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New country with Vivaldi
Steve Morse collaborated on a new track with guitar player Angel Vivaldi. They have recorded a cover of New Country by Jean-Luc Ponty.
Angel Vivaldi band:
Violin — Siobhan Cronin
Bass — Joey Acampora
Keys — Ken Aihara
Drums — Bill Fore
Angel says:
This song is one I’ve dreamed of working with for well over a decade. Jean-Luc’s work has been instrumental in shaping my musical foundation, introducing me to artists like Chick Corea, whose influence is evident in my piece, ‘Eight.’ Collaborating with Steve Morse, and this incredible band, elevated this project to extraordinary levels. I’m truly thrilled that we had the opportunity to create music together.
Steve himself adds:
I love the fact that Angel is spreading his wings and taking on other genres than what he has already proven so good at. This Is a very difficult tune to play well. He played it well very easily while having a clear vision of the whole production.
Thanks to SteveMorse.com for the heads-up, and to Ultimate Guitar for the quotes.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Ah, Steve in one of his artful airbrush color sleeveless shirts again, I can never get enough of these bald eagle prints, très chic, DP’s stage presentation just ain’t the same without them.
Song ain’t bad, but then Jean-Luc rarely disappoints.
October 6th, 2024 at 21:00I encourage anyone with an interest for 70’s fusion to seek out the original version by J-LP. This was the stiffest cover I’ve heard in a long time. Steve should have done the song with the Dregs instead.
October 6th, 2024 at 21:34@1
October 6th, 2024 at 21:37Give Steve a break why don’t you 😄 he is really nice in his shirts!
Actually I’m thinking of asking my sweetie to wear something similar ☺️
Yo,
Good to see everyone having a good-time, even if the 1st-verse didn’t have any guitars in the mix, though the video showed otherwise lol !
And nice to have Steve’s solo showcased & applauded by the others.
Good band.
Adonai vasu !
October 6th, 2024 at 22:58I agree totally regarding The Dregs doing it. A promotion of sorts for the ensemble no doubt. The lady playing the violin should ‘cover up’ I do think, it wouldn’t look as tacky. I watched for about 30 seconds & couldn’t kill it quick enough. Cheers.
October 6th, 2024 at 23:58Like probably a lot of people here, I first learned about Jean-Luc Ponty via his guesting on Sir Elton’s Honky Château in 1972:
https://youtu.be/A9RoNQWc2Dc
I always thought that was a keyboard solo in the song, though a quite adventurous one for Reginald. Turns out it’s not:
QUOTE
It was Marc Bolan who suggested using Jean-Luc Ponty. The violin solo on the recording was a first take, using a “regular” violin as opposed to the artist’s custom-made electric instrument. Gus: “[Ponty] then spent the next two or three hours trying to top it and didn’t get near it. I can remember Elton wandering around saying, ‘He’s so sweet!’, which he was.”
UNQUOTE
Jean-Luc’s eerie violin (I think a then still teenage Eddie Jobson of later Curved Air, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa, UK and Jethro Tull took a careful listen!) is also on Amy
https://youtu.be/61DetXSfivU,
a gritty funk tour de force that shows that Elton wasn’t just a middle of the road artist.
QUOTE
Gus revealed that this song was written for his wife, whose name was in fact Sheila. “It’s actually not about my wife but my nickname for her used to be Amy. Elton said, ‘You know, I’d quite like to write a song for Sheila.’ And, I thought, ‘How sweet.’ She couldn’t wait for him to write this song and it turned out to be a song she can’t stand. I must admit, it’s not exactly one of my favorites.”
UNQUOTE
I actually think that Honky Château was Sir Elton’s best album, but maybe that is because it was the first one I heard from him.
***********************************************************
PS, lest we forget, for Herr MacGregor, the ole yes-man …
https://youtu.be/LZw9jgHsRQ0
Owner of a horse & cart! 😂
October 7th, 2024 at 03:11A bit too big a bite for this band, a demanding instrumental song .. a good attempt but the original is the original, the French volininist virtuoso Jean-Luc Ponty, accompanied by the fantastic guitarist Daryl Mark Stuermer (virtuoso acoustic guitar playing) and the groove bass line of Thomas William Fowler.. people associated with Zappa members of band Genesis. Drums played by Mark Craney. He played on Tommy Bolin’s last tour 1976
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d58Z-sod7lE
October 7th, 2024 at 09:00nice tune! nice shirt too Steve!!
