Collaborations with Special Friends

So honored to have singer/song writers Gary and Darcy Bixler add a vocal and lyrical interpretation to an earlier song I wrote "When You Awake" in which Pat Howell added a lovely mandolin part.  I am twice blessed by these fine talents adding to a song with such a humble beginning; the result of a dream during an afternoon nap:) Thanks to all of you for making this song something very special.  More fine songs can be heard from Gary @soundcloud.com/user-432405235-236877019, and @patrick-howell-786748109.

From This Moment On--SC Original Collaboration of Gary&Darcy Bixler/Pat Howell/David Dunham

So honored to be in collaboration with 1234567890 (Peter) and Debra Buesking on this track that first started out as an instrumental lament in a Celtic style.   It is no overstatement to say that Peter is one of the finest lyricists/poets on the Cloud.  More of his music and poetry can be heard at soundcloud.com/user-264930040.  More of Debra's brilliant creativity and playing can be heard @debra_buesking.

"And so to this…a song of sorrows.
Impassive moods shimmer grey from misted hollow yesterdays,
Stolen for the bleak tomorrows strewn upon our stony ways.
In enfolded dusks we watch in thrall as snows upon the migrant fall.
A massing stream of human husks, a currency, tragic traffic monetized,
Laundered of their simplest dreams. Kindled fading hopes bestride
Whose futures market crashed it seems, for his sickly child beside.

But thence the Noel star aglow; sapphire blue flashing light of hope,
Above the seething forlorn lines is surely set to rise.
As if upon the migrant three we know, kings mimicking the trope.
Man meets man’s humanity in heartfelt care, lives to de-commoditise.

And when trafficker before the final audit bashful, fain appears,
Rancid cash in offshore banks o’erflowing billowed surplus well.
From credit to the debit side we glance, and see a soul in deep arrears;
The ledger to be set aside, replaced with first class trafficked seat to hell.

When the Virgin Mother’s tears ease at last of speared pain,
When satan’s armies’ magazines vast of vice are finally spent,
When welcome arms cross razor wires, compassions fall as softest rain.
Christian helping hands of hope aspired shall end this fair lament.
…and so to this…a song of hope.

And So to This  (1234567890; Poem and Narrator, Debra Buesking, Piano & Synth; David Dunham, Guitar)

What an honor to be invited to collaborate with ace guitarist, composer, and producer Seagull to create a moving tribute and memorial to the people of Ukraine; those who have been displaced, those who chose to remain, those who have perished in the senseless, needless war, especially the children.  Seagull directed my attention to this very recently release video featuring Pink Floyd and Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Boombox.  It is incredibly moving. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUfVmtAvfdg 
Seagull: Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Synth soundscape
Clara: Vocals
David: Acoustic Guitar
Hear more of Seagull's fine music @farout-music-studio

When The Light Fades (with Seagull, Clara, and David)

Such an honor to be invited again to collaborate with Seagull, a wonderful musician and creator who challenges me to reach beyond my usual genre of music to add to his.  This time it is to join him in a place of rest for the heart away from the turmoil that fills the headlines.  We ask you to join us too for a few brief minutes.
More of Seagull's lovely music can be heard @farout-music-studio

Rest My Heart (Seagull--Synths, Electric Guitar, Bass; David Dunham--Classical Guitar)

One of Nature's sweetest fragrances, rain-washed air.  What a delight and honor to join Dan-DT, Clara, and Seagull in making this fragrant aural experience, and my maiden voyage into Dan's lovely genre of French Fantasy more of which can be heard @dan-t-3.  Seagull's lovely music can be heard here @farout-music-studio.

