Albany Records: Crofut & Brubeck in Concert

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The late Bill Crofut performs live in charming, funny and exciting performances.

"We like to sing about what we would like to be, and we must sing about what we are. The songs of a culture speak for themselves. That is what this recording is all about - the contrasting sides of our national character as reflected in our diverse musical heritage. More importantly, it is in part a look at today's America through yesterday's songs.," so say Bill Crofut and Chris Brubeck in the notes for this recording of folk and popular songs. The surprise on this recording is the Jew's harp playing of Peter Madcat Ruth. Crofut and Brubeck continue: "As you will hear, Madcat's musical gifts are apparent throughout this recorded concert. His technique, his "time," his soulfulness, and his taste are superior. We also must explain why the audience is laughing so hysterically not only at Madcat's lead vocal and ridiculous traditional lyrics but also at his harp solo on Old Joe Clark. Every sound you hear in his solo after the second verse is made only by Madcat. There are no overdubs and somehow he does the following, in sequence, punctuated by the crowd's amazed outbursts: chugs along on the harp and adds a duck call to the corner of his mouth plus various vocal hoots; replaces the duck call with a siren whistle; whips out a toothbrush and brushes on the microphone for one bar; pounds his chest in rhythm with a plastic hammer toy; squeaks a rubber frog; fits a party favor into each corner of his mouth and in alternating quarter notes blows them while still flying on the harp; breaks into a polyrhythmic "hootin" frenzy while lifting a bass harmonica to play with his nostrils; and plays the melody while the audience sits in stunned anticipation of God knows what might come next!"

J.S. Bach, composer
Bouree from Englische Suite No. 2, BWV807
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Katharine Bates, composer
America The Beautiful
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Chris Brubeck, composer
The Cowboy Song
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Chris Brubeck, composer
The Music Makes The World Go Round
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Chris Brubeck, composer
Red, White & Blues
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Dave Brubeck, composer
Unsquare Dance
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Bill Crofut, composer
In Just
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Bill Crofut, composer
Little Birdy
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Jesse Fuller, composer
San Francisco Bay Blues
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Jay Gorney, composer
Brother Can You Spare A Dime
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Woody Guthrie, composer
This Land Is Your Land
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Bob Nolan, composer
Way Out There
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

John Philip Sousa, composer
Stars and Stripes Forever
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Fats Waller, composer
Black & Blue
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Traditional, composer
Old Joe Clark
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Traditional, composer
The Ashgrove
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Traditional, composer
Morning Has Broken
Bill Crofut, banjo and voice, Chris Brubeck, trombone, piano, guitar and voice

Review:

"Highly recommending a recording of folk, bluegrass, ragtime, blues and (heaven forbid) Bach for a jazz catalog can get a little shaky; yet this recording falls on the edge of jazz, as jazz is nothing but a stepchild to the genre of blues and gospel. Anyway, all in jazz is fair. This is apple pie, baseball and Fourth of July coupled with "virtuoso" talent, musicianship, originality and aplomb....Sparks fly continuously throughout this eclectic program of energetic, animated and unstereotypic music. These guys are almost having too much fun. This recording by far eclipses any other of this nature that I have heard because of the unrivaled level of virtuosity." (H&B Recordings Direct)

The late Bill Crofut performs live in charming, funny and exciting performances.

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