When It Rains (feat. Jeff Raines)

#162 in the Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumental Series is the punnily titled When It Rains featuring Galactic founder and guitarist, Jeff Raines. Jeff has been a big chief on the Jam scene for almost 30 years. I doubt Jeff's parents would have dreamt that sending their kid to Tulane University in NOLA would result in a lifelong career in The Funk. But that is indeed what occurred. Jeff and bassist Robert Mercurio, drummer Stanton Moore, organist Rich Vogel, vocalist Theryl DeClouet, and horn man Ben Ellman formed Galactic in 1994 and they've been funkin' worldwide ever since. Their 2023 EP Tchompitoulas is a great party record and worthy of your time (after you listen to this track!). Thanks to Jeff for stopping by Skunkworks and thank you for listening. Enjoy!

The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Marcus David (Nick Gravenites, Clover) on drums, and myself on bass. It was recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA. Mixed by the Godfather of Grunge, Jack Endino (Soundgarden, Nando Reis), and masterfully mastered by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering.

Peace of Insignificance (feat. Fareed Haque)

#161 in the Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumental Series, Peace of Insignificance, 

features a true World musician, guitarist, Fareed Haque. It is much easier and more thorough for you to just read his Wiki than for me to cherry-pick factoids from it. But I will point out that Fareed is playing his guitar/sitar on this track and he is absolutely killing it. His sense of melody and adventure is truly wonderful. A great example of playing the blues as an idiom, not the dogma. I first heard Fareed play with Garaj Mahal on a double bill with Funkwrench at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville back in 2008. It was Moogfest and he and Kenny Vaughan were both exhibiting the, at the time, new Moog Guitar. Moog hooked us up with all kinds of cool noisemakers, and I'm still rockin' my ring modulator today. Enjoy!

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.