Rory Gallagher’s iconic 1961 Fender Stratocaster recently fetched more than $1 million at auction, but the bigger news is that the guitar will remain in Ireland.
This was a perfect excuse to spotlight the incredible career of Gallagher and that’s exactly what happened on the Nov. 9 edition of Greasy Tracks.
It was a deep-dive in Gallagher’s catalog, including tracks from the recently released 18-disc collection of Rory live at BBC. Best-known for his electric playing, the feature included a number of acoustic tracks by Gallagher to highlight his oft-overlooked ability on “wooden” instruments!
Insight was provided by those who knew and played with Rory as well as an industry expert who has vast experience acquiring instruments for one of the world’s largest, most wide-ranging collections.
Those interviewed included: Dónal Gallagher and Daniel Gallagher — Rory’s brother and nephew, respectively — who have overseen the guitarist’s estate; bassist Gerry McAvoy who spent nearly 20 years playing with Rory; and Marc Johnson, chief guitar curator of the Jim Irsay Collection .
While Irsay’s collection is widely regarded as one of the finest on the planet, a largely overlooked part of his passion for music is his family’s charity, Kicking The Stigma, which focuses on mental health and drug addiction treatment awareness.
Reponse to the feature was been outstanding. One listener wrote: “Rory Gallagher was beyond guitar solos. He made me proud to be Irish!”
The group, which hails from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, recently spoke with Devo during an appearance in The Sinclair in Cambridge, Mass., discussing how they formed and about their recent EP release, Paradise Alone (Right On Records).
Formed in 2004, the initial line-up — featuring Ewan Currie (guitar/vocals), Ryan Gullen (bass/vocals) and Sam Corbett (drums) — was known at The Brakes. The trio were students at The University of Saskatchewan and had an affinity for classic rock which wasn’t being played much in their local music venues.
They decided to begin making their own music and released their self-titled debut EP in 2006. Later that year, they added an additional guitarist, Leot Hansen and changed their name to The Sheepdogs.
They then recorded their self-released debut long-player, Trying To Grow at Cosmic Pad Studios in Saskatoon. After two years of touring, they followed with The Sheepdogs’ Big Stand in 2007. In 2010, they followed with the independent release, Learn & Burn.
In 2011, they caught a break by winning a contest with Rolling Stone magazine of unsigned bands and were featured on the cover. This led to their being signed by Atlantic Records.
In 2012, they teamed up with Black Keys’ drummer Patrick Carney who produced their self-titled album which was released in September of that year. The album went platinum and hit No. 1 on the Canadian charts. This ushered in long stretches of tours in the U.S. and Europe.
The band added Currie’s younger brother, multi-instrumentalist Shamus, to the lineup. Following Hansen’s exiting the band in 2014, they added guitarist Jimmy Bowskill. Two more albums would come out in the ensuing years: Future Nostalgia (2016) and Changing Colors (2017).
In early 2020, they were slated to tour with The Black Key,s but that was up-ended by the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, they went into the studio and began work on their next album, No Simple Thing, (Warner Music Canada) which was released in 2021. In 2022, they put out Outta Sight (Warner Music Canada).
Personnel changes continued as Bowskill left the band in 2022 and was replaced by Ricky Paquette.
The band plans to release another EP, Hell Together, on Nov. 7.
It was a curious combination of roots music, swamp rock, hill country and classic electric blues as the Sept. 21 edition of Greasy Tracks featured Do The Rump! (Forty Below Records) by JD Simo and Luther Dickinson which was released on Sept. 20.
In addition to tracking through the entire album, there were interviews with Simo and Dickinson who discuss how the project, featuring their interpretations of chestnuts by Junior Kimbrough, John Lee Hooker, Bobby Charles, J.J. Cale and R.L. Burnside, came about.
Hailing from Chicago, but based in Nashville, Simo blends blues, rock and soul in his playing and in addition to fronting his own band, has been a go-to guitarist for decades be it for road or studio work.
He’s currently working on the soundtrack for Deliver Me From Nowhere. The Bruce Springsteen biopic, based on the book by Warren Zanes documenting the recording of Nebraska, is being directed by Scott Cooper and is scheduled to start filming this fall. Previously, he worked on the score and soundtrack for the 2022 Baz Luhurmann-directed, Elvis.
Luther Dickinson, JD Simo and Adam Abrashoff.
Like Simo, Dickinson is a respected guitarist and throughout his career has proven his versatility — not only as a band leader, but in the studio as a player or producer as well as filling a key role as part of a touring band.
