The music on "The Island" is a blend of Pop, Rock, Blues, Jazz and Hawaiian, We like to call the mix R&B for "Rhythm and Beach"!
The songs are written and sung by Allan Thomas, who also plays rhythm guitar on all tracks.
Featuring performances by Keyboardist Russell Ferrante, composer and keyboard player for the Grammy award winning Jazz group, The Yellowjackets.
Also featuring Singer, Songwriter, Keyboardist Michael Ruff, who has written songs for Bonnie Riatt, Kenny Loggins, and Natalie Cole, among others, and has played with Rickie Lee Jones, David Sanborn, Jackson Browne, and Todd Rundgren.
Also noteable on the sessions is Bryan Kessler, longtime friend and bandmate, who produced, recorded, and wrote songs for his own group Hawaiian Style Band.
Produced, and Mixed by Stephen Barncard (Who lists David Crosby, and the Grateful Dead in his production credits, among others). "The Island" played on 150 national radio stations, when it was first released.
It reached #49 and #29 on the New Adult Contemporary national radio charts (Gavin, and Radio & Records). Some radio stations now call this blend of music, Triple A. Easy rockin' music.
The Europeans call this sound 'West Coast'. Check the title track: #5 "The Island". David Crosby has this to say about Allan Thomas(Nov. 1996): Allan Thomas is a singer and a songwriter, but he's more than that... He's an Islander, he's a Windrider.
He's been there in that sun and in that sea, long enough to have soaked it up into him, into his heart... and it comes out in his songs I listen to him and I see Hanalei bay... I listen to him and I see people. He's a really fine songwriter!
Having escaped the manic mediocrity of life in the continental U.S., singer/songwriter/guitarist Allan Thomas has served up a spicy "poi" of tracks on "The Island".
Thomas utilizes his breathy, yet strong, vocal stylings to paint a vivid portrait of paradise. My personal pick is the title track, "The Island". Yellowjackets keyboard player Russell Ferrante's chops are best showcased on this track, and the album's one instrumental, "Love or Something Like it", where he displays the keyboard technique that serves the Yellowjackets so well, and proves that Allan Thomas knows how to pick his session men. Allan proves that he has more than waves and windsurfing on his mind, in songs like "Kindred Spirits" the album's closer, and "Hold on Tightly" the lead song.
Such strong social statements are welcome, indeed, and he's cut a very pleasant sounding album to remind us of it. -- Brian Delp "The MAC Report" 3/10/90
The music on "The Island" is a blend of Pop/ Rock, Blues, Jazz, and Hawaiian. We call the mix R&B, or "Rhythm and Beach"!
The songs are written and sung by Allan Thomas, who also plays rhythm guitar on all tracks.
Featuring performances by Russell Ferrante, composer and keyboard player for the Grammy award winning jazz group, the Yellowjackets. The recording also features singer/songwriter keyboard player Michael Ruff, whose songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, and has played with Rickie Lee Jones and Todd Rundgren.
Also notable on the album is Valerie Carter, current back-up vocalist for Jackson Browne and James Taylor.
Bryan Kessler, co-creator of the Hawaiian Style Band, and long-time friend and bandmate, co-wrote six of the songs, and played both rhythm and melody guitar.
Judd Miller, an LA session player and EWI programmer for Michael Brecker, plays the electronic wind instrument. Zeke Zirngiebel, (Tower of Power, Warren Zevon) plays left-handed lead and slide guitars and Cliff Hugo, one time Ray Charles alumni, is bassist, and his sidekick Rick Schlosser, (Juice Newton, Van Morrison, Nicolette Larson, and James Taylor) plays drums.
The record was produced and mixed by recording industry veteran Stephen Barncard, who lists David Crosby, CSN, the Grateful Dead, Van Morrison and the Doobie Brothers in his production and engineering credits, among others.
David Crosby has this to say about Allan Thomas: "Allan Thomas is a singer and a songwriter, but he's more than that... He's an Islander; he's a Windrider. He's been there in that sun and in that sea, long enough to have soaked it up into him, into his heart... and it comes out in his songs. I listen to him and I see Hanalei bay...I listen to him and I see people. He's a really fine songwriter!" - DAVID CROSBY, NOV. 1996 -- David Crosby
Track listing
1. Hold On Tightly - 4:24
2. Our Little Secret - 5:22
3. Across Blue Water - 5:01
4. WindRider - 5:30
5. The Island - 5:06
6. No Win Situation - 5:09
7. Yes Or No - 4:41
8. In My Automobile - 3:51
9. Love Or Something Like It - 4:53
10. Kindred Spirits - 6:30
Personnel
- Allan Thomas - vocals & rhythm guitar
- Bryan Kessler - rhythm guitar & amazing riffs
- Michael Ruff - keyboards & live arrangements
- Cliff Hugo - bass
- Rick Shlosser - drums
- Zeke Zirngiebel - left-handed lead guitar & slide guitar
- Russell Ferrante - keyboards
- Judd Miller - Electronic Wind Instrument
- Backing vocals - Valerie Carter - Michael Ruff - Joe Turano - Leslie Smith - Nancy Shanks - Allan
Thomas
Credits
- Produced & mixed by Stephen Barncard (Grateful Dead, David Crosby, Crosby Stills and Nash)
- Recording engineers - Mike Morongell - Kieth Wechler
- Assistant engineers - Mike Bosley - Jay Lean - Scott Gordon - Richard Jallis
- Art direction and layout - George Gruel
- Back cover art 'Makana' - Thomas Christian Wolfe
- Photography - Dane Warner-
- Charts - Jeff Richman
- Lyric transcription - Becky Swan
Notes
Released: 1989
Genre: Pop, Rock
Total time: 50:27
Label - Black Bamboo Recordings
0 comments:
Post a Comment