Dan Imhoff, 2017
Between the release of “Owl Country” and early 2017, I poured my energies into an increasingly ambitious performing schedule with Cahoots, vocal lessons with Shea Breaux Wells and jazz studies at Sonoma State University. For “Lucky Stars” I recruited Sonoma State jazz prodigies Melissa Hubbell (bass) and Taylor Cuffie (percussion) to accompany my tremolo and reverb heavy Telecaster sound. The compositions range from samba to pop, folk, rockabilly and country rock. These are all backed by outstanding two- and three-part vocal harmonies and horn arrangements. For the fourth time in seven years producer Matt Wright and I teamed up to create an album. There are nine original tunes along with a cover of Ricki Lee Jones’ classic “Weasel and the White Boys Cool,” which was on her debut album, a record that I played till it was scratched and practically no longer listenable. Keyboardist Mike Emerson, vocalist Alison Harris, Cahoots’ bandmates Craig Anderson and Ashley Holmberg, Dixie Giants’ Jason Thor (trombone) and Nick Hasty (saxophone and flute), the amazing singer Shea Breaux Wells, and cellist Tristan Clarridge all make these songs sparkle.