About "Decca & the Dectones"
It all started with a benefit dinner for The Paris Review. Kathi Kamen Goldmark, founder of the infamous all-author rock band, the Rock Bottom Remainders, got a last-minute call asking for help in arranging a "Literary Talent Show." The first literary talent she came across was Dr. Maya Angelou, who politely declined the invitation to perform with, "I can't, but Decca will do it!" Dr. Angelou then picked up the phone, dialed a number, and grandly announced, "Decca, you're going to be in a show!"
Decca, also known as Jessica Mitford, thought it "sounded rather fun," and agreed to sing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" at the benefit dinner. Her performance was so well-received that she repeated it a year later during the San Francisco Bay Area Book Festival, at Kathi's Rock Bottom All-Star Review, under the name "Decca & the Dectones," and brought down the house.
Kathi decided the song had to be recorded for posterity, booked some studio time, and arranged to record "Maxwell" and "Grace Darling," with musical director David Phillips. The musicians offered to play for free, background vocalists and kazoo players showed up just for fun, and the session became a wonderful party, despite the fact that Decca herself was wheelchair-bound with a broken ankle.
"Decca & the Dectones" is the first release of "Don't Quit Your Day Job" Records, started by Kathi to sell this, and other, musical offerings by people who "really" do other things.
Good Causes
A portion of the proceeds from sales of this recording go to the the Send a Piana to Havana Fund c/o Global Exchange, 2017 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110.
Artists
Jessica Mitford (Decca):
Lead vocals
Kathi Kamen Goldmark:
Cowbell, kazoo, producer, cheerleader
David Phillips:
Guitar, pedal steel, musical director, producer
Paul Ferris:
Keyboard
Christopher Kee:
Bass
Gene Reffkin:
Drums
Michael Ross:
Guitar
Odile Lavault:
Accordion
Background Vocals and Kazoo Orchestra:
Keta Bill, Blanche McCrary Boyd, Ann Callicrate, Inese Civkulis, Audrey deChadenedes, Jim Foster, Paul Kamen, Paul Liberatore, Avi Lipman, Melissa Mytinger, Kathy N. Right, Cynthia Robins, Julie Todd (Swell Kazoo Tips from Jim Foster . . . A MUST for the Serious Kazooist)
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