Danny Gatton And Funhouse: Live At The Holiday Inn 1987 (Gress Records)
One of the most talented but paradoxically less famous guitarists, Danny Gatton was a true phenomenon. When other guitarists heard him, they described him as “The Humbler” – which was also the title of a posthumously released album, The Humbler with Robert Gordon (NRG, 1996) and a lovingly produced biographical movie.
Although most associated with rockabilly and country and western, Gatton was equally at home playing jazz and proved as virtuosic as any of the best jazz guitarists, if not better. Gatton was also aware of his unique ability to play a mélange of genres simultaneously, referring to this as “redneck jazz”. Such was his virtuosity that he was fêted by the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Albert Lee and Steve Vai. Gatton’s relative obscurity was highlighted in Guitar Player magazine in March 1989, when the cover depicted him symbolically half-masked; the accompanying feature was headed “Unknown Greats! Amazing Players You’ve Never Heard Of.”
One theory for his lack of recognition (compared to say Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton) was that his oeuvre was too diverse and therefore a marketing challenge. He was signed to only one major label which released 88 Elmira St. (Elektra, 1991) and Cruisin’ Deuces (Elektra, 1993). But amongst his other albums, mainly released on the NRG label, he recorded some jazz albums of note. One was the one-off date New York Stories (Blue Note, 1992) featuring Roy Hargrove and Joshua Redman. The other was Relentless with Joey DeFrancesco (Big Mo Records, 1994).
The Holiday Inn in Arlington, Virginia was a regular venue for Gatton and his straightahead jazz group Funhouse (which fluctuated between two varying contingents, Funhouse I and Funhouse II, sometimes utilising up to four horn players). Thankfully, one gig, on 27 September 1987, was recorded. Gatton was accompanied by long-time associate John Previti on bass plus Chris Battistone (trumpet) and Barry Hart (drums).
This issue of the session was gleaned from a YouTube recording that’s been around for about a decade and here has been expertly remastered. The set includes tunes well known to jazzers such as Ellington’s Take The A Train, delivered at breakneck speed with Gatton’s solo replete with daredevil ultra-fast runs. On Wes Montgomery’s Fried Pies Gatton initially channels his guitar through a Leslie speaker so it sounds like a Hammond B3 organ before launching into a blistering torrent of notes. The more laid-back One For Lenny is a paean to guitarist Lenny Breau. There’s an exuberant Latin version of On Green Dolphin Street, some staccato attack on Besame Mucho, and a helter skelter Killer Joe. The extensive liner notes are by award-winning music journalist Dan Forte.
This is one of the few recordings on which Gatton demonstrates that if he had played jazz exclusively, he could easily have ranked alongside the all-time greats – Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt and Wes Montgomery. But to the cognoscenti that is already the case.
The Haas Company: Thirteen (Psychiatric Records PRT-CD-1004)
This is the fourth volume of recordings by The Haas Company, led by drummer Steve Haas. Its guest soloist is virtuoso violinist Jerry Goodman late of Mahavishnu Orchestra and The Flock. Haas, who hails from Houston, Texas, has collaborated with some big names including guitarist Frank Gambale and bassist John Patitucci. Wallace Roney is featured on The Haas Company’s debut album (Volume 1 of the series), Galactic Tide (Psychiatric Records, 2024). Along with Goodman, Sean Lennon, son of John Lennon, played guitar on Volume 3 of the series, Song For Mimi (Psychiatric Records, 2025); here he guests on one track, playing bass guitar. Bassist Kirwan Brown played on all four Haas albums and Swedish guitarist Samuel Hällkvist appeared on all except Volume 1. Keyboardist and musical director Pete Drungle has also played on all four recordings and composed all the tracks on Thirteen.
Back Door Party is underpinned by a slinky bass groove with Drungle overlaying snake-like synth. That’s joined by Hällkvist’s fuzzy guitar and Goodman’s irrepressible violin. The title track opens with a soundscapey vibe that suddenly explodes with a strident riff whilst This Thing Ain’t Gonna Suck Itself is a seven-minute wig-out with a memorable hook and some excellent arpeggiated violin from Goodman. The closer, Sleepwalker, starts with uncompromising heavy metal that melds with soaring violin lines into a staccato-based outing with Goodman’s double-stopping and Haas’ vital snare beat driving the number along; Hällkvist’s high-register soloing augments this Eastern-flavoured tune.
Whether this album should be defined as jazz-rock or fusion is moot; ultimately it’s a gripping and thoroughly enjoyable session and it’s a bonus to hear Goodman still on top form.
Laurence Juber: A Day In My Life (Hologram Recordings HLR1615)
Not including A Day In My Life, Laurence Juber has recorded 30 albums under his own name including three of Beatles compositions, the last being the prophetically titled LJ Can’t Stop Playing The Beatles! (Hologram Recordings, 2017). The majority are solo fingerstyle guitar recordings.
Juber is an extraordinarily talented musician: he graduated from Goldsmith’s College with a degree in music and was a featured soloist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. In 1975 he briefly joined John L Walters’ Landscape, where he was heard playing electric (non-fingerstyle) guitar on a BBC Jazz In Britain broadcast. After continuing his career with session work, he was recruited in 1978 to replace Jimmy McCulloch in Paul McCartney’s Wings where he stayed for three years. During his Wings tenure he recorded Back To The Egg (Parlophone, 1979).
A Day In My Life was recorded at Abbey Road Studios where Juber was no stranger, having played on The Alan Parsons Project’s Tales Of Mystery And Imagination (Charisma, 1976) and on multiple occasions with Wings. Juber has won two Grammy awards and his LJ Plays The Beatles (Solid Air Records, 2000) was voted one of Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s all-time top 10 albums.
A Day In My Life is replete with imaginative arrangements and unalloyed virtuosity. The only piece not by The Beatles is Rainstorm, written by Juber and his wife Hope, and recorded as a medley with Rain. Whilst the selection of tracks contains the usual suspects that many have covered there are some really ambitious versions such as Juber’s takes on I Am The Walrus, Strawberry Fields Forever and on the harmonically rich And Your Bird Can Sing. It’s obvious that one of Juber’s strengths is his meticulous attention to the intricate melodies of these timeless classics.
