Western Reserve

The band on “Western Reserve” is essentially a quintet made up of three people.

  • I play all the acoustic guitar parts — six-string, “C”-tuned twelve-string and baritone (except on “Good Book Blues,” which has Derek Bianchi on acoustic); electric baritone guitar on “Don’t Keep Me Waiting”; acoustic-electric nylon string guitar on “The Final Word”; and all harmonica parts

  • Libby McLaren plays keyboards and arranged and sang all the backing vocals

  • And the rest of the quintet: bass, drums and electric guitars (the latter sometimes gussied up to sound like strings or an organ) is all Derek, who’s a pretty amazing musician

  • The supporting cast includes Shira Kammen (vielle trio, which she also arranged, on “Western Reserve”, and violin on “The Final Word”), Paul Weiss (resophonic guitar on “Tend the Fire”, second acoustic guitar on “Tuesday Girl” and electric slide guitar on “Good Book Blues”), and Jaimie Bianchi (tambourine on “Never Going Home” and “Tuesday Girl”)

Derek produced, recorded and engineered; Libby coached, critiqued and kibbitzed; Paul encouraged; and Rocket and Scout snored on the studio sofa and had their tummies rubbed.

The front and back cover images were edited by Annaliese Tassano Photo Arts edited (thanks, Annaliese!); Kurt Lighthouse designed and laid out the CD case/booklet and the LP cover/inner sleeve (thanks, Kurt!).

Visitors

With "Visitors," I was trying to write and record with a broader palette than on my first album, both musically and in terms of the songs' subject matter and emotional content.  Love and family still are at the center, but these songs try to dig a bit more deeply into mortality and redemption.  I must be getting old.

The Musicians:    

Albion: Howard Simon - acoustic guitar and vocals; Cary Black - electric bass; Ed Johnson - acoustic guitar Libby McLaren - keyboards; Paul Weiss - resophonic guitar; Richard Brandenburg - harmony vocals

In Her Name: Howard Simon – acoustic guitar and vocals; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar; Libby McLaren – piano; Loryn Barbeau – harmony vocal

The Devil Every Day: Howard Simon – electric 12-string guitar, vocal; Cary Black – electric bass; Ed Johnson – guitar, keyboard; Mark Ivester – drums; Derek Bianchi – electric guitar; Loryn Barbeau – harmony vocal

Tomorrow is a Long Time: Howard Simon – guitar, vocal, harmonica; Happy Traum – guitar; Cary Black – bass

Where You Are: Howard Simon – “C” 12-string guitar, vocals; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar; Mark Ivester – drums; Libby McLaren – keyboard; Loryn Barbeau – harmony vocal

Visitors: Howard Simon – guitar, vocal; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar; Libby McLaren - keyboard

Let it Rise: Howard Simon – “C” 12-string guitar, vocal; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar; Mark Ivester – drums; Libby McLaren – keyboards; Richard Brandenburg, Cary Black, Ed Johnson and Loryn Barbeau – harmony vocals; vocals arranged by Ed Johnson

Christmas Day: Howard Simon – guitar, vocal; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar; Loryn – harmony vocal

Normal Life: Howard Simon – vocal; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar; Mark Ivester – drums; John Worley - trumpet

Sweet Words and History: Howard Simon – guitar, vocal; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar; Mark Ivester – bass; Loryn Barbeau – harmony vocal; Kris Strom – saxophone; John Worley – trumpet; Marty Wehner – trombone; horns arranged by Ed Johnson

Antonia: Howard Simon – vocal; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar, keyboard; Mark Ivester – drums; Paul Weiss – resophonic guitar; Kris Strom – saxophone; John Worley – trumpet; Marty Wehner – trombone; Richard Brandenburg, Loryn Barbeau – harmony vocals; horns arranged by Ed Johnson

Sweet Little Mystery: Howard Simon – vocal; Cary Black – bass, harmony vocal; Ed Johnson – guitar, harmony vocal (lead); Mark Ivester – cajón; Richard Brandenburg – harmony vocal; vocals arranged by Ed Johnson

The Librarian's Garden: Howard Simon – guitar, vocal; Cary Black – bass; Ed Johnson – guitar; Mark Ivester – drums; Libby McLaren – keyboard; Richard Brandenburg, Loryn Barbeau – harmony vocals

Three Horses: Howard Simon - guitar, vocal

The view from this horizon

The sixteen songs on "The View from this Horizon" are, unabashedly, about love -- romantic, familial and otherwise. The writing spans many years -- from my 20's to my 50's -- and thus the songs consider love in many lights and through the widely differing lenses of a young man and one somewhat older (though in my case, one probably not much wiser).  If there is a common thread that ties these songs together, it is that love -- all love -- brings wonder in addition to its joy and sadness, and sometimes loss.  This album is an attempt to capture and communicate some of that wonder as I have experienced it and imagined it throughout my life.  I hope you enjoy it.

The Musicians:

Secret Waters: Howard Simon - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed Johnson - acoustic guitar; Cary Black - electric bass; Libby McLaren - keyboard; Phil Hawkins - drums; Richard Brandenburg - harmony vocals

Brother: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - acoustic guitar; Cary - upright bass; Blaine Sprouse - fiddle; Richard - harmony vocals

Nothing Left to Hide: Howard - vocals; Ed - nylon-string guitar; Cary - upright bass; Phil - drums; Richard - vocals; Kris Yenney - cello; Heidi Yenney - violin (strings arranged by Ed)

Boston: Howard - baritone acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - electric guitar

Ain't it Funny: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - acoustic and electric guitars; Cary - upright bass

Woodside: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - acoustic guitar; Cary - upright bass; Libby - keyboard; Phil - drums; Richard and Ed - harmony vocals

Please Stay: Howard - acoustic six and twelve-string guitars and vocals; Ed - mandolin; Cary - upright bass; Blaine - fiddle; Richard and Ed - harmony vocals

Middle of the Night: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - acoustic and electric guitars; Cary - upright bass; Richard and Ed (aka "The Vienna Sausage Choir") - harmony vocals (vocals arranged by Ed)

Nancy Ann: Howard - twelve-string acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - acoustic guitar; Cary - electric bass; Phil - drums, steel drum, car parts; Richard, Ed and Howard - harmony vocals (vocals arranged by Ed) 

My Father's Days: Howard - vocals; Ed - acoustic guitar; Cary - upright bass; Paul Weiss - resophonic guitar

To Ashes: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - acoustic guitar; Cary - upright bass; Jeff Sanford - clarinet; Richard and Judi Jaeger - harmony vocals

Winds of Separation: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - acoustic guitar; Cary - upright bass; Blaine - fiddle; Richard - harmony vocals

The Day that Never Comes: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - acoustic guitar; Cary - electric bass; Libby - keyboard

Something More: Howard - acoustic guitar,vocals and harmonica; Ed - acoustic guitar; Cary - upright bass; Richard - harmony vocals

High Falls Road: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Cary - electric bass; Blaine - fiddle; Richard and Ed - harmony vocals

Sausalito: Howard - acoustic guitar and vocals; Ed - nylon-string guitar and keyboard; Cary - upright bass