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Download Figments - 13 songs for $9.99:  |
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Blondie
Chaplin |
Bakhiti
Kumalo |
Moe
Gee |
[mp3 clip; 00:34]
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Purchase "Home" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store!
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Home:
The song evokes a longing for home [wherever/whatever
that is] reflected in Blondie's great voice - [he being
a bandmate and old friend, originally from S.Africa].
He came over one day with much of the idea of the song
already in his head. I transferred his guitar parts
from the 8 track demo we made to the master because
they had become so much a part of the song. Bakhiti
Kumalo, the bass player from Soweto, S.Africa, who made
his mark on Paul Simon's 'Graceland' album, provides
more of the SA earthly feel. Moe G - also from S.Africa,
and who played the pennywhistle solo on 'You can call
me Al' plays a wood flute reminiscent of the pennywhistle
- very much a sound of SA music.
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Blondie
Chaplin |
Bakhiti
Kumalo |
Brian
Wilson |
[mp3 clip; 00:47]
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Purchase "Hand On My Shoulder" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
Hand On My Shoulder:
I sent the music to Blondie who put the words on
top. I really heard Brian Wilson in the chords of
this song, [having grown up on 'Pet Sounds' and
it being one of my all-time favorite albums], and
always dreamed of him singing on this. Blondie sang
'Sail on Sailor' when he was with the Beach Boys,
so both of them on the same track seemed destined.
Through a series of circumstances, [mostly due to
David Leaf and Melinda Wilson], I found myself doing
vocal overdubs with Brian in California. He was
very quick and brilliant and finished his parts
in 2 hours.
Read
more about Brian Wilson's participation in Figments
here.
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Will
Lee |
Joe
Caro |
Catherine
Russell |
[mp3 clip; 01:00]
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Purchase "Inside Out" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
Inside
Out:
I wrote the music to this song a long time ago and
sent it to Max Carl who wrote the song on top. I
have always loved this song and it has been demo'd
many times. I am happy with this recording which
features Ivan Neville on vocals. Ivan is a fantastic
musician and I loved his solo record, so I was thrilled
when he agreed to sing the song, which needed another
angle to avoid it being to 'poppy'. Check out Adam
Holtzman's, [one of Miles Davis' musicians] funky
clavinet part and Randy Brecker's flugel solo. New
York guitarist Joe Caro, [whom I played a long standing
gig with, along with Adam, with Randy sometimes
sitting in], on rhythm guitar. Catherine Russell,
who did most of the background vocals on the album,
really excels here.
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Ritchie
Havens |
Enrique
Vargas |
Felicia
Collins |
Will
Lee |
Catherine
Russell |
[mp3 clip; 01:01]
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Purchase "More Than Friends" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
More
Than Friends:
Written with Nick Homes, I always heard Richie Havens
singing this and was honored when he sang it - with
his distinctive rich tone and authority. I had played
with him a few times in the late 80's and grown up with
his compelling performance at Woodstock. Through a mutual
friend, I found Enrique Vargas, a flamenco guitarist,
who provided perfect counterpoint to the vocals. Felicia
on acoustic and electric rhythm and Will on bass, my
bandmates on the Letterman show, played great - [on
everything they did]- as usual.
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[mp3 clip; 00:54]
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Purchase "Know Where You Go" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
Know
Where You Go: A really old song, I
finally got to do it with Sebastian Bach singing and
with my friend Ace Frehley on lead guitar. I had just
played on Sebastian's record and he came in and wailed
on this. Ace, whom I have played with for so many
years, came up briefly one night and dropped on a
few solos - it's classic Ace. I played the rhythm
guitars and bass but felt the bass was too static
so I asked Richie Scarlett to overdub some fills and
combined the parts. I have played with Richie for
years in both Ace and Sebastians' bands so it was
natural for him to be a part of this song. Chris Palmero,
a great musician, played organ. The combination of
musicians really worked.
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Keith
Lentin |
Neil
Jason |
Catherine
Russell |
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[mp3 clip; 01:04] |
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Purchase "Utopia" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
Utopia:
Originally written for a film with Weld [engineer] and
Blondie, the song was extended by editing it's original
form. I then went into the studio with Paul Shaffer,
my bandleader at Letterman, and put on some organ and
piano. Paul was the ultimate sideman in this setting
- fast and inventive. As always it was great working
with him. Chris Spedding, a guitarist I played with
for many years both with Robert Gordon and on one of
his solo records, was in town touring with Roxy Music.
He came up and played one of his trademark solos. Also
on guitar, Sid McGuiness from Letterman, who played
a complementary rhythm based on the original demo. Niel
Jason, [Brecker Bros/AWB], a bass player whom I did
many recording sessions with, is on bass. Keith Lentin,
a close friend I have been in bands with since I was
8, is on acoustic guitar - providing a sound that really
defines the verses.
