Deluxe by Ron Sunshine

"

--Lester Grinspoon, Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, author of "Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine" (upon listening to 'Coffee & Reefer' 10/14/03)

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From the November 2003 issue of Big Takeover Magazine:

Ron Sunshine

Deluxe (Golden Bug)

Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter/harmonica hotshot Sunshine's focus here is the sophisticated black pop that flourished in the late 1950s and early '60s. The covers offer good reference points for the territory: the Lou Rawls hit "Natural Man," penned by the great Bobby Hebb ("Sunny"), on which the band really cooks, and Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love," complete with strings-and-horns arrangement by trumpeter Tim Ouimette, a key player on this disc along with longtime Sunshine collaborator/tenor saxophonist Craig Dreyer, who co-wrote many tracks. As cool as those covers are, the originals are just as good; Sunshine is a fine songwriter. "Coffee and Reefer" is a humorous yet realistic recommendation for a well-balanced lifestyle. "Tumblin' Down" is an excellent minor-key lament, and "Still Too Late" is a perfect ballad of longing. "Tore Up" ("from the floor up") is an urgent uptempo blues romp (with a great double-time rideout) on which Dreyer's hot, direct solo recalls Illinois Jacquet and Jimmy Forrest. This is not so much retro as a continuation of a timeless style that never completely disappeared from the cool lounges and

nightclubs of America, however distant from the current pop charts these sounds may be. (www.ronsunshine.com) -Steve Holtje

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CREDITS:

PRODUCED BY CRAIG DREYER AND RON SUNSHINE

Executive Producers: Jason Salzman and Anne Button; Ruby and Gerson Barter

Recorded at Dubway Studios, NYC on January 9, 2003. Additional recording done at Mighty Toad, No Comment, Valhalla Sound, and Luna Park Music.

Engineers: Emanuel Kiriakou, Craig Dreyer, Ron Sunshine, Tony Viscardo, Jim Gately.

"Natural Man" basic tracks engineered by Bil Emmons at Studio 900, NYC

Assistant Engineer at Dubway: Mike Presta

*Mixed by Jim Gately at Valhalla Sound Studios, New York, NY

+Mixed by Craig Dreyer & Ron Sunshine at Mighty Toad, Pawling, NY

Mastered at Turtle Tone Studios by Mike Fossenkemper

+Freeze on Me-Jason Pharr-drums, Jim Greene-upright bass, Rick Germanson-piano, Dan Hovey-guitar, Ben Stivers-Hammond B3 organ, Wycliffe Gordon-trombone, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax, Ron Sunshine- vocals and harmonica.

+Coffee & Reefer- Jason Pharr-drums, Jim Greene-upright bass, Rick Germanson-piano, Dan Hovey-guitar, Doug Petty-Hammond B3 organ, Wycliffe Gordon-trombone, running commentary, Dawn Hampton-whistle solo, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax, left field vocals, Ron Sunshine-vocals and harmonica.

*Little Bit Shy-- Jason Pharr-drums, Andy Hess-electric bass, Rick Germanson-piano, Al Street-guitar, Ben Stivers-Hammond B3 organ, Tim Ouimette-trumpet and flüglehorn, Rick Kriska-baritone sax, Nate Mayland-trombone, Susan Didrichsen-background vocals, Queen Esther-background vocals, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax, sax solo, Ron Sunshine-vocals and tambourine. Horns arranged by Craig Dreyer and Tim Ouimette.

*Tumblin' Down-- Jason Pharr-drums, Rick Germanson-Fender Rhodes electric piano, Al Street-guitar, Ben Stivers-Hammond B3 organ, Tim Ouimette-trumpet and flüglehorn, Rick Kriska-baritone sax, Nate Mayland-trombone, Renato Thoms-congas, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax, Ron Sunshine-vocals. Horns arranged by Tim Ouimette and Craig Dreyer.

+Human Blues-- Jason Pharr-drums, Andy Hess-electric bass, Al Street-guitar, Ben Stivers-Hammond B3 organ, Doug Petty-Fender Rhodes, Wycliffe Gordon-trombone, Renato Thoms-congas, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax and background vocals, Ron Sunshine- lead and background vocals and harmonica.

*Still Too Late-- Jason Pharr-drums, Jim Greene-upright bass, Rick Germanson-piano, Dan Hovey-acoustic guitar, Susan Didrichsen-background vocals, Queen Esther-background vocals, Ron Sunshine-lead vocal.

+Natural Man-James Wormworth IV-drums & background vocals, Jim Greene-bass, Paul Tillotson-piano, Dan Hovey guitar, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax, Hammond B3 organ & background vocals, hand claps, Tim Ouimette-trumpet, Ron Sunshine-lead & background vocals, 2x4's & tambourine. Horns arranged by Craig Dreyer & Tim Ouimette.

+Tore Up-- Jason Pharr-drums, Jim Greene-upright bass, Matt Ray-piano, Dan Hovey-guitar, Ben Stivers-Hammond B3 organ, Tim Ouimette-trumpet and flüglehorn, Rick Kriska-baritone sax, Nate Mayland-trombone, Paul Frazier-background vocals, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax, background vocals, Ron Sunshine-vocals and harmonica. Horns arranged by Craig Dreyer.

+Wasted-- Jason Pharr-drums, Jim Greene-upright bass, Rick Germanson-piano, Al Street- electric and acoustic guitars, Emanuel Kiriakou-acoustic guitar, Ben Stivers-Hammond B3 organ, Paul Frazier-background vocals, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax, Ron Sunshine-lead and background vocals and harmonica. Arranged by Rick Germanson and Craig Dreyer.

+Nobody But Me-- Jason Pharr-drums, Jim Greene-upright bass, Matt Ray-piano, Ben Stivers-Hammond B3 organ, Wycliffe Gordon-trombone, Craig Dreyer-tenor sax, Ron Sunshine-vocals and harmonica.

*So In Love-- Jason Pharr-drums, Jim Greene-upright bass, Rick Germanson-piano, Al Street- guitars, Doug Petty-Hammond B3 organ and Fender Rhodes, Paul Frazier-background vocals, Renato Thoms-congas, Craig Dreyer- background vocals, Ron Sunshine-lead and background vocals, harmonica, tambourine.

*Please Send Me Someone to Love...-- Jason Pharr-drums, Jim Greene-upright bass, Matt Ray-piano, Mairi Dorman-cellos, Cornelius Dufallo-1st violins, Ilana Thomas-2nd violins, Eric Hammelman-violas, Tim Ouimette-trumpet and flüglehorn, Alan Ferber-trombone and bass trombone, Ron Sunshine-vocals and harmonica. Strings and horns arranged by Tim Ouimette.

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