Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: GUEST,Chris Morales
Date: 28 Sep 06 - 02:11 AM

I have recently "rediscovered" Bud & Travis, having heard of them from my older brothers, but not knowing of their music. WOW! Simply put, there was no one like them. They were doing "World Music" 30 years before anyone coined the term. Bud Dashiell and Travis Edmonson were superb singers, musicians and entertainers and that is apparent on "Spotlight on Bud & Travis".

They could tackle any type of material,from Broadway showtunes, to African sing-alongs-and still sound like themselves. It is a sign of greatness that no matter what material they are performing, you can readily identify the performer before the song.

I have purchased nearly all of the B&T discography from Travis's website. The sound quality if superb and it is music that you never tire of listening to! Thanks to Bud & Travis and thanks to you Chantal for making the albums available to us all!

Chris

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: GUEST,Charles Thomas
Date: 27 Sep 06 - 08:55 PM

I was lucky enough to see Travis Edmonson perform solo in 1969 at Loretto heights College in Denver. The Travis I saw there was the same Travis from the B and T concert I had seen some seven years earlier. The enthusiasm, professionalism and love for what he was doing which had displayed so wonderfully in the B and T concert was evidenced again. The banter, quick wit, and good-natured barbs of the B and T concert certainly had raised my expectations when I saw Travis alone in concert. And Travis delivered.
      I am proud to say that Travis Edmonson inspired me to learn Spanish, teach myself guitar, and use his unique interpretations of songs to be an intregal part of my teaching over the years. B and T entertained and inspired many, and there are nothing but positive memories from those concerts, every time I play the CDs.
                   Charles Thomas

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: chantal
Date: 26 Sep 06 - 01:49 PM

Very pleased to confirm that B&T were not "kidding on the square,"' but that their on stage banter was conceived purely in a spirit of fun and entertainment, not hard feelings. In recent years people have started dwelling on the less positive side of things, and it would be a shame were that to overpower the sense of mirth which listening to their albums or attending their shows always resonated.

I'd be concerned that resurrection and perpetuation of one negative aspect of their personal relationship could not only come to overshadow their stunning musicianship, but in particular, their talent for platform comedy. If there was ever a group that was TOGETHER on stage, it was Bud & Travis.

While original remark may have been intended as tongue-in-cheek, it does sound like underlying animosity is the first thing that comes to mind when B&T are mentioned.   Were our enjoyment of any given group to rely on its congeniality, perhaps we'd soon find it difficult to listen to any of them.

Guess I have started an essay all right, but I wonder if others would agree that emphasizing B&T's offstage relationship ahead of all the brilliant aspects of the group really does a bit of a disservice to the memory of Bud Dashiell. Without question, stressing the downside of things as opposed to their musical and comedy achievements hardly brings good cheer to Travis Edmonson when he encounters same around the internet, making him believe that what he's foremost remembered for is not getting along with Bud.

Best to All / Chantal

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: GUEST,Charles Thomas
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 07:06 PM

I saw Bud and Travis in concert in the 60s in Orono, Maine. The exchanges were hilarious, the atmosphere nothing but fun, a truly great concert experience. With Spotlight on Bud and Travis we have a CD of great quality, providing enduring memories of the greatest folk duo in history. My advice... enjoy and tell your friends and neighbors!

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: GUEST,Jon Karesh
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 05:27 PM

I have bought all of the Bud and Travis CDs and Travis' solo works from the website that Chantal mentioned. The CDs are of excellent quality. And they are also autographed by Travis.

Spotlight on Bud and Travis is a great CD. I think you will find it very enjoyable.

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 10:16 AM

One of the problems, Chantel, of posting on the internet is that if one isn't careful an essay will result rather than a response. On the other hand, a response can be too terse, obscuring the writer's intent.
I did not mean to imply 1) that I no longer listen to B&T audience recordings (they're all live when recorded >)) or 2) that I thought the patter was ad lib or affected the performance. More, it was the thought that they were "kidding on the square", publically making humor from their real problems.
I hope I stopped short of an essay.

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: chantal
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 05:46 AM

Hi John!