October 7th, 2024 at 09:53Somewhere, far away from Copenhagen, a whimsical Karin risks her marriage:
“Actually I’m thinking of asking my sweetie to wear something similar ☺️“
Go ahead, but be aware that even among otherwise unsuspecting spouses, sudden divorce reasons can be manifold. 😐
While at the other end of the world, Herr MacGregor writes solemnly and in great concern:
“The lady playing the violin should ‘cover up’ I do think, it wouldn’t look as tacky. I watched for about 30 seconds & couldn’t kill it quick enough.”
OMG, a pair of cut-offs and a tummy-free blouse cast our island dweller into despair, inhibiting his musical enjoyment, now we’ve completely gone from Deep Purple to prude prog. 😂 And I thought you had a Catholic upbringing, which means coming to grips with the omnipresent threat of lascivious sin as opposed to trying to oust it from this world. Or did one of the Pilgrim ships somehow get lost and strand in Tasmania? 😎
Along with Rap/Hip-Hop, New Country is one of the most sexist genres ever, it is awash with cheer-leader-look-women in cropped tops and epilated long legs in cowboy boots looking for something NOT to wear. But help is on the way, Herr MacGregor, Maddie & Tae are about to change all that with their “Girl in a Country Song” …
https://youtu.be/_MOavH-Eivw
Recommended viewing, Karin, safe for work. ☝️🤓
I think I’ll have another dose or two of Ms Lorraine Lewis for the day, it helps me come to terms with that “don’t look too hot as a woman when playing music”-dialectic our chaste Herr MacGregor advocates.
https://youtu.be/sZn9gZ3npsY
https://youtu.be/YBu5lL9i5n4
October 7th, 2024 at 13:06@9
Whimsical? Thank you very much ☺️
Awww you’re very kind to be concerned for us, maybe you could combine your lawyer practise with marriage counselling 🤗
October 7th, 2024 at 17:50Trying ever so hard to ignore Uwe’s reply regarding dress code & all. I thought it was all about the music, oh well, back to saying a few prayers & going to confession to relieve me of all my guilt & sins. (That works every time). In regards to Jean Luc Ponty & that original version of New Country, a big influence there on The Dixie Dregs perhaps. I haven’t ever heard that track or any others off that Imaginary Voyage album. A stellar cast of musicians as Ivica says @ 7. Drummer Mark Craney (RIP) also ended up in Jethro Tull for one album & tour 1980/1. The keyboard player Allan Zavod (RIP) is an Australian, fancy that. He must have sailed over here on the correct ship! He also performed with Zappa in the 80’s apparently & he was also an accomplished film score composer, a very talented individual. I originally remembered Ponty from the second version of The Mahavishnu Orchestra days. He has recently announced his retirement from touring & he has had a prolific career indeed. Thanks for the Anderson Ponty band clip Uwe, I do remember that tour & his violin solo from Owner of a Horse & Cart was grand. Cheers.
October 7th, 2024 at 23:24@ 10 – For Uwe to combine his new marriage counselling business with a chain of fashion boutique stores Karin. He is going to be a very busy man indeed. I hope he doesn’t get too confused with it all. Cheers.
October 8th, 2024 at 10:06The fact that my divorced first wife and my current wife take vacation trips trips together where they ask me to NOT come along while I visit rock gigs with my wife’s first husband kinda predestines me for marriage counseling, that IS a thought! 😎
And I could never satisfy my son’s demands re accuracy of style and dress, he’s the kind of guy who requires period-correct stitches and fabrics on 50s shoes and T-shirts or it has no value to him. He’s in the business of creating fashion for California’s rich, young & beautiful.
