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Thread: Danny Gatton

  1. #1
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    Danny Gatton

    I recently watched a documentary on the music scene in Washington DC back in the day, which featured a lot on Danny Gatton. I had heard of him, but never explored him much so decided to pick up a 2 CD anthology. This guy is really amazing and plays a lot of different styles. Anyone out there a fan and where would I go from here if I want to explore more?

  2. #2
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    I was a gigantic fan. I saw him plenty, but I wish I had seen him more.

    The two live Redneck Jazz titles (on BandCamp) are great, as is his first major label release, 88 Elmira St.

    Funhouse is also really good.

    Some of his stuff was kinda lazy with incredible solos in what were (to ME)not particularly inspiring rock and roll standards with mediocre vocals.

    But when he was on......

    This sort of stuff is actually still being played in DC





    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

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    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  3. #3
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    PS

    Was this the Anacostia Delta movie that just came out??
    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  4. #4
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    P S S

    Cuneiform released this band’s album

    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  5. #5
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    Oh, yeah, one more

    His ‘jazz’ album on Blue Note, New York Stories, is also good!
    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  6. #6
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    He was great!

    If you like him, you might want to explore Hellecasters (Jerry Donahue, John Jorgenson, Will Ray), same sources, just as spectacular, but less jazzy.

  7. #7
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    PS - I was at all these gigs that I put videos of .....


    DC is a lot more than horrible GOP politicians......
    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  8. #8
    I'm also a fan of Danny's. Read about him in Guitar Player in 1983 (which I actually forgot about until years later when I saw a picture of him playing slide with a beer bottle, and realized that GP had run a similar photo in 83). One disc I love by him is called The Humbler, which was actually a soundboard tape of him playing with rockabilly revivalist Robert Gordon in the early 80's. Supposedly, the story goes that Danny and the drummer on the gig were jamming during the soundcheck, and the soundman was taken by what they were doing, he grabbed a cassette, through in the tape deck patched into the soundboard, and hit record for the show. The tape then circulated among various people who played at the club over the years. I thikn I read it was Rodney Crowell who nicknamed the tape The Humbler, because he was fond of putting it on for new guys in his band who thought they were "bad" or whatever.

    Oh, and teh Spellcasters album is really awesome too! Loved that. And another vote for The Hellecasters, too.



    I also liked Unfinished Business, the album he put out on his own label in the mid 80's, which led to the huge music press feeding frenzy surrounding (Guitar Player put him on the cover, calling him The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World, or some such), which in turn led to his Elektra deal.



    Anyway, I believe not longer after Danny died, The Humbler came out. It's great, it's like the best rockabilly record not recorded in the 50's ever, lots of cool songs, and Gordon's actually a really solid vocalist, and all those cool Danny guitar licks.

  9. #9
    Member StarThrower's Avatar
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    I don't know what's on the anthology but I recommend Relentless with Joey DeFrancesco, Redneck Jazz Live with Buddy Emmons, and the live CD from September '94 recorded a month before he took his life. I have several others but those three are superb. I don't know about availability at this point but check Discogs and eBay.

  10. #10
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    ^^^^^

    The live CD from 94 is excellent!!
    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve F. View Post
    PS

    Was this the Anacostia Delta movie that just came out??
    Yes, that was the film that I saw. I friend of mine had the DVD and lent it to me, saying you have to see this. I really enjoyed Roy Buchanon too as I was not really familiar with him either. I will check out some of your recommendations. I had never heard of the Anacostia Delta before and found it all very interesting. It was all new to me.

  12. #12
    Member StarThrower's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve F. View Post
    ^^^^^

    The live CD from 94 is excellent!!
    Title is In Concert 9/9/94

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    Quote Originally Posted by StarThrower View Post
    I don't know what's on the anthology but I recommend Relentless with Joey DeFrancesco, Redneck Jazz Live with Buddy Emmons, and the live CD from September '94 recorded a month before he took his life. I have several others but those three are superb. I don't know about availability at this point but check Discogs and eBay.
    This is the anthology that I got: https://www.allmusic.com/album/hot-r...y-mw0000236645

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    That's got a bit of everything. Gearheads, and Kindred Spirits are from Relentless. I'd seek out the live CDs Redneck Jazz Explosion, and 9/9/94. His studio stuff sounds kinda anachronistic and retro for my tastes. Quiet Village is one of the better tracks from 88 Elmira St.

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    Quote Originally Posted by StarThrower View Post
    That's got a bit of everything. Gearheads, and Kindred Spirits are from Relentless. I'd seek out the live CDs Redneck Jazz Explosion, and 9/9/94. His studio stuff sounds kinda anachronistic and retro for my tastes. Quiet Village is one of the better tracks from 88 Elmira St.
    Thanks!

  16. #16
    Outraged bystander markwoll's Avatar
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    I got to meet him one day in '84. I knew his name from WHFS but didn't know his music all that well.
    Too bad for me, he was a nice guy.
    Funny thing, I was into similar guitar music ( Big Guitars From Texas , Joe King Carrasco ). Didn't pick up on the Anacostia sound.
    88 Elmira St. and Redneck Jazz or in my collection. I will have to check out a few others.

    The Spellcasters album is great, I highly recommend.
    "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
    -- Aristotle
    Nostalgia, you know, ain't what it used to be. Furthermore, they tells me, it never was.
    “A Man Who Does Not Read Has No Appreciable Advantage Over the Man Who Cannot Read” - Mark Twain

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by markwoll View Post
    I Joe King Carrasco.
    Now, there's a name I don't hear often anymore. I remember MTV used to play one of his videos a lot in the early days. When I was in boot camp, the guy in the bunk next to mine has from Austin, and I mentioned Carrasco to him, and that shot in that video where he leaps into the crowd. He was like "Yeah, he had to stop doing that because he broke his leg doing it one time".

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve F. View Post
    P S S

    Cuneiform released this band’s album

    I just ordered this. Thanks for the heads up.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve F. View Post
    P S S

    Cuneiform released this band’s album

    This one is really good.
    NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve F. View Post
    PS - I was at all these gigs that I put videos of .....


    DC is a lot more than horrible GOP politicians......
    Was that your wife in the doorway of the second video.
    NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!

  21. #21
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shadow View Post
    Was that your wife in the doorway of the second video.
    Yep!
    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  22. #22
    Outraged bystander markwoll's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    Now, there's a name I don't hear often anymore. I remember MTV used to play one of his videos a lot in the early days. When I was in boot camp, the guy in the bunk next to mine has from Austin, and I mentioned Carrasco to him, and that shot in that video where he leaps into the crowd. He was like "Yeah, he had to stop doing that because he broke his leg doing it one time".
    He had a really long guitar cord for shows, no wireless. He would go out into the crowd, get up on the bar. The crowd would pass the cord over head so he could get around the place.
    This was the old 9:30, so not a huge place. Fun times.
    "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
    -- Aristotle
    Nostalgia, you know, ain't what it used to be. Furthermore, they tells me, it never was.
    “A Man Who Does Not Read Has No Appreciable Advantage Over the Man Who Cannot Read” - Mark Twain

  23. #23
    We saw Danny in a small hole in the wall bar in Charlottesville Va. around Christmas time late 70's. He put on one hell of a show.. complete with a short montage of Christmas carols.. Only album I have of his is Redneck Jazz Explosion recorded around the same time we would have seen him Dec 1978 live at the Cellar Door Washington DC. Amazing guitarist for sure..
    Just did a Youtube search on Danny and found this clip re: documentary they are doing on him.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiDRYlHSjw0
    Last edited by happytheman; 10-20-2020 at 09:06 AM.

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