Something Real - liner notes
The original title of this album was �The Realization of a Beautiful Dream�. I liked making this music with that image in mind because that's what life is like for me lately. But it wasn't easy getting here - not at all. Several of these songs are my favorites from artists you may know. They weren't necessarily the hit songs, but I fell in love with them during times in my life when I needed them most.
Here are songs about finding new love, becoming surprised and hesitant about it, celebrating its lasting, being grateful for one's beloved, finding home, and rededicating yourself to what is most important, finding solace together at home and in nature. Then there's the romance.
Then there are the songs about the struggle - of letting go of the past, or breaking free of it, so that you can really live and find what life has to offer - or maybe to discover just what it is that you have to offer.
�Something Real� eventually became the album's theme because that's all I will ever settle for again. You know that place. Let's go there and stay there.
Here are the songs.
Something Real
Phoebe Snow's version is wonderful. I've made it more personal with some lyric changes.
Moonlight Kiss
When this song appeared in the movie, �Serendipity�, I said that I wish I'd written it. Bap Kennedy wrote it, I tried to make it my own. As to the topic - been there, done that.
Every Morning
Keb' Mo' claims that this is the first love song he'd ever written, and it really has that playful innocence, doesn't it?
In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening
Hoagy Carmichael wrote a song by this title with Johnny Mercer in 1951. I still haven't heard it. I'm afraid to listen to it. Here's the result of my not being able to get the title out of my head. I really like the way this paints a scene of the front porch in the mountains of Santa Cruz - well, for me, anyway. Probably as country as I get - hope y'all don't mind.
I Wasn't Ready for You
Here she is - Miss America, and she says she's falling in love with me. Oh, man, what am I going to do?
Slowburn
This saxophone tune is meant to be down and dirty, but with class. You know what I mean? I just love a slow groove. Dennis Caplinger plays that great National guitar.
No More Blues
There's always room for a Jobim tune. The trick is trying to do it a little differently than everyone else. I didn't, but I had a good time anyway.
Just the Two of Us
Two old friends and inspirations of mine, John Ford Coley and Dan Seals, wrote this hauntingly beautiful melody that really sets up a romantic scene. I've always loved it, and it's even more special to me as a duet with Linda.
Blackbird
A great song is often one that people relate to in their very own way. I know this song has a really universal theme, and I read what Paul McCartney said about it, but I still think it's about me. It might be about you, too.
I'm Glad There Is You
Nobody wrote better songs than the great American songwriters of the twentieth century, and this is one of the best. My first album was full of classic jazz standards, and I can't wait to go there again, but Duncan and Bob came up with this wonderful treatment of this classic happy ending.
Take Me to the Mardi Gras
I wanted to do a tribute song for the birthplace of jazz, so there's a little nod to Dixieland and other roots music in Paul Simon's tune. Special thanks to Bob, Clive, and Westy for sitting in and creating that Dixie sound.
The Color of Roses
You can't get through it without going through it. It's also important to know when you've reached the other side and it's time to live fully again. The beautiful oboe passages in this song are played by our dear friend Serge Thill, who we asked to bring his oboe all the way from Luxembourg, and then I unforgivably left his credit off the CD package. Now you know.
Here's a rundown on who played what on the tunes.
1] SOMETHING REAL 3:47
Phoebe Ann Laub
EMI APRIL MUSIC INC
Paul Seaforth voice, flugelhorn
Peter Sprague acoustic and electric guitars
Mark Massey piano, keyboards
Kevin Axt electric bass
Joe Cataldo drums
Tom Aros percussion
2] MOONLIGHT KISS 4:00
Bap Kennedy
Paul Seaforth voice, trumpet
Peter Sprague acoustic and electric guitars
Mark Massey piano, keyboards
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
Tom Aros percussion
Sharon Whyte accordion
3] EVERY MORNING 5:37
Kevin Moore (Keb' Mo')
Paul Seaforth voice, trumpet
Peter Sprague acoustic and electric guitars
Mark Massey piano
Rob Whitlock Hammond B3
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
Tom Aros percussion
Sharon Whyte accordion
Dennis Caplinger dobro, violin, mandolin
4] IN THE COOL, COOL, COOL OF THE EVENING 4:41
Paul Seaforth
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS MUSIC
Paul Seaforth voice, muted trumpet
Peter Sprague acoustic guitar
Mark Massey piano, keyboards
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
Tom Aros percussion
Sharon Whyte accordion
Dennis Caplinger dobro, mandolin
5] I WASN'T READY FOR YOU 4:18
Paul Seaforth
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS MUSIC
Paul Seaforth voice, trumpet, saxophones
Peter Sprague acoustic guitar
Mark Massey piano
Rob Whitlock Hammond B3
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
6] SLOWBURN 5:04
Paul Seaforth
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS MUSIC
Paul Seaforth alto saxophone
Peter Sprague acoustic guitar
Mark Massey piano, keyboards
Kevin Axt electric bass
Joe Cataldo drums
Tom Aros percussion
Dennis Caplinger dobro
7] NO MORE BLUES (CHEGA DE SAUDADE) 5:14
Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius De Moraes, English Lyrics: Jon Hendricks, Jessie Cavanaugh
CROMWELL MUSIC INC. OBO HOLLIS MUSIC INC./VM ENTERPRISES, INC./CORCOVADO MUSIC CORPORATION
Paul Seaforth voice, trumpet
Peter Sprague acoustic guitar
Fred Benedetti guitar (solo)
Rob Whitlock piano
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
Tom Aros percussion
8] JUST THE TWO OF US 3:55
John Ford Coley/Dan Seals
SPIRIT ONE MUSIC OBO OUT OF THE WILDERNESS/PINK PIG MUSIC
Paul Seaforth voice, flugelhorn
Linda Seaforth voice
Peter Sprague acoustic guitars
Rob Whitlock piano
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
Dennis Caplinger violin
9] BLACKBIRD 4:46
Lennon/McCartney
SONY/ATV TUNES LLC/BEATLES
Paul Seaforth voice, trumpet, saxophones
Linda Seaforth voice
Peter Sprague acoustic guitar
Mark Massey piano
Rob Whitlock Hammond B3
Kevin Axt electric bass
Duncan Moore drums
Tom Aros percussion
10] I'M GLAD THERE IS YOU 4:03
Paul Madeira, Jimmy Dorsey
MPL MUSIC PUBLISHING INC OBO MORLEY MUSIC CO.
Paul Seaforth voice, trumpet
Peter Sprague acoustic guitar
Mark Massey piano, keyboards
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
Joe Cataldo drums
Tom Aros percussion
Sharon Whyte accordion
Dennis Caplinger violin
11] TAKE ME TO THE MARDI GRAS 5:54
Paul Simon
Paul Seaforth voice, trumpet
Linda Seaforth voice
Peter Sprague acoustic guitar
Mark Massey piano, keyboards
Rob Whitlock piano, Hammond B3
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
Tom Aros percussion
Sharon Whyte accordion
Dennis Caplinger dobro, mandolin
Bob McKewen clarinet
Clive Collins trombone
Lee �Westy� Westenhofer tuba
12] T
HE
C
OLOR
O
F
R
OSES
5:10
Beth Nielsen Chapman/ Matthew Charles Rollings
ALMO MUSIC CORP./ALMO MUSIC CORP. OBO BNC SONGS/ZESTY ZACKS MUSIC
Paul Seaforth voice
Linda Seaforth voice
Peter Sprague acoustic guitar
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Duncan Moore drums
Dennis Caplinger violin, mandolin
Serge Thill oboe
Musicians
Paul Seaforth voice, trumpet, flugelhorn, saxophones
Linda Seaforth voice
Peter Sprague acoustic and electric guitars
Fred Benedetti guitar
Mark Massey piano, keyboards
Rob Whitlock piano, Hammond B3
Bob Magnusson acoustic bass
Kevin Axt electric bass
Duncan Moore drums
Joe Cataldo drums
Tom Aros percussion
Sharon Whyte accordion
Dennis Caplinger dobro, violin, mandolin
Bob McKewen clarinet
Clive Collins trombone
Lee "Westy" Westenhofer tuba
Serge Thill oboe
Produced by Paul & Linda Seaforth
Engineered by Steve Wetherbee and Chris Obermiller
SOMETHING REAL
MOONLIGHT KISS
EVERY MORNING
IN THE COOL, COOL, COOL OF THE EVENING
I WASN'T READY FOR YOU
SLOWBURN
NO MORE BLUES (CHEGA DE SAUDADE)
JUST THE TWO OF US
BLACKBIRD
I'M GLAD THERE IS YOU
TAKE ME TO THE MARDI GRAS
THE COLOR OF ROSES