Mining For Music: Dancing the Night Away

MINING FOR MUSIC

THE AMAZING RHYTHM ACES Dancing the Night Away

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCQhP_KeQv4 to listen to Blue Moon Revisited while you read on.

Searching for great music is like mining for opals. You are in the dark for a long time and then a flash of brilliance illuminates your life. The light radiated for me in a Hereford street bar in Christchurch in 1983 watching Russell Smith and The Amazing Rhythm Aces live. The experience is still vivid after 40 years.

The Aces came together in Memphis Tennessee in 1972. Joining lead vocalist and guitarist Russell Smith, were bassist Jeff "Stick" Davis, drummer Butch McDade, keyboardist Bill Earhart III, lead guitarist Kelvin Holly, multi-instrumentalist Barry Byrd Burton, and pianist James Hooker.

The beauty of this band is the way all these great musicians work together. No one tries to outdo the other and you get to experience the separate beauty of piano, keyboard, mandolin, fiddle and guitar all held together by subdued, beautiful drums and percussion. Each musician has space and time to play their part separately, with wonderful instrumental backing quietly coming through, all topped off by Russell Smith’s distinctive gravelly voice. They have something really special as a group. Somehow the restraint in the music from notes not played adds to the performance rather than detracting from it. They recorded many wonderful tracks, and the first I have picked is one of their lesser known numbers but it highlights the wonderful way they all worked together to produce really memorable music. When you watch the clip, you see how they are living a musical experience rather than just performing.

Sadly, Russell Smith died in 2019 but his legacy remains. If you think Country Music is lightweight have a wee listen and become enlightened. Before you turn up the volume settle into a fine aged Kentucky bourbon. I recommend the Labrot and Graham, Woodford Reserve (Distillers Select). This is triple distilled in copper pots and produced by the oldest bourbon distillery in the USA. Beautiful.

Try and stream this from your computer to your TV so you can get some real volume.

I have added here two extra tracks to give you an excuse to top up the bourbon:

• Last letter home - Russell Smith with Walt Wilkins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIgEj-tYRZE • Anger and Tears - Russell Smith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no04riWonJo

BB Feb 2022

Dancing The Night Away

- The Amazing Rhythm Aces

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCQhP_KeQv4

James Brown & Russell Smith

Standin' beside of the ocean Lookin' out across the water Everythin' is beautiful But I still don't feel like I oughta

Things we wanted, not so long ago I got 'em all now, babe But I ain't got you no more

Still I remember The way you held me And all the sweet things you used to say When we were two young lovers Dancin' the night away Still I remember The way you held me And all the sweet things you used to say When we were two young lovers Dancin' the night away

Standin' beside of the ocean Lookin' out across the bay I should look for companionship But it just gets in my way

All the lights are flickerin' Out along the shore I see people dancin' there But I just don't dance no more

I remember everythin' Dresses you used to wear You were so light and graceful You seem to float right through the air Still I remember The way you held me And all the sweet things you used to say When we were two young lovers Dancin' the night away

Let me see you dance Let me see you dance Oh, babe, let me see you dance I can still see you dance I remember you dancin' Oh, babe, let me see you dance

Me I looked so funny dancin' But you loved me anyhow Now I wish I could find somebody To love me like that now