"Live On Breeze Hill" - ©1999 Breeze Hill Records
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| "Live On Breeze Hill" |
| CD Cover |
Rick Danko's new solo album, "Live On Breeze Hill" is an 11-song collection of inspired performances from The Band's legendary bass player and lead singer.
Danko, who was inducted with The Band into "The Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame" in 1994, is backed here by some of the finest musicians in the business (including Band-mate Garth Hudson and long time collaborator and Band co-producer Aaron "Louie" Hurwitz). Vocally and musically, Danko is in fine form on this outing, which is sure to please his fans, old and new.
"Live On Breeze Hill" captures the intimacy, immediacy and excitement of Danko's live,electric performances, and features creative reworkings of requisite staples ("Twlight," "Stagefright"), ingenious versions of long-lost gems ("Caledonia Mission"), audience favorites ("Crazy Mama"), sing-alongs ("Blaze of Glory") and Band performed classics ("Makes No Difference," "Shape I'm In"). The cd also includes a bonus track, a new arrangement of Danko's "Sip The Wine," which ardent fans will recognize from it's first appearance in the Martin Scorsese classic film "The Last Waltz".
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| Inside CD Foldout |
| Credit: Marie Spinosa |
Danko's nine-piece band also features "Letterman" horn player Tom "Bones" Malone (trombone,baritone sax), former Tower Of Power saxophonist and current leader of the Saturday Night Live band Lenny Pickett (tenor sax, clarinet), and reknowned studio player Jim Hynes (trumpet).
A portion of the proceeds from "Live On Breeze Hill" will benefit Greenpeace whose mission is to protect the health of the planet. The CD's unique packaging is environmentally friendly using only soy inks and recycled paper in accordance with Greenpeace's mission.
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| RICK DANKO |
| Photo: Elliot Landy |
What The Music World Is Saying About Rick Danko :
"Rick's singing has had a tremendous influence on me from 'Big Pink' right up to the present
day. It's only my humble opinion, but I think you have to be a great musician before you can
sing like that"
Eric Clapton, September 1999
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| "Breeze Hill" Promotional Sticker |
| Rick Danko & Aaron Hurwitz |
"Rick's voice was-and unbelievable,still is- the watermark for an entire modern music generation. His solo performances are the work of an American troubadour with few peers.
Jonathan Donahue - Mercury Rev, September 1999
"Live On Breeze Hill" defines the current state of Rick's legacy, rich in form and full of lineage and history. Although, the past 30 years, like in any lifetime, comes with happiness, joy and of course, some sorrow. With the loss of many friends in the music world,including Band-mate Richard Manuel and longtime friend, Jerry Garcia. Rick Danko is a true survivor and has written and performed music for close to 40 years, from his early days with Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, Bob Dylan and held an illustrious career with The Band. Rick has shared world stages with everyone in the rock's history books, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin,The Doors, Grateful Dead,Pink Floyd (Roger Waters) and many other notable legends. Rick performed at the original Woodstock festival in 1969 and then returned in 1999 to play with fellow Woodstock alumni, David Crosby, Richie Havens, Johnny Winter, Arlo Guthrie and many others in front of 35,000 fans for the 30th Anniversary billed "A Day In The Garden".
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| DAY IN THE GARDEN |
| Poster 1999 |
In early 1999, Rick Danko was featured on Bob Dylan's new release of "Live At Royal Albert Hall 1966"(Columbia Records) which features Bob Dylan and The Band live, actually in Manchester,UK. This recording finally saw official release after being offered in the underground bootleg market for many years. This 2CD set is a classic collection of songs from the infamous Dylan performance where he was jeered and heckled by the audience who were upset with Bob for turning "electric". The cry of "Judas" before "Like A Rolling Stone" prompted Bob to tell the Band to "Play F**kin' Loud !" and changed rock history as we know it.
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| BOB DYLAN - "Live At Royal Albert Hall" |
| featuring Rick Danko |
In September 1999, Rick was part of a taping for E-TOWN a syndicated radio show, that features artists who are environmentally conscious. Rick and his band performed songs solo and also with Natalie Merchant (ex 10,000 Maniacs). The taping was held in front of a live audience of 1,500 in Kingston,New York at the Ulster Performing Arts Center. The show also featured phoned in words from Pete Seeger, well known for his involvement with The Clearwater Sloop that benefits the cleanup of the Hudson River in upstate New York. Since Rick is an upstate resident, he felt very close to this cause and action. E-Town reaches about 1 million listeners, nationwide.
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| Rick Danko - Live At "Day In The Garden" |
| Photo: Lee Gabites |
Rick Danko did not rest on his laurels and maintained a performing schedule of approximately 150 dates per year, including many benefits and charity events. Rick performed
often solo, accompanied by producer cohort, Aaron "Professor Louie" Hurwitz or
with a full 5-9 piece band. He often invited former Band-mate Garth Hudson to
appear and make music like they did together for over 30 years. In these days of fads and
short lived music trends, Rick's own words rang true, "If it's good, It will last forever...."
Rick Danko passed away at his home on December 10th, 1999 in Hurley, New York. The music world and fans were stricken with grief and sadness, as Rick had just finished a radio promotional
tour earlier that week with his partner/cohort Aaron "Professor Louie" Hurwitz.
A memorial service was held at the Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock,NY that featured
remembrances from Robbie Robertson, John Simon, Tom Pacheco, Jules Shear and others. A eulogy was spoken by Aaron Hurwitz.
Prior to his death,Rick Danko was working on a brand new solo album for an spring 2000 release.
Copyright ©1999 - All Rights Reserved by Woodstock Records and may not be used without written permission.