New Lenny Breau Biography

[Guest]

I'm the author of the just released biography on Lenny Breau called One Long Tune. There's been some discussion of the book on this forum and I just wanted to let folks know that it's now out. It's a full length biography, 6 years in the making, with a forward by Gene Lees. Joey Baron says of the book " With great care and respect Ron Forbes-Roberts has written a most honest, well researched account of the life of one of the greatest guitarists ever: Lenny Breau. Jazz journalist Bill Milkowski says "In his brilliantly written and exhaustively researched biography, Forbes-Roberts gets to the essence of the creative process itself..."

You can order it now from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157441210...glance&n=283155

or get a signed copy from me at roforo@hotmail.com

Thanks.

[AllenLowe]

you can say that again -

[Dmitry]

How about a teaser - who killed Lenny?

[sidewinder]

Late in the day but finally got to read this book, which I found to be comprehensive in its coverage and very readable. Supplemented it by DVD viewings of 'The Genius of Lennie Breau' Canadian TV documentary and some film footage I have of the various CBC Winnipeg sessions.

Strange that the murder was never fully solved and remains a cold case. That last marriage sounds like a nightmare and indeed Lennie looks pretty haunted and withdrawn on some of the later film footage e.g. that taken at Tal Farlow's house. On the other hand, it may have been a miracle that he even survived beyond the mid 1970s and made that 'comeback'.

Wish those RCA albums would be reissued again for wider distribution. They are on Spotify but it would be nice to have CD quality.

[Ted O'Reilly]

I recorded the session at Bourbon St. in Toronto that was twice, or even thrice! issued:  originally selected tracks were on two separate LPs, and more recently the whole night on a 2CD set...  Someone's been making money from them, and I hope it's Lenny's estate, and Dave Young.  Wasn't me!

 

 

As to the RCA material, there's certainly enough from the live session that was never issued to make a nice package.  (At least that's what Lenny told me at the time...)

 

[sidewinder]

Interesting, Ted - the 'Velvet Touch' LP was reissued on CD by Wounded Bird I think not too long ago but must already be OOP as copies already seem to be fetching astronomical sums. It's a shame that Mosaic Selects are no longer a viable option as these two RCAs plus bonus material would have been a good fit.

 

Edited April 18, 2017 by sidewinder

[sgcim]

On 4/17/2017 at 4:06 PM, Ted O'Reilly said:

I recorded the session at Bourbon St. in Toronto that was twice, or even thrice! issued:  originally selected tracks were on two separate LPs, and more recently the whole night on a 2CD set...  Someone's been making money from them, and I hope it's Lenny's estate, and Dave Young.  Wasn't me!

 

 

As to the RCA material, there's certainly enough from the live session that was never issued to make a nice package.  (At least that's what Lenny told me at the time...)

 

I just got out my 'live at Bourbon St.' double CD set, and read your liner notes about testing out the new digital recorder.

Wasn't Randy Bachman the owner of Guitarchives? Did he have anything to do with the digital masters 'mysteriously disappearing', and you not getting paid?

He was really 'taking care of business...'

Thanks for the great, historic recording of someone who was probably the greatest jazz guitarist in the history of the music. Nobody's even come close to him since.

[Ted O'Reilly]

I must not have been clear about payment.  I never saw any money from either of the LP issues, but that's okay...at the time I thought it more important that the music was issued.  I kept ownership of the masters.  Years later, I was approached by a third party on Randy Bachman's behalf.  Bachman had been a fan of Breau's in Winnipeg, and was aware of the LP issues and wanted to buy the masters and release it all.

A modest sum was agreed upon, with the understanding that the three sets of music would be issued in order as played, no edits, and that the Breau estate and David Young were satisfied with the arrangement (and they were).  All was fair and professional in every way, though I never did get the 10 copies I was promised.

I think there are actually two releases of that 2-CD set, on Guitarchives and then on True North.

 

As to the "masters disappearing", that happened the very day the digital recording was done.  The radio station had an early Technics machine that recorded on VHS video tapes, which believe it or not in the early '80s were quite expensive, and we only had a few around the station.  The night of the recording I made 15 ips analogue copies to take home (to listen to on my own equipment, and make cassette copies for Lenny and David), and when I came in the next day found that another staffer had erased and recorded over the music I had recorded the night before.  All Breau/Young issues have since come from those analogue copies.

Edited April 20, 2017 by Ted O'Reilly
Added information

[medjuck]

I first heard of and heard Lenny Breau when I was walking down Yonge Street Toronto with Zal Yanofsky (erstwhile guitarist with The Loving Spoonful) when Zalman stopped pointed to a sign in a music store window and said "Lenny Breau's giving a demo-- we gotta go in. He's a great, great  guitar player!"  So we went in and I got to hear  Breau for the one and only time in my life. I've since bought a cd and also have also  heard him played on Randy Bachman's radio show. Zalman was right (as usual). 

[sidewinder]

I'd never even heard of Breau until a work colleague raved about him, in fact we went to see Barney Kessel at the late, lamented Bermuda Onion in Toronto and it was suggested I should hear those RCA records. I think many Canadians of that vintage will have been brought up aware of Breau from the TV but I, of course, was oblivious at the time.

Edited April 20, 2017 by sidewinder

[sgcim]

From most accounts, Lenny's junk habit, and inability to deal with everyday life, prevented him from being known to the general public outside of Canada.

He had a lot of help from Chet Atkins, Johnny Smith wrote a blurb for his first album (he never endorsed anyone back then), and people like Randy Bachman and Gene Lees tried to help him, but he showed up so messed up on H sometimes, that he literally couldn't play.

He auditioned for Oscar Peterson in Canada, and OP wasn't impressed.

He sat in with Bill Evans in Toronto, and they clashed harmonically.

There's a recording of him playing a big concert in Vancouver, where he's so messed up, that he gets on the mic, and babbles on and on about some personal stuff.

When he finally tried to play, he literally couldn't.

[Ted O'Reilly]

2 hours ago, sidewinder said:

I'd never even heard of Breau until a work colleague raved about him, in fact we went to see Barney Kessel at the late, lamented Bermuda Onion in Toronto and it was suggested I should hear those RCA records. I think many Canadians of that vintage will have been brought up aware of Breau from the TV but I, of course, was oblivious at the time.

Are you sure it wasn't Bourbon St., or possibly even Lytes?  I don't recall Barney at the Bermuda Onion...  There ARE 'jazz clubs' that are lamented, but I wouldn't put the Onion among them.  Glitzy, odd-shaped, oddly-located and -operated, so....

[sidewinder]

Pretty sure it was the Bermuda Onion. Around 1989/90 (maybe I'm wrong but hadn't Bourbon Street closed by then?) Glitzy yes but I have a fondness for the place based on some of the incredible artists hosted in that period. 

Barney played solo - recall the seat we had was literally a sofa plonked right in front of him, best in the house. Amazing !

One thing I do recall is that there seemed to be little if anything in the way of artist back stage facilities, so you used to get sights there like Lee Konitz having his evening meal sat amongst the punters.

Edited April 21, 2017 by sidewinder