Steelonious

Jazz Standards On His Superb Pandemic Recording, Keepin It Real As a follow-up to his highly impressionistic Thelonious Monk tribute album, 2016s Steelonious, New Jersey resident and lap steel guitar ace Mike Neer has his way with jazz standards from The Real Book on Keepin It Real. Recorded in his home studio during pandemic lockdown, his fresh ta... kes on classics like Oliver Nelsons Stolen Moments, Horace Silvers Peace and Nicas Dream, McCoy Tyners Passion Dance, Wayne Shorters Witch Hunt, Duke Ellingtons African Flower and others find Neer handling all the upright bass, ukulele and percussion parts as well as lap steel guitar in a near one-man-show. The tunes on Keepin It Real are enhanced by contributions from a host of Neers colleagues, all of whom sent in WAV files to add into the mix during the albums production phase, including vibraphonist Tom Beckham (Passion Dance, Nicas Dream), accordionist Ron Oswanski (Peace), guitarist Will Bernard (Witch Hunt) and flutist Anton Denner (Stolen Moments). Pianist Matt King, a Neer colleague for 30 years, offered a vibrant melodica solo on Clare Fischers Pensativa while guitarist Chris Crocco added some tasty six-string work to Wes Montgomerys West Coast Blues. Neer recorded all of his lap steel guitar parts on Keepin It Real on an instrument that once belonged to the legendary Sol Hoopii, the Hawaiian lap steel guitar virtuoso who helped popularize the instrument during the 1930s (his 1933 song Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii was quickly covered in hit versions by Ted Fio Rito and his Orchestra, the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and the Ben Pollack Orchestra). For lap steel guitarists, Sol is the guy, said Neer. Hes the Hendrix, the Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt all wrapped up in one. Neer explained the genesis of this album and the epiphany that inspired it: Because of the pandemic, I had no gigs and didnt touch my instrument for several months. I was just really in a funk. I had acquired this lap steel guitar that used to belong to Sol Hoopii. I ...Read More