Can you believe another Friday is here?  I can’t.  The week went by in a whirlwind.  Somehow or another I was able to rotate through another batch of songs multiple times and nab ones that are each special in their own way.  

The first one immediately caught my ear, more for Jack Bruce and immediately recognizing the song as a cover of a famous Jimi Hendrix song, Manic Depression.  This cover is listed as Steve Clarke Network, featuring Jack Bruce.  Learn more bout Steve Clarke Network HERE.  I love how the music emulates the chaos of the manic stage of manic depression, now known as bipolar disorder.

This next guy is one of those fantastic guitarists you’ve never heard of. It’s why I love listening to this channel. Tom Bukovac (12/20/68) is an American session guitarist and producer. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in nearby Willowick, Ohio. He has been a Nashville-based musician since 1992. He previously owned 2nd Gear, a used music consignment shop in South Nashville. And… Bukovac has played on over 1200 albums!  “Fall is Here” is from his 2021 solo album Plex Soul.

I thought this song sounded familiar and I was right. It’s a Roger Miller cover! “It Takes All Kinds to Make A World” is a humorous song with a message of try to find the humor in any situation no matter how much you want to cry. Bryan Sutton and Trey Hensley do it up right. The song is a single from an upcoming Bryan Sutton bluegrass album, “From Roots to Branches.”

This next song uses digital technology to combine a contemporary musical artist with old gold. Laurence Jones (b. 2/13/92) is an English blues rock guitarist, and singer-songwriter. He has released four solo albums to date and is signed to Ruf Records. Jones has won four British Blues Awards, including ‘Young Artist of the Year’ for three consecutive years. With Follow Me, Jones digitally duets with Rory Gallagher. Gallagher (b. 3/2/48 – d. 6/14/95) was an Irish musician, singer, and songwriter, known as, “Ireland’s first rock star.” This is the second song Laurence has dueted with Gallagher on.  “Follow Me” was written by Rory Gallagher and was on his 1979 album, “Top Priority.”

Trails of Yesterday, by Johan Glössner has a sound that is familiar but is different enough to pull me in. It’s kind of bluegrassy, kind of funky. This is from Epidemic Sound:

Swedish multi-instrumentalist and composer Johan Glössner has had music in his body since before he can remember. Glössner’s musical talents were distinguishable as a child when he began writing and recording songs very early. Now everything has come full circle for his musical career. Glössner has spent countless hours and years honing his craft. Writing and producing a song for The Tenors, mixed by Bob Ezrin with strings recorded at Abbey Road was a true milestone accomplishment of his musical career. In addition to this unique musical achievement, Glössner has also played instruments on Eurovision song contest winner 2011, “Running Scared” (Eli and Nikki). His music is catchy and organic – a sound completely unique to him. As guitars strum captivating melodies, the vibrant harmonies flow and rise in each dreamy record he releases. In addition to writing and producing, Johan works as a multi-instrumentalist, having recorded hundreds of songs and is currently a touring musician. With an upcoming year full of release and collaborations, Glössner is excited to grow his eclectic fanbase.

Red Dirt Boogie, Brother, by Jesse Ed Davis is a real gem of a find. James Calemine’s blog had the best information on, “Jesse Ed Davis: Red Dirt Boogie The Atco Recordings 1970-1972,” stating These nineteen recordings culled from the Atlantic Records vault that comprise Red Dirt Boogie were released by Real Gone Records in 2017. Notable musicians that played on Davis’ first two albums include “Duck” Dunn, Jim Keltner, Dr. John, Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, Gram Parsons and Merry Clayton among others. Of the nine songs on Davis’ debut album–six are original compositions. He handles all vocal duties. Davis’ father painted the cover to this first album that was released in 1971. ” I learned that Red Dirt Boogie, Brother, was on Jesse’s 2^nd album, “Ululu,” released in 1972. There is more info at James’ site about Jesse. If I remember correctly Atco was the company that The Beatles were connected with and had (have?) a terrible reputation.

