An Interview with AC's Own Chris Berry: The New CD "The Emerald River Project"

Who doesn't like free music especially when it is a collection of high-caliber tunes from someone who has been making music for years, but is still on the cusp of being discovered? That's exactly what this author and music lover found in the mailbox. An advanced copy of The Emerald River Project by Chris Berry and The Retrofitters was delivered and immediately put in play mode. The author was blown away.

History of the band
Berry has been kicking around the peripherals of the West Coast music scene for something like 35 years. He's known for his session work as a guitarist, vocalist and producer. He's contributed to over 40 albums by such artists as Billy Preston, Mike Nesmith, and Stone Temple Pilots to name a few. In 1992 the first incarnation of The Retrofitters came into being under the name "S.F. NARAS All Stars" as a house band to back up that year's Grammy nominees at the awards banquet. That band included current and former members of Jefferson Starship, Pablo Cruise, Sly & the Family Stone, Eric Clapton's Group and Canned Heat.

When word got out about the band shows began selling out. Berry says, "We had so much fun that I started booking other gigs around the Bay Area. The group always had revolving band members. Basically it was whoever wasn't on tour at the time." In 1994 Berry relocated to Los Angeles and continued the band with its rotating-member format. Berry continues, "You never knew who was going to be in the band from night to night. Sometimes the line up would change in the middle of the show as musicians would wander in and join us. It wasn't uncommon to see someone like Stevie Winwood, Jackson Browne, Melissa Etheridge, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards sitting in. We even had the drummer from Spinal Tap as a regular member for a while and no, he didn't die of spontaneous combustion when he played with us." (For those out of the loop, the fictitious band Spinal Tap has had many drummers who according to the mock-u-mentary, died under mysterious circumstances.)

The mid-1990s saw The Retrofitters doing a regular Saturday night gig at Canter's Deli in Hollywood. The Friday Night band was the Wallflowers. In 1997 Berry relocated to Arizona and continued the tradition. The Arizona version of The Retrofitters has included musicians from Edgar Winter's Group, Velvet Underground, Jeff Beck's Group, the Righteous Brothers, the Pointer Sisters and others.

The current incarnation of The Retrofitters is:
Chris "Mike" Berry - songwriter, lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
Oscar Vildasolda - drums and percussion
Bob Gulley - lead guitar
Bill Foss - bass
Kenny Lindsey - keyboards and horns

The New CD "The Emerald River Project"
The Emerald River Project contains 13 tracks of fat-bluesy tunes, all music and lyrics written by Berry. Berry's Arizona relocation may have had more of an effect on his song writing than he realized. Most tunes are blues-based, but filled out with great keyboard and horn accents. Some tunes wander close to the Country & Western line without crossing over. The themes and lyrics don't bore the listener with pick-up trucks and hound dogs. They speak of relationships and concrete realities to which everyone relates. This may be an example of a newly emerging genre that can be called Western Blues.

Foss' bass adds a dimension to the sound that keeps the energy up. The thick bass offsets the regular blues theme of "Be as Free," pins the whole compilation down, and allows the guitars to do their best. The guitars stand out accentuated by the keyboards in a great blend of counter-point throughout the CD.

Considering that Berry is almost the sole voice on the CD including the back-up vocals, the editing is amazing. With few exceptions it is crisp, clear, and clean. If a video is made, Berry will be chromakeyed in full drag behind the band swaying to the rhythm and clapping hands.

The Tracks and Impressions
1. 24 Hours. Striking vocals reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughn. The CD's 2nd best song.

2. Daughter of the Chairman. Guitar peaks and slides with low bass plucks make it sexy. Excellent string work that needed a tighter mesh with the vocals. Berry strained to hit the chorus highs, but the fact that "these boots were made for walking" compensates. B+ for boots.

3. Lollygagger. Berry got a little gravel back in his voice for this one and it suits him well. Great lyrics like "Lollygagger what the hell are you after? Moving so slow, while your life is a disaster. Took a dirt road to the train. By the time you caught up it was already gone....It took her three weeks to watch 60 minutes, y'all." And the horns accent the piece perfectly.

4. Run For Your Life. A tune reminiscent of The Band. Berry lyrics drive home an important lesson "If one man's ceiling is another man's floor it's time for you to move upstairs." Classic Blues repetition and a song that will be a classic. Other than the lyrics, Lindsey's keyboards are the star of this upbeat tune with a positive message. The surprise in this track is just a hint of reggae. Yes, reggae.

5. Jimmy. A country-blues take on the Police's "Don't stand so close to me." Only in this one the consequences are real. "Daddy comes calling with a shotgun" and Jimmy ends up with two jobs and a cheating wife. Yet, more great guitar work. The editing on this track is superb making all of Berry's voices blend in a great fade out.

6. Be As Free. A wanting to get away anthem if ever there was one. This tune is dug deep in the Blues but spiced with a little Western freedom. The guitars smoke on this track.

7. Dog That I Am. The horns and lyrics make this track strike a cord. Just more than a hint of sexuality.

8. Liar, Liar. When lyrics don't manifest themselves in a fog, a children's nursery rhymes will do. This "Liar, liar. Pants on fire" rant strikes a chord with anyone who has ever been on a playground.

9. Red Porch Light. A fast-paced, dance-loving tune. Any club where this is played won't have an empty dance floor. It sticks to the basics: great back beat, danceable, potent loud lyrics with just enough bridge to allow the dancers to do their fancy come-hither moves on their dates.

10. Soul Singer. Another tune influenced by The Band. This one strikes a chord with anyone who has had their life change by music or just sings out loud in the car. A longing for a missed lover who is music comes through in Berry's almost heart-rending vocals. The lyrics homage every song you've ever heard that made you long for the arms of your lover or the sweat embrace of you own warm bed. Soul Singer is definitely the highlight of the album. It has radio appeal and heart.

11. Happy Birthday Baby. What collection would be complete without a little Boogie Woogie. I asked Berry where this one came from and he said, "I wrote this one when I was so broke I couldn't afford to buy my wife a birthday present so I wrote her a song instead. I think I got laid that night." Now that's a song I can get behind.

12. Rodeo Girl. This one is all about the play-on-word lyrics. The music is not as memorable as the other tracks, but provides a good backdrop for the lyrics.

13. Weapons of Mass Destruction. When queried about this song, Berry responded "I'm really not that political and I actually like George Bush as a person. I just wish he wasn't in charge of anything." This is the one political song on the album complete with a Bush sound bite lead in. Again, the editing stands out as superb.

Overall
The Emerald River Project is a CD that deserves a respectable place in your collection. In this reviewer's opinion, the advance copy could use a few edits, but is more purchasable than half the racks currently in stores on major labels. Any Blues fan will appreciate the roots. Every C&W fan will enjoy the intelligent themes. Everyone will appreciate the excellent lyrics.