''At the Purple Onion'' is a live album by
Don Francks,
Lenny Breau
Leonard Harold Breau (August 5, 1941 – August 12, 1984) was an American-Canadian guitarist. He blended many styles of music, including jazz, country, classical, and flamenco. Inspired by country guitarists like Chet Atkins, Breau used finger ...
, and Eon Henstridge that was recorded in 1962 and released in 2004. They performed as a trio called Three.
History
Breau's former manager kept the original tapes of this live performance for over 40 years before they were re-discovered. It features Breau, Francks, and Henstridge with
Joey Hollingsworth — one vocal and also tap dancing — performing at the Purple Onion club in
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. Liner notes and commentary by Francks, Hollingsworth, George B. Sukornyk and Ron Forbes-Roberts are also included.
''At the Purple Onion'' liner notes.
Accessed August 2009.
Reception
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
critic Ken Dryden notes that while "fans of Lenny Breau are likely to be interested in all of his previously unreleased recordings, the focus is primarily on Francks...some listeners may feel a bit overwhelmed by the emphasis on Francks' comedic vocals and narratives."JazzTimes
''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store.
Coverage
After a decade of growt ...
critic Russell Carlson writes that Breau's "comping hangs in the background on this less-than-even recording. But when Breau gets space to himself, he uses it like a Breau fan wants him to... Serious Breau collectors and fans of wacky jazz theater (do any exist?) will invest wisely in this; those uninitiated in Breau's artistry should turn to Art of Life's previous The Hallmark Sessions."
Track listing
# "Introduction" – 2:29
# "A New Electric Chair" (Lenny Breau, Don Francks, Eon Henstridge) – 3:14
# "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" is a show tune from the 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''Oklahoma!''. The piece was recorded in 1952 by jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, which influenced trumpeter Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, ...
" ( Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) – 5:26
# "The Newspaper Song" (Breau, Francks, Henstridge) – 9:17
# "Gum Addiction" (Breau, Francks, Henstridge) – 4:09
# " Tea for Two" (Irving Caesar
Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for numerous song standards, including " Swanee", "Sometimes I'm Happy", " Crazy Rhythm", and " Tea for T ...
, Vincent Youmans
Vincent Millie Youmans (September 27, 1898 – April 5, 1946) was an American Broadway composer and producer.
A leading Broadway composer of his day, Youmans collaborated with virtually all the greatest lyricists on Broadway: Ira Gershwin, ...
) – 13:18
# "A Gentile Sings the Blues" (Breau, Francks, Henstridge) – 21:04
# "Work Song" (Nat Adderley
Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was the younger brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, whom he supported and played with for many years.
Adderley's composition ...
) – 5:14
# "Oscar's Blues" (Oscar Moore
Oscar Frederic Moore (December 25, 1916 – October 8, 1981) was an American jazz guitarist with the Nat King Cole Trio.
Career
The son of a blacksmith, Moore was born in Austin, Texas, United States. The Moore family moved to Phoenix, Ariz ...
) – 1:53
# "Joey's Solo" (Joey Hollingsworth) – 1:43
Personnel
*Lenny Breau – guitar
* Don Francks – vocals
*Eon Henstridge – bass
*Joey Hollingsworth – vocals on "Work Song", tap dancing on "Work Song", "Oscar's Blues" and "Joey's Solo"
Production notes:
*Paul Kohler – producer, art direction, mastering, mixing, graphic layout, liner notes
References
External links
lennybreau.com discography entryAll About Jazz reissue announcement for ''At the Purple Onion''
Entry at discogs.com
{{Authority control
Don Francks albums
Lenny Breau albums
2004 live albums