Key West Music And Happenings: “SMILE!”

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FUN!!!

Some actually cool issues are taking place
as we communicate! Nearly everybody within the music circles that Dani and I
are related to, know Emily Randle! Emily wants no
introduction. We have had the respect of getting Emily sit in with us at
gigs over time, plus, Emily has additionally recorded with me on my
album “All The Greatest From Key West” (Her solo on Island Women
provides you with goose bumps!) the place she was simply excellent! Thank
you, Emily!

Emily has performed with a plethora of
artists from everywhere in the U.S. She’s additionally profession navy, in lively service with The
United States Military! She’s at present assigned to do the logistics for the Military Band!  That is obtained to be a juggling act!

Included in her juggling act, she’s performed with Peter Meyer, Scott Kirby, Thom Sheppard, The Shanty Hounds, Keith Sykes, John Patti, and plenty of extra!

Emily’s Album out there on Amazon 

https://www.amazon.com/Lady-My-Desires-Emily-Randle/dp/B01M7VMVBZ

Not all that many individuals in our circles are acquainted with Ed Alstrom. Nevertheless, on the very prime of music circles, Ed is extra than very well-known!

  Ed and I went to highschool collectively. Imagine me, Ed is a musical genius. He is not one to blow his personal horn about it. He is at all times been only a good, good man. His most important instrument is the Hammond B3
organ, although give him ten minutes on every other instrument that he is
not acquainted with, and he’ll have it mastered. (In highschool he
picked up a guitar, having by no means performed a guitar, and had Ten Years
After’s tune I am Going Residence, down, observe for observe in lower than per week … is that sick, or
what? Simply one of the unimaginable musical feats I’ve witnessed in my life. I used to be awe struck) 

Larry Baeder, who along with taking part in Key West, additionally owns a studio in New York Metropolis, instructed me some time again that
Ed is the “Go to B3 participant in NYC”. 

 That interprets to Ed being
the perfect Hammond B3 participant in an NYC Metro space, inhabitants of 20,140,
470 (2021 stats). Add to that that NYC is arguably the most important music
hub within the U.S. catering from the whole lot from bar gigs, performs, jazz
golf equipment, Latin music venues, avenue festivals, Madison Sq.
Backyard, The Metropolitan Opera Home, to Carnegie Corridor, and the whole lot else.

A partial roster of whom Ed’s performed
with embrace:

 Bette
Midler, Chuck Berry, Leonard Bernstein, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Fisher,
Odetta, Dion, Larry Coryell, Blood Sweat and Tears, Darlene Love,
LaLa Brooks, Ronnie Spector, Lou Rawls, Zubin Mehta, Donald Fagan,
John Sebastian, Hubert Sumlin, Uncle Floyd, Peter Noone, Levon Helm,
Al Kooper, Stanley Jordan, Eddie Brigati, Steven Van Zandt, Ben E.
King, Cissy Houston, Chubby Checker, Rick Derringer, Melanie, John
Lloyd Younger, and plenty of different notables.

Sure,
that truly is THE Herbie Hancock, Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta,
Donald Fagan (Steely Dan)….. 😮

 Ed
can also be dwelling his childhood dream because the weekend organist for the
New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. which he is been doing for nearly
twenty years!



Final
12 months Ed was gracious sufficient to play on my tune “King Tide”, off
my “Trimaran” EP! Thanks, Ed!



Ed’s album “Gettin Organ * ized” is obtainable on Amazon! 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003644UP8/ref=dm_rwp_pur_lnd_albm_hd

Additionally, take a look at Ed’s YouTube channel with round 250  songs listed

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46viM3LlL9LlKn4N2DdNkQ/movies

Now
the “FUN STUFF” occurring in the meanwhile!

As
we communicate, Ed Alstrom is laying down tracks for my tune “SMILE!”!
Up in New Jersey

Subsequent week Emily can be laying down her
tracks for “SMILE!” as nicely in Washington DC!

After
that, I am going to add my further tracks right here in Key West.



After
that, I am going to add my further tracks right here in Key West, plus some guitar belches, hiccups and croaks and hopefully some guitar work, offering I do not hearth myself.

Clearly,
it is a very thrilling factor taking place! As I say, Ed is laying his
tracks down as I write this!

The
tune has 5 verses and two refrain. Inside that framework there’s a
solo for each Ed and Emily in the course of the tune. I’ve already laid
down the rhythm guitar, together with Claire Finley on Bass, Randy Stindt
on drums, Alan Jax Bowers on percussion, and Ericson Holt on piano.

At
the top of the vocal portion, is the place it will get actually attention-grabbing!

The
music continues on it is 13 chord development, the usual
verse development for this tune. The solos will go on prime of that,
albeit with the solos divided on every development. It is going to be a
musical trade dialog between Key West, Washington D.C., and
the NYC Metropolitan space! 

Whole operating time  is 5:05. Lengthy sufficient to showcase each the story, melody, vocals, and lengthy sufficient to showcase the musicianship, but on the identical time, brief sufficient to maintain inside pop radio’s time limitations!

Wait!
There’s extra….

It
was a wet night time in Miami in early 1983. Rain is not the suitable phrase,
it was what I name “Hearth Hose Rain”. It was coming down like a
hurricane, however with no wind in any respect.

I
was dwelling within the again half of a pleasant, cozy little duplex, with my
first spouse, Mercy. Out the door was a superb sized yard. The home
had a 6X6 vestibule with jalousie home windows on two sides, plus the door. they had been all about 3/4 open. Because the rain was coming down fully vertical, I had no purpose to shut them 

That
rain was coming down so laborious and so loud! I went again in and grabbed my guitar. It was a pure! I began taking part in to the rain coming down. The rain gave the impression of a
band! I ended arising with this cool music that just about
highlighted the important thing of C and a bunch of chords rooted within the C chord. C . C Maj7, C6, C7, C6/9… and so forth. There have been a dozen chords within the development, plus,
seven extra within the Dm rooted refrain. It was actually melodic, with a contact of a
Brazilian really feel to it.

I
was actually proud of it. The lyrics did not come that night time, however I
knew they’d. What I did not notice was how lengthy it might be!

I
tried writing the lyrics the following day, however they by no means “flew by means of the room” as Keith Richards cash it. Lastly, after per week or
so, I finished making an attempt. Over time, about a few times a month, or a 12 months I would give it a go,
however nothing.

Then,
on March 16, 2016, thirty-three years after the music was written, the
lyrics got here! The third verse was a bit of awkward and Dani helped me easy that out, plus, she’ll have vocal elements upcoming within the recording. In March, whereas recording the vocals at Heat Fuzz studios right here in Key West with producer Ian Shaw, I modified the
refrain! Ha Ha! Does it ever finish? Make that thirty 9 years to completion!

So,
I see this recording to be a really particular recording of a very particular tune! Thirty-9 years within the making! 😮😮😯

Thank
you to all who’re serving to!

Proper
now and through subsequent week, magic is going on!

Ed,
Emily, Randy, Claire, Alan, Ericson, Dani, And the unsung heroes
behind the scenes who will make the whole lot sound fabulous when the
recording is completed, producer/engineer Ian Shaw and The Grasp of Mastering,
Denis Blackham.

THANK
YOU!!

Please
keep tuned! I am going to preserve you posted!

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“Time Traveler – The Oddities and Adventures of a Key West Bartender”. The primary of the collection! 

Comply with Mark Straight’s persevering with journey and friendships from present Key West, again to historic Key West and elsewhere!

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