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Catherine
Russell
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[mp3; 01:03]
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Purchase "3:4 Folk" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
3:4:Folk:
This instrumental is vaguely reminiscent to
me of a Zawinul style composition, [mostly because of
it's linear form], - so to get both Richard Bona and
Amit Chatterjee to play on it was special. They both
played with Zawinul at some time and are incredible
musicians. After putting on the bass I asked Richard
to sing sounds but not words along to the written melody.
I then asked Amit to add some vocals - some written
parts others improvised. I edited them together so that
in sections it sounds like a duet. The mixture of the
African/Indian influences sound beautiful together and
it is like they are telling a story together. Ira Siegel
plays the Beatles-ish style guitar - a part he did on
the original demo. Vincent Nguini [with Paul Simon],
adds his distinctive West African guitar parts. It really
solidifies the track as he arpegiates through the whole
song.
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Randy
Becker |
Ronnie
Cuber |
Catherine
Russell |
JFM
Minstrels |
[mp3; 01:01]
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Purchase "Jan/Feb/March" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
Jan/Feb/March:
Growing up in S.Africa I heard a lot of this kind
of carnival music played by the mulatto race made
up of combination black,white,Indian peoples who represent
a strong musical voice in Cape Town especially. Songs
like this were played through the streets by competing
troupes on New Years day and represented the life
and soul of the city. This traditional song, arranged
by Moe G and myself, had to be played by the home
boys, Bakhiti and Moe G and Tony Cedras who, from
Cape Town, plays keyboards, accordion, banjo and lead
vocals true to the essential spirit of the style.
Vincent plays great 'hi-life' style guitar lines.
Thanks to the 'orn section augmented by Ronnie Cuber
on baritone and Randy and to the JFM minstrels who
came in and had a party.
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[mp3; 00:59]
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Purchase "Tears" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
Tears:
Another Cape Town influenced song, this instrumental
contains many powerful memories for me. I played a
steady gig with Chris Botti [Sting], Andy Snitzer
[Rolling Stones], and Chris Minh Doky [Trilok Gurtu]
for about a year and got them on this track. Although
Chris and Andy played separately, I tried to interweave
the trumpet and sax as if they were together in the
spirit of some classic jazz tracks of the late 50's.
Chris Minh Doky plays the snarling organic bass underneath,
Tony Cedras again provides that authentic Cape Town
vibe.
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[mp3; 00:55]
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Purchase "When The Good Die Young" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
When
The Good Die Young: I have been friends
with Chip Taylor [writer of Wild Thing and Angel of
the Morning et al] for many years and we have written
some cool songs together. I sent him the music and
melody and he wrote the words which are poignant for
any time. David Mansfield, who played with Dylan and
Chip, plays pedal steel and Tony Garnier, whom I played
with for many years and who currently plays with Dylan,
is on bass. Charlie Giordano is on accordian. [The
play between the accordian and the steel guitar evokes
the two worlds to me]. Chip really wanted to sing
this song and he conveys the feelings of his words
throughout.
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[mp3; 01:03]
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Purchase "Anyway That You Want Me" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
Anyway That You Want Me:
This is an older song of Chip's that I have always
loved and wanted to do. A friend introduced me to
Stephanie Christianis, who at this point is an unknown
young singer who sounds well beyond her years. Al
Kooper, someone I listened to for ages and have recorded
and played live with quite extensively, put his trademark
organ on the song. Likewise Jimmy Vivino on guitar
who is also a member of the Rekooperators band with
Al. Duck Dunn, the incomparable bassist of Booker
T and the MG's - a band I have fortunate to play with
on many occasions, adds his distinctive style on bass.
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[mp3; 00:31]
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Purchase "Heart Of Darkness" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
Heart
Of Darkness: Also
an older song written with Gary Kupper, I used quite
a bit of the old demo, [and Gary's keyboard parts]
in thetrack. My friend Baby Monroe performed the rap
and the sung choruses. Lew Soloff, NY jazzman,provides
an emotional trumpet solo. Suzie Prep is on background
vocals with Felicia and Will again in the rhythm section.
Check out how Felicia's guitar and the trumpet play
together at the very end.
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KWYG
II
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Oz
Noy
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Chris
Palmero
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[mp3; 00:32] |
Purchase "KWYGII" as a high-quality download for $0.99 at Apple's iTunes Music Store! |
KWYG
II: This is actually the fade of Know Where
You Go that I extended to make more of a jam track.
I play the rhythm guitars, bass and synths and Oz
Noy, a very distinctive and talented Israeli guitarist,
whom I play around town with, is on guitar. Chris
Palmero, on organ, turns the improvisation into a
piece as his chords respond to the track.
