At first take, it might seem strange that Bobby would choose me to do the liner notes for this release. I suppose most people might think of me as a biased participant. However, Bobby will tell you that I am one of his most discerning critics. I do not give my thumbs up to a piece just because Bobby is my mate and I want to make him feel good. Our tastes in music are diverse and varied and we do not always agree on what we like in this regard.

One area where we do agree is the ability of instrumental music to evoke unhampered, diverse feelings and visualizations—without the left-brained activity of making sense of words.

“7” is my favorite of Bobby's releases to date. The diversity of moods and visualizations it evokes is one reason why.

Whale song and gentle ocean waves bring us to shore in the lilting saudi drum rhythm of Island Girl. My body wants to dance. Then the rains come and the questioning, mournful Storm Song with it's distant thunder and longing.

Funky horns come next with The Rub. This tune reminds me of what we affectionately knew on the east coast in the early ‘60s as the Grind, with it's pelvic undulations—a sensuous, bawdy massage.

Ambient prison noises bring us back to this world and a fabulous blues guitar accompanied by a rockin' organ take us on a lope around the joint in Big House Blues.

With Nine Ball, I feel like a swift bird gliding above a speeding train, a speeding world. Vast space above and below me, I soar.

Then down to underground depths with Third World Industry. Metropolis with a south American flavor.

Tar Pit is another groove that makes my body want to move. A melange of so many diverse sounds, then that wonderful blues guitar unifying it all again. I want more.

One thing I know about Bobby is that he is a perfectionist. The balance and mastery of this CD is the result of his unerring ability to create music that takes us to so many places, regardless of physical limitations.

Barbara BeauSoleil

Oregon 2001

from CD Baby

RETURN TO SHOP