it’s a shame more people don’t know who danny gatton was. maybe they still will some day. often the great ones go undiscovered and unappreciated for some time. he’s been gone since 1994.
today’s album a day was danny gatton’s unfinished business.
he was one hell of a guitarist. he combined many styles. not quite jazz, not quite blues, not quite country and not quite rockabilly, he was a true virtuoso.
listening to this disc was an easy joy. i found myself dissapointed it was over at the end of the last track.
the album opened with the jazz standard ‘cherokee’, by ray noble. it’s a song i’ve played myself a hundred times on the sax. it’s not my favorite jazz standard, and the tone here bordered on smooth jazz at first, but gatton’s guitar work is so intricate and inspiring i got over my inclination to dislike it. and besides, it quickly become something great after the standard opening melody.
it just gets better from there.
the album is all instrumental. it’s totally a danny gatton show and, except for two tracks, other instruments are hardly even featured. you don’t miss them. his guitar work was brilliant. just check him out.
below is danny playing ‘sleepwalk’ live. the studio track of this classic was on this disc, too.
