Two For
The Road

September 24, 2020 by admin

Peter Nande & Time Lothar, Peter Nande CD/Vinyl, Releases, Tim Lothar CD/Vinyl

Two For The Road

Tim Lothar & Peter Nande
Two For The Road
Straight Shooter – SHOT 011

I’m here to tell you ’bout a special »side project« I’ve produced for my Danish buddies Peter Nande and Tim Lothar. Many of you know Peter as the harmonicaplaying front man of The Peter Nande Band. Tim Lothar is the band’s drum – mer, and as such is a rare, wonderful, ex – tremely musical player. But he’s also a sing – er and guitar player, and together Tim and Peter create authentic-sounding country blues. Yeah, I know: I’ve seen several really good sit-down retro blues duos lately in a dozen countries myself, but I think our boys here really have somethin’ special goin’ on. Tim’s signature guitar style blends pure Mississippi Delta slide guitar with Piedmont finger pickin’ and a taste of Deep Ellum/ North Texas. His singing combines moody, melodic chanting with an incredible, natu – ral vibrato, plus old-time jump-up th’owdown country preacher ranting that you won’t often hear. Peter, Copenhagen’s favor – ite son, sings his share of his original blues songs and offers a healthy dose of that pat – ented, sexy harmonica that he’s known for. Tim and Peter love performing as a duo just as much as playing with the whole band. Here they present twelve songs that feature their talents as country blues artists. This is not as powerful as the Peter Nande Band in full swing, but it sure is fun. These two artists have won several national awards for their recordings and perfor – mances, so they bring much to the party. I had the pleasure of producing Peter’s last two studio albums and it was a solid gas working with them on this one as well. They asked me to sing a song for this release, so I chose my song, »You Got To Choose.« Oh, and as to that crazy spoken word business called »Pa-tainin’ ta’ jookjernts,« I should explain that was my reenactment of a set of drunken directions I received from a fellow standing on the roadside in Mississippi, back about 1967! If you’re reading this, you’ve already made the financial investment and personal com – mitment, so pour yourself a tall, cool one and relax … put your feet up, wiggle your toes a little and let your mind jump that old rusty boxcar with »Lonesome Tim« and »Big Boy Pete.« Take that rough ride on down to Goatman Holler, to the track-side jungle where sad men get happy and happy men get sad … you’re just reading about it now, but slide that compact disc into your machine and feel the blues … go on, take that lonesome hobo ride. Thank you baby!

Tim Lothar & Peter Nande – Two For The Road
In 2008, Lothar and Nande began playing gigs as a duo, laying the groundwork for their CD release, Two for the Road. Guided by producer and guest artist James Harman, the CD showcases the pair’s songwriting gifts (on nine original songs), instrumental fluency and love for country blues. It’s an impressive introduction to what this duo is capable of right now, and hints at what it just might become in the years ahead.

»Two for the Road« finds Tim Lothar and Peter Nande, two of Denmark’s finest roots music artists, traveling back in time to capture the essence of pre-WWII American acoustic country blues.

This is foot-stompin’, front porch stuff, featuring nine original tunes and three tasty covers that showcase each man’s gift for capturing the currency of a vintage musical style.

Two for the Road finds Lothar and Nande wielding primal tools of the trade – the human voice, guitar, harmonica, washtub bass, and feet, made for stomping – to craft music that is true to another time and place, but also true to human experiences that are timeless.

Listen to the elegant »Poor Boy«, for example, and you can almost hear the crunch of worn, leather-soled shoes, walking step by step over gravel roads, almost taste the dust and feel the relentless sun on the back of your neck.

Hear the restless mix of hope and regret in »Done Left You« – regret and lament in the lyrics, hope in the prospect of a new start – set to an infectious Bo Diddley groove. Hear the anticipation in the hard-driving »Slow Train«, as a man awaits his lover’s return: »There’ll be no more blues, no more feeling sad, I feel so good, my girl is coming back …«

It makes sense that this would work: Guitarist/vocalist Tim Lothar was named Blues Artist of the Year at the Copenhagen Blues Festival in 2008. Harmonica player/vocalist Nande had won the same award in 2007.

Lothar has years of experience as a drummer, currently drumming in Nande’s band. He brings a rhythmic constancy on guitar, drums, foot-stomping and percussion that is essential to a successful acoustic duo.

Nande’s harp work, influenced by the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), »Little Walter« Jacobs, »Big Walter« Horton and others, is resplendent in this acoustic milieu. Listen to his tasteful, slinky lines on »Rough Ride« and on James Harman’s »You Got To Choose«. Impeccable.

