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Randy Bernsen: Grace Notes
ByHighlights are many, but my favorites are "Red Clay," an excellent arrangement and Bernsen's guitar solo is a first-rate study in taste and development. "Indian Rivers" has a wonderful uplifting feel and melody that is supported by Haslip's incredibly rock solid bass sounds, combined with the rhythmic colors and feel of Erskine's drums. Bernsen's solo is a perfect balance of consonance and dissonance, truly a master of tension and release within his musical phrases. Lenon and McCartney's "She's A Woman" is a pleasant surprise and fits in well with the projects character and flow. Again, Bernsen's playing is just top-shelf with just the right amount of "twang," a few phrases even reminded me of the late great Danny Gatton; excellent playing.
This is an unexpected collection of tunes and the playing is going to have you enjoying this great album for hours and years to come, thanks to Bernsen for adding the "grace," to these notes, both as a guitarist, composer and arranger!
Track Listing
Black Top; Red Clay; Grace; Indian Rivers; She’s a Woman; Blues Traveler; Freddie’s Conversion; Malibu Man.
Personnel
Randy Bernsen
guitarRandy Bernsen: guitar and guitar synths; Jimmy Haslip: bass (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8); Trey Henry: acoustic bass (track 2); Peter Erskine: drums (tracks 2, 8); Gary Novak: drums (tracks 1, 7); Virgil Donati: drums (track 3); Julius Pastorius: drums (track 3); Russell Ferrante: piano and synths (track 1); Steve Tavaglione: saxophone and synth horns (track 2 and 4 ); Max Boiko: trumpet (track 2 and 6); Luis Conte: percussion (track 2, 4, 5); Colin James - rhodes and piano (tracks 6, 7); Scott Kinsey: organ and rhodes (track 3, 4, 7, 8); Mac Chew: synths (track 3 and 7); Archie Pena -Percusion (track 5); Rockin’ Jake: harmonica (track 5); Torin Lawson: DJ (track 7); Robert Thomas, Jr.: hand drums (track 8).
Album information
Title: Grace Notes | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Blue Canoe Records
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