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Topic: Santo & Johnny - OffShore |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 4 May 2009 11:06 am |
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https://home.comcast.net/~aevolk/music/OffShore.mp3
1960s "easy listening" is a tricky genre. Many of the best studio & jazz musicians and arrangers moonlighted in easy listening work as it was a pretty good paycheck. Some of the arrangements and engineering are often excellent but personally speaking, it's a genre I generally dismiss as utter drek.
So here's Santo and Johnny complete with orchestra, sound effects, and wordless siren vocals. On this and similar cuts, Santos playing is extremely simple yet so compelling somehow. His twangy sound, attack and vibrato never, ever, changed no matter what material he recorded. The Fender steel really stands out from the mix. I want to hate this but Santo is so original and unique that he makes what shouldn't be good ..... good. |
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c c johnson
From:
killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.
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Posted 4 May 2009 11:43 am
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| some people thought Santo was a lousy steel player due to simplicity. I bet Santo cried all the way to the bank. cc |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 4 May 2009 12:01 pm
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Jerry Byrd recorded a number of these overly-orchestrated steel guitar numbers complete with background singers in the the 1960's. The only way I can listen these JB recordings is to mentally not focus on the background singers. When I try to impress non-steel people with JB's skill I never play them his 1960's recordings.
If you can ignore the background singers on this S&J recording it's a pretty bluesy and soulful recording IMHO.
_________________
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
A UkeTone Recording Artist
CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Hawaiian Steel Guitar/Ukulele Website |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 4 May 2009 12:07 pm
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I'm with you, Gerald, background singers and overdubbed strings drive me up a wall. Yet here, somehow the cheesy vocals add to the overall haunting effect in a kitschy yet cool way.
Last edited by Andy Volk on 4 May 2009 12:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Twayn Williams
From:
Portland, OR
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Posted 4 May 2009 12:18 pm Re: Santo & Johnny - OffShore
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Toss in a spy guitar, replace the Hammond with a Farfisa and tone down the horns slightly and you'd have a Combustible Edison tune 
Seriously, I have some Jerry Bryd stuff that makes this seem like avante garde. "Bryd of Paradise" and "Polynesian Suite" spring to mind.
_________________
Primitive Utility Steel |
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Roger Palmer
From:
Rossendale, UK
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Posted 4 May 2009 12:32 pm
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Well I enjoyed that 
What album is this from? |
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Mark Roeder
From:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 4 May 2009 12:36 pm
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| I'm with you Andy. There is something about Santo's playing that keeps it from going completely elevator. And the vocals do something other worldly to it. There is something about it that keeps me from dismissing it completely. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 4 May 2009 12:54 pm
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This one, Roger ....
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 4 May 2009 1:04 pm
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I liked it a lot. Put yourself in a time machine and imagine hearing it on a console stereo in your parents living room. VERY cool and exotic.
The recording is fabulous. Tight upright bass, NO LOUD DRUMS in the way. Vibrato guitar on the left and steel on the right. Nice vocals and a very nice coloratura soprano singing all that high stuff. I did miss a little verb on the steel. Might have been nice, but the biting stinging tone of the Stringmaster really cuts through. I love this style of elevator/lounge music. Some of the greatest musicians and the greatest recording engineers did this music. Compared to the stuff you hear today, I could enjoy this for hours. Alvino Rey used to record with Juan Esquivel who is one of the kings of this music. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 4 May 2009 1:18 pm
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Agreed, Bill. The whole Command series of percussion and guitar LPs had tremendous sound engineering. Tony Mottola did some internationally-oriented records that were exceptional (Guitar/Paris, Guitar/Rome, etc.) Martin Denny's music holds up too but that's the cream of the crop. Most of the genre was, aesthestically speaking, crap.