Born in Memphis, but raised in North Mississippi, Dickinson is best-known for his work — with multi-instrumentalist brother Cody — in the multi-Grammy Award-nominated North Mississippi Allstars. He also did spells with the Black Crowes and Phil Lesh & Friends.
The duo first played together when Simo was part of the Phil & Friends line-up that included the North Mississippi All Stars.
Do The Rump! marks the first recording collaboration for Simo and Dickinson who were joined by drummer Adam Abrashoff who has worked with Simo for many years.
In addition to the vast musical chops of the trio, their embrace of spontaneity and literally refusing to tinker with the tapes was what makes this release such a gem.
Simo, Dickinson and Abrashoff knocked the album out in short order with a series of live-in-the-studio performances at Simo’s House of Grease studio in Nashville. The speedy recording process was spared any overdubs or production trickery.
The five-piece line-up — with members hailing from New Britain, Newington, North Branford and West Hartford — released a handful of singles this summer as well as a re-issue of their 2022 debut album, Re-Imagination, which has been remastered.
The band includes Alan Bruce (bass), Stanley Grala (drums), David Lawson (lead vocals), Shawn Mangan (guitar) and Jacek Olejnik (keyboards). They joined host “Bungalow Bill” Walsh to talk about the album and perform tracks from it.
Despite being known primarily as a “classic rock” cover band, John Street’s album is all original material.
The Aug. 17 edition of Greasy Tracks featured a return to focusing on musicians who had tragic, and usually, short-lived careers despite their incredible talent. This time, it was the multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood.
Part Of The Sound: Chris Wood on stage with Traffic at Fillmore West in 1973. (David Miller photo)
Following this feature, the Aug. 24 edition of the program did three hours of other artists covering Traffic. Here’s the archive and playlist.
Best known as a founding member of Traffic, Wood’s saxophone and flute playing proved to play a major role in the band’s sound, in studio or on stage. He was also a capable keyboardist.
Wood’s early interest in music was nurtured by his family — he initially pursued classical flute studies at the Birmingham School of Music. However, it was the burgeoning jazz and blues scene that captured his imagination. This passion led him to the London club scene where he began shaping his musical identity.
The Original Four: Traffic in 1967 (clockwise from top) Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, Steve Winwood and Chris Wood. (Getty images)
In 1967, Wood returned to Birmingham and co-founded Traffic with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Dave Mason. Around the same time, Birmingham was also home to such emerging bands as Black Sabbath, The Move, The Moody Blues and Chicken Shack.
The band quickly gained popularity for their unique blend of styles. Wood’s saxophone and flute work were integral to the band’s sound, adding depth and texture to their compositions. Notable albums from this early period include their psychedelic debut Mr. Fantasy (1967) the more blues-folk-jazzy follow-up Traffic (1968) and the Winwood-solo-effort-turned-band-release John Barleycorn Must Die (1970).
On The Road: Chris Wood (left) and David Hood at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco in 1973. (Dan Curry photo).
Wood’s talents were not confined to Traffic alone. He was an in-demand session musician, contributing to the works of other notable artists, especially when Traffic was on hiatus. Studio work included collaborations with Jimi Hendrix on the seminal Electric Ladyland album, where Wood’s flute was a key ingredient to “1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)” — a true psychedelic soundscape.
Amongst others, he also worked with included: Free, John Martyn, Nick Drake and Ginger Baker’s Air Force.
Despite his reputation as a talented player, Wood faced significant health challenges throughout his life, much of it brought on by substance abuse, thus impacting his career, personal life and mental/physical well-being.
Chris Wood on stage with Traffic at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome during the 1973 tour to support Shootout At The Fantasy Factory. (Brian Cooke phoito).
Before Traffic’s initial breakup in 1974, Wood played a key role in a newer, more jazz-based sound the band introduced with the release of The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys in 1971. The album made the Billboard Top 10 in the U.S. and remains the band’s most successful offering.
His last album with Traffic was When the Eagle Flies (1974), which marked the end of an era for the band and for Wood’s active role in the music industry. Traffic broke up during the tour to support the album later that year.
Wood passed away in 1983 at the age of 39.
Traffic reformed for a year in 1994. The original four members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. There were plans for Winwood and Capaldi to revisit Traffic the following year, but Capaldi’s death at 60 marked the final chapter of the band.
