New York, NY (Top40 Charts) WNYC has premiered two tracks from Dick Connette's upcoming album Too Young For The Public Vol. 1 -- "Young Loves To Love," which blends the melody and lyrics of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" with the music of "Sweet Thing," and "Chuck Baby," an homage to the late go-go superstar Chuck Brown.
"Originally called 'Go Go Going Gone (tribute to Chuck Brown),' 'Chuck Baby' takes its structure from the backing horn part of the original, over which Connette layers saxophone improvisations by Steve Elson and tapes of John Bonham, Led Zeppelin's pottymouthed drummer, both speaking and playing (although it must be pointed out that Bonham doesn't say anything that wasn't sung, repeatedly, in Chuck Brown's original)," writes John Schaefer of WNYC's Soundcheck. "As often with Dick Connette's music, the track, coming in at an epic twelve minutes long, blurs the distinction between a cover and original work."
"Young Loves To Love" features Astral Weeks guitarist Jay Berliner and plaintive vocals from folk singer Ana Egge. "More than a cover," says WNYC, "it's a typically personal take on these familiar songs, making them into something new and strange."
"Young Loves To Love": https://soundcloud.com/storysound-records/10-young-loves-to-love
"Chuck Baby": https://soundcloud.com/storysound-records/12-chuck-baby/s-g6MBi
Vol. 1 - Oysters Ice
Cream Lemonade also contains a tribute to bassist Jaco Pastorius, a cover of Carole King's "He's A Bad Boy," and six originals songs. The ensemble of 17 musicians includes Egge, Suzzy Roche, Rachelle Garniez, Gabriel Kahane, Rayna Gellert, Chaim Tannenbaum and Erik Friedlander.
Dick Connette has been composing, performing, and recording music since 1970. Over the last 30 years, he has devoted himself to writing music and songs based on American folk and popular traditions. Nonesuch Records released four albums from his previous project Last Forever, which earned praise from critics like Greil Marcus and Dave Marsh. Connette is also active as a producer, and has his own label, StorySound Records, which features composers, arrangers, and singer/songwriters with similar interests and enthusiasms. In 2009, Connette won a Grammy for his work on Loudon Wainwright III's High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project.
ArtistDirect recently sat down with Connette to discuss his musical influences, noting "he's an artist whose name resonates amongst those in the Americana hall of fame. The humble, legendary traveling musician has worked with a number of artists, and has inspired countless more."
