“St Louis. My hometown. Gritty and blue collar, yet sophisticated and refined. A diverse city with a rich history of talented musicians. ‘Skip to My Lou’, captures the dichotomy that is St Louis; the ability to be intellectually stimulating, yet funky at the same time. This recording features a mix of original compositions like the title track ‘Skip to My Lou’ and ‘Laclede Town’, which are musical meditations on my hometown; plus some of my favourites like ‘Mr Sandman’, ‘Nature Boy’ and ‘Chim Chim Cheree’.
I am joined on this musical journey with my long time cohorts Andrew Fisher on piano and fender rhodes, plus Henry Connerway III on drums. Together we combine for a truly original sounding trio that features the bass on top, but with creative contributions made by all. We humbly present this hard swinging and thought provoking musical offering with the hope that you thoroughly enjoy it.”
Neal Caine.
Neal Caine Trio
Neal Caine, bass
Andrew Fisher, piano and fender rhodes
Henry Connerway III, drums
Recorded, mixed, and mastered
by Patrick Smith
at Big Orange Sheep
Recording studio
Brooklyn, NY
Album out October 10th 2023
Track listing and Liner Notes
by Neal ‘Sugar’ Caine:
1. ‘Skip to My Lou’ (title track) Neal Caine Time: 6:14
“ Skip to My Lou is an original tune that really embodies the grit and grime, streetwise side of St. Louis. The nasty funk bass line is the musical foundation on which the tune is built and was originally inspired by KRS ONE’s The Bridge is Over.”
2. ‘Chim Chim Cheree’ Robert Sherman & Richard Sherman. Time: 5:38
“I always loved John Coltrane’s version of Chim Chim Cheree, it is haunting and powerful. We have a different, hip, arrangement of the Mary Poppins classic, that incorporates a vamp in the form, and featuring the bass soloing over an introductory vamp and an open solo as well.”
3. ‘Goodbye Pork Pie Hat’ Chales Mingus. Time: 4:49
“Goodbye Pork Pie Hat is simply a beautiful tune that I dig, so wanted to include it in this record. It’s written by the great bassist, and composer, Charles Mingus to honour Lester Young, upon his death.”
4. ‘White Castles - Interlude’ Neal Caine. Time: 0.46
“White Castles is a short interlude based on the ‘Skip To My Lou’ musical theme with the bass blowing and the keys playing the bass line. This tune evokes for me, sentimental teenage memories of frequent late night meals at this iconic burger joint.”
5. ‘Fingers of Doom’ Neal Caine. Time: 4:38
“Fingers of Doom is an original of mine about not only the battle hardened, calloused hands developed after thirty years of playing bass, but also a metaphor for all of the challenges that occupy the life of a professional musician. The groove feel implies how dark life can be at times.”
6. ‘Mr Sandman’ F. D. Ballard, PAT BALLARD. Time: 3:38
“Mr Sandman is just a quirky, hip melody that resonates in everybody’s past, so well known, yet I never hear jazz musicians play it; so I did!”
7. ‘Skull Duggery’ Neal Caine. Time: 4:45
“Skull Duggery is another original song of mine that speaks to all the unfortunate sneaky, stealthy behaviour that sometimes goes on between couples and people in general.
8. ‘Nature Boy’ Eden Ahbez. Time: 6:37
“Nature Boy is one of my favourites, and the song I usually open my sets with. It was first made famous by the great Nat King Cole, who sung it as a ballad. We present is as an uptempo arrangement, opening with the bass soloing on a vamp before settling into some hard swing.”
9. ‘St Paul sandwich - Interlude’ Neal Caine. Time: 0.42
“St Paul Sandwich, another St Louis delicacy, is a short interlude revisiting the musical theme of ‘Skip To My Lou’ featuring the Fender Rhodes instead of the piano.”
10. ‘I Don’t Know’ Neal Caine. Time: 5:37
“I Don’t Know is my version of the classic break up song. It’s when you have reached your wits end with your partner and you throw up your hands and say “I Don’t Know!”. The rock sections in the beginning, and end, represent the anger that we all feel when that happens, with the swinging waltz section in the middle explaining in more detail the good, and bad of a relationship.”
11. ‘If I Only Had a Brain’ E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen. Time: 6:35
“If I Only Had a Brain is one of the great songs from one of the great movies ever, Wizard of Oz. I start this one out with a rather modern open bass solo before settling in with the trio. A classic I love.”
12. ‘Laclede Town’ Neal Caine. Time: 4:06
“Laclede Town is the neighbourhood I was born into in St Louis. It was a very special place to live in the 1960’s and 70’s. A diverse, inter racial neighbourhood filled with musicians and artists that unfortunately was plagued by many of the problems of most American cities, crime, drugs and hopelessness. It was eventually razed and the land bought by St Louis University. This song is meant to represent that journey, beginning with a pretty, idyllic vibe that descends into a gritty, angst filled solo section (in 5/4).”
13. ‘Shiny Stockings’ Frank Foster. Time: 4.22
“Shiny Stockings is an old Count Basie favourite that swings itself. Again the bass opens up soloing on a vamp, before playing the melody and falling into a swinging piano solo. Another solid favourite of mine that I had to include"
14. ‘At Your Leisure’ Neal Caine. Time: 5:31
“At your Leisure is an original of mine that encapsulates that feeling, when you’ve completed a long hard task, successfully. Like this album, which is why I put it last.”
Caine's first album ‘Backstabber’s Ball’ in 2005, came out on the Greenwich Village Small’s label. This album debuted his compositional skills and more introverted musical expression:
‘The quiet atmosphere, ghostly harmonising of the horns and Neal Caine’s knack for writing wistful melodies that sound like half remembered jazz standards give his music a mysterioso atmosphere too rare in Jazz... Caine steps out for a few sturdy solos but this is less a show case for his bass playing, as his composing and artistic vision, it’s a rare jazz album, let alone a leader’s debut that makes such a strong statement treading so carefully.” Kevin Whitehead from NPR