xraydusa

[xraydusa]

Originally dubbed the "Henniker All Stars", Gracious Jakes are some smoking' musician college friends that get together and play parties as often as the opportunity presents itself. Here is our first "demo" f the classic Marvin Gaye song.

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This Beatles, White Album classic redone live with The Selves was a dream come true. I love this northern New Jersey quartette, we ripped through this ferocious version at a VFW in Franklin Lakes. It was a barnburner. Good times.

[xraydusa]

I Can't Stand Losing You, my absolute FAVE Police song, re-imagined for the blue eyed soul/ lounge set. My eyes are brown, by the way.

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This is from my favorite Sly & the Family Stone album "There's A Riot Going On" so many great songs on that LP, this is a great one.

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A big, 2nd Line New Orleans Jazz outfit live at Roux in Santana Row playing this Latin Jazz Classic

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I just finished the Burt Bacharach autobiography, “Anyone Who Had A Heart”.One of the greatest American songwriters has had the HUGEST impact on my life. He has written some of the saddest and most moving songs I’ve ever heard. It’s an intriguing read, and the chapter about him writing with Elvis Costello was fascinating. They wrote a song for a favorite music movie of mine, Grace of my Heart, and of course I spent hours learning it, trying to figure out how to play the flute, and here is my rendition from years ago. 

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It’s a bit sad, posting all these tributes to artists that had SO MUCH influence. When mI moved to San Francisco, I did a deep dive with the Byrds and Jefferson Airplane. This is a weird Crosby Song that essentially was a last straw with the Byrds, he departed shortly after. I love this weird track. Obviously I was very young when I recorded it, my baby voice. I thought I had transferred it fast, but it’s in tune to the original key. So that’s me at 22, dreaming about the concept of a menage a trios!

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Lovely Day tribute to the late, great Bill Withers- R.I.P. performed by ...

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Killing time during Corona Virus, here is an old fave of mine, “I Get Lifted” by William Casey from K.C. & the Sunshine Band 

[xraydusa]

RIP Bill Withers. A huge inspiration to me. I recorded this version not long ago. 

[xraydusa]

So here’s an ancient recording buried in the archives, in tribute to the Elton John biopic that’s been recently released, here is my favorite Elton song, from my favorite LP of his, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Bennie & the Jetts was recorded mostly live in the studio with Gerald Villegas on Bass, and Jeff Sheahan on drums, I’m playing a Les Paul and doing my best to sing this classic about a fictional rock band. 

[xraydusa]

So wee kick off “Uncle Ray’s Cover Countdown” with a couple for my BEAUTIFUL LADY Angela. She saved me. She is SO FINE. I have another one for her coming a little later. Sing it to YOUR lady. 

[xraydusa]

I started this site 3 years ago! What you have here is a collection of cover tunes I have recorded in my life. They vary in genre, style, sound quality, music ability, and all sorts of ugly-ness, but pretty tasty and fun over all. My first upload was this holiday classic! I am playing a 4 & 8 sting ukuleles and singing, I hope you all enjoy it. 

My first entry is my version of Mel Torme’s, “The Christmas Song”, made popular by Nat King Cole. I sing and play soprano & 8 string ukulele.

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A Bay Area new wave classic from the Paul Collins Beat. I found the rhythm track on an old garage band file I miss-labeled with 1/2 hour of high quality, multi tracked Shade. There is some tasty stuff on there.  

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This is a really fun cover of Nick Gilder, with help from my friend Liz O’Neil on the lead vocals. sampling recording is from a LONG time ago when we were first experimenting with sampling & hip hop . 

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Punk rock Burt Bacharach, like it should be . A lesser known song by my favorite songwriter recorded on 4- track at my studio above Clothes Contact on Valencia Street in the Mission, inside a GREAT punk record store. 

I forget the name of the store.

[xraydusa]

Tribute to fellow Jersey boy Lou Reed, this is my buddy Andrew and I. He is playing the drums, I cover pretty much everything else.