Here's another tune from the album:
https://home.comcast.net/~aevolk/music/enchantedsea.mp3
This haunting tune was covered by Martin Denny and Chet Atkins, among others. Loved the low (bass sax?) at the head. The arranger lost me when he opted for the Perry Mason-style sax glissando - it breaks the haunting "we're at sea" mood. |
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 4 May 2009 2:17 pm
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I prefer Johnny Farinas steel playing over anything Santo did, including Sleepwalk.
_________________
John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 4 May 2009 4:47 pm
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| Andy Volk wrote: |
Agreed, Bill. The whole Command series of percussion and guitar LPs had tremendous sound engineering. Tony Mottola did some internationally-oriented records that were exceptional (Guitar/Paris, Guitar/Rome, etc.) Martin Denny's music holds up too but that's the cream of the crop. Most of the genre was, aesthestically speaking, crap.
Here's another tune from the album:
https://home.comcast.net/~aevolk/music/enchantedsea.mp3
This haunting tune was covered by Martin Denny and Chet Atkins, among others. Loved the low (bass sax?) at the head. The arranger lost me when he opted for the Perry Mason-style sax glissando - it breaks the haunting "we're at sea" mood. |
AV. Thanks for the other tune. That is a bass clarinet. That sound was used by composers and arrangers back then to give you a bit of the illusion of tug boats and big boiler stacks. The minor chord movement..man that is Henry Mancini's trademark! I will have to dig out my Atkins record "Carribean Guitar" and see if the Enchanted Sea is on that one.
As for the Enoch Light Command records, I have a lot of them and enjoy them. I spent 20+ years working almost every day in the recording studios here in Atlanta doing all sorts of jingles, movie soundtracks and all manner of junk. I appreciate those classic studio recordists whether they are engineers or the players. Makes you really appreciate their musicianship if you have sat in the studio with 30 or 40 players recording to two track and having it sound perfect with no overdubs or studio tricks like today. Some folks can't hear it well enough to appreciate it. They are damaged by todays recorded sounds.
Thanks again. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 4 May 2009 5:56 pm
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Thanks for the links - I like this a lot. I admit that the siren vocals in "Offshore" are a bit hard to get past, but "Enchanted Sea" is just fantastic - I'll listen to this for days and go dig up some of these LPs. The tone and feel of the steel is great - frankly, to me it's riveting and I listen to it like I was listening to solo trumpet lines. The bass clarinet and trumpet figures complement it perfectly, as does the overall orchestration. Around 1:35, they cop a cool '60s spy/mystery movie theme kind of vibe, and it's very cool to my tastes.
I know a lot of people like to stereotype this kind of thing as elevator music, but I think a lot of that is social posturing and image. If one was to take these exact arrangements and do them in a surf-rock-instrumental context, a lot of these same people would go "cool, man", as they did with the "Pulp Fiction" soundtrack. I've done tons of that kind of stuff, and it nails 'em every time. Guys like Esquivel are considered very hip in retro instrumental music circles. If mainstream music circles just listened to music without all the social and image preconceptions, I think things would be very different. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 4 May 2009 10:26 pm
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Very interesting! That Fender steel cuts like a razor. I enjoy 1960s recordings with real musicians playing real instruments... real room sounds, tube amps, etc. Every time technology is "upgraded" something is lost, in my opinion.
Some players think Santo played "too simple", I say... try to duplicate his sound! It's not easy to do.. his vibrato and tone, his haunting single note lines. No one can copy his sound exactly. His brother Johnny falls short too. There's no comparison, sorry.
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 4 May 2009 11:53 pm
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| Quote: |
| Some players think Santo played "too simple", I say... try to duplicate his sound! It's not easy to do.. his vibrato and tone, his haunting single note lines. No one can copy his sound exactly. |
I agree, Doug. Just try to duplicate that sound. In fact, I think I will try - I may not succeeed, but I think I'll probably learn a thing or two. It's a great sound, though. I've been looping that cut all night while I work on final exams.
This Aqua Velvets cut typifies the surf-rock-instrumental approach to this kind of material I was talking about in the earlier post - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6mpoE18ysA - and there are lots more popular and decidedly "non-loungey" bands like this.
