Nokie Edwards with Adventure
Live at the Sunhouse
Live at the Sunhouse by Nokie Edwards and AdVenture was recorded live at the Sunhouse - a small club in Amsterdam, the Netherlands - on 8 November 2002. The recording was released on DVD by Rarity Records in 2003. There are 21 tracks on this album (including a short introduction), and the total running time is ca. 64 minutes.
The DVD includes a brief interview with Nokie Edwards and a title track (Rarity Break) which is played by the Black Albinos while some technical information about the recording rolls across the screen.
The audio is excellent. The video is sharp and clear, but I do have some critical remarks about how the video was recorded and mixed (see more below).
The Dutch backing group (AdVenture) is:
** Albert van Prehn - guitar
** Hans Stevens - bass
** Harry Spies - drums
** Roy Henninger - guitar
** Lia van Prehn - vocals (on tracks # 8 and 9)
The special guest is Nokie Edwards, who played with the Ventures for many years (1960-1968, 1972-1984, and occasionally since then). Nokie Edwards died in 2018.
For general information about this band I refer to the biography by Del Halterman, Walk Don't Run: The Story of the Ventures, first edition 2008, second edition 2009. The concert in Amsterdam is mentioned on page 356.
For more information about Nokie Edwards, I refer to his official website on the internet, where you can find a list of his recordings as a solo artist.
Here are the titles of the 21 tracks (and the names of the composers):
01. Introduction
02. Walk Don't Run (Smith)
03. Slaughter on 10th Avenue (Rodgers)
04. Eight Days a Week (John Lennon // Paul McCartney)
05. Steel Guitar Rag (McAuliffe // Travis // Stone)
06. Orange Blossom Special (Rouse)
07. Tequila Sunrise (Henley // Frey)
08. I'm Walking (Domino //Bartholomew)
09. Driving Wheels (Harays)
10. Miss Judy (Nokie Edwards)
11. Alabama Jubilee (Chet Atkins)
12. The House of the Rising Sun (traditional)
13. Mrs. Robinson (Paul Simon // Art Garfunkel)
14. Driving Guitars (Bob Bogle // Nokie Edwards // Mel Taylor // Don Wilson)
15. I Got a Woman (Charles)
16. Secret Agent Man (Sloan // Barri)
17. Wipe Out // Let's Go (Surfaris // Duncan)
18. Pipeline (Spickard // Carmen)
19. Caravan (Ellington // Mills // Tizol)
20. A Whiter Shade of Pale (Reed // Brooker)
21. Bumble Bee Rock (Bogle // Edwards // Taylor // Wilson)
As you can see, some tracks are famous instrumental tunes that were played by the Ventures in the old days: # 2, 3, 17, 18, and 19. Two tracks are original compositions by the Ventures (# 14 and 21), while one (# 10) is an original composition by Nokie written for his wife Judy. Several tracks are instrumental versions of famous songs from the old days: # 4, 7, 12, 13, 16, and 20.
The quality of the music is high. AdVenture and Nokie play well together. Obviously, they had done some rehearsing before this concert. In fact, they have recorded a studio album, which is available on a CD known as the Studio Album. There is some overlapping here: a few tracks are found on both albums, but the two albums are not identical.
The concert was recorded by several cameras. The pictures are sharp and clear, but I am not so happy about how the video was recorded and mixed. Nokie is the star, the main attraction. Obviously, he will appear on the screen quite often, and more than the others. But we see him all the time. I want to see the whole stage with the whole band at least once in every song, and I want to see each member of the backing group for more than one second. But this almost never happens.
Moreover, when the camera focuses on Nokie, we see his face! I do not want to see his face; I want to see his fast finger work. When the camera focuses on his guitar, we see his right hand, but almost never the left hand! Apparently, the camera man and the editor in charge of mixing do not know much about guitars.
Having said this I can focus on the music, which is great. Every track on this album is a work of art. I like in particular tracks # 11 "Alabama Jubilee" and # 15 "I Got a Woman" because the guitar work is so impressive.
Nokie is famous for his fast finger work on the guitar, and during this concert he demonstrates his incredible talent again and again. The Sunhouse is a small club. The audience is small; as far as I can see, less than a hundred. The people who were present at this concert were lucky, because they had a chance to watch a world class musician in action.
Fortunately, the event was recorded and, even though I have some misgivings about how the video was recorded and mixed, this means that fans of Nokie and fans of the Ventures can enjoy the music that was played during this concert.
Live at the Sunhouse is a great album. If you like instrumental music, if you like the Ventures, if you like Nokie Edwards, you should buy this album. You will not be disappointed.
Live at the Sunhouse
Live at the Sunhouse by Nokie Edwards and AdVenture was recorded live at the Sunhouse - a small club in Amsterdam, the Netherlands - on 8 November 2002. The recording was released on DVD by Rarity Records in 2003. There are 21 tracks on this album (including a short introduction), and the total running time is ca. 64 minutes.
The DVD includes a brief interview with Nokie Edwards and a title track (Rarity Break) which is played by the Black Albinos while some technical information about the recording rolls across the screen.
The audio is excellent. The video is sharp and clear, but I do have some critical remarks about how the video was recorded and mixed (see more below).
The Dutch backing group (AdVenture) is:
** Albert van Prehn - guitar
** Hans Stevens - bass
** Harry Spies - drums
** Roy Henninger - guitar
** Lia van Prehn - vocals (on tracks # 8 and 9)
The special guest is Nokie Edwards, who played with the Ventures for many years (1960-1968, 1972-1984, and occasionally since then). Nokie Edwards died in 2018.
For general information about this band I refer to the biography by Del Halterman, Walk Don't Run: The Story of the Ventures, first edition 2008, second edition 2009. The concert in Amsterdam is mentioned on page 356.
For more information about Nokie Edwards, I refer to his official website on the internet, where you can find a list of his recordings as a solo artist.
Here are the titles of the 21 tracks (and the names of the composers):
01. Introduction
02. Walk Don't Run (Smith)
03. Slaughter on 10th Avenue (Rodgers)
04. Eight Days a Week (John Lennon // Paul McCartney)
05. Steel Guitar Rag (McAuliffe // Travis // Stone)
06. Orange Blossom Special (Rouse)
07. Tequila Sunrise (Henley // Frey)
08. I'm Walking (Domino //Bartholomew)
09. Driving Wheels (Harays)
10. Miss Judy (Nokie Edwards)
11. Alabama Jubilee (Chet Atkins)
12. The House of the Rising Sun (traditional)
13. Mrs. Robinson (Paul Simon // Art Garfunkel)
14. Driving Guitars (Bob Bogle // Nokie Edwards // Mel Taylor // Don Wilson)
15. I Got a Woman (Charles)
16. Secret Agent Man (Sloan // Barri)
17. Wipe Out // Let's Go (Surfaris // Duncan)
18. Pipeline (Spickard // Carmen)
19. Caravan (Ellington // Mills // Tizol)
20. A Whiter Shade of Pale (Reed // Brooker)
21. Bumble Bee Rock (Bogle // Edwards // Taylor // Wilson)
As you can see, some tracks are famous instrumental tunes that were played by the Ventures in the old days: # 2, 3, 17, 18, and 19. Two tracks are original compositions by the Ventures (# 14 and 21), while one (# 10) is an original composition by Nokie written for his wife Judy. Several tracks are instrumental versions of famous songs from the old days: # 4, 7, 12, 13, 16, and 20.
The quality of the music is high. AdVenture and Nokie play well together. Obviously, they had done some rehearsing before this concert. In fact, they have recorded a studio album, which is available on a CD known as the Studio Album. There is some overlapping here: a few tracks are found on both albums, but the two albums are not identical.
The concert was recorded by several cameras. The pictures are sharp and clear, but I am not so happy about how the video was recorded and mixed. Nokie is the star, the main attraction. Obviously, he will appear on the screen quite often, and more than the others. But we see him all the time. I want to see the whole stage with the whole band at least once in every song, and I want to see each member of the backing group for more than one second. But this almost never happens.
Moreover, when the camera focuses on Nokie, we see his face! I do not want to see his face; I want to see his fast finger work. When the camera focuses on his guitar, we see his right hand, but almost never the left hand! Apparently, the camera man and the editor in charge of mixing do not know much about guitars.
Having said this I can focus on the music, which is great. Every track on this album is a work of art. I like in particular tracks # 11 "Alabama Jubilee" and # 15 "I Got a Woman" because the guitar work is so impressive.
Nokie is famous for his fast finger work on the guitar, and during this concert he demonstrates his incredible talent again and again. The Sunhouse is a small club. The audience is small; as far as I can see, less than a hundred. The people who were present at this concert were lucky, because they had a chance to watch a world class musician in action.
Fortunately, the event was recorded and, even though I have some misgivings about how the video was recorded and mixed, this means that fans of Nokie and fans of the Ventures can enjoy the music that was played during this concert.
Live at the Sunhouse is a great album. If you like instrumental music, if you like the Ventures, if you like Nokie Edwards, you should buy this album. You will not be disappointed.
*****
*****
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