Photos- Michael Stewart
Steve Abshire & Paul Wingo
Detour Ahead
CD-192
Abshire &Wingo
Detour Ahead
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Four guitarists, two different generations. A tribute
by two younger players to the older two inspirations. It just begs the
question ...
Without missing a beat, Paul Wingo says, "I'm Barney Kessel and Steve
is Herb Ellis."
You can see it: the round-faced Abshire as the jacket-and-tie wearing
Ellis. The pony-tailed Wingo as the goateed hipster, Kessel.
And you can hear it: the bluesy, warm-toned Abshire comes straight out
of Ellis, with whom Steve studied and who became his friend. The more
angular, modern Wingo cites Kessel as a huge early influence: "I
liked the way Barney would just go for things," Paul says. "There
was a rough edge to his playing because he was going beyond where he could
go. His harmonic concepts were mind-bending."
And he talked like he played says Paul, "Non-stop:
talk and talk and talk; take a breath and talk some more. He had tremendous
energy."
Ellis was the more conservative of the two. Herb would bring just one
suitcase on the road -- no matter how long the tour. Barney brought trunks
of stuff.
Yet Ellis played with "sheer power,"
says Steve -- and he remembers precisely the first time he heard Ellis:
"May of 1978 at the King of France Tavern in Annapolis . I was 24
years old and playing in the Naval Academy Band. Everything he played
was just nailin' me to the wall."
Steve spent 15 years hanging out, studying and playing with Herb whenever
he could. Ellis would stay at Steve's house when the older guitarist was
playing in town. Abshire asked Ellis to be the godfather to Steve's youngest
son.
This is an album of deep personal connections.
But there are differences. Steve is the talker here and Paul is the quiet
one. Herb used to call Steve his clone. But Charlie Byrd (the other third
of the Great Guitars group he formed with Barney and Herb) forcefully
dismissed that notion. Byrd said Steve was his own man.
So is Paul. This album is a tribute in the purest sense: two musicians
using their distinctive voices and copious talents to honor their mentors.
It's not about imitation. It's inspiration.
Though Steve does travel with just one suitcase.
I Told You I Love You, Now Get Out * A Salute to Charlie
Christian * Jitterbug Waltz *
Here's that Sunny Day * Detour Ahead * Stuffy * Blues for Herb and Barney
*
Laura * Outer Drive * There is No Greater Love *
When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along / Robbin's Nest
Steve Abshire & Paul Wingo - guitars
Dave Wundrow - bass
Phil Cunneff - drums
The long-awaited reissue of Steve's LP which received 4 stars by Downbeat Magazine
Yardbird Suite * Centerpiece
* A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square *
Over the Rainbow * Big Brass Bed Blues * Embraceable
You *
Alone Together * You Stepped Out of a Dream
Steve Abshire- Guitar
Chuck Redd - Vibes
John Previti - Bass John Greely
- Drums
Herb Ellis - Guitar on "Big Brass Bed Blues"
Robbin’s
Nest * Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You * It’s You or
No One *
Prelude to a Kiss * I Only Have Eyes for You * I
Won’t Dance *
Greasy * I’ll Be There * Time
After Time * Topsy * Dark Eyes *
Come in from the Rain
Steve Abshire
- Guitar John Jensen - Trombone
Tommy Cecil - Bass Mike Shepherd -
Drums