I think I need to start working my Stringmaster into this kind of material. I think steel has so much more potential on this kind of stuff. No chance I can support a big enough live band to support the cool orchestrations in that S&J tune, though. I only wish. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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c c johnson
From:
killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.
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Posted 5 May 2009 2:29 am
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| I agree Doug. Teardrop is my favorite. I play it at every gig no matter what the band leader says. They usually shut up when the floor is packed with gently swaying people and we get a rousing ovation. Once the band leader has heard it there is no sweat in playing it again. Some of them say " hey guy play that Hywayun song again". cc |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 5 May 2009 4:45 am
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I agree that Santo's sound and exact touch and tone defies imitation. The way he slides in and out of notes and his exact vibrato is unique. His sound is memorable in the way that so many players who exhibit much more complex technical ability are instantly forgettable. Sorry, but his brother doesn't even come close for me.
The more I listen to these two cuts, the more I like them and respect the thoughtful, atmospheric arrangements that really show off the steel. Love the bass clarinet (Bill - I originally typed bass clarinet in the post above then deleted it and wrote bass sax. Doh!) In fact, the hot-knife-thru-butter Stringmaster tone here is exactly what Leo Fender had in mind when he began to design steels. He's on record as believing that midrange was "fluff."
The Aqua Velvets are indeed a wonderful band and I have several of their CDs. Gary Brandin has done some great work with the Blue Hawaiians as well. I love the whole atmospheric surf genre and it's a natural for the sound of the steel.
Lastly, here's Chet Atkins version of Enchanted Sea; one of my all-time favorite cuts. The guitar almost sounds like a steel. Everything about it from the guitar sound, to the subtle vibes, rhythm guitar, tasteful drums and gorgeous muted trumpet fills are just about sublimely perfect:
https://home.comcast.net/~aevolk/music/enchantedatkins.mp3 |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 5 May 2009 6:29 am
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| Andy Volk wrote: |
Lastly, here's Chet Atkins version of Enchanted Sea; one of my all-time favorite cuts. The guitar almost sounds like a steel. Everything about it from the guitar sound, to the subtle vibes, rhythm guitar, tasteful drums and gorgeous muted trumpet fills are just about sublimely perfect:
https://home.comcast.net/~aevolk/music/enchantedatkins.mp3 |
Thanks for the Chet version. That absolutely has to be a Bill Porter engineered session. The time frame would place that recording in the slot where Porter was doing all of Atkins stuff. This is the absolute best sounding RCA period for Chet Atkins. The sound of the records, especially the guitar tones are just tremendous. Porter was a sonic wonder with his recording techniques during that era. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 5 May 2009 6:49 am
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| Thanks for the info re Bill Porter I didn't know his name. The forum is a fount of info! Found this cool link all about his contributions to the RCA sound with photos of the studio. http://www.scottymoore.net/studio_b.html. Chilling the plate reverb to get a higher frequency response. Amazingly cool (no pun intended)! |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 5 May 2009 7:06 am
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| I have actually been to his home and talked to him about all this. That was years ago. Mr. Porter must be in his late 70s by now. Hope he is still with us. I know that his wife passed several years ago. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 17 Aug 2009 1:15 pm
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This doggone tune got stuck in my head so I figured out the chord progression ...
Off Shore by Santo & Johnny
HEAD
Amaj6 / D7 / Amai6 /D7 / Cmai7 / F7 / Bm7 / E7 :/:
BRIDGE
Dm / Bb / Dm / A
Dm / Bb / C / E7
The A chord and C chord in the head could be 6th, maj6th, or maj7 as desired.
You can hear the tune here: http://jukebox.au.nu/instromania/miscellaneous/santo_and_johnny/1963_off_shore/
Kind of an unexpectedly fun tune to improvise over... go sweet and major on the A chord and real bluesy on the D. |
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but...