out what i was looking for and his saxophone sets the tone of this song from the very first notes! (there's a whole nother story about this song involving Tascam and their equipment blues and software rewrites for which i was a rat in the cage, eventually emancipated!) Many people have already mentioned this song as a favorite! Michael Randolph played the B-3 here!
10. Last fall somewhere around October as the stock market plunged and many of us were feeling the tides turning in so many ways this song came pouring through. While Rome Falls is a satirical look at the socio-political environment we are living in. It's also a fun little tune. You can view a literally down home version of it on Youtube. Abe Gorsky and Martin got some nice licks in on this cut.
11.Turn Around was written a few weeks after the events unfolded at Va. Tech in the spring of 07. “We can turn around the damage , turn it into love, take a chance to see another way”. The cello and violin add to the atmosphere this song creates. I hope we can find ways to turn around the energy of these kind of tragedies , man made or otherwise.
12.Bring Peace to the World is a chant i received while singing up at our pond one afternoon some 25 plus years ago. It is often song acappella, but Tom Williams and i had begun sharing this as a latin flavored call and return a few years ago and i really like this interpretation. This is basically live in the studio. Sweet and simple!
13.To complete this cd i wanted to share a favorite of the last few years called Angel Eyes. This was the first song we recorded and we did it in two takes. It is Tom, Jack and i with Randy on drums and i left it at that.
the album has some wings to lift you up..
Come find me to hear some of these tunes done live! Check out our schedule!
Well maybe see you down the road of life somewhere.. Live your dreams and sing the song you feel the best in. Choose to meditate, do yoga,practice a form of inner awareness and have fun!! One of my favorite quick reminders is from Lao-Tzu:
Be Content with what you have,
Rejoice in the way things are,
When you realize there is nothing missing,
The whole world belongs to you........
Be happy ..... BoB G.
"The wild November come at last Beneath a veil of rain; The night winds blows its folds aside, Her face is full of pain. The latest of her race, she takes The Autumn's vacant throne: She has but one short moon to live, And she must live alone."
Hey Bob, Thanks for dropping by...wish we had a little summer sun at the moment...autumn has moved in here..lucky it won't be a permanent residence........
Enjoyed your music, And yes, John Martyn was quite a musician, I had the pleasure of having a drink with him on a festival we both played on, some time back..a character on and off the stage... Tom Acton Dublin
Thank you so much for the friendship and also for your beautiful songs and the attractive sensibility in your vocals and in your play of guitar,piano,harmonica,sax,mandolin,strings ,nice musicians,good rythmic,big emotion. Pleasant and long musical journey.
When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing - just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs, or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park? We are never to old to Play! Hugs and LIGHT
Hello Bob Sending much Love to you my dear Brother Always in Light and Peace May your week be blessed with all of your Dreams. All the Best for you Chris
www.geminimoon.net
www.geminimoon.net
www.geminimoon.net