Top Of The Grass

A 12 bar blues ditty we wrote during our waning bluegrass years about a lady’s old lover who is at least still amongst us.

Janice: vocal
Peter: guitar solos and fills — Thanks!
Bud: dusty upright bass

Your time to listen and comment is always welcomed!
Vocal: Rodes NT1 mic > Scarlett 212 > Logic Pro > Nectar 3
Bass: 1951 Kay Swingmaster > Logic Pro Channel EQ > Waves Bass Rider > Ozone multi compressor
Drums: RealDrums Nashville Shuffle > Logic Pro Channel EQ > Waves CLA Drums
Snare: doubled from above RD > Neutron 3 > EMT 140 Plate Reverb sim
Rhythm Guitar: RealTracks 3364 BritBluesRockSlow Shuffle rendered DI > Logic Pro Vintage Blue Crunch amp sim

Mastering: Logic Pro EQ > Ozone Imager > Ozone Maximizer > Ozone Tonal Balance > Logic Pro Loudness Meter

Lyrics on SoundCloud

Sounds good. Authentic blues. Great vocals. Electric guitar work is wonderful. Good mix. The band keeps the time well. Good job to all involved.

You guys always give me some thing to smile about.
Great vocal, production and nice guitar work.
Rob

Thanks! Glad you like it ... and keeping time is always good

J&B

Top-notch all the way around. As always, flawless performance and production, and a real clever lyric to boot!

Good One!
A tasty little tidbit.

As always, vocals shine.
Guitar speaks out with just the right amount of grit.

OH........Please tell me how to see the lyrics on SoundCloud.

TX

moto

Thank you Rob. Smiles are good!

J&B

Hello Janice and Bud,

This composition still shows your talent. Everything is well done. Janice's superb voice and perfect orchestration make your compositions a listening success every time. I appreciated.

Kindly regard

Derochette
AliasJaniJackFlash

Always something to look forward to when you folk post.
That bass gives a really cool, and thoroughly authentic, thud that matches the kick really well.
The amp sim on the rhythm guitar is very cool.
Excellent ensemble work...lovely licks from Peter, real walking bass from Bud and oh, what a voice.

Thanks and we appreciate the mention of the lyric!

J&B

A fine blues song, well written and beautifully sung (what else?). Nice tone from Peter and good to see you dusted off the upright bass, Bud - sounds good.
Regards,
Leon

I know I, and I believe others, have mentioned that you sound like a band. Every time I listen to your music I get the strongest imagery in my head of "your band." I mean, it's SO vivid I almost feel as though I have actually seen you three (and additional players) playing in this club. I have that to some extent with others; but yours really brings me there.

I've come to the realization that it's a combo of how everything is performed and then the treatment of that performance that gives it that realism. The authenticity also helps

Great song. Next time we go, I'll buy you a round of whatever you all are having. Thanks for sharing this!

Good blues song, sung beautifully. I've heard the phrases 'six feet under' and 'with the worms,' but never 'under the grass.' Nice originality. Great work by all involved!

Janice, Bud and Peter:

Yeah, classic blues this—from the sound, the lyric to the vocal—it’s all there in all the right places. Just the right touch on the backing to let Janice’s vocal shine. The typical great work on the guitars and solo by Peter. Killer stuff, folks—well done!

Kind regards to you all,

Deej

Clever title!

Good to hear Bud on bass!

Nice guitar work as well - loved the trilled solo from Peter.

And, of always, Janice sounds like she lives and breathes whatever genre she sings.

Hi Janice, Bud & Peter,

'It's good to see you're still on top of the grass' - love that phrase !!! And it's good to hear you're still in the front line of us BIABers, too !

Great classic 12-bar-piece, exactly the way it should be.
Janice, what could I say that I haven't said before a dozen times? Your singing is just awesome. Period. Nice work on the guitar, Peter. And, Bud, if I remember it well, this is only the second time I've heard you petting that old monster (watch out for backache, man) - looks like you don't need no preparation or even rehearsing - just grab that baby, blow the dust off and here you go - sounds perfect to me.

Great sound (as always) - can't image what more a blues lover (like me) could ask for.

Loved it!

Take good care,

Stefan

Glad you liked it. Just hit “see more” under our SC description for the lyrics, etc.

Thanks,

J&B

Such a wonderful blues song. Janice's vocal has such feeling that stirs the soul. Peter adds so much taste and touch. Now let's talk about that 1951 Kay Swingmaster. Dude! Do not let dust gather on that classic. It's cool that Fender invented the electric bass the same year. Your playing is excellent on this. By now you should have your callouses back and we'll hear more, right? You guys are lining up to be a very versatile band.

You guys had me that from the intro lead from Peter.

Always love hearing Janice and Peter always adds the perfect guitar parts.

And now, Bud is adding the perfect bass part!

Good song as always, enjoyed!

Thanks for listening and writing the positive comments!

J&B

Very good blues song and presentation. Sounds wonderful.

I could hear a little Bonnie Raitt in the vocal. Never a bad thing!

Duane

This is great y'all. I just like listening to your tunes.

They always please! Super vox as always and excellent production.

Great guitar from Peter.

Thanks for all that Ray and extra thanks for putting an ear earlier on this mix and the bass track. Also appreciate you mentioning the amp sim!

