Album : Rick Danko – Rick Danko

I think you all know that CB is a big fan of The Band. When I went to see “The Last Waltz there’s a scene where Martin Scorsese is walking through a recording studio with Rick Danko talking about what he, Danko is up to. Rick ends up sitting at the control board in the mixing room and says in his laid back way “Just making music”. The scene is then taken over by a song I had never heard before. It’s Danko singing and I had to find that record. I did and this is the album that it’s on. The song was ‘Sip The Wine”. I still get a few chills when I hear it.

I always loved what Danko brought to the Band. His bass playing, his presence and most of all his beautiful vocals. I love his voice and the way he delivers it. I also love the emotion he puts into every thing he sings. His voice is one of my favorites. So I get a whole album of something I really like.

The songs all have a definite Band vibe (the boys are all on board to help) but this album is all Rick’s. He gets a lot of help from people like Clapton, Doug Sahm, Ronnie Wood. ‘What A Town’ opens the album and it is the first of a great bunch of songs. ‘Brainwash’, ‘Small Town Talk’,’New Mexicoe’ (J J Cale vibe). I always get a little sad when I hear this tune. I guess I miss the guy. Clapton and Hudson add the perfect touches. ‘Sip The Wine’ is the song that brought me here and it delivers with Doug Sahm providing some tasty guitar and more of Rick’s passionate vocals. ‘Java Blues’ is a funky, rockin tune.

Danko is one of my favorite singers. His sound always got me. I like his phrasing. Sometimes it’s like he’s going to run out of breath and not finish. He stretches it. Sometimes it’s almost like talk singing. He was one of the reasons I liked The Band. When I listen to this it’s obvious what a big part he was.

I have most of the Band members solo records but this is the one I listen to the most. This is one of my favorite albums period. Special place in my pile. Rick Danko is in the spotlight on his first solo record and I absolutely dig it.

“There’s a child here who wants to start livin”