专辑简介

The Organes Brothers Band consists of brothers Ed and Ken, who did all of the composing and most of the singing and playing on the CD, augmented and supported by a cadre of fine musicians and singers (more later…read on). Our music stems from years of performing and life experience. We have always been solid sidemen and it has rewarded us well both financially and artistically. We have been places, met people and done things that would not have been possible without our music. I guess the phrase that best describes us is, "road scholars." But the time finally came to lay down some of the material that we have been working on over the years and see where it goes. Here's a brief synopsis of the songs and what inspired them: The opening track, Barroom Angel came to mind while playing in a rockabilly joint a few years back. The barmaids busted their humps each night to serve their customers who were sometimes, shall we say, less than gracious. Their only break came when they would all leave their posts each night to stand on the dance floor and listen to Stray Cat Blues. I Want to Go Back to New Orleans is written from the perspective of a fugitive of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He has moved on and made a new life for himself but the memories and pull of the Big Easy are calling him back home. Virtually all blues are written from the perspective the down and out. Terminal Blues, though, is about a business traveller stuck in an airport with no means of escape in sight. We hope you enjoy this lighthearted take on the genre. Henry Thomas was written about the father of a colleague who died a few years back. The testimonials at his funeral all centered on what a fine neighbor he was. A common theme is that he would be at your back door with his tool kit in hand before you even realized that you needed help. Ken's wife, Peggy, said, "That's what's wrong with America today. in the past, when times were tough, neighbor would help neighbor and we'd get through it together." That was the inspiration for the song. Heck, that is the song. Playing for Tips on Broadway was inspired by the musicians playing for tips in the honky-tonks on Broadway in Nashville and hoping for their big break. If you ever get to Nashville, this is a scene you have to catch. In fact, many of the performers are well known musicians who are between tours and playing for gas money. I Had Another Dream About You speaks to anyone who has had a crush on someone who, in addition to dominating their waking thoughts, crashes in on their dreams as well. Please Listen Carefully is a lighthearted take on those annoying menus we all encounter when all we want to speak to a live person. God Help the Working is written on behalf of all those Americans who have seen their jobs sent overseas. We tried to get the message across without being too heavy and I think we succeeded. Country Bars is an unabashed country song about, well, country bars, and the patrons who inhabit them. It's a tribute to a simpler time and place and the retro sound is intended to reinforce that atmosphere. Jitterbug is a tribute to someone who worked the better part of his life on the railroad primarily as a porter on the office cars that the executives used to travel travel on back in the day. He was universally known as "Jitterbug" although we always called him by his given name out of respect. He was extremely popular. Just about everyone was his friend, or so it seemed… Picture Album is the most personal song on the CD. It's about someone who picks up an old picture album on a rainy day and is suddenly filled with poignant memories. I would be remiss not to talk about some of the fine musicians who lent their talents to this CD. Veteran session player Michael Stanley takes the prize for the sheer amount of instruments played and solos taken. Mike played harmonica, flute, tenor sax and soprano sax. His solos are sizzling and exciting and always fit with the music. Every one of his amazing solos were keepers on the first or second take. John LeMaster is a Nashville cat who just amazes on pedal steel. We were lucky to have him on this CD. Matt Cohen is a phenominal vocalist but also a fine guitarist in his own right. His acoustic solos are always right on. Teri Mills is a veteran band singer who lent just the right feel to God Help the Working, softening the edges of the message just enough with her pretty tone. We heard Bernie Simms play the hammered dulcimer and knew we just had to have him on the CD. He lends an ethereal Appalachian sound to Henry Thomas. Band leader and accordian stalwart Jay Sandler lends just the right Cajun feel to I Want to Go Back to New Orleans. David Organes and Rachel Kenneth are the children of Organes Brother Ken. They lent their great vocal talents to I Want to Go Back to New Orleans and I Had Another Dream About You. Made their dad proud. Pete Lewis is a scary guitarist, but in a good way. He takes you to the outer edges and you wonder how he's ever going to get back. Listen to the resolve of the solo in Barroom Angel. Last but certainly not least, there's TK Hilton. TK's had quite a career of his own both as a recording artist and as a sideman to Loretta Lynn. We just had to have him for that authentic country sound on vocals, piano and fiddle and he didn't disappoint. And, hey, the Organes Brothers hold their own on vocals, guitar, bass and piano (ED) and vocals, percussion and guitar (Ken). Finally, thanks to Mike Olberding of Outloud Studios. His technical proficiency and musical ability allowed us to trust and depend on him. Thank you to everyone involved in the production of Picture Album.