Almanac Music: Not Quite Bob – Quality Not Quantity: Norton Buffalo, Syd Straw, Danny O’Keefe

Not Quite Bob – Quality Not Quantity – Norton Buffalo, Syd Straw, Danny O’Keefe

 

In thinking about this theme a lot of artists come to mind that fit the bill who don’t or didn’t have prolific recording careers.  Here is a sample, noting as I do, that there are dozens of others.  Hundreds maybe.

 

 

 

Norton Buffalo

 

Who is that you say?  Phillip Jackson was born in Oakland, California in 1951 and left us too soon in 2009 after being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in September that year which caused him to succumb a month later.  Another in a long line of highly valued collaborators he was primarily a harp player of great distinction who worked with Steve Miller, Bonnie Raitt, the Doobie Bros, Commander Cody amongst many others.  The Steve Miller Band association was particularly fruitful as he eventually performed with them for 32 years and appeared on many of their fine records.  His solo output though was much smaller and in 1977 he released Lovin’ In The Valley of the Moon followed the following year by Desert Horizon.  Both crackers, the haunting and distinctive harmonica noteworthy and a unique voice to boot.  Here is a link to the first one and then the title track from the second.  Get ‘em both.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last half of Norton’s career was spent touring and recording with Roy Rogers (no, not Trigger’s jockey, a fine guitarist) and here they are in a clip from Byron Bay Bluesfest where they appeared in 1993.

 

 

 

 

 

Syd Straw

 

Syd was born in 1958 and she is an artist about whom it can confidently be asserted that she is criminally underrated.  A very skinny recording history, she released her debut Surprise in 1989 after touring as a backup singer to Pat Benatar and recording and appearing with The Golden Palominos, a supergroup of sorts which featured artists like Michael Stipe, Jack Bruce, Richard Thompson and Matthew Sweet in an ever changing lineup.  Surprise is the first of a small handful of her solo records and it is the best.  Anytime I do a top 10 ever (which is an essentially teeth gnashing exercise) it’s there.  Have a listen.

 

 

 

 

From that album here she is with ‘Heart of Darkness’ on (I think) Letterman.  Watch her swat away his flirty introduction with a clue perhaps to her not to be messed with demeanour.  Note also Dave Alvin on guitar in a crack backup band.

 

 

 

 

Also from Surprise the ‘hit’ Future 40’s (String Of Pearls) which got a bit of airplay at the time.  It features the co-lead vocals of Michael Stipe, the clip is good if not unintentionally funny) and the song is another signifier of her great talent.

 

 

 

Oddly the clip stops before the end but there it is.  I should also say that as I’ve seen a piece on the Almanac about Stephen Foster recently Surprise does feature a version of the much covered ‘Hard Times’ that is worth the tariff on it’s own.

 

In another ‘know them by the company they keep’ nod Syd has recorded with Wilco, Dave Alvin, Van Dyke Parks, Grant McLennan, Marc Ribot, Rickie Lee Jones and Marshall Crenshaw.  Why isn’t she more famous?  I truly have no idea.  Was it opportunity, ambition, something else?  It sure as hell wasn’t talent that kept her output small compared to her contemporaries.

 

 

 

Danny O’Keefe

 

Danny is a near contemporary of Bob having been born in Spokane, Washington in 1943.  He first recorded in 1966 (Bob was about halfway through a Hall of Fame run of 9 first albums by then) and followed in 1970 with O’Keefe and 1972 with Danny O’Keefe both of which featured his probably best known song in ‘Good Time Charlie Has Got The Blues’.  There’s probably not a small club artist on earth who hasn’t had that in his/her repertoire.  Go to the Tube and you’ll find that on dozens of clips.

 

But it’s his next 3 – Breezy Stories (1973), So Long Harry Truman (1975) and American Roulette (1977) – that constitute Danny’s golden period. Presumably his record company had given him a bit of coaching on more imaginative record titles. All full of great songs each album should be heard from start to finish to get their full flavour but here from Breezy Stories we have ‘Magdalena’.

 

 

And then from So Long Harry Truman the title track.

 

 

It’s on American Roulette that Danny produced his career highlight.  It’s a classic from start to finish.  Another that always makes my ‘best ever’ lists.  I play it as often as I play Kind Of Blue or After The Goldrush or Rubber Soul or Get Happy.  Which is a lot.  Sample it here but make sure you own it too.

 

 

 

Danny has continued to record sporadically since including an album with a First Nations American theme called Looking Glass & the Dreamers released in 2020 but it’s the songs from these 3 albums in the 70’s that fill the many collections of his work available online.

 

Why isn’t there more from these great artists?  Hard to say.  Being prolific is pretty hard it would seem.  But if what gets produced is as good as these selections then they can at least stand as worthy members of those who followed Bob’s lead.  Have your own voice, stay true to it.  NQB but pretty damn good anyway.

 

 

Read more stories from Trevor Blainey HERE.

 

Read more stories from Almanac Music  HERE

 

If you would like to receive the Almanac Music and Poetry newsletter we will add you to the list. Please email us: [email protected]

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

 

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE

One-off financial contribution – CLICK HERE

Regular financial contribution (monthly EFT) – CLICK HERE