Reviews

The San Diego Troubadour April 2005

Little Big Men Live at Jimmy Duke's

by /Simeon Flick

     A live album is usually a dicey proposition; it's all too easy for a band to make mistakes and not deliver a good performance due to nervous sentience of the show being recorded.  A live set is usually only something a band attempts after accruing many studio albums and years of stage experience.  It is a benchmark of a band whose long life on stage has honed their performing and writing chops to a superlative degree.  That's why this CD is such a joy to hear - it's resplendent with the sound of three old pros completely relaxed and in their element.  The songwriting is there, the musicianship is there, and the crowd is there too, following them through every poignant twist and turn, every life-affirming dynamic shift, every whimsically clever turn of phrase.  

     Who needs a full band when a versatile, sagacious three-piece will do?  Virtuosity is endemic across the board, whether it's the soothing vocals and deft guitar work of Dan Connor, the soulfully prodigious harmonica of Dan Byrnes, or the crack percussion of "Bongo" Bob Goldsand.  The sound is remarkably full considering there's no bass guitar, and any band that can captivate an audience while occasionally engaged in the dying art of improvisational soloing are masters indeed.

     Stylistically, the music itself is acoustic based, and the ever idiomatic harmonica lends an otherwise quintessentially American feel to the proceedings.  However, you'll be flummoxed at how they manage to blend in so many other styles so seamlessly, often in the same song.  "American Wake" is an instrumental that pairs a Zydeco beat with Revolution era snare work.  "Busted Love" is an admixture of New Orleans Dixie blues backed by calypso congas.

     What comes through most on the release is the exhilaration of three performers who revel in the joy of entertaining an audience well and are still going strong.  Perhaps the album art concept, couples with the first song, says it best; Little Big Men liken themselves to a photo of three bristlecone pines, a species of ancient and grizzled yet wildly expressive trees that are in for the long haul.  

Singer MAGAZINE  No.27 June 2004

INDIE ARTIST SHOWCASE

     A Motorcycle trip to Tim Pan Alley in New York City early in Dan Connor's career is all it took to set his musical wheels in motion.  The life-altering experience prompted him to sell his ailing Triumph 500 scrambler, buy a rusted-out Cadillac, and more to Reno, Nevada.  After a series of promotional jingles, Connor decided he'd rather write music than commercials, so he hit the road and never looked back.

     I saw Dan with his new band, San Diego County-based Little Big Men, a contemporary folk trio, at a showcase this past February in the San Diego edition of the International Folk Alliance.  Being a fan of percussion, I was initially drawn to their sound sparked by the rhythmic accompaniment of concert percussionist "Bongo" Bob Goldsand.  Then harmonicist Dan Byrnes chimed in for what was an outstanding demonstration of musical talent.  The three "Little Big Men" clicked.  The set ended way too soon and left me wondering when I might catch these gents again.

     Little Big Men's music draws from the varied backgrounds of its members including traces of rock, country, blues, and Celtic traditions.  Dan Connor, lead singer and guitarist for the trio, pens all of their original compositions.  Their presently unreleased live demo, Live at Jimmy Duke's, is a less than ample supply of their catch tunes.  Connor's unique, storytelling-style, vocal delivery backed up by Goldsand and Byrnes is folk synergy at it's best.  My favorite cut is the happy, life's not so bad, "Live It Up." They're just plain fun to listen to.

Greg Tutwiler - Managing editor SingerMagazine

Taylor Guitars  Wood and Steel

Winter 2004

     The music on Writes of Passage could be called "Americana" or "Adult Contemporary", but I tend to think of it as "folk music" in the very best sense.  Dan Connor's songs speak to the hearts of everyday people, with very little pretense.  They cover his personal journey of the last 10 years, and the lyrics are informed with warmth, often delivered with a twinkle in the eye.  Connor's approach to singing is slightly reminiscent of Jim Croce, maybe a little quirkier and more low-key.

     Nice instrumental touches abound, thanks to a crack team of players helping Connor bring out the best in his tunes (including harmonica ace Dan Byrnes and able percussionist "Bongo Bob" Goldsand, the other two-thirds of Connor's performing trio, Little Big Men).  On nearly every song, Connor plays his custom 615 (tuned in standard intervals, but a whole step down: DGCFAD).  He also doubles on mandolin, harmonica, piano, accordion, and various mallet percussion instruments. 

     Connor knows how to write an "up" tune.  The lyric to "Green Light" (in which the protagonist realizes that his amorous intentions will not go unrewarded) boasts some cool, offhand wordplay sung to a charming jazz groove and backed by vibes, acoustic bass, and flugelhorn.  Before the song swings to its conclusion, there's a false ending with a minor chord twist, and  good-hearted warning to other "drivers":"I'm sorry, but this road is closed to everyone but me."

     The song "Long Haul" features subtle, chiming electric guitar work by renowned local jazz guitarist/producer and Taylor player, Peter Sprague.  "All the Tea in China" is about burning the candle at both ends, looking back, hardly recognizing yourself in the things you've done, and realizing it's too late to change the facts.  The instrumental break in this one is absolutely beautiful, with Dan Byrnes and Connor playing tandem chromatic and diatonic harmonicas.

     In "Roll with the Punches", a wry ditty about how hard it can be to get by, drummer Duncan Moore sets a considerable shuffling groove and Dani Carroll provides some bluesy backing vocals.  "Family Reunion" is a solo piece, featuring Dan and his trusty 615 tuned to DADGAD.  Anyone who has experienced that "time-warp" feeling of being snared in old habitual family expectations and arguments should be able to relate to this one.

     Connor turns in the album's only acoustic guitar solo on "What We Used to Do", and it's a flowing and melodic musical statement.  Some of San Diego's best singers and musicians help on this CD; Cici Porter contributes soulful backing vocals, David Beldock picks tasty licks on his 514ce, Jeff Berkley (of Berkley Hart) offers his trademark djembe and hand percussion, and the blues harp work of Dan Byrnes is so good that it deserves another mention.  Writes of Passage is a solid album, full of good-feeling songs, and comes highly recommended.  ---Andy Robinson for Taylor Guitars