From wikipedia:
Jesse Edwin Davis III (b. 9/21/44 – d. 6/22/88) was a Native American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was well regarded as a session artist and solo performer, was a member of Taj Mahal’s backing band and played with musicians such as Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Jackson Browne. In 2018, Davis was posthumously inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame at the 18th Annual Native American Music Awards. Davis was an enrolled citizen of the Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma, with Comanche, Muscogee, and Seminole ancestry.

Crosstown Traffic by Solis String Quartet / Sarah Jane Morris is another cover of a Jimi Hendrix song, and it is a fascinating cover by an innovative vocalist, backed up by a string quartet. I wasn’t sure what to make of it on the first listen, but it has pleasantly grown on me on subsequent listens. Please give it a chance. From what I could find out this is not the first covers album they have done. “Forever Young,” released from Italy this year, has 13 tracks on it. Crosstown Traffic is the 11^th track.

Sarah Jane Morris (b. 3/21/59) is a British singer of pop, jazz, rock and R&B and a songwriter from Southampton, England. The Solis String Quartet, per Classical Musicians.com are:

The Solis String Quartet,born in 1991, from the encounter of four young graduated absolute talents of the Conservatory of San Pietro a Maiella of Naples, Italy.

Composers and arrangers, Vincenzo Di Donna – violin, Luigi De Maio – violin, Gerardo Morrone – Viola, Antonio Di Francia – Cello, joined to give life to one of the most meaningful artistic experiences ever produced in the city of Naples.
From 1991 until today, the ensemble has covered an artistic path of high importance, becoming undoubtedly one of the best Quartets of Europe in their genre.

If you think that song was different, With My Swagger by NoTrace and Kendra Dantes is really not my usual genre, but when I saw Kendra Dantes’ name, it grabbed my attention because someone blogged about her having a new album out last week and I listened to it and liked what I was hearing. With My Swagger was released as a single, but 2 versions, one with vocals and one an instrumental.

From NoTrace’s website:

NoTrace doesn’t front with a lot of brash talk, lusty imagery and shocking statements about wealth, violence or misogyny. He straight up counsels a generation of troubled, disgruntled youth, leaving trite superficialities like race, gender and creed out of the picture and replacing them with simple truths like love, kinship, finding your inner-strength and employing wit and wisdom over weapons and warfare as a means of discovering your place in this world”.

Emerging with a fresh, forward thinking spin on hip-hop that draws creative energy from elements of pop, classic R&B, and dance, music – and everyone from his iconic childhood influence Tupac, to his family relatives The Emotions – the multi-talented Chicago born, Minnesota based artist @NoTrace came up with his sly moniker one day while freestyling, when a friend said something cool about his personality.

He’s a quiet and reserved “Empath” by nature, But when NoTrace gets on the mic, he’s a master storyteller, rapping, rhyming and putting together tracks that brace to the heart and galvanize the spirit. NoTrace sets himself apart from the hip-hop masses by stressing the importance of strong relationships and family.

From Kendra’s website:

Emerging from Sacramento CA, Kendra Dantes is an anthemic singer-songwriter with a passion for cinematic pop. Kendra’s songwriting is largely inspired by her favorite novels, and her music features dark and powerful production with haunting lyrics. 
 Her dreams of getting her music on TV came true with the premiere of season 6, episode 1 of LUCIFER on NETFLIX! She also has music placed on Oxygen’s COLD JUSTICE, and Netflix’s SELLING SUNSET. 
 “Snake” with Nino Tosco and “Vicious” with Kaya Hass are out NOW with the release of the Folk of the Air inspired collab album “Under the Hill” by Bookish Songs Collective, and more music is coming soon! Stay tuned and be sure to catch Kendra’s latest on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, FB, Instagram and all your other favorite platforms!

Happy Friday!