J&B

When I saw that you were doing a 12 bar blues tune I stopped reading and jumped right into the song and went back to your intro writeup. this is my favorite genre. Love Peters interpretation of the flow of the backtrack. Some very cool fills in there. Awesome vocal Janice. Very cool how Bud mixed this. There is something very different. Maybe very little reverb. Gave the song a very old school feel. Well done

We appreciate your comments Leon. Thanks for the listen.

J&B

hi guys love the groove excellent choices on the instruments perfect vocal and mix excellent job perfect guitar chops thanks Eric

Thanks to all for commenting on my part in this blues project. It is of course a pleasure being asked to play and backing up Janice makes my part always enjoyable. Always great to see Bud dust off his bass.
Peter

You absolutely nailed what we strive to achieve ... a live band sound. Our goal is a production that would allow the listener to feel they were in the middle third row (or a middle table) listening to a 4-5 piece group and hearing nothing that couldn’t be achieved on stage. At the least it keeps our mixes simple . Thanks so much for making us feel we achieved that goal!!

J&B

Hi Janice and Bud,

What a very nice 'laid back Blues'(that's how you call this kind of Blues, dont you?)
I liked that intro with that altering tempo. But that walking bass was a very good one.I liked that a lot! It gives the song something extra!

Janices' vocals are -again- great and very enjoyable listening to. She gives the impression singing without noticeable effort in performing this good. That is real art!
And for me Peter played also great and seemingly so at ease. A cool solo you played throughout this song!
I would say come and play in Haarlem when covid 19 is past, ok?

Nice weekend,
Hans

CLASSIC.

Peter's guitar is a nice addition.

Great "simple" BAND. Cool gritty rhythm guitar.

LOVE that BASS man!

Janice, the Star, has never shined brighter.

A pure joy.

fj

A couple of things stand out on this. First the lack of reverb gives it a very live feel and an older vibe. The bass Is awesome with some great walking lines and note choices. The big round bottom is the perfect foundation for Janice’s impeccable vocal. I think we should all look forward to some more of Bud’s deep in the pocket playing. Peter puts in his usual complimentary fills and ices the cake with some tasty playing throughout. Way down in Georgia meets Way down under! This one’s got the stuff, Tom

First of all, that guitar part in the intro by Peter was cool. I had to immediately go back and hear it again before the song started.

Vocal is impeccable, with some subtle, tasteful acrobatics in the delivery. Lovely!

Thank you! We had heard the term “under the sod” and perhaps that spawned it. Glad you like it.

J&B

Agreed!! Just a great feel!! As Aaron says, you guys always have that magic that makes you sound like a real band! Another very tasty production!! Take care. Greg

“Classic blues...” Thanks for that!!

J&B

Now I never liked the blues to be honest, BUT, Janice when I hear you singing, I just love it. Janice, I'd love to hear you doing a nice country ballad, you have the voice for ANYTHING. Thanks and please keep posting

Thanks David. It's good you thought it was good to hear that bass Bud was a bit apprehensive.

Thanks for all.

J&B

Thanks for all Stefan. You are very generous with your comments about the bass. I’d about forgotten how physical playing that old monster is.

We appreciate you and your support!

J&B

Hi Team,

Arriving late as usual, I could have written a review for this before I'd heard it!

I mean to say, it has Janice singing the blues - what more could I ask for!

Well maybe Peter's soulful guitar and Bud's dusty bass.

Whoever it was on the faders, it's a great mix.

Yes, I loved it.

ROG.

Thanks for the nice review and support. That bass was mint when I bought it in 1974. Since then it has acquired a lot of character, uh it’s beat up, from too many festival/club gigs and parking lot/campground pickings.

Janice much appreciated your mention of soul. That’s what it’s all about for us in music.

J&B

Thanks man and your mention of the bass is way too generous but appreciated!

J&B

Thanks! We love Bonnie!

J&B



Much appreciated David!

J&B

Thanks for listening and the supportive review. We all had fun with this. The reverb is the same in the vocal but the sparse number of tracks likely attributes to the more dry vibe of it. Appreciate you!

J&B




Thanks Eric!

J&B

Thank you for the kinds words Hans. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you. After COVID we would like to tour the world! See you then!

J&B

Thank you floyd for every word and mention of the bass is special!

J&B

He Ya'll ...

With this caliber of musicians, how could this be anything but terrific? Peter's guitar is so smoking hoy and Janice's voice is rare form. And Bud is very nicely knocking the dust off that old upright.

Your lyrics are always so dang good. No exception here. This sweet and assay!

Wishing all of you the vert best. Take care and be safe.

Alan

Tom, thanks for the bass supportive comments. Confidence nowadays on it doesn't come easy! Maybe I'll get comfortable but will have to develop calluses for that to happen.

Glad it all worked for you! Way down ... Way down -- funny.

J&B

"tasteful acrobatics" Thanks for that most cool description!

Glad you liked it.

J&B





Thank Greg. We strive for the band feel!

J&B




Thanks from two who have loved the blues for decades Hey we have quite a bit of country on our SC page!

J&B

Thanks ROG. We have appreciated your support over the year and previous years of course! Thanks for mentioning the bass.

J&B

Thanks Al. We ALWAYS appreciate your comments.

Y'all enjoy the new digs and be safe!

J&B