Never worry that their onstage banter ever reflected any off-stage tensions between Bud & Travis. That was all arranged by mutual consent, and purely in fun. And hey! You should start playing Bud & Travis In Concert again. You won't feel like 'an old man' long after that. This is the stuff that keeps one forever young.

Witness Mr. Les Blank, ever sipping from the Fountain of Youth. By the way, Les was being a bit too modest when referring to his southern California days. The fuller version is at lesblank.theworlde.com

All Best / Chantal

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: lesblank
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 10:58 PM

John, I left SoCal in the summer of 1976 for the great state of Texas. However, I still remember the great folk clubs I used to haunt all over Orange and LA counties. Some of my favorites were The Troubador and Ash Grove in LA and The Golden Bear in Huntington Beach. Also spent a lot of time at Frankenstein's in Laguna Beach. I was a fixture at all the open mikes but never made the big time -- but I did make a lot of friends. I still catch Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsten whenever they come to town (Houston) and I used to never miss Allan Damron when he was still with us. I remember Jackson Browne, Mary McCasslin, and Seals and Crofts when they were just starting out -- I even saw Cat Stevens when he did his first show at the Troubador. I am an old man now - retired in 1991, but the memories are still strong. Still, my favorites were Bud and Travis. I stay in touch with Travis and Rose Marie and he's doing as well as can be expected considering. He just celebrated his 74th birthday - we are close in age !!! Enough rambling -- take care and good health !!

Les Blank

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 06:46 PM

Les, that is truly the sign of senility for me that I don't (well perhaps vaguely) remember the exchange. I don't know if you're still in SoCal, but McCabe's is still ther on Pico. I am actually acquainted with someone who did study with Bud, Joanne Montana, who performed around Pasadena for many years--and may still--but I've lost track of her. In fact, during one of her sets she acknowleged her study with 'the late' Bud Dashiell. That was the first I had heard he had died, and it sure spoiled that evening. BTW she was not announcing his death, but told me during her break that he had died several years before.
Les, we can do this again in 18mos. ala Groundhog Day or deja vu all over again.

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: lesblank
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 06:10 PM

John : You and I have exchnged remembrances of B @ T before - the last time, I believe, was in March of 2005 - the 45th anniversary of that magical night. I saw them perform four times during their heyday - the last one was in a small folk club in Buena Park, just after they got back together from their first parting. It also was a memorable night - I've preserved the memories in the recollections portion of his website. After their final breakup, I saw Bud at the old McCabe's shop in Santa Monica where I toyed with the idea of studying flamenco with him. However, my monetary resources did not rise nearly as high as my ambitions. They truly were one of the most entertaining and talented duo I have ever heard or seen.

Les Blank

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 03:30 PM

All of the sudden this site has become old codgers week, what with Bud and Travis and the Clancy Bros. I did not see B&T at Santa Monica Civic, but a few months later; fall of '60, they performed a few miles away at UCLA where I did see them and was really blown away.
It is difficult for me to listen to the live albums now knowing that the banter really did reflect some deep tensions in their relationship.

Subject: RE: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: lesblank
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 11:43 AM

I have been a Bud and Travis fan for nearly 50 years. I attended the concert at the Santa Monica Civic in March of 1960, and collected all of their vinyls. Over the last five years or so I have converted all of the LP's to CD's, mostly from the website Chantal mentions above. The quality is superb, the personalizations are heartwarming and , best of all, all the proceeds go to Travis, the best darn guitarist I've ever heard or seen. Give the website a peek -- you'll be glad you did. By the way, Chantal is an angel with a brogue !!

Les Blank

Subject: Spotlight on Bud and Travis now on CD
From: chantal
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 09:46 AM

For all those who've written in, asking if "Spotlight on Bud and Travis" would ever be issued on CD, the good news is that it's now available from The Travis Edmonson Collection. All the superb tracks – Sinner Man, the ORIGINAL chart version of Cloudy Summer Afternoon, Brown Eyes and nine more songs in pristine quality. Best of all, every penny goes directly to Travis Edmonson, who has remained paralysed since a stroke a quarter of a century ago .

Available only from his website
www.travisedmonson.com

where there are 90 clips of great B&T music.

Best to All

Chantal