The third member of ESoED actually showed up for this gig. π Yep, electric Josephine, plugged into a practice amp. At the very beginning of the session, notice Kevin asking her if she’s ready. (“Wah-wah,” she replies. Kevin translates it as “Yes, sir,” I’m sure.) Notice he doesn’t ask me if I’m ready. π
Between my squeaky desk chair, the amplified guitar and the mic being stationed behind me, I got a little drowned out at times. Kevin says that makes it sound like a real concert. . . I don’t know about that (especially the chair), but it’s definitely a wake-up call to rearrange our setup here.
I’ve been putting the recorder on my antique vanity over by the wall, mostly because I’d rather plug it in than use up tons of batteries, and the cords get dangerous with the kids running around. But we sit at the table in the center of the room, and I’m usually facing away from the recorder because I’m on the laptop and/or writing the whole time. I’d put it on the table on the other wall, which is sort of in front of us, but there’s only one outlet in the whole room. (That’s one bad thing about old houses. Ours is a 1934 farmhouse.)
So, anyway, we recorded this session with the H2, as usual. π
The whole session in one file:
1. Josephine β Working Man Blues β Josephine*: Last July, we saw Pat Martino play at the Iridium in Times Square, NYC, and it blew us away. The next day, following advice from the locals sitting next to us at that show, we went to Rudy’s Music, where Kevin fell in love with Josephine. I actually picked her out. π Back at the Wellington, Kevin was inspired to write this instrumental. She’s been a member of ESoED ever since! “Working Man Blues” is a Merle Haggard tune, and Kevin says he first heard it when he was 3 or 4 years old and his dad was singing it. He’s singing lead. (See legal.)
2. You’ve Got a Friend: One of my favorite Carole King songs, covered fabulously by James Taylor. It’s very hard to do justice to those two. π Oh, and I really wish I’d been able to see the two of them in concert this year. Their “Live at the Troubadour” CD/DVD is in my Amazon cart. π I’m singing lead on this one.
3. Lawdy Miss Clawdy: Kevin first starting playing this song when he was about 12 or 13 because he loved Elvis’ version of it, but it was written by Lloyd Price. You can hear Price’s version of it here and Elvis’ version here. Kevin’s singing lead, and I’m singing along some.
4. That’s All Right β Going Down the Road Feeling Bad: Another Elvis song, “That’s All Right” was written by Arthur Crudup. You can hear Elvis doing it here. “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad” is one of our favorites to cover. Read more about it here. Kevin’s singing lead, and I’m singing some harmony.
5. Sitting on Top of the World: Kevin says he did this well-covered song bluegrass-style for years before he heard Cream’s blues-rock version (which we found out was a cover of Howling Wolf’s earlier version). You can tell which style Kevin must’ve liked best. He’s singing lead, and I’m singing some harmony.
6. Rollin’ In My Sweet Baby’s Arms: This is one of the first bluegrass songs I can ever remember hearing, when I was about ten and singing with a local band called Westfork in Cascade, Virginia. It was apparently written by Lester Flatt and has been covered by practically everyone else in bluegrass. Kevin’s singing lead, and I’m singing something.
7. Summertime: Written by George Gershwin for the 1935 musical Porgy and Bess, “Summertime” was first a hit for the great Billie Holiday. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong also do a version we love! But the first version of this I ever heard was Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company. I played her “Greatest Hits” album (literally!) so many times in my late-teens/early-20s I could sing every guitar solo, even. π Kevin sings the first verse, then I come in for the rest.
8. The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise: “The first time I heard it,” Kevin says, “was my dad playing it on banjo, and I never heard it again until I heard Les Paul playing it.” The song, written by Eugene Lockheart and Ernest Seitz, was recorded by a ton of musicians, including gypsy-jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Les Paul’s version has a myriad of Mary Fords singing harmony and his own distinctive guitar sound. (Watch them in action here.) Kevin does it as an instrumental.
9. Me and Johnny: This one’s by Rick Springfield. Yes, that Rick Springfield. “Jesse’s Girl.” I had his poster on my wall in middle school. Kevin saw him at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach in ’04 and says he rocked like crazy: “He did Hendrix’s ‘Red House,’ and it was awesome.” Sometimes Kevin sings this one with his original, “Johnny LV,” about a friend of his from way back. He’s on lead, and I’m backing.
10. He Stopped Loving Her Today: Kevin sings this George Jones classic.
11. Little Maggie: An old Ralph Stanley. You can watch him play and teach it here. Kevin sings lead.
12. Georgia On My Mind: We love to play this song, partially because we love Ray Charles and partially because Savannah, Georgia, is one of my favorite places. Read more here. I’m singing lead.
13. Born on the Bayou: A short version of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song. I’m singing lead.
14. Stormy Monday mix instrumental: I’m not really sure why I never sang this T-Bone Walker tune because I usually do. You can hear me talking in the background. π Kevin says he was just letting Josephine stretch a little bit.
