Saturday, April 25, 2009

Crossing America with Dave Stone and Leo Connellan


Last night I enjoyed a bit of Dave Stone's trio at Mangia. Dave sounded as fluent and soulful as ever. Kyle Honeycutt provided able support on drums as always, and a bassist I don't know (Bill something?) really burned.

It reminded me that I had told RJ Matson, the political cartoonist and jazz buff, that I would post up some of the jazz we have produced for Poetry Scores. I'll start with all of Dave Stone's great work on the first poetry score Lij and I produced, Crossing America by Leo Connellan.

Our approach to this score was always to present the poet's readings unaccompanied, but then follow each section of the poem with a musical restatement of that part of the poem, or commentary upon it.

Befitting that approach, before each of Dave's performances I will post the part of the poem that precedes it and which inspired his piece.

Free mp3s

"Crossing America, VI"
Leo Connellan
"Do not be a fool, be aware"
Dave Stone Trio

"Crossing America, VII"
Leo Connellan
"Liquor's got your lust"
Dave Stone Trio with Seth Timbs

"Crossing America, XVIII"
Leo Connellan
"Wet dust of his bones"
Dave Stone & Billy Teague

"Crossing America, XXVII"
Leo Connellan
"What legs my lady has"
Dave Stone

All poetry by Leo Connellan.

Bass by Eric Markowitz.

Kyle Honeycutt plays drums on the trio stuff.
Billy Teague plays drums on the duet piece.

Dave plays clarinet on "Wet dust of his bones".

"What legs my lady has" was recorded on the side of the road outside of Pops Farrar's house on the outskirts of Belleville, Illinois.

Sketch of Dave Stone live at Mangia many years ago is by me.

Crossing America is in print and is available at independent shops in St. Louis and via us.

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