9666 - CHRIS GAFFNEY - MI VIDA LOCA (1992)

CHRIS GAFFNEY
''MI VIDA LOCA''
1992
42:12

1 Silent partner (Chris Gaffney, Greg Gaffney) 02:20
2 Artesia 02:42
3 Get off my back Lucy 03:10
4 Six nights a week (Dave Alvin, Chris Gaffney) 03:14
5 ´68 (Dave Alvin, Chris Gaffney) 03:54
6 Waltz for Minnie 05:40
7 They made a mistake 02:15
8 Quiete desperation 03:35
9 Psychotic girlfriend 03:07
10 Mi vida loca 02:35
11 So tired to be me 05:13
12 I never grew up 04:23
Tracks By Chris Gaffney, Except 1, 4, 5

Gary Brandin/Guitar (Steel)
Augie Brown/Vocals (Background)
Esten Cook/Percussion
Roger Eaton/Vocals (Background)
Tucker Fleming/Drums
Chris Gaffney/Accordion, Guitar, Organ, Vocals
Greg Gaffney/Bass Guitar
Jim Lauderdale/Vocal Harmony
Danny Ott/Guitar, Guitar (12 String), Vocals (Background)
Mike Overlin/Saxophone
Wyman Reese/Keyboards, Vocals (Background)
Steve VanGelder/Fiddle

REVIEW/AMG
by Brian Mansfield
Gaffney infuses hard country with elements of Tex-Mex and pure rock & roll, coming off like a cross between Merle Haggard and the Blasters. Gaffney has a dusty voice with perfect country phrasing for ballads like "Quiet Desperation" and "Waltz for Minnie," but he's at his peak with rockers like "'68," a powerful song about a man who lost his best friend in Vietnam, and "Silent Partner," which sounds like souped-up George Jones.

BIOGRAPHY/AMG
by Johnny Loftus
Chris Gaffney grew up in Arizona, where he learned to play the accordion as a young child. The instrument would later influence the performer's mix of norteño with country and rock & roll. Gaffney eventually mastered guitar as well, and spent his teen years gigging in cover and house bands. In 1977, he formed a partnership with keyboardist Wyman Reese, who also produced Gaffney's initial solo efforts. Road to Indio appeared in 1986; it featured '50s rock, soul, and dusty Bakersfield honky tonk. Chris Gaffney & the Cold Hard Facts followed in 1990, and delved into Gaffney's Hispanic heritage. His third solo effort, Mi Vida Loca, was issued in 1992. Loser's Paradise appeared in 1995, with production from blue-collar stalwart Dave Alvin and contributions from Lucinda Williams and Jim Lauderdale. In 2002, he formed the Hacienda Brothers with Dave Gonzalez of the Paladins, and they recorded three albums before Gaffney contracted liver cancer; he died on April 17, 2008. One year later, the tribute album A Man of Somebody's Dreams: A Tribute to the Songs of Chris Gaffney appeared, featuring contributions from Alvin and Los Lobos, among others.

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9491 - VARIOUS ARTISTS - MAN OF SOMEBODY'S DREAMS: A TRIBUTE TO CHRIS GAFFNEY (2009)

VARIOUS ARTISTS
''MAN OF SOMEBODY'S DREAMS: A TRIBUTE TO CHRIS GAFFNEY''
2009
67:36

1 Joe Ely - Lift Your Leg 02:57
2 Boz Scaggs - Midnight Dream 04:09
3 Los Lobos - Man Of Somebody's Dreams 03:56
4 Dave Alvin - Artesia 05:11
5 Peter Case - Six Nights A Week 03:23
6 Tom Russell - If Daddy Don't Sing Danny Boy 02:45
7 Calexico - Frank's Tavern 04:24
8 James McMurtry - Fight (Tonight's The Night) 03:11
9 The Texas Tornadoes - The Gardens 03:12
10 Jim Lauderdale and Ollabelle - Glass House 04:24
11 The Iguanas - Get Off My Back Lucy 03:07
12 Alejandro Escovedo - 1968 05:07
13 Robbie Fulks - King Of The Blues 03:50
14 John Doe (Alt Country) - Quiet Desperation 03:25
15 Dave Gozalez - Tired Of Being Me 04:25
16 Big Sandy and Los Straitjackets - Silent Partner 02:33
17 Dan Penn - I'm So Proud 03:00
18 Chris Gaffney - Guitars Of My Dead Friends 04:28

