Garry Segal- Taking Notes Review

Artist: Garry Segal
Title: Taking Notes
Website: http://www.todyeforband.com
Style: Roots Rock / Americana 
Rating: 8.25 out of 10
By C.W. Ross

 

After 20 years of musical success recording and touring with his rock/blues band Garry and the Moodswingers, Garry has decided to embark on a solo career.

 

Taking Notes offers up a very interesting collection of musical styles on its 7-tracks of music.

 

The release starts-off with "Two Broken People" a root's rocker with acoustic guitar, piano and organ driving its steady beats.

 

Track-2 "Wrong Dogs"- is a dobro filled swamp music song that has campy-humor lyrics.

 

Track-3 "Without Rain" breaks out the soul of country music the pedal steel.  This melodic song also features nice sweet harmony vocals from Joan Schroeder that work well against Garry's vocals with their slightly grizzled edge.

 

Track-4 "I Keep Drinkin', " takes a trip down the jazzy-blues road with its smoky sax and jazzy guitar solo. The song also features both an interesting intro and outro of whistling.

 

Track-5 "Wind Will Blow," breaks out the mandolin and banjo for a visit to bluegrass music land. 

 

Track-6 "Cartwheels" is where Garry starts to let his stellar harmonica work come out in this melodic blues song.

 

Garry's harmonica playing has earned him an endorsement deal with the world renowned Hohner Harmonica.

 

The CD finishes up with track-7 "Everything's Jake" an instrumental track where each instrument takes its turn in the song's musical spotlight.

 

I liked all 7 songs found on Taking Notes with the wide variety of styles that worked together thanks to Garry's lyrics that are filled with talk of failed dreams, humor, and hope.