Insomnia (feat. Bo Ramsey)

#99 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, Insomnia, features the midwestern mojo hand of, Bo Ramsey. Born and raised in Iowa and still living there today, Bo has been way around the block. As an artist, producer, and of course, guitarist, his affiliations are quite impressive; Joan Baez, Greg Brown, Pieta Brown, Iris DeMent, Ani DiFranco, Kevin Gordon, Elvis Costello and Lucinda Williams. Bo is all over the legendary Car Wheels on a Gravel Road album and was nominated for a Grammy for Producing Lucinda's follow-up album, Essence. I love the understated approach to Bo's playing as exhibited by this track. The first time I saw Bo play was at a Lucinda gig in Nashville shortly before Car Wheels was released. Everybody in the audience was hypnotized by the verb and tremolo soaked Bo mojo. I remember my buddy, who had taken me to see the show, tugging on my sleeve and pointing, saying, "Bo Ramsey". Well, I'm tugging on your sleeve now...

The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Alvino Bennett (Dave Mason, Stevie Wonder) on drums and myself on bass. The track was recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA. Mixed by the Grammy-winning Godfather of Grunge, Jack Endino (Nirvana, Nando Reis) and masterfully mastered by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. 

California Guard Rail Scraper (feat. Spencer Cullum)

#97 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, California Guard Rail Scraper, features the international man of steel, Spencer Cullum. Even without being from London and having an enviable English accent, Spencer would be a cool cat. He's the co-leader (along with Jeremy Fetzer) of Nashville's space-country duo, Steelism. He's played on sessions as disparate as Kesha to Deer Tick to Little Big Town. I originally met Spencer on a Jabe Beyer gig and he was as self-described; “the guy who looks like he’s studying for a test in the background”, bespectacled, and wearing, in true professorial fashion, a button-down, cable knit, off white, fisherman's sweater, his playing was although, perfectly "in" it was also at the same time, perfectly "out". So when having the opportunity to have Spencer play on a track arose, I was psyched! And even more so when he picked this one to play on. I'd say Spencer passed that test he was studying for...please keep your hands and feet inside the car and enjoy the ride!

The backing band on this track is Oakland Born/Nashville residing, funky MF, Derrek Phillips, (Gloria Gaynor, Robben Ford, Charlie Hunter) on drums, and myself on rhythm guitar and bass. The track was recorded at NTA, San Bruno, CA, and The Phamily Room and Donelson Tea Pot in Nashville, TN. Prodigiously mixed and mastered by the Grammy-winning and extremely good-humored, Matt Winegar (Primus, Fantastic Negrito).

Crepuscule (feat. Natalie Cressman)

#97 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, Crepuscule, features the funky beyond her years Natalie Cressman. An SF native and child of working-musician parents, Natalie's destiny seemed preordained. Although her original artform and dream was to be a ballerina, an injury in her teens dashed those hopes. Luckily for her and us, she had been studying trombone with her dad, Jeff Cressman of Santana. After graduating high school, Natalie went to Manhattan School of Music and was almost immediately "discovered" and recruited by Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio. Just thirty years old now, Natalie has a solid decade of sessions and touring with the likes of; Phish, Big Gigantic, Carlos Santana, Nicholas Payton, Anat Cohen, The Motet, Umphrey's McGee, Pete Escovedo's Latin Jazz Orchestra, Jai Uttal and Peter Apfelbuam (a long time family friend). Natalie has made 4 albums, two collaborations and two as a solo artist. She's a beautifully talented singer/songwriter as well as a Bone badass. But the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree, her mom, Sandy Cressman, is a highly regarded jazz vocalist collaborating with many of Brazil’s most respected musicians. You can hear it all in Natalie's playing, dancing from note to note. Hit me, Nat! 

More about Natalie here: https://www.nataliecressman.com/

The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Alvino Bennett (Dave Mason, Stevie Wonder) on drums and myself on bass and guitar. The track was recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA and NTA in San Bruno, CA. Mixing and Mastering duties expertly performed by the Grand Wizard of Greaseland, Christoffer "Kid" Andersen.