Twice Removed

From Ben Williams, musicologist and soon to be national jazz reviewer on Twice Removed… “Beautiful! Now *that* there has a style all of your own – first of all I dig the ‘wall of sound’ approach of layering the guitars and letting the harmonies (plural!) lead the journey – not only are there four (at least) territories – from gumshoe on sunset boulevard, to rodeo drive, to polynesia, to the twighlight zone – but each section is a different ‘species’ of harmony – including the ‘outside’ second guitar part in the second half of part 4 – which is as challenging as the bridge in Jimmy Rowles ‘The Peacocks’ – but like that, makes its own perfect kind of sense – and then it picks on at least two bi-chordal outtakes (ahem!) from the voluminous form for the solo sections, which (the ad libs) are collective rather than linear – which is something a lot more new jazz should do but doesn’t. People will cite Metheny or Frisell, but that would be a superficial analysis – I think this has a lot more JD in it than either of those luminaries … I appreciate you sharing it with me. One Love!”

I’ve always counted The Ozark Mountain Daredevils’, 1973 self-titled, first release on A&M Records as a favorite. Some fans have come to know it as the “Quilt” album. The album is a lesson in great writing, spirited playing, soulful singing and at times sheer fun. I wanted to cover a track from the album and the soaring “Spaceship Orion” seemed like an obvious choice to me.