When Russ Ellis told me his concept for this album late last year, I loved the notion of recording songs in various genres he’s known and loved throughout his life. This one is Blues with a big B. Arranged by the amazing Tammy Hall, who also rocks the piano to bits on this track, “Night Driver” features the mighty Dave Ellis on Sax and the marvelous Rhonda Benin in a duet vocal with Russ. Have a listen and read Mr. Ellis’ liner notes below, and share it up any ol’ which way ya please! Thank you.
-Dinsky
Liner notes from Russ:
We had increasingly attractive record playing outfits in our small new home in George Washington Carver Manor Annex in southeast LA. The 78’s and 33’s were neatly stacked but not in any discernible order. Count Basie (my father’s) might be close to Debussy or The Sons of the Pioneers (my stepmother’s), but black music dominated.
Jimmy Witherspoon (“Ain’t Nobody’s Business”) was fine, but I seem to have learned that T-Bone Walker was not. My dad was more inclined to Basie than to Ellington, although he bought everything Ellington recorded. Drink bent my father toward the blues. The more drink, the nastier the blues.
I learned that the blues were important and, during the folk music explosion, I purchased and wore out my copy of Robert Johnson’s “King of the Delta Blues”.
But I would never dare to sing the blues. I was not up to the subtleties. Although I could hear them, I did not trust myself to reproduce them. Also, I was a balladeer, after the fashion of Eliza on this album. But since I’d done a Bossa nova, a country and western, a love song and a folk-like tune, it seemed fitting that I try the blues. My son enthusiastically supported the idea. As ever, my daughter, Zoe, was the enabler.
I mined David’s and Zoe’s connections to assemble the players on this tune, surrounding myself with fail-safe music no matter how well I rendered my song. I call them “The Magic Carpet Blues Ensemble”
The lyrics came easy. I have been astonished at how long my sputtering equipment lasted. But, in no way commensurate with my fantasies. So, I wrote from the standpoint of the perennially bragging black man at the end of his powers. Still pretending. But it’s about loss, as most of the blues is.
Credits:
Russ Ellis – Vocals
Rhonda Benin – Vocals
The Magic Carpet Blues Ensemble
Tammy Hall – Piano and arrangement
Cedricke Dennis – Guitar
Darryl Anders – Bass
Deszon Claiborne – Drums
Dave Ellis – Sax
Recorded at Bird and Egg Studios by Cam Perridge
Mixed by Cam Perridge
Mastered by – Dave Ellis for ZADELL Productions
© 2020 Russ Ellis
Zadell Music, ASCAP