CREDITS

REVIEW/AMG
by Mark Deming
Chris Gaffney was once described as "a quintessential Southern California bar musician," and while he was also a great deal more than that -- a superb songwriter and a recording artist who made fine records on his own, as a sideman and as part of the combo the Hacienda Brothers -- the mix of country, R&B and norteño influences that defined his music was a clear reflection of the working class California environment where he grew up. Gaffney was highly regarded by his fellow songwriters and musicians, even though he never enjoyed the commercial or critical breakthrough that would open him up to the larger audience he deserved before liver cancer took his life in 2008 at the age of 57, and his friend and frequent collaborator Dave Alvin has produced a moving and well-crafted tribute to the man and his music, The Man of Somebody's Dreams: A Tribute to the Songs of Chris Gaffney. The 18 songs here capture the flinty honesty and hard-won compassion that was a major part of Gaffney's best work, and Alvin proves to be a fine casting agent, fitting each song to the artist with unerring skill. Calexico find a weathered beauty in the liquor-soaked lovers of "Frank's Tavern," Los Lobos bring a gentle sadness to the long-gone romance of "The Man of Somebody's Dreams," Robbie Fulks delivers a solid honky tonk swing on "King of the Blues" (and Peter Case does the same for "Six Nights a Week"), Alejandro Escovedo brings the tragic pathos of "1968" to vivid life, John Doe captures the titular emotions of "Quiet Desperation" with a perfect touch, and legendary songwriter Dan Penn knows just how to handle the work of another great tunesmith on "I'm So Proud." The late Freddy Fender's aching and evocative rendition of "The Gardens" from the Texas Tornados' 4 Aces is a welcome addition to this set, and while Boz Scaggs hardly seems like someone you'd expect to see in this company, he brings a slinky and sensuous R&B groove to "Midnight Dream" that shows Gaffney was more than just another guy on the L.A. roots music scene. Closing with one of Gaffney's final recordings -- an unreleased tune called "Guitars of My Dead Friends" -- the effect of The Man of Somebody's Dreams sometimes feels like a wake as much as a celebration, but this music honors a man who deserved a better hand than he was dealt, and one listen to these songs will prove that's a fact to anyone with ears.

MORE REVIEW
By Bob Gottlieb
This is a tribute disc that shows the respect for the man it honors, Chris Gaffney, by his former bandmate (Dave Alvin and The Guilty Men), Dave Alvin and the love and esteem of the entire musical community at large. Look at diversity of genres and styles of those who stepped forward to honor this man and lend their support to a disc in his memory; Joe Ely, Boz Scaggs, Los Lobos, Calexico, The Iguanas, Dave Gonzales (his bandmate in the Hacienda Brothers), and Dan Penn to name but a few. There are 18 tracks on this disc and 18 different artists, 17 of the songs are ones Chris either wrote or had a hand in writing; track 18 is Chris doing a song he didn't write, however is particularly poignant and an appropriate closer for the disc. As gifted as he was as a singer who could turn songs from such different writers as Fred Neil, Frank Sinatra, and Jerry Butler into his own; he was equally talented as a songwriter, accordionist, and storyteller. Chris was a person you might meet in the neighborhood tavern and he could keep you entertained for hours as you sipped your drinks and you would come away a whole lot richer for the time spent.

Chris grew up in the Arizona and Southern California and his songs reflect the music of these areas. His songs reflect his view of everyday life and the travails of just going through life, the day-to-day problems that occur and his way out of them. Often you find a number of weak cuts on a disc like this, however all the cuts are strong and the songs are well done. Listen to what Peter Case does with Six Nights A Week," or the smoldering The Garden which best reflects the Southwestern Latin influence, done by Freddie Fender & The Texas (the original group, think Flaco Jimenez, Doug Sahm, Augie Meyer and Ry Cooder). There are so many highlights on this disc that each cut is capable of stopping you in your tracks and making you just grin. Most of the material here was cut for this disc and members of Chris' group, The Cold Hard Facts, Danny Ott and Wyman Reese are featured on several of the tracks along with Dave Alvin who put this all together (thank you for taking the time Dave). This is one tribute disc that won't disappoint in any way; it will probably introduce you to a new songwriter who will enrich your world.