https://footwearnews.com/gallery/lucchese-x-nick-fouquet-cowboy-boot-collection-photos/240614_bg_lucchese_nf_01_008/
I had to laugh when I saw/recognized a picture from his new campaign just a few days ago:
https://footwearnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/240614_BG_LUCCHESE_NF_01_132.jpg?w=1280
Those pin-striped brown suit pants over the black cowboy boots? That is the original pair worn by my late father, Leon (my son) rescued the two piece summer suit from my dad’s wardrobe closet (otherwise destined for the textile dumpster) after his death several years ago with the words: “And I’m keeping that!” And now it’s part of a fashion boots campaign across the pond. Karl-Heinz would have smiled about that. 🙂
October 8th, 2024 at 13:53@12
October 8th, 2024 at 14:27We are very lucky indeed to have Uwe here 🥰
This lot only started a-behavin’ once you showed up, Karin: You were like Grace Kelly arriving as the first female creature in a frontier mining town!
https://64.media.tumblr.com/4f8251a99113adbc21f9e8370f9c58fd/2ac1f67f560a0a06-e5/s1280x1920/d7b289d23eec2b33a294df7f57c30cbfed6279c3.jpg
October 9th, 2024 at 13:42@15
October 9th, 2024 at 16:58Uwe you’re way to kind to me, but thank you from the bottom of my heart ☺️
“He must have sailed over here on the correct ship!”
You mean there were volunteers too?!
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGI0NTI2OTgtMjMzYS00YWRjLTk3NzUtMWIxOTA2NGUwM2JkXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1920_.jpg
October 9th, 2024 at 21:43Yo,
I can’t believe we’re up to post 18, & n0-ones commented about how pretty the lady playing violin is, or how well she actually plays it, or how funny she looks when trying to play whilst the production team say “smile for the camera”, or how nice the violin actually sounds…She’s certainly working the hardest & looks the best lol !
Nice suntan too btw, & the US-of-A politicians need to take notice of what a real tan looks like…
But them’s the breaks I suppose lol !
Adonai vasu !
October 10th, 2024 at 11:08@18
October 10th, 2024 at 19:44I agree Gregster, she is adorable ☺️
MacGregor said she should wear more so she certainly caught attention.
October 11th, 2024 at 00:20“Nice suntan too btw, & the US-of-A politicians need to take notice of what a real tan looks like …”
I think the person in question has an endorsement with ORANGE amps, didn’t you know? 😎
October 11th, 2024 at 02:26But, but, but hasn’t Judge MacGregor
https://media.tenor.com/EgUOZYLY8woAAAAM/muppets-sam-the-eagle.gif
opined on her inappropriate and decorum-less dress?! No boots, no crop tops, no cutoffs, only sack-like, oversized touring T-shirts from 70s Prog greats are allowed to not diminish the listening experience with lewd tackiness which now the usual suspects Gregster and Karin (from permissive Scandinavia, say no more!) have ganged together to relentlessly advocate in a libertine frenzy threatening the mental wellbeing and moral fabric of us all!
(Steve’s pick-me-up-at-the-Florida-gas-station-between-the-booze-and-the-fake-dream-catchers printed T-shirts of course get a pass too.)
October 11th, 2024 at 12:09@22
October 11th, 2024 at 15:31Thinking of your great knowledge of music in here, I’m surprised how important the clothing is 😄
She is adorable, and she plays wonderfully 💜
Now what’s wrong with being dressed to kill?!
https://www.reddit.com/r/KISS/comments/fme5p9/shooting_for_cover_of_dressed_to_kill_1975/#lightbox
And doesn’t your Aussie Sovereign do so too?
https://images.app.goo.gl/Tn722FAbjV29n5sQ8
October 12th, 2024 at 17:16@24
October 13th, 2024 at 06:52Nothing wrong with that!
Queen Mary is very well dressed, but I don’t think she is famous for her singing og for playing the violin 😄 (air-guitar is apparently another theme)
Most Australians have manifold talents, it’s that frontier survival thing. AC/DC are just an exception to the rule.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, Karin, and do I really have to tell YOU AS HER SUBJECT that the former pupil of a school in Sandy Bay, Tasmania (generally perceived as a hot spot for musical talent), namely Queen Mary, is a multi-instrumentalist?
