04/28/2025
Well Face Book says I have "31 new views", and thats great. We the Juke Joint Jokers have been on a sabbatical recharging and doing some writing and some composing.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, here is something I recorded down in Texas with a wonderful Austin band called "I-Tex". This is not a traditional "Blues" as it were, but we all know what Miles Davis said"Its all BLUES !"
This composition features the massively funky and soulful "Jon Smith" from "Edgar Winters White Trash band
Jon was the chief soloist and tenor and alto saxophone player in the horn section and it was an honor to play and record with him.
Produced and arranged by my old friend, the sublimely gifted bassist/vocalist/composer Vernon Porter, who's credits include Kenny Loggins, Dave Mason, Bette Midler, Tim Weisberg among others, Vernon asked me to play "Slide" guitar on this cut and I leaped at the opportunity to simultaneously play with an old friend and a legend!
I was never a big session guy on the count of of I never was able to read anything but simplest of chord charts. I was offered this because the guitar players didnt play "Slide" or Bottleneck.
The session, my first outside of my own band demos was fraught with difficulty, mainly because I was "choking" under the pressure. After too many passes to even remember Vernon cast a somber glance in my direction with the sobering:
"Murf, I love ya and we know you play your ass off, but, you're staring to cost me money, so if you dont cop this next track you'll have to cop a walk!"
I "gulped", took a hit off some Ho**ey Killer W**d that was going around the studio, shotgunner a Tall Boy and hit that Be-Bop/Dotted 8th Note phrase and the place exploded, as much in relief as anything else LOL.
So here it is, years later. Needless to say it could have been better, but Im very proud of it. Hope ya'll dig it !
Cheers
Artist: I-TEXSong: Flat CreekAlbum: Border CrossingI-TEX is a Country/Reggae Band from Austin Texas in the mid 80's. They played and toured all over Texas up...
