Respectable (2008)

Respectable cover

After completing two Hidden Agenda of Evil CDs in 2004, I promised Penny that my next project would be "legitimate music" inspired by the bands I had been listening to the most over the past few years. With help from members of Java Jazz, UnderCover, Duck Soup, Reunion, the Fabulous GTOs, Andrew Wimsatt and gospel vocalist Aaron Roughton, I created this CD over a 3 year period. Mary Ann Price (former vocalist with Asleep at the Wheel, Dan Hicks, and the Kinks) coached me on vocals, and Fred Remmert at Cedar Creek Recording did the mixing and mastering to put it all together. Penny contributed photos, song lyrics and inspiration.

 

The Songs In Order

  1. Time To Go - A country-rock song with some Delbert McClinton influences.
  2. Ain't Going Back - A Duke Robillard-inspired blues with a long solo section.
  3. Respectable - An R&B jam with a big horn section and Penny doing some 'sassy talking' at the end.
  4. Why Didn't You? - A western swing number w/ horns, in the style of Lyle Lovett and His Large Band.
  5. Don't Ease Me In - My version of this Texas blues classic. The Grateful Dead does the best-known cover of this song.
  6. Thanks for Nothing - A blues-rock power ballad with some wailing guitar from Clark Eason and Andrew Wimsatt.
  7. It's True - A gospel-style duet w/ Aaron Roughton with some Allman Brothers-influenced jamming in the middle.
  8. Christmas is the Hardest Time of All - A 60's style slow R&B ballad, in the style of Otis Redding.
  9. Bad Luck Woman - Paul Hollis of Java Jazz adds guitar to this Allmans/Steely Dan influenced track.
  10. Bad Luck Jam - This track started as a 15 minute free improvisation on piano. I had other musicians improv along with the track, and with some additional arranging and editing, we created this jam.

Demos from the Respectable sessions can be found here.