Dream Your Own Dream
During the year(s) of the pandemic I, like many artists, have been cut off from the community of music lovers and supporters who come out to the live shows. Live streaming and pre-recorded shows have helped fill the gap. Another thing that has helped me navigate these times is gathering recordings I’ve worked on for years and finally taking the time to finish them. This is a collection of some of those songs. They come from several different periods of my life. I hope you can see me in all of them. Several great musicians and engineers helped me make these, including...
Musicians
Dustin Riecan
Will Dowd
Eric Eagle
Keith Lowe
Rob Moitoza
Barney McClure
David Lange
Bruce Laven
Craig Flory
Mark Graham
Skerik
Don Pawlak
Kevin Engbretson
Christopher Bauer
Jo Miller
Kim Scanlon
Engineers
David Lange@David Lange Studios,Edgewood WA
Garey Shelton@Garey Shelton Productions,Seattle WA
David Loucke@Alternative Productions, Seattle WA
Rob Folsom@OMB Studio,Port Orchard WA
Jay Follette@Ironwood Studios, Seattle WA
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Conrad Uno@Egg Studios, Seattle WA
Dream Your Own Dream (Orville Johnson BMI)
Rob Moitoza-bass Will Dowd-drums Skerik-saxophones
OJ-everything else
Rob Folsom@OMB Studio,Port Orchard WA
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Garey Shelton@Garey Shelton Productions,Seattle WA
Just Take Me Away (Orville Johnson-Jim Krapf BMI)
Rob Moitoza-bass Jo Miller & Kim Scanlon-harmony vocals
Barney McClure-piano OJ-everything else
Conrad Uno@Egg Studios, Seattle WA
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Garey Shelton@Garey Shelton Productions,Seattle WA
I Found a Dream (Lonnie Johnson Longitude Music BMI)
Craig Flory-clarinet OJ-everything else
David Lange@David Lange Studios,Edgewood WA
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Curfew Fever (Orville Johnson BMI)
Rob Moitoza-bass Will Dowd-drums Skerik-saxophones
OJ-everything else
Rob Folsom@OMB Studio,Port Orchard WA
Garey Shelton@Garey Shelton Productions,Seattle WA
Catfish & Crystal Waltz (Orville Johnson BMI)
OJ-everything
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Mirage (Orville Johnson BMI)
David Lange-keys Will Dowd-dumbek OJ-everything else
David Lange@David Lange Studios,Edgewood WA
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Naked Baker (Orville Johnson BMI)
OJ-everything
Rob Folsom@OMB Studio,Port Orchard WA
Skydiver’s Love Song (John Pavlik BMI)
Rob Moitoza-bass Will Dowd-drums Bruce Laven-piano
Don Pawlak-pedal steel guitar OJ-everything else
Rob Folsom@OMB Studio,Port Orchard WA
Night Watch (Orville Johnson BMI)
OJ-everything
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Garey Shelton@Garey Shelton Productions,Seattle WA
When Love Has Gone Away (Orville Johnson BMI)
OJ-everything
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Livin’ Without Lovin’ (Orville Johnson BMI)
Rob Moitoza-bass Will Dowd-drums Skerik-saxophones
Don Pawlak-pedal steel guitar OJ-everything else
Rob Folsom@OMB Studio,Port Orchard WA
Garey Shelton@Garey Shelton Productions,Seattle WA
Stranger In Me (Jim Page Whid-Isle Music BMI)
OJ-everything
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Snow Bound (John Pavlik BMI)
Eric Eagle-drums Christopher Bauer-pedal steel guitar
OJ-everything else
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Garey Shelton@Garey Shelton Productions,Seattle WA
The Sleeper (Orville Johnson BMI)
Keith Lowe-bass Will Dowd-percussion Mark Graham-clarinet
David Lange@David Lange Studios,Edgewood WA
Up on the Hill (John Hartford Ensign Music BMI)
Dustin Riecan-bass & drums OJ-everything else
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Farewell (Orville Johnson-Jim Krapf BMI)
Kevin Engbretson-pedal steel guitar OJ-everything else
Orville Johnson@The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Your Daughters and Your Sons (Tommy Sands Elm Grove Music)
OJ-vocal
Rob Folsom@OMB Studio,Port Orchard WA
Special Thanks to: Parry Marston • Richard Russell • Garey Shelton • Ross Nyberg
Mastered by Ross Nyberg
Artwork & Design by Richard Russell
Orville Johnson and his Ampliphonic Guitar-Duets
What a blessing it is to have friends like the group of masterful musicians who have honored me with their presence on this recording. I give an extra hosanna to John Knowles who started me off on this duet idea when we cut Somewhere from West Side Story for my Freehand album in 2001. We reconvened shortly thereafter to wax three more duets, two of which appear here. After gathering a few more tracks with just the dobro paired with guitar I got the urge to cast the dobro with different instruments in such a stark setting and hear them sing together.
I can’t thank everyone enough for taking time from their busy touring, teaching, and recording schedules to hang with me and make these songs. It was fun to come up with tunes that I thought might suit the artists and their instruments and I hope you enjoy the results. I don’t have space here to give you each artist’s resume, but suffice it to say they are all fantastic players and, with just a little bit of Googling their names, you’ll find websites that will lead you to discover all sorts of wonderful music they have created.