Welcome To The Canteen: Traffic in transition (from left) Rick Grech, Anthony “Reebop” Kwaku Baah, Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood, Dave Mason (back) and Jim Gordon(front) at Mike’s Cafe in Blenheim Crescent, West London in 1971. (Brian Cooke photo).
High Speed Brakes, the WRTC station manager’s indie rock band, was recorded at the station at the end of Trinity’s spring 2024 semester.
Guitarist/vocalist Emeline Avignon — WRTC station manager for the last academic year — along with three of her Trinity friends, formed the band and recorded an EP of three original songs.
High Speed Brakes in performance
Avignon, drummer Max Campbell, bassist Rob Svitek, and guitarist/vocalist Victoria Camuy set up their instruments in the station’s production studio and a couple of offices where they were recorded and mixed by WRTC Chief Engineer John Schwenk (who does both broadcast and audio engineering).
Based in Rocky Hill, Pitchell recently released — with the help of some notable friends and family — Brown Eyed Blues (Deguello). Some of those “friends” included Duane Betts, Rick Derringer, Charles Neville and Reese Wynans. The project was co-produced by the legendary Tom Hambridge who also drummed on many of the tracks.
Pitchell was inducted into the Connecticut Blues Hall of Fame in 2018. While his style could be considered a fine blend of B.B. King meets Duane Allman and there’s no escaping a hint of Steve Ray Vaughan, his repertoire includes a wide mix of original material and covers.
Over the years, Jeff Pitchell has shared the stage with J. Geils, the Allman Brothers Band, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Rick Derringer, Dave Mason, Joe Cocker, Johnny Winter, Bo Diddley, Ben E. King, Clarence Clemons, Elvin Bishop, Pat Travers, James Cotton, Phil Lesh, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Simon Kirke and Joe Bouchard amongst others.
The Seattle-based Kashiwa spent a decade with The Rippingtons and later formed The Sax Pack with Steve Cole and Kim Waters. He recently performed at the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz with 480 East. His latest release, Luminoso, celebrates the music of Brazilian singer/songwriter Joyce Moreno.
Kashiwa has released 12 solo albums and currently teaches music technology courses at Shoreline Community College in Seattle.
In addition to his newest offering, the program will feature tracks from Kashiwa’s 2021 album, Sunrise.
Bembridge, who goes by the stage name Toplane, is a reggae artist hailing from Jamaica. With his infectious rhythms, soulful vocals and thought-provoking lyrics, he’s established himself rising figure in the reggae music scene.
Born and raised in Portland, Jamaica, Toplane developed a deep passion for music from a young age.
Influenced by the rich cultural heritage and vibrant music scene of his homeland, he immersed himself in the sounds of reggae, lovers rock and dancehall. Inspired by legendary artists like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Dennis Brown, Toplane honed his craft and embraced the power of music as a form of expression.
In 2019, Under the name Vitchous, he released his debut album, Trust the Process. Blending traditional reggae sounds with contemporary production techniques, the album featured a collection of powerful tracks that tackled social issues, love and personal growth.
In 2021, he changed his stage name to Toplane and has since started an entire rebranding with a stream of new and even more powerful music.
The July 20 edition of Greasy Tracks paid tribute to Toni Fishman — the electronic visionary and founder of pioneering microphone company TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik — who passed away on July 12 at the age of 55.
The program primarily features live recordings of Max Creek and Zero — Fishman’s two favorite bands. Here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.
Many of the tracks aired were recorded by Fishman, some dating back several decades.
The broadcast marked the 1,400th edition of Greasy Tracks which is in its 30th year at WRTC.
Under Fishman’s leadership, Telefunken USA was incorporated in South Windsor, Conn., in 2001. It became Telefunken Elektroakustik in 2009. It’s best known for producing/designing a wide range of microphones and related high-fidelity recording equipment.
“Toni was a visionary leader and founder, and an integral part of our company from Day 1,” the company said in a statement.
In addition to housing it’s R&D and production at it’s base in South Windsor, the company also has one of the best-sounding performance/recording spaces in the state — the TELEFUNKEN Studios & Soundstage which has been the site for the long-running “Live From The Lab” series.
“Toni was not just the owner, but also a mentor and friend to many,” the company said.
“His vision, passion, and dedication were the driving force behind our success, and his absence is deeply felt by all of us. Despite our loss of Toni, we will carry on. It was Toni’s wish that our company continue to create the finest audio equipment in the world.”
Fishman and T-Funk have been long-time friends and supporters of WRTC.
