About
All Over the Place
Is it ok to create an album that crosses common genres? Wrote songs about the country when living in NYC, and driving to New England every summer. Folky acoustic things there, as well. Started a few songs there that didn’t get finished till the move to Los Angeles, so the attitude starts to shift.
In LA, met a great young man who, when asked if he was serious about playing the drums, rolled up his sleeve and showed me the flaming drumsticks tattooed there. There’s definitely an ‘attitude shift’ in the songs that came out of that collaboration. We auditioned quite a few players, and called the band ‘Straight Edge,’ but, nothing ever came of it.
Then the family got started, and everything stopped cold. Kept writing, though.
Then, the Northridge Earthquake, and a move to Austin. That’s where things got really interesting. Got a very, very mild form of cancer, and, as a get well gift, some jam buddies gave me a beautiful guitar. Decided to earn the gift, and started guitar lessons. Through my excellent instructor, got involved in the local blues scene. He would run a ‘blues jam,’ and I wasn’t nearly as good as the fine musicians available in Austin, as you would imagine. Did learn, however, that, as the singer, I could bring whatever tunes I wanted, and the wizards would all play along. Even if they were originals, my originals, these guys would just nail them, time after time. Horn sections, and everything. The response from the patrons and other players was extremely gratifying. The influence is apparent.
So, there’s the journey. The opportunity to record just leaped into my life, and I jumped at the chance. Thanks, Elliott. There are many more songs, waiting hopefully to be resurrected. And more to write, I’m sure. Enjoy these, for now.
