Album Notes

This CD "Tracks" is really a follow up to "Green Flats Road". It is both reflective and paying homage to the colorful life in the Catskills of eastern New York State.

Comments on the "Tracks" from the composer:

Back In 64 -The whole feel of this piece is a reflection of the music in the 60s that drove me to pick up the guitar in the first place. The use of the 12-string acoustic guitar was inspired by my earlier "electric " version of this song in which Gary Vincelli creatively played a very similar part on a Rickenbacker 12-string through a Vox AC30. What a sound!

Full Steam- This is another acoustic piece that really has roots in rock guitar. The opening rhythm guitar riff sounds great on an electric through a crunchy overdriven amplifier. Add to that the sustaining wide harmonic intervals of the melodic lead guitar and it’s two part counterpoint chugging straight ahead.

Same Old Path- No matter what we do and how much we change there is certain nature in each one of us that remains the same and is always there to make and shape our lives. Again there is comfort because we know the way.
Bass solo by Jerry O’Dell

Lost In The Backwaters- I've always been fascinated with the mysterious atmosphere of hidden swamps in the back woods. This is a programmatic piece of a struggle in such a place. I felt that the electric guitar break was necessary even in the middle of an acoustic album because some how playing the solo on a flat top just wouldn’t cause enough eruption to do justice to the story.

Just Another Morning Song- This is another one of those pieces that reflects morning, after the storm, a chance to rebuild etc. I wanted a simple flowing melody- a kind of pastoral dance in three.

River Suite #1 and #2- These two pieces began life as a movie sound track experiment. I wrote this material to go with several scenes from the movie "Deliverance". As No. 1 begins, the main characters of the film are finally setting out on their canoe journey and are passing under the bridge being watched by the banjo kid. No. 2 begins when they reach the rapids. The film was actually synchronized to the sound recording gear as I created the music to match the picture.

Whiter Shade of Pale- This is such a great song. I’ve always wanted to reinterpret this music.

Cookout With The Clan In D Minor- This is a real musical experiment. Open tunings, bluegrass banjo and jazz improvisation all play against hip-hop inspired bass and drums.

Home On Borrowed Time- We cherish the "home" in our past. We find that we may be able to visit but can never stay. We too have changed.