After The Rain  (Dan-DT, Clara, David, and Seagull)

How wonderful it is to work with skilled guitarist and synth artist Seagull and ace guitarist Ed Cunningham on our tribute to the night sky; a favorite pastime of mine in years gone by. I was once an avid amateur astronomer (still have my telescope), until I got caught up in the guitar universe and this wonderful place called Soundcloud.  I still manage to get out now and then to capture a little starlight.  Hear more of Seagull's fine productions @farout-music-studio and Ed's beautiful guitar music @westtracksmusic

Starlight(Seagull; guitars and synths, Ed Cunningham; electric guitar, David Dunham; acoustic guitar

Quietude in the midst of chaos, confusion, uncertainty, and restlessness; Seagull captures an Eden-like vision of tranquility and reflection.  It also came with a surprise he kept securely under his hat; I would be joined in the collaboration with him by two of my favorite SC artists, Ed Cunningham and Dan-t, masters of their genre. I didn't know until he unveiled the finished product.  My approach turned out to be "less is more" so I show up to the party fashionably late at just past the 2:00 mark, but what a lovely party...and vision.  I hope you think so too. Seagull also gave sight to the sound which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxFYED8OEeQ Hear more fine music from these maestros:
Seagull @farout-music-studio
Ed @westtracksmusic
Dan-t @dan-t-3
Photo credit; Dan-t

The Quietude (Seagull, Ed Cunningham, Dan-t, David Dunham)

What began as a prosaic comment evolved into an enriching collaboration.  Our friend and Soundcloud poet laurate Peter joins us on a fishing voyage.  Seagull, not content to do a simple voice over, remixes the track and places us on a fishing boat, the sea a bit rough, the gulls impatient for part of the catch, and Peter not just reading but dynamically narrating what he is experiencing on the deck of the ship.  What an honor to work with these artists enlarging on our previous collaboration.  Please check out more of Seagull's music @farout-music-studio, and Peter's poignant songs and poetry @user-264930040

My sanctuary from archive gleans
The gentle times, wherein my mind
Recalls a childhood spent in dreams
Of bobbing boats on ocean spied.

Here, the call of a benevolent sea
The briny, perfumed honesty
Of adolescent memories.

But whence this salty desert sea
Where once the skinny trawler plied?
Plastic water ocean streams
Where finny, swimmy fish should lie.

Silenced of the chuggy motors
Decimated by their quotas
Where the haddock, cod and herring bloaters?

The factory ships that hoovered clean
Of scaly friends the sea main wide.
Its cheaply speckled high protein
Squandered as the herring gull cried.

Where the fishers, where the boats?
Where the nets, and yellow rubber coats?
Where the pots, and lines and corky floats?

...wherein my mind
Recalls a childhood spent in dreams
Of bobbing boats on ocean spied.
Why, they set sail for the past it seems,
Upon tomorrow's ebbing tide.

Childhood Memory--Updated (Seagull, David, and featuring Peter)

What began as a collaboration with Debra Buesking has expanded to include the wonderful vocal talent of Paolo Pieraccini (@mayadog).  His singing, especially in Italian, gives the song a sweet, emotional intimacy and urgency.  A lovely honor to have him grace our song with his talent. Hear more fine music on his profile and Debbie's too @debra_buesking. 
Lyrics in Italian and English:
Dimmi dove sei
Torno a casa e non ti trovo più
Le tue calze sopra il letto
Sempre accesa la TV

Non dimentico
Le tue promesse in bilico
e le domeniche
Sempre spese solo dove decidi tu
Forse ho il cuore troppo piccolo
Per lasciarti la tua libertà
casca il mondo
quando te ne vai

Mille baci e poi
All’improvviso il vuoto fra di noi
Non so perché rimango appeso qui
Il tuo canto mi ha ingannato
e come Ulisse mi salverò
Ma poi ricadrò
nella tua tela ancora

Sei sparita ormai
irraggiungibile
ma è sicuro io ti troverò per dirti che
che non mi arrendo e voglio solo te
Puoi scommetterci
Vorrei sentire ancora i brividi
Mentre stringo la tua mano
per non lasciarti più
………………..
Chissà dove sei

