Sax, piano, guitar recommendations

Danny Gatton: 88 Elmira St. An album of guitar-driven instrumental music by a master of the Telecaster.

Bill Frisell: Guitar In The Space Age. Same as above.

The Hellecasters: Escape From Hollywood. A fantastic instrumental album by a trio of Telecaster players---John Jorgenson from The Desert Rose Band, session guitarist Will Ray, and Jerry Donahue of Fairport Convention fame. The album is dedicated to Danny Gatton, who at the time of the album’s released had just committed suicide.

Evan Johns: Moontan. Evan was in a band with Gatton in their younger days, then wrote songs, sang, and played rhythm guitar on Gatton’s 1978 Redneck Jazz album. He then had his own career as a band leader (Evan Johns & The H-Bombs), having three albums released by Rykodisc.

Moontan is an album of instrumental songs alternated with ones with vocals by Evan, his band on the album being an instro trio out of Southern California, The Hillbilly Soul Surfers (one album available). The band’s drummer left to join Los Straitjackets (on bass) in the mid-90’s, whereupon I took my place on the drum throne. It is that lineup that accompanies Evan on the album, which is a real hoot. Recorded in Atlanta, all first takes. No rehearsals, either!