Get Way Back

A Tribute to Percy Mayfield

PERSONNEL
Amos Garrett (vcls gtr); Ken Whiteley (pno); Ron Casat (keys); Dave Babcock (tenor sax);
Alistair Elliot (tpt); Bucky Berger (drms); Victor Bateman (str bs).
TRACKS
My Jug And I * Pretty Eyed Baby * Stranger In My Own Hometown * Never Say Naw * The Country *
To Claim It’s Love * River’s Invitation * Fading Love * Get Way Back * Ha Ha In The Daytime * Lost Mind.

Stony Plain Recording, P.O. Box 861, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T51 2L8
e-mail: info@stonyplainrecords.com

* * * * * * *
The clarity, and the relaxing style of Garrett’s voice interpretations of the lyrics of this compact disc numbers makes for a special highlight in the Amos Garrett - Get Way Back - album of songs composed by Percy Mayfield of
Hit The Road Jack and Please Send Me Someone To Love fame.
Amos Garrett in 1941 was born in Detroit and brought up in Montreal and Toronto, Alberta, Canada.
His first band was named “The Dirty Shames” a folk group based in Toronto.
Later in life he led his own groups for over half-a-century.
One of his several early influences was B.B. King, who, with among other songsters namely Bluesmen,
Long John Baldry and Jimmy Witherspoon, having also recorded Percy Mayfield numbers.

Although retired now, Amos can still be heard playing with a jazz based trio, and that he can perhaps be when next leading the
“House Band at the Edmonton Folk Festival” and, at other summer festival dates in Eastern Canada during this year’s endings.
* * * * * * *

My interest in the Blues has been in the main - the Blues’ songs that are played by jazz bands and sung by their singers of jazz music. However, mindful that the roots of “my kind of jazz” are in the Blues of its kind, has taught me somewhat in the part of the "Blues" singers.
As a young man, a favourite song of mine was I’ll See You In My Dreams- Goodnight Irene but whatever the dreams of Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) coached by John the father of Alan Lomax were when singing the song of that title to the playing of it on his 12-stringed guitar, plus the following songs Rock Island Line, The Eagle Rocks, Take This Hammer made famous in this side of the Atlantic by Jimmy Witherspoon’s recording of it, the last one - taken for comparison and, Huddie whilst on ragtime piano singing Eagle Rock Rag, then that is when I really began to get a better understanding picture of the Blues.

There is a very fine distinguished guitar style of playing outwith the song-voicing running throughout the album.
The intoxicating rhythm of the GET WAY BACK album incites ever lasting listening to it - pity over the love-struck, outraged words added on to the end of the title tune.
The guitar opening and main breaks in It’s So Nice To Take A Stroll In The Country and To Claim It’s Love numbers are of outstanding scintillating beauty.
The sonorous lagging behind vocals are catching, and, with their nicely complementary instrumentation backing, it has created a beautiful romantic collection of songs for whatever they are as described that must surely sincerely become a new kind of the Blues for me - doubtless too for others.
Kings Jazz Review
Thursday the 12th of June 2008

KJR Home Page