Welcome to the listening page. Just move your mouse over the MP3 player select a track. and hit >Play Thanks for taking the time to listen. If you have a minute more to let me know that you've been here and what you thought that would be great too.
LOVER UNDERCOVER is a Melody Gardot number that I recorded at Premises Studio in London in September 2009. I was given a 30 minute slot , a bass player and a drummer at the end of a one week jazz piano course and this was the song I chose to do.
BALTIMORE - First appeared on Randy Newman Little Criminals album back in the seventies and was notably covered by Nina Simone. RN has a great sense of place and has written many songs about places in US. This never modulates out of its home key which I take as representing the tough daily grind of getting along in an unglamorous big city .
BETWEEN THE BARS - Originally by Eliot Smith who sadly took his own life and notably re-interpreted by Madeleine Peyroux. I think it is a song about feelings being expressed as the night wears on but maybe its just the drink talking.
I love the feel of the song though and the chords give it a brooding undertone that I tried to bring out.
CASE OF YOU - I really need to do this one again and make a better job of it. You'll have to wait about 20 secs for it to even get going. This may be my all time favourite songs. I've been singing it - mostly to myself for forty years nearly. Joni Mitchell of course but you knew that didn't you ?
LOUISIANA - Another Randy Newman song about another place .. or least an event. The song has a great gospel feel but retains his sardonic view of the world . Recording was just a demo in preparation for a gig.
GALVESTON - Have you noticed I like songs about places ! Jimmy Webb is a great songwriter and you only really get to appreciate that when you hear him perform them. Check out Ten Easy Pieces album. It's a gem. This is my pale copy of his own version of this song.
SINCE I FELL FOR YOU a great jazzy blues with all the best chords. Just listen to that melody note on "leave". This version was inspired by (i.e. I tried to copy) Ian Shaw on his Abbey Road Session album
A number from our Not Exactly Rocket Salad gig on Jan 25th - very different style for me but good fun and great support from the rest of the band
