Guitar Wizard A Posthumous Collection Celebrates Danny Gatton By Mike Joyce Special to The Washington Post Wednesday, April 21, 1999; Page C01 How did Danny Gatton acquire his nickname, "The Humbler"? Simple. By inspiring the awe and deflating the egos of countless guitarists around the world. The boy who seemed a natural musician to his parents -- he picked out "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" on the banjo immediately after getting his hands on one -- later seemed a supernatural talent to his peers, a "master of the Telecaster" whose speed, dexterity and precision swiftly removed him from the realm of ordinary pickers. The new double-CD set "Red Hot Guitar: The Danny Gatton Anthology" (Rhino), is a 27-track celebration of Gatton's career, which ended tragically when he committed suicide on Oct. 4, 1994. A souped-up mix of rockabilly, blues, pop, jazz, country and Gatton's patented "redneck jazz," the music mostly derives from nine recordings released between 1975 and 1998, on both independent and major labels, and provides an unprecedented view of Gatton's broad stylistic reach. The first disc is nothing short of dazzling. It opens with performances by Gatton and the Fat Boys (featuring the late pianist Dick Heintze and rhythm guitarist Billy Hancock) and closes with Gatton's overdubbed performances for the 1992 Blue Note jazz album "New York Stories, Volume One." Particularly enjoyable is Gatton's subdued pairing with steel guitar ace Buddy Emmons, an alliance that produced, among other things, a shimmering arrangement of "Canadian Sunset." Other tracks, though, including "Honeysuckle Rose," "Redneck Jazz" and "One for Lenny," provide plenty of reason to keep listening as the guitarist demonstrates his flair for brightening or shading arrangements with melodic embellishments, rippling arpeggios, simulated horn and organ parts, atmospheric effects, anthemic blues riffs, rolling banjo-inspired patterns and chiming harmonics. The music on the second disc, while sometimes more polished, further illustrates Gatton's eclectic tastes and exceptional musicianship. The opening track, "Funhouse," lives up to its billing, thanks to the brash alliance Gatton forged with saxophonist Bill Holloman. "So Good," also from the 1993 album "Cruisin' Deuces," conveys a similarly exuberant spirit and momentum before Gatton evokes the chugging rhythms of Elvis's heyday in Memphis, with Delbert McClinton capably handling the vocals on a Sun Records medley. The mood shifts into a freewheeling club groove when Gatton teams up with jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco for three tracks anchored and animated by bassist John Previti and drummer Timm Biery, then shifts again with a cool reprise of the Ahmad Jamal hit "Poinciana." Finally, the compilation closes with something that only Gatton could have imagined and executed: an imposing and improbable melding of "Linus & Lucy" and "The Orange Blossom Special." In addition to the performances, a booklet accompanying the set contains detailed discographical notes and a reprint of a 1991 Washington Post Magazine cover story on Gatton, making this collection truly worthy of the musician it honors. (To hear a free Sound Bite from this album, call Post-Haste at 202-334-9000 and press 8181.) Gatton's 'Portraits' A notorious perfectionist and studio tinkerer, Gatton was his own harshest critic, which is why much of the music he recorded during his lifetime wasn't released until after his death. "Portraits" (Big Mo) rounds up 10 recordings that Gatton made in the late '80s and early '90s, both in the studio and onstage. The concert tracks, which include separate versions of "Linus & Lucy" and "Orange Blossom Special," as well as "7 Come 11," Gatton's tribute to jazz great Charlie Christian, are vibrant reminders of the excitement he could create onstage when everything clicked. The studio tracks aren't as consistently rewarding, though beginning with the aptly title "Rambunctious," there's no shortage of six-string energy or invention. (To hear a free Sound Bite from this album, call Post-Haste at 202-334-9000 and press 8182.) Bill Kirchen: 'Raise a Ruckus' It's not hard to imagine Gatton getting a big kick out of hearing Bill Kirchen's new album, "Raise a Ruckus" (Hightone). After all, Kirchen is no slouch either when it comes to genre-jumping. There are 14 tunes on "Raise a Ruckus," and Kirchen moves from rockabilly shouts, honky-tonk laments and Western swing tunes to Tex-Mex musings and Southern soul ballads without missing a beat. Even if he weren't such a nimble guitarist and engaging singer, though, Kirchen's talent as a songwriter would warrant plenty of attention. Several tunes on "Raise a Ruckus" illustrate his craft and wit, particularly the album's title track, which sounds as if it were co-written by Bob Dylan and Chuck Berry. "Little Bitty Record," co-written by Kirchen, is another gem, recalling the great pleasures found on 45 rpm singles at the dawn of the rock age, replete with affectionate allusions to Berry, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. On "Flip Flop," Kirchen fashions another clever tribute to his early inspirations. After saluting both the living (Buck Owens) and the dead (Carter Stanley), he promises to "catch" the deceased members of his personal honor roll in the hereafter. With help from his band mates -- bassist Johnny Castle and drummer Jack O'Dell -- plus several guests, including accordionist Flaco Jimenez, Kirchen always infuses tunes that celebrate rock and country traditions with the spirit they demand, be it joyful, reckless or forlorn. He has no trouble playing the fool, as he proves on the honky-tonk tale "Livin' Dangerously," or singing a ballad as sentimental as "True Love's the Treasure." The latter is a duet featuring Kirchen's wife, Louise, a fine songwriter. Yet the songs of trouble and tenderness are inevitably overshadowed by Kirchen's sunny disposition as a performer. He loves this music so deeply that he can't help but show it. Kirchen performs at the Birchmere on Sunday.