Tell me where you are
I come home and I can't find you anymore
Your socks over the bed
Still on the TV

I do not forget
Your promises in the balance
and Sundays
Always spending only where you decide
Maybe my heart is too small
To leave you your freedom
the world falls
when are you leaving

A thousand kisses and then
Suddenly the void between us
I don't know why I'm hanging here
Your singing deceived me
and like Ulysses I will save myself
But then I'll fall back
in your web again

You're gone now
unattainable
but it's sure I'll find you to tell you that
that I'm not giving up and I just want you
you can bet
I wish I could still feel the chills
As I hold your hand
not to leave you anymore
……………… ..
Who knows where you are

Easy To Please (featuring Paolo; vocal) Debbie; Piano, David; Guitar

For my son-in-law Marshall, a law and order guy, great husband and father. Recorded in a jam session/collaboration with fine guitarist Curtis Gremmel.

The Marshall Is Back (with Curtis Gremmel)

This is a two-guitar version of a song I wrote for my 2nd daughter, Joanna and collaborated with Curtis Gremmel who takes the lead.  His playing adds a whole other dimension to the track. For those curious; Curtis' ten fingers are left center in the mix, my ten fingers are right center.

Bossanana(with Curtis Gremmel)

My granddaughters Lanie and Grace are up and coming pianists who enjoy trying new arrangements. On this arrangement of the classic hymn they asked Papa to play with them; first at their recital and then for this offertory we did live at Prince of Peace Lutheran a while back. Little did I know what I was getting into. This is not a slam-dunk arrangement I could just sit in on. It goes through several key changes first starting in E-flat. I had to study the piece and write a guitar arrangement to establish the guitar voice to complement and not compete with what the girls were playing. It was a growing and stretching experience for the old man. I hope you like it, and even more, are blessed by it.

Jesus Paid It All (for six hands)

Renaissance is a wonderful composition by my good friend Elmer Stone who is playing lead rhythm guitar. I assisted Elmer in producing the track and adding some tonal color in the live performance as well as dubbing in some nice licks by Mike McAdoo a mutual friend and professional guitarist from Branson, Mo.  It has a big sound and I hope you like it as well as I liked producing it.

Renaissance (Elmer Stone, David Dunham)

Without a doubt, this is my most ambitious project to date.  Elmer had some ideas of what he wanted to hear after we finished the initial guitar recording of the track. He wanted it to reflect a dream he had, so I went to work expanding the production by adding piano, bass guitar, vocals, and translating the essentials of his dream into original, spoken verse.  We hope you like the result:)

What the old man said with a wink and a nod
Is now more than it seems.
He tipped his hat as he walked off;
"I'll see you later in the Theatre of Dreams."

It's there we'll meet when your sleep is deep.
I'll cordially invite you to have a seat,
Then draw your attention to the screen
As the movie starts in the Theatre of Dreams.

And as I watched the blended scenes 
Of past, present, and future tense;
In those moments it all made sense
In this Theatre of Dreams.

Before I woke, we were on a beach,
The old man drawing in the sand.
"When will you learn?It seems you keep making the same mistakes,
Slow down a little, apply the brakes!"

With that, the beach became an alleyway.
His staff in hand, his hat in place,
A sly smile upon his face, his footsteps echoing as I heard him say,
"I'll see you later in the Theatre of Dreams."

Theatre of Dreams (Elmer Stone, David Dunham)

Fellow Soundcloud artist Clint Culwell and I were rehearsing this lovely tune by him for a program.  I was recording our practice and liked how this tune came out, and thought you might too. In this Reggae-flavored love song, Clint is doing vocals and playing nylon rhythm guitar, I am playing high-string steel guitar and bass.

Butterfly (Clint Culwell, writer, vocals, guitar; David Dunham, high-string guitar, bass)

Curtis Gremmel joins me in another "twenty fingers" collaboