Fahl & Folk
The band Fahl & Folk is the newest vehicle for David Fahl’s music. The basic
sound is the traditional folkie vocal, acoustic guitar, and harmonica, with
Michael Farber’s electric bass adding a groove that turns up the energy
level way past the clichéd mellow associated (often in error) with the
folksinger trip. This pair is frequently augmented by Jimmy Deen on acoustic
and electric guitars, and Chaz Nadege on keyboard and snare drum.
The simplest description of Fahl & Folk’s music is “folk-rock with blues and
country roots”. The Fahl & Folk sound is both familiar and innovative. The
instrumentation is simple and familiar-sounding. The songs hit comfortable
grooves and go places where folksingers are seldom heard. Fahl’s songs come
from a perspective that uses all the traditions we hear around us and twists
them into new combinations, telling stories about lovers, murderers, and the
helpless schmoes who just have a hard time dealing with life in this bizarre
new millennium. When the band does a cover tune, it’s rarely one from the
standards of ‘classic rock’, and it never sounds like the way you’re used to
hearing it.
Fahl & Folk recorded live at Last Concert
Cafe
I could write a book about
Jimmy Deen, but nobody’d believe it unless I toned things down some.
The word ‘legendary’ really applies. He’s a lifetime rock’n’roller and a
true music believer. He was an essential part of Fahl & Folk in its first
few months, and not only added guitar and background vocals, but I’ve used a
couple of his off-the-cuff lines in songs of mine. “You never even feed my
dogs.”
Jim DePitts
sat in on a Fahl & Folk show right about the time we were starting to make
the CD. I loved what he played on “Clara Dancing”, and got him to come in
to play on the record. I was blown away by the parts he came up with for
that, “Every Woman in the World” and “I Told Martha.”
Carlos Johnson
is an ubiquitous presence in the Heights music scene. He’s played with Fahl
& Folk, the New Jack Hippies, D.R.U.M., Shambolism, and the Fondue Monks.
He also has his own band, Congas by Carlos, which makes some great music.
We’ve got him here adding some hand-drum grooves to several tunes
The first time I heard
Jason Jackson play, it was in the context of a free-jazz improv group
playing very weird, indeed. His playing stood out as inventive, musical and
soulful. Since then, I’ve heard him play many times with the funk band
Plump, occasionally with the Free Radicals, and once in a while with Fahl &
Folk. His saxophone dresses up all the songs on which it appears. The
folk-rock music I do is not his usual thing, but he proves his versatility
here.
One of the venues in Houston
that has supported my music and the music of many other local artists is the
Last Concert Café. David Odea has been a major part of the Café for
several years. His Sunday afternoon acoustic jam / teaching / learning
sessions provide an opportunity for players of all levels to make music
together. He’s been playing mandolin and banjo with Fahl & Folk for the
last three years. He’s been called a “banjo genius” by folks who know
I used to say that Leesa
Harrington-Squires is the coolest person in Houston. It’s still true,
but everybody I know knows it already, so I rarely have need to repeat it.
She’s been frequently named best rock drummer in town in the newspaper
polls, and has worked with some of the town’s best bands. It was an honor
to have her play on this record.
I’ve known Opie Hendrix
since before he was Opie Hendrix. We met when he first arrived in Houston.
I was amazed at his guitar playing, his songwriting, and the passionate
intensity he puts into everything he does. I count him as one of the best
friends I have on the planet. A few years back he put my song “Shoulda
Known Better” on his CD, San Jacinto. Because of his busy performing
schedule, we don’t play together often enough, so I was glad to get him into
the studio to add vocals and some wicked lead guitar help on this CD.
Michael Farber
and I started Fahl & Folk when I decided to throw away the genre labels I’d
been working in (Folk, Country, Jam Band, etc.) and focus on presenting my
own songs and songs I could sing as if I’d written them myself. I’d
decided that if I could find a bass player who’d take the time to learn the
material, I could work with any combination of additional musicians and make
good, interesting music. Michael worked with me through months of
practices and low-pay (often no-pay) gigs, dealing with a large rotating
cast of drummers, guitar players, and others, figuring out what Fahl & Folk
music was, and helping me get it right. He plays bass on all the songs here
but one.
One of the things I’m most
proud of about this record is the people that played on it. These are
people I’ve listened to, played with, and been friends with for years, some
of them decades. I am grateful for their help, and hope they’ll be as proud
of it as I am.
The band Fahl & Folk is me
(David Fahl) and anybody helping me make music on any particular occasion.
There is a core group that makes the nearly all the regular weekly shows,
and a pool of others who sit in when circumstances allow or when a special
occasion, like making a new CD, comes up.
The second-senior member of
the band is Chaz Nadege. Chaz is one of the best keyboard players
around. He’s played with most of Houston’s best blues bands. He’s also a
fine songwriter and singer in his own right. In most of Fahl & Folk’s
shows, he plays drums, a simple kit with one or two snares and a cymbal.
You’ll hear that drumming on many of the songs on Shoulda Known Better.
On nearly every song you’ll hear Chaz’s keyboard playing, some subtle
background things and some very incredible solos.
When Fahl & Folk started
doing our weekly shows at the Last Concert Café, we had Carrie Ann
Buchanan’s band, Carrie Ann & the Apocalyptics, come out to do an
opening set for us at least once a month. It was exciting to see that band
develop into the amazing outfit it is now, as evidenced by Carrie Ann’s CD,
Strong Wind, which came out earlier this year. I am grateful that
she came into the studio to add her beautiful voice on some of the fine
harmonies here.
I’ve been hearing Susan
Jackson play in several bands over the years, including a long stint
with Carrie Ann & the Apocalyptics and the legendary Beans Barton & the Bi-Peds.
We’d worked together on occasion in the past, and when I started working on
this CD, I got her to come in to play violin and sing harmonies
Rebekah Dahl’s
day job is working as an actress with the Masquerade Theatre. The
Masquerade is the best musical theater company in Houston. Rebekah has
earned rave reviews for her lead performances in Annie Get Your Gun, Sweeney
Todd, Gypsy and many others. She and I sometimes perform as an acoustic
duo, Fahl & Dahl. The lyrics in some of my songs are written as dialogue,
and Rebekah sings most of the female parts.
I’ve known Teri Greene
longer than either of us cares to think about. A lot of people know him
from his work with Carolyn Wonderland when she first started. He’s also
played with the Madisons, and holds court at Danelectro’s weekly Thursday
night blues jam. The first time he & I played together was at a Halloween
party in a house just off Dallas street sometime in the 80s. There haven’t
been enough opportunities since then, but I knew he’d add the perfect
rock’n’roll touch to a couple songs here that needed it. I think his solo
at the beginning of “Jack & Ethel” is one of the greatest, greeziest guitar
solos ever.
Jeff Hoofard
is well-known in Houston’s acoustic music circles for his tasteful
percussion playing and drumming. He and I have worked together in several
bands, and he is the only musician (besides myself) to have played on all 3
of the CDs I’ve produced. To those who get out to the Kerrville Folk
Festival, he is known as one of the pillars of the Camp Stupid crew.
Roger Tausz
has been a sound engineer for over twenty years, with gold records to his
credit. As a bass player, he’s worked with the Sisters Morales. Guy
Schwartz & the New Jack Hippies, and the Scott Daniels Band. He did all
the recording and mixing for Shoulda Known Better at his home studio.
He deserves most of the credit for the way this CD sounds. After some
urging on my part, his role in the project changed from Engineer to
Co-Producer. Many of the arrangement ideas are his, and few of my own ideas
would have been so well realized without his help.
I got to know Gary Clark
from seeing him play with Carrie Ann & the Apocalyptics. His slide
playing is always tasteful and his tone immaculate. I’m grateful he agreed
to play on some of the songs here
I’ve enjoyed Dru Ray’s
playing at the Danelectro’s Thursday jams, and with Shambolism and Congas by
Carlos. I’m a big fan of the sound of trombones and found a couple places
to work him into the arrangements on this CD
By the way, a short list of Fahl & Folk’s list
of cover tunes includes songs by Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Pink Floyd, the Cure,
Prince, Bob Marley, Duke Ellington, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Robert Earle Keene,
Tom Waits, and ZZTop. The band recognizes that good songwriting comes from
all genres.
Phil Cassidy
When you finish reading about the people who
make up Fahl and Folk please remember to check out the music by clicking on
the CD Cover below or the link at the bottom of the page.