Tracklist

00:00

Slow Train 00:00
Can't Get That Stuff No More 00:00
Ain't Too Old 00:00
Baby Blue 00:00
Late Again 00:00
You Got To Choose 00:00
Done Left You 00:00
Rough Ride 00:00
Still On Hold 00:00
Poor Boy 00:00
Confessions 00:00
Pa-Ta-Nin' Ta' Jook-Jernts 00:00

Musicians

Tim Lothar – Vocal / Guitar / Drums / Percussion
Peter Nande – Vocal / Harmonica / Washtub bass / footstomp
James Harman – Vocal (#2, #6, #12)
Ronni Boysen – Guitar (#7)
Magnus Lanshammer – Upright bass (#11)

Produced by James Harman

California-based producer and blues artist James Harman, in fact, is the producer of this recording, as he was on Nande’s band releases Big Boy Boogie: California Sessions Vol. I (2006) and Jelly Bean Baby: California Sessions Vol. II (2008). Drawing on a career that began in 1962, Harman knows what to do and what not to do to create a great blues recording with an authentic vibe, and brings out the best in artists he produces.

On Two for the Road, he’s done it again. He also co-wrote two of the songs here, and sings on three, including the irresistible »Pa-tainin’ ta’ jook-jernts«, in which he recreates a set of drunken directions he received from a fellow standing on a Mississippi roadside, circa 1967.

Harman wouldn’t invest his time in artists or in a project that he didn’t believe in. »I’ve seen several really good sit-down retro blues duos lately in a dozen countries myself,« he writes in the CD liner notes, »but I think our boys here really have somethin’ special goin’ on.« Indeed

Jelly Bean Baby

September 28, 2020 by admin

Peter Nande CD/Vinyl, Releases

Jelly Bean Baby

Peter Nande
Jelly Bean Baby
California Sessions Vol. II
Straight Shooter SHOT 002

Hey now, James Harman back again… this time shoutin’ about Jelly Bean Baby: California Sessions Vol. II, the new album Nathan James and I just finished producing over here at Sacred Cat Studios in Oceanside, California! This is our second one for our Danish buddy, Big Boy Pete, or Peter Nande, as his parents insist on calling him, the first one being Big Boy Boogie: California Sessions Vol. I from 2006.

This new story is similar to the last one – again we spent two straight weeks singin’, playin’, eatin’, drinkin’, laughin’ and tellin’ stories, and came up with another cool, fresh album for our pal Pete. We think you’ll find it to be a lot of fun, but still with that dangerous edge that only low-down, juke-joint blues can bring to the festivities.

Creating this recording was like being at a party with a bunch of old friends. We had everything in place from the last time, so it went down easy once we got started. This time we chose to use Marty Dodson, longtime drummer with Mark Hummel’s Blues Survivor, and he was a force to be reckoned with. We added a swingin’ horn section consisting of Jonny Vaiu and Tony Matoian, and organist Neil Wauchope, who brought along a tone smoother than a tall taste of Kentucky sippin’ whiskey.

Jelly Bean Baby is a 54-minute helping of blues stirred into a program of great dance grooves. I’ll assume you know that when I say dance grooves, I’m not talkin’ no stinkin’ disco or hip-hop, but just some sho-nuff, hip-shakin’, jug-bustin’ th’owdown songs, all performed by our house groove-squad, plus Pete’s #1 guitar man, “Good Rockin’ Ronni” Busack-Boysen. I’m talking about cool, American rhythm & blues, spiced with a taste of Africa and the islands… but perfect for a low-down juke-joint as well. We hope you’ll enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it for you.

Thank you baby!

James Harman0

Musicians

Vocals & Harmonica: Peter Nande
Vocals & Harmonica: James Harman
Guitar: Ronni Busack-Boysen
Organ: Neil Wauchope
Piano: Carl Sonny Leyland
Tenor Saxophone: Jonny Vaiu
Baritone Saxophone: Tony Matoian
Percussion: Mike Tempo
Bass: Buddy Clark
Drums: Marty Dodson

Background Vocals: James Harman Nathan James, Ben Hernandez & Ronni Busack-Boysen

Tracklist

00:00

Jelly Bean Baby 00:00
Beware Brother 00:00
Slo’ Poke 00:00
Ridin’ the Gravy 00:00
In a State of Bliss 00:00
Walk the Talk 00:00
Let Me In 00:00
The Can’t Hardlies 00:00
The Stubblejumper 00:00
The Golden Rule 00:00
Stop Now 00:00
Goodbye California 00:00
Bumpin’ on Leonard 00:00

Jelly Bean Baby: California Sessions Vol. II is Peter Nande’s third CD release, and his second recording in three years under the auspices of blues artist and producer James Harman. Like its predecessor, Big Boy Boogie: California Sessions Vol. I (2006), it features a baker’s dozen of distinctive, danceable original blues-based songs. These were written primarily by songwriter/vocalist/harp player Peter Nande, with help from Harman, guitarist Ronni Busack-Boysen and, on one track, organist Neil Wauchope, and recorded with Busack-Boysen and a stellar supporting cast, assembled by Harman.

Jelly Bean Baby expands upon the format that made Big Boy Boogie a success. Nande spins clever tales around the general theme of human desire and its consequences… stories of infidelity, excess, and finding one’s way. Nande isn’t afraid to take his time, telling his stories with a sly grin and anchoring them in the propulsive, hypnotic rhythms and tonal vocabulary of American blues and Caribbean music, flavored with jazzy touches.

Give a listen to “Beware Brother,” a tale of marital caution set to an irresistible groove; check out the reggae-styled double entendre “Slo’ Poke,” or “Ridin’ the Gravy Train,” with its lyric about livin’ the high life, set to a primal Mississippi blues rhythm. Listen to “Walk the Talk,” which condemns a woman’s unfaithful behavior, but moves with such a driving shuffle beat that you can’t help but visualize the same woman shakin’ what her mama gave her; somehow, you know she’ll get away with it. These songs work on more than one level, clearly, and bear evidence of Nande’s artistry, separating him from the glut of blues musicians who are happy simply to regurgitate “Sweet Home Chicago.”

Nande executes his ideas with inspired support from Busack-Boysen, who has played with Nande for three years and has earned a reputation as one of Europe’s top guitar players, and with the guidance of Harman, his creative mentor, and Harman’s crack team of blues artists. These include guitarist/engineer Nathan James, bassist Buddy Clark, percussionist Mike Tempo and others. The songs, primarily, are Nande’s, but they come to fruition only under the care of the entire ensemble.

Here’s the back story: Peter Nande is a Danish blues musician. Born in 1968, he’s pursued his blues quest since age 16 or so, when he first heard the music of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Fascinated by the harmonica and the blues genre, he devoted a decade to studying such blues masters as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and others, as well as working blues artists, including Harman. In 1998 Nande formed a band, Nande & the Big Difference. In 2002 the band released a CD and soon began playing festivals in Europe, often backing top American blues artists.

Nande’s group disbanded in 2005. Nande set his sights on recording in the U.S. with American musicians. The dream became reality in 2006 when Nande and Busack-Boysen flew to California to cut a CD with Harman as producer. Big Boy Boogie was engineered by Nathan James, and recorded in Nathan’s home studio in Oceanside, Calif. The CD was nominated for Danish Blues Album of the Year by the Danish Blues Awards in 2007, and contributed mightily to Nande’s recognition as Danish Blues Musician of the Year for 2007 by the Copenhagen Music Festival. The release elevated Nande’s status in Europe, helping to make the Peter Nande Band an increasingly sought-after act for festival and club work.

During 2007, Harman with his Bamboo Porch trio, including Nathan James and Ben Hernandez, toured Scandinavia for three weeks. Harman gigged at festivals and other shows with the Peter Nande Band and with the trio. “They all stayed at my apartment in the middle of Copenhagen on the Danish part of the tour,” Nande recalls. “We‘re talkin’ fun and blues 24 hours a day for three straight weeks.”

This brings us to Jelly Bean Baby. Nande prepped for more than two months with Busack-Boysen prior to the sessions, which took place over two weeks beginning Feb. 1 in the garage studio of Nathan’s new residence in Oceanside.

“I brought over a bunch of ideas and demo tracks,” Nande explains. “James called his friends and band members to join the session, and Nathan set it all up at his garage studio. James has taught me that it’s important not to prepare too much, as you get the best ideas while you record. The material has to be fresh and interesting to the musicians – then they give their best.”

Harman helped break the ice as the sessions began, “tellin’ stories and makin’ everybody laugh,” Nande says. “One of his secrets as a producer is that he makes everybody feel good and have a great time while they record. He’s not just producing the music and songs, but also has the important ability to bring out the best in every musician and make everybody feel relaxed.”

However, to coax out Nande’s full potential, Harman sometimes took a less casual approach, one that was at times bluntly honest and demanding.