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9490 - CHRIS GAFFNEY - LOSER'S PARADISE (1995)

CHRIS GAFFNEY
''LOSER'S PARADISE''
1995
40:57

1 The Eyes Of Roberto Duran (Tom Russell) 02:52
2 Loser's Paradise (Chris Gaffney) 03:02
3 The Man Of Somebody's Dream (Chris Gaffney) 03:57
4 So Far From God (And Too Close You) (Chris Gaffney) 03:03
5 East Of Houston, West Of Baton Rouge (Dave Alvin, B.J.Swan) 03:24
6 Cowboys To Girls (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff) 04:16
7 Azulito (Chris Gaffney) 02:48
8 My Baby's Got A Dead Man's Number (Jackson Browne, Chris Gaffney) 03:02
9 See the Big Man Cry (Ed Bruce) 02:51
10 Help You Dream (Dave Alvin) 03:50
11 Glasshouse (Chris Gaffney) 03:45
12 Sugar Bee (Eddie Shuler) 04:02

Dave Alvin/Guest Artist, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Producer
Ponty Bone/Accordion, Guest Artist
Sarah Brown/Bass Guitar
Gene Elders/Fiddle
Rosie Flores/Guest Artist, Vocals
Chris Gaffney/Accordion, Guitar, Piano, Vocals
Jim Lauderdale/Guest Artist, Vocals
Donald Lindley/Drums, Percussion
Ian McLagan/Organ (Hammond)
Danny Ott/Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Slide Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Ted Roddy/Harmonica
Tony Villanueva/Vocals
Scott Walls/Pedal Steel
Dale Watson/Vocals
Bradley Jaye Williams/Accordion
Lucinda Williams/Guest Artist, Vocals

REVIEW/AMG
by Jack Leaver
Although not quite the standout album that Mi Vida Loca is, Loser's Paradise is another consistent effort, serving up the same winning mix of country, roots rock, soul, and norteño. This time around, friend Dave Alvin handles the production, as well as providing some inspired six-string work, and contributes a couple of gems with the Cajun-flavored "East of Houston, West of Baton Rouge" and the honky tonkin' "Help You Dream." As with his other records, Gaffney's songwriting is superb, bringing hard-luck tales and characters to life with his weathered voice and keen roots sensibility. For instance, check out his George Jones-like ballad "Glasshouse," the melancholy "My Baby's Got a Dead Man's Number," and the lovely norteño number "Azulito." His cover choices also rule: Lucinda Williams duets on a wonderful version of the Intruders' 1968 soul chestnut "Cowboys to Girls," and Gaffney thoughtfully rediscovers the Ed Bruce-penned, 1964 Charlie Louvin hit "See the Big Man Cry." Gaffney plays guitar, accordion, and piano, while enlisting instrumental backing from a standout band that includes longtime Rod Stewart sideman Ian McLagan on Hammond organ and pedal steel guitarist Scott Wells. And the vocal help reads like an alternative country who's who, featuring Rosie Flores, Jim Lauderdale, Dale Watson, and Tony Villanueva (lead singer of the Derailers). A must-have for Gaffney fans, and a good introduction for new ones as well.

BIOGRAPHY/AMG
by Johnny Loftus
Chris Gaffney grew up in Arizona, where he learned to play the accordion as a young child. The instrument would later influence the performer's mix of norteño with country and rock & roll. Gaffney eventually mastered guitar as well, and spent his teen years gigging in cover and house bands. In 1977, he formed a partnership with keyboardist Wyman Reese, who also produced Gaffney's initial solo efforts. Road to Indio appeared in 1986; it featured '50s rock, soul, and dusty Bakersfield honky tonk. Chris Gaffney & the Cold Hard Facts followed in 1990, and delved into Gaffney's Hispanic heritage. His third solo effort, Mi Vida Loca, was issued in 1992. Loser's Paradise appeared in 1995, with production from blue-collar stalwart Dave Alvin and contributions from Lucinda Williams and Jim Lauderdale. In 2002, he formed the Hacienda Brothers with Dave Gonzalez of the Paladins, and they recorded three albums before Gaffney contracted liver cancer; he died on April 17, 2008. One year later, the tribute album A Man of Somebody's Dreams: A Tribute to the Songs of Chris Gaffney appeared, featuring contributions from Alvin and Los Lobos, among others.

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