Lenny Breau & Brad Terry - The Complete Living Room Tapes

[ormsbop]

I picked this up at Tower yesterday. 27 bucks?! Yikes! Well it's proving to be a wise investment -- I've gone through the two and half hours of music twice and just can't get enough (believe me I normally don't stay with solo guitar that long). This is just AMAZING and beautiful playing and its staying in my CD player for the next few months.

The Complete Living Room Tapes are a two CD set that brings together material previously released in two separate volumes under same title. Includes 4 previously unreleased tracks as well as spoken introductions to some songs. All tracks have been digitally re-mastered. the sound is actually quite good (some were recorded in Brad Terry's living room, others in small local venues around Maine but all with decent professional equipment). The additional 4 tracks are kind of spotty audio-wise, but worth it. Bonus contains duets w/ clarinetist Terry on of My Funny Valentine and a longer version of Autumn Leaves. The last two illustrate Breau's humor ("Ever hear my impression of Johnny Cash?...") as well as his complete mastery of the instrument.

It's a damn shame that Breau's virtually been forgotten - no hyperbole, he was one of the greatest ever. Guitarists have no excuse for ignoring this one. Even non-guitarists should enjoy this.

[Nate Dorward]

"Virtually been forgotten"? Hope not! But I think that he's still admired greatly by those in the know, especially in Canada.

I don't know Breau's recordings that well, but he was certainly a remarkable musican. I've got the reissued twofer of Five O'Clock Bells & Mo' Breau plus the original LP issues of Quietude & Legacy. Those LPs in particular are remarkable stuff--the live version of "Visions" is if anything better than the studio recording on Five O'Clock Bells--& I gather were made available with unreleased material as Live at Bourbon Street some years back.

[ormsbop]

Yeah, I hope not too. It was just my impression I guess. God bless Canadians. just found the web site set up by Randy Bachman (rocker of Guess Who, BTO fame) that offers a bunch of Breau's recordings and gives the money back to the estate.


I forgot to add that "the Complete Living Room Tapes" were released on the "Art of Life" label. Chet Atkins felt they contained some of Breau's best playing. Some of tracks are duets, others are solo guitar. Very sensitive interplay between Brad Terry and Breau. I should mention Terry is an excellent clarinetist too.
I've always liked the guitar/clarinet duet instrumentation.

[Nate Dorward]

Wasn't actually aware of many guitar/clarinet duets! I guess there's Billy Novick's output....plus Derek Bailey/Alex Ward....I don't suppose Alden & Peplowski ever did a duo album? & I guess there's Giuffre's trios with Jim Hall + bassist.....

[Mark Kleinhaut]

It may be worth mentioning that this CD can be bought on-line directly from the micro-label at http://www.artofliferecords.com/livingroom.html

By the way, Brad Terry is alive and well in Bath, Maine...a wonderful and amazing musician.