“During her childhood, Mary was involved in sports and other extracurricular activities both at school and elsewhere. She studied music, playing piano, flute, and clarinet, and played basketball and hockey.”
Practice your curtsy for an apology, Commoneress! 😂
In the meantime, we should perhaps rename the site into “The Highway Crown” and thereby attract new reader segments.
October 13th, 2024 at 14:17@26
October 13th, 2024 at 16:17I know that! But I just stated she is NOT famous for it!
Her young children have revealed that she plays air-guitar when she is listening to nice music (not like Niles and Frasier who dwell into air-violin ☺️)
No no let us please keep the neat name ‘the highwaystar ‘, and let us please go back to our main subjects before I’m kicked out of here because I make you stray 😜
But I’m an avid follower of European royalty! Back in the days when I still had a lot of business class flights, I’d always read that glossy gossip & pictures magazine GALA which you got a complimentary issue of with LUFTHANSA. And it was full of royal life, romance, strife & tragedy, and of course the stories would basically repeat every week. The flight attendants always cracked up when I asked for my copy of Gala, most men wanted a business or sports magazine. For me, leafing through GALA was a good way to wind down.
October 14th, 2024 at 00:00@28
This surprises me greatly! You surprise me actually ☺️
They do not live real lives, do they? It’s like reading Disney’s D.Duck! (I love reading about D.Duck, I actually subscribe to that, and have almost all the books) (but I guess you answered my very loud question beforehand writing that it’s to wind down)
Our current King was travelling to Spain, supposedly sleeping at a girlfriend’s (not romantic) apartment and our media in Denmark almost forgot all about the real world, concentrating of Fred’s doings (or not-doings!) for a long long time!
I was astonished beyond my wits!
He is an ordinary person! He is a human being, putting his shoes on one at a time like the rest of us!
They do not live real lives Uwe! I have never understood the need for the news from that small exquisite group of people!
Not even our beloved band is living ordinary lives! We seem to deal with that because we adore their music. But I don’t think 1 second that I know any of them intimately, nor am I interested in that! (Of course I would give them a lovely cup of coffee should they appear on my doorstep ☺️)
But they don’t live ordinary lives either!
Ian G and Roger writes lovely songs, often about us, the commoners (😄) and I guess they have to have some touch with real people now and then to maintain their focus ( Ted the Mechanic!)
I love to talk with people of all sorts, also those who are ‘beyond’ us all (‘beyond’ in some people eyes) but I surely prefer to be in contact with real people…. They have always the most amazing stories to tell 💜
So you must wish for some kind of kingdom to reappear in Germany?
October 14th, 2024 at 08:36Far from it! I’m a liberal lefty with a globalist slant (what an awful mix, I know!). One of the few benefits of the end of WWI for Germany was that we did away with nobility for good in the ensuing turmoil. Though you can of course discuss the historical view that Hitler would have perhaps never happened had Germany kept the Kaiser as a representative head of state and otherwise turned into a true parliamentary democracy. Who knows.
In the UK to this day, a majority of the real estate is still owned by nobility, it goes back for many centuries. Great parts of Scotland are English-owned. That creates issues that would not be there had the UK ever seen a true land reform and a real shakeup of its class system.
And the media obsession with European royalty is of course just a form of escapism and projection, the longing for a world without apparent daily life issues, though I wager the guess that being a prince or princess brings problems of its own.
I think that Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Spain & The Netherlands etc have all found a sensible compromise in the structure of their parliamentary kingdoms and the people in those royal families all try to do a sensible job most of the time (in the UK the Crown is for my republican commoner tastes still a too dominant force though that power is largely exercised with responsible prudence by the people in charge). But no, I’m perfectly fine without a German emperor though Wilhelm II was historically speaking an interesting and multifaceted figure.
October 14th, 2024 at 14:18@30
Yes, ok, I get your point 😊
But I have to say, my escapism is found in exiting books, where it’s real made up!
A bit off topic, and on the other hand, not so much:
October 14th, 2024 at 16:24Have you ever read Berkeley Grey’s Norman Conquest?
I have a feel you know about it!
(It’s not about the real conqueror, but about NC, in the same style as Nick Carter and Larry Kent)