Re: the bonus track # 12…I played on some tunes with Dan Tyack and Darick Campbell for a project of Dan’s. I later asked him how things were going with that project and he offered to let me use my favorite cut from that session here. I love the Elwa Ramble and chose it for this recording. There are four of us playing so, to stick with the theme, let’s just say it’s two duets at once!
Produced by Orville Johnson
Recorded by David Lange
Mixed at David Lange Studios, Edgewood WA
except Elwa Ramble-mixed at The SunRoom, Seattle WA
Additional Engineering by- Danny Barnes, Tom Keenlyside, Neville Pearsall, and Garey Shelton
Mastered by Garey Shelton
Art and Design by Michael DuPille
Ampliphonic guitars played- Guernsey, Rayco, 1937 Dobro Style 45
Special Thanks to- Parry Marston, Michael DuPille, Dan Tyack, John and Becky Knowles, Ivan Guernsey, Mark Thibeault, the Dopyera Bros., Stuart Brune, and Jake's Musical Instruments and Antique Furniture
The Songs
1. Blue Finger (Jerry Reed)
2. Mongrel’s Dream (PD arr. Johnson-Graham)
3. Good Bye Porkpie Hat (Charles Mingus)
Recorded by Tom Keenlyside
4. Foggy Mountain Rock (Josh Graves)
Recorded by Danny Barnes at Minner Bucket Studio
5. Marie (Randy Newman)
6. Mean Old World (PD arr W.Mann)
7. Oh My Joy (Patrice Hahn)
8. Jitterbug Waltz (Fats Waller arr. M.Dowling)
Recorded at Synergy Sound by Neville Pearsall
9. Lakes of Pontchetrain (PD arr Johnson-Miller)
10. Tex Mex Shindig (Bill Emerson)
Recorded at Synergy Sound by Neville Pearsall
11.Naima (John Coltrane)
12. Elwa Ramble (Dan Tyack)
Recorded at Garey Shelton Studio
The Players
Orville Johnson- ampliphonic guitar on all tracks
1. John Knowles guitar
2. Mark Graham harmonica
3. Rene Worst acoustic bass
4. Danny Barnes banjo
5. John Knowles guitar
6. Woody Mann guitar
7. Patrice Hahn Celtic harp
8. Mike Dowling guitar
9. John Miller guitar
10. Sally Van Meter resophonic guitar
11. Susan Pascal vibraphone
12. Dan Tyack National guitar, Darick Campbell DeNeve dobro, John Miller guitar
Available here...BandCamp.com
Orville Johnson- Your Voice Is A Muscle
Welcome to those of you who have received my sampler CD Your Voice Is a Muscle. I pressed it with a simple jacket that didn't have room for all the musician and recording credits so I've collected those here for you. The collection has some tunes that have been previously released and some that are newly recorded. I hope you've enjoyed the collection and here's the info...
All instruments and vocals by OJ except as noted.
1. Your Voice Is a Muscle 3:58
All parts-OJ • recorded at The SunRoom Seattle WA
2. Blueprint for the Blues 3:56
Piano-Barney McClure Vocals-Jo Miller & Kim Scanlon • recorded at Egg Studio Seattle WA Conrad Uno eng. and at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
3. A Lua Do Amazonia (Ray Piper) 5:19
Piano-Jovino Santos Neto Bass- Guil Grimares Drums- Mark Ivester • recorded at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
4. When Love Has Gone Away 3:28
All parts-OJ • recorded at The SunRoom Seattle WA
5. Always Something 3:22
Tuba-Paul Woltz Clarinet-Mark Graham • recorded at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
6. Rocky Road (Trad.) 3:49
Bass-Keith Lowe Vibraphone-Susan Pascal • recorded at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
7. Rainy City Blues 3:11
Bass-Brian Williams • recorded at Synergy Sound Port Townsend WA Neville Piersall eng. and at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
8. The Sleeper 5:31
Bass-Keith Lowe Clarinet-Mark Graham Percussion-Will Dowd • recorded at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
9. Still Goin’ Strong (OJ & Mark Graham BMI) 2:53
Bass-Keith Lowe Harmonica-Mark Graham Fiddle-Tim O'Brien • recorded at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
10. I Never Will Marry (Trad.) 4:42
All parts-OJ • recorded at The SunRoom Seattle WA
11. Come Back Baby (Trad.) 5:24
Clarinet-Mark Graham • recorded at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
12. Farewell (OJ & Jim Krapf) 5:00
Pedal Steel-Kevin Engbretson • recorded at The SunRoom Seattle WA
13. Waggy Tail 3:10
Bass-Rob Moitoza Drums-Will Dowd Flute-Craig Flory Organ-Ron Weinstein • recorded at David Lange Studio Edgewood WA David Lange eng.
Mastered by Garey Shelton
Artwork & Design by Charmaine Slaven
Photo by Robert Runge
All songs by Orville Johnson BMI except as noted.
Heartfelt thanks to all the musicians, engineers, singers, and friends who helped me make these recordings. Special thanks to Parry Marston.
Available here...BandCamp.com