Danny Gatton - 1994 "88 Elmira St."

The Story

"88 Elmira St." showcases the ferocious technical ability of guitarist Danny Gatton, who has absorbed every significant American guitar style into his beautifully eclectic, inimitable and soulful guitar voice. "88 Elmira St.", Danny's major label debut, presents an eleven piece cross section of this man's musical versatility. Highlights include the infectious opener "Funky Mama", and the Beach Boys cover, "In My Room", done in true Gatton instrumental fashion.

88 Elmira St. is a 1991 album by guitarist Danny Gatton. The album was Gatton's fifth, but his first on a major record label—Elektra. The instrumental album covers a number of genres, including jazz, country, rockabilly, and blues.

When Gatton signed to Elektra, their only stipulation for his first album on the label was that it should be solely instrumental. On presenting his ideas for the album to the label, they suggested he cut his version of the Simpsons theme tune. The manualist flatulence at the end of the recording may have been Gatton's response to the label's suggestion.

The album's title, 88 Elmira St., is a reference to Gatton's home as a child. Gatton stated that at the time of producing the album, he "was playing Scotty Moore's original guitar [...] It's a Gibson ES-295, and I bought it trashed out twelve years ago. It sounded incredibly good; it had some magic in it, but I didn't know it was Scotty's. Then Billy Hancock kept offering me all kinds of money for it, way more than it should have been worth, so I said, 'What's the deal?' He said, 'I think you've got Scotty Moore's guitar there.'" Similarities to Moore, Al Casey and James Burton can be heard on the album.

After years of knocking around the Washington, D.C.-area circuit, local guitar legend Danny Gatton finally got to cut his first album for a major label. It was indeed worth the wait, spot-welding blinding speed and immaculate chops that went in a million different directions (jazz, country, rockabilly, blues, you name it) to a musical sensibility that made this all-instrumental album a whole lot more than just yer average fretboard wanking jam-fest. Gatton's Telecaster really shines on diverse material ranging from Martin Denny's "Quiet Village" to the roadhouse shuffle "Funky Mama" to the off-the-wall rendition of the theme to The Simpsons. Kudos to Elektra for having the corporate balls to put this out; short, chunky, and middle-aged, Danny Gatton was a bona fide guitar hero for the '90s, putting the lie to the hard canard that only speedburner metal mega-hair dudes can make the front covers of the guitar mags.

Track listing:

01. "Funky Mama" Big John Patton 5:41

02. "Elmira St. Boogie" Danny Gatton 4:03

03. "Blues Newburg" Danny Gatton 4:10

04. "Quiet Village" Les Baxter 4:49

05. "Red Label" Chris Battistone, Danny Gatton 5:05

06. "In My Room" Gary Usher, Brian Wilson 4:53

07. "The Simpsons" Danny Elfman 3:17

08. "Muthaship" Danny Gatton, Billy Windsor, Stephen Windsor 4:39

09. "Pretty Blue" Danny Gatton 6:07

10. "Fandangus" Danny Gatton 3:06

11. "Slidin' Home" Danny Gatton 4:54

Total length: 50:44

Personnel:

Danny Gatton Guitar, Slide Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, 5-String Banjo, Lap Steel, 5-String Bass on "Quiet Village", Handclaps on "Pretty Blue", Second Guitar on "The Simpsons", Production, Arrangement

Bill Holloman Arrangement, Saxophones (Tenor, Alto, Baritone), Trumpet, Clarinet, Trombone, Hammond B-3 Organ, Vibes, Piano, Handclaps on "Pretty Blue", Yamaha DX7, Roland D50

Shannon Ford Drums, Percussion, Hand-D-Gas on "The Simpsons"

John Previti Upright Bass, 5-String Bass, Ripper Bass

Tommy Lepson Hammond B3 Organ on "Quiet Village"