At the Purple Onion
Encyclopedia
At the Purple Onion is a live album by guitarist Lenny Breau
with Don Francks
and Eon Henstridge, recorded in 1962 and released in 2004. Breau, Francks and Henstridge performed as a trio called Three.
, Canada
. Liner notes and commentary by Francks, Hollingsworth, George B. Sukornyk and Ron Forbes-Roberts are also included.
, critic Russell Carlson wrote Breau's "comping hangs in the background on this less-than-even recording. But when Breau gets space to himself, he uses it like a Breau fan wants him to... Serious Breau collectors and fans of wacky jazz theater (do any exist?) will invest wisely in this; those uninitiated in Breau's artistry should turn to Art of Life's previous The Hallmark Sessions."
Production notes:
Lenny Breau
Leonard Harold "Lenny" Breau was a musician, guitar player, and music educator. He was known for blending many styles of music including: jazz, country, classical and flamenco guitar...
with Don Francks
Don Francks
Donald Harvey Francks or Iron Buffalo is a Canadian actor, vocalist and jazz musician.- Life and work :Francks was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is a drummer, poet, native nations champion, motorcyclist, author and peace activist...
and Eon Henstridge, recorded in 1962 and released in 2004. Breau, Francks and Henstridge performed as a trio called Three.
History
Breau's former manager kept the original tapes of this live performance for over 40 years before they were re-discovered. It features Breau, Francks, and Henstridge with Joey Hollingsworth — one vocal and also tap dancing — performing at the Purple Onion club in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Liner notes and commentary by Francks, Hollingsworth, George B. Sukornyk and Ron Forbes-Roberts are also included.
Reception
Allmusic critic Ken Dryden describes the release as "Although fans of Lenny Breau are likely to be interested in all of his previously unreleased recordings, the focus is primarily on Francks... All fans of Lenny Breau will want to check out this previously unreleased CD, though some listeners may feel a bit overwhelmed by the emphasis on Francks' comedic vocals and narratives." In reviewing the release for JazzTimesJazzTimes
JazzTimes is a magazine that dates back to Radio Free Jazz, a publication founded in 1970 by Ira Sabin when he was operating a record store in Washington, DC. It was originally a newsletter designed to update shoppers on the latest jazz releases and provide jazz radio programmers with a means of...
, critic Russell Carlson wrote Breau's "comping hangs in the background on this less-than-even recording. But when Breau gets space to himself, he uses it like a Breau fan wants him to... Serious Breau collectors and fans of wacky jazz theater (do any exist?) will invest wisely in this; those uninitiated in Breau's artistry should turn to Art of Life's previous The Hallmark Sessions."
Track listing
- "Introduction" – 32:29
- "A New Electric Chair" (Lenny Breau, Don Francks, Eon Henstridge) – 3:14
- "The Surrey With the Fringe on TopThe Surrey With the Fringe On Top"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" is a show tune from the 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma! It is the second song of the show, following the opening number, "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'."...
" (Oscar Hammerstein IIOscar Hammerstein IIOscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". Many of his songs are standard repertoire for...
, Richard RodgersRichard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
) – 5:26 - "The Newspaper Song" (Breau, Francks, Henstridge) – 9:17
- "Gum Addiction" (Breau, Francks, Henstridge) – 4:09
- "Tea for TwoTea for Two (song)"Tea for Two" is a song from the 1925 musical No, No, Nanette with music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Irving Caesar. It is a duet sung by Nanette and Tom in Act II as they imagine their future.-Analysis:...
" (Irving CaesarIrving CaesarIrving Caesar was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for "Swanee," "Sometimes I'm Happy," "Crazy Rhythm," and "Tea for Two," one of the most frequently recorded tunes ever written. He was born and died in New York.Caesar, the son of Morris Keiser, a Romanian Jew, was...
, Vincent YoumansVincent YoumansVincent Youmans was an American popular composer and Broadway producer.- Life :Vincent Millie Youmans was born in New York City on September 27, 1898 and grew-up on Central Park West on the site where the Mayflower Hotel once stood. His father, a prosperous hat manufacturer, moved the family to...
) – 13:18 - "A Gentile Sings the Blues" (Breau, Francks, Henstridge) – 21:04
- "Work Song" (Nat AdderleyNat AdderleyNathaniel Adderley was an American jazz cornet and trumpet player who played in the hard bop and soul jazz genres. He was the brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley....
) – 5:14 - "Oscar's Blues" (Oscar MooreOscar MooreOscar Moore was an American swing jazz guitarist.Moore was an integral part of the Nat King Cole Trio during 1937–1947, appearing on virtually all of Cole's records during the period. A superb and influential guitarist, Moore was himself influenced by Charlie Christian...
) – 1:53 - "Joey's Solo" (Joey Hollingsworth) – 1:43
Personnel
- Lenny Breau – guitar
- Don FrancksDon FrancksDonald Harvey Francks or Iron Buffalo is a Canadian actor, vocalist and jazz musician.- Life and work :Francks was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is a drummer, poet, native nations champion, motorcyclist, author and peace activist...
– vocals - Eon Henstridge – bass
- Joey Hollingsworth – vocals on "Work Song", tap dancing on "Work Song", "Oscar's Blues" and "Joey's Solo"
Production notes:
- Paul Kohler – producer, art direction, mastering, mixing, graphic layout, liner notes