How to Play The Dobro

A return look and listen to this historical and breathtaking collaboration between two of the great figures of modern music should naturally be prefaced by a few key facts. Although this album presents itself as the soundtrack to the film The Hot Spot, like many such releases it bares little relation to the music that was actually used in the film — not that much of this music was actually used. All one really needs to know about the film itself, other than the fact that it was directed by Dennis Hopper, is that it is awful, even by bad film standards. That it was the impetus for this marvelous music to be made is something listeners should be thankful for, particularly fans of either Miles Davis or John Lee Hooker

Joined by renowned jazz guitarist Frank Vignola and percussionist extraordinaire Rich Zukor, Lorraine & Bill Liswell take you on a journey through jazz with a gypsy spirit, swing, blues, Celtic, interwoven with velvety expressive vocals. About five years ago, I began composing songs and carried an old tape recorder in my car to capture any good possibilities. Having sung with bands of many styles most of my life, and being ever hopeful, I figured I’d recognize a good song if it came to me. At Christmas about a year later, Bill gave me a small hand-held recorder. I found I could increase my songwriting time by carrying it with me during my daily walks. The songs came, and I became obsessed with composing. Not being an instrumentalist, I called on the combined talents of Bill, and our friend Kevin Gallagher…