“James always tells the truth and it can be painful,” Nande says. “He’ll let you know right away what can be better… He knows I’m a fighter and a go-getter, so too much sweet talkin’ doesn’t work on me, but criticism and good coaching works.

“Sometimes he’d say, ‘Shut up and listen! Pay attention and learn!’ Then he’d tell me stories about the old blues masters – Muddy, Sonny Boy, Wolf and more, quite a few of whom he met and played with – and how they lived their lives in the old days. He tried to get me in the right mood so I could tell my stories, sing my songs, with the right feeling.”

While Harman tended to the performances, Nathan James took charge of capturing them for posterity. He again engineered the sessions, arranging vintage mics and amps in the small wooden garage. The space did not have a good natural sound, Nande says, but Nathan knew how to position the mics for the best tone and separation. “He placed amps in different places in his house – some in the bathroom for that cool echo effect, and some in closets.” Later, Nathan mixed the recording, with help from Harman and Nande, and did the mastering as well.

The basic tracks took about four days to record, cut live with Busack-Boysen or Nathan James (or both) on guitars, Clark on bass and Marty Dodson on drums. “Marty has backed all the harp guys doing the Blues Harp Meltdowns,” Peter said. “He’s the best ‘harp drummer’ there is, and is a funny, great guy.”

Harman describes Nathan James and Buddy Clark as “the best and most focused musicians I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with… When I’m trying to make the magic happen as a producer, so it sounds like it ‘just happened’ and doesn’t sound over-produced, I lean on Nathan’s and Buddy’s ridiculous natural abilities to instantly hear what should go where, and on their good-natured willingness to try as many different things as I can come up with until we all hear the right one happen together. It never fails.”

In addition to Nande, Busack-Boysen and Harman’s blues team, organist Neil Wauchope joined in for the third and fourth days of tracking. Nande had heard him on recordings, loved his feel and wanted him on the CD. He had Wauchope fly in from Atlanta, where he now lives, to take part in the sessions.

The basic tracking was followed by a week-and-a-half of overdubs. Nande wanted horns on some tracks, so Harman called his tenor sax buddy Jonny Vaiu, who brought Toni Matoian from Chicago to add baritone sax. They arranged the horns on the spot. “The arrangements sound so fresh and natural,” Peter says. “Nathan made ‘em sound so good and James had so many cool ideas for horns.”

Mike Tempo added percussion, and Nande, Busack-Boysen, Harman and Nathan James added vocal and instrumental parts. Ben Hernandez came by a few times to hang out and Peter asked him to put backing vocals on a couple of tracks. Pianist Carl Sonny Leyland, vacationing in England, couldn’t make the session, so he recorded the piano parts remotely from his parent’s house in England and sent them by e-mail!

The last night of Nande’s California expedition ended with a concert by the James Harman Band at the Café Boogaloo in Hermosa Beach… a fitting wrap to two blues-drenched weeks.

Nande returned to Denmark knowing that his blue journey is ongoing: This summer he’ll cut a duo album with guitar/vocal partner Tim Lothar, to be produced in Copenhagen by Harman. He also plans work with U.K. musician Big Joe Louis; and, in 2010, California Sessions, Vol. III.

While he knows he still has a lot to learn, Nande has come a long way: Three years earlier, he had a dream of working with American blues musicians. With his second volume of California sessions behind him, his progress is there for all to hear. Whereas once he showcasing instrumental prowess, his emphasis now is on the songs themselves.

“Now I focus on lyrics, on the story I want to tell,” Nande says. “You won’t find too much harmonica on this album because I found other instruments that tell the story in a better way. You won’t find many harp players doing that. Gary Primich once said to me, ‘The better I’ve become on this little silly instrument, the less and simpler I play.’

Just listen to Jelly Bean Baby, and you’ll hear where he’s going. “On these tracks, you’ll find laid-back, cool grooves that are easy to dance and listen to. You’ll find lots of air and space in the songs, and musicians playing to the songs and playing together, not trying to show off… well, maybe just a little,” Nande says, with a laugh.

Golden state of mine – wish I could turn back time
Well, I enjoyed the ride – good friends by my side
Califonia, I gotta go…
We all had a good time…

Liner notes by Bryan Powell, writer/musician, Lawrenceville, Georgia, July 2008

Song lyric excerpts from “Goodbye California” by Peter Nande

Big Boy Boogie

September 28, 2020 by admin

Peter Nande CD/Vinyl, Releases

BiG Boy Boogie

Peter Nande
Big Boy Boogie
California Sessions Vol. I
Straight Shooter – SHOT 001

Hey now, “Icepick James” here, writin’ liner notes again. This time the story is about how we spent two straight weeks eating, drinkin’, laughin’
and tellin’ lies and stories while actually recording a really cool, fresh album for my pal, Peter Nande, or “Big Boy Pete” as I nick-named him a few years ago. In fact, we did so well … the biggest job proved to be pickin’ the dozen or so tunes for this release, out of a 24 item list! That tells you that his next release will certainly be out faster than the four
years it took to get to this one after his last one: “Nande and The Big Difference”, back in 2002. Now you can just slip this tiny platter with the big sound into your favorite music playin’ devise, pour yourself some mellow, mellow wine and join in on the fun, doin’ the Big Boy Boogie ‘til Big Boy Pete hits yo’ town sooner or later! Please kick on back and enjoy this mess to the fullest, my blues lovin’ friends around the world … ‘Coz baby, this stuffgoes down smooth!

Thank you baby!

James Harman

Tracklist

00:00

Cat Be Gone 00:00
I Need a Woman 00:00
Moven & Shaker 00:00
Comin' Home 00:00
She's Mad Again 00:00
Confessions og a Workaholoc 00:00
Snollygoster 00:00
Ol' Sleepyhead 00:00
Kis Me Now 00:00
King of Bad Excuses 00:00
Mr. Nice 00:00
Lucky Charm 00:00
Big Boy Boogie 00:00

Musicians

Vocals & harmonica: Peter Nande
Guitar: Nathan James
Guitar: Ronni Busack-Boysen
Guitar: Jr. Watson
Organ & Piano: Carl Sonny Leyland
Percussion: James Michael Tempo
Upright and electric bass: Buddy Clark
Drums: Hal Smith

Produced by James Harman

Recorded by Nathan James at Nathan James’ House, Oceanside,

California, USA, May 2006

Mixed by Nathan James, James Harman & Peter Nande
Mastered by Lou Hemsey Music & Film, N. Hollywood, CA

Peter Nande
Big Boy Boogie
California Sessions Vol. I

Peter Nande built his reputation as a bandleader backing artists like RJ Mischo, Lazy Lester and Gary Primich on their tours of his native Scandinavia. However he was to make a big impression on one of the artists he backed – a certain gentleman by the name of James Harman.

Harman was so impressed by Nande’s singing and harp playing, he invited him to his home in Southern California, to record and produce an album for him – resulting in the gem under consideration here.

Nande is a wonderful vocalist and harp player – and on this set he demonstrates it – paying tribute to his mentor (Icepick) in the best way possible with a set of great blues. As Harman says “pour yourself some mellow wine – kick on back and enjoy this mess to the fullest .. coz baby, this stuff goes down smooth” – and I won’t and don’t disagree with Icepick.

Nande bought his own guitarist, Ronni Busack-Boysen, to the sessions, and was joined by, amongst others, Jr Watson, Harman alumni Nathan James on guitar, Carl Sonny Leyland on organ/piano, Buddy Clark on upright bass, and, of course the man himself – Harman.

The set kicks off with “Cat Be-Gone”, a swinging instrumental that allows Nande to demonstrate his command of tone, phrasing and creativity over a “slap” rhythm. “Mover & Shaker” mines a mighty shuffle groove mixing elements of Memphis and Chicago in true Harman fashion – Nande’s moody vocals and harp echoed by some tough, shimmering, 50’s styled electric guitar and deep rolling piano. A real gem!.

The rhythm section rack up a deep Delta groove on ‘Comin’ Home” – Nande’s brooding vocals and harp melding the influences of Harman and Rice Miller, the mood echoed by Boysen’s guitar and Leyland’s piano. “She’s Mad Again” finds Nande on his own – just vocals and harp – creating a lowdown gutbucket moan that mixes elements of Sonny Boy, Wolf, Sonny Terry and Harmonica Slim. A real tour-de-force. “Kiss Me Now features Harman on vocals backed by Nande’s superb harp, on a number that recalls Sonny Boy’s Storyville period – “Lucky Charm” has a strong Gene Vincent feel, with Leyland in magnificent form mixing elements of Jerry Lee Lewis and Memphis Slim, whilst Watson lays down some stunning rockabilly guitar in his own quirky fashion.

Nande is a major talent and I could enthuse endlessly over each and every track – all I can say is roll on volume 2 – and whilst you are waiting for it – do “The Big Boy Boogie”.

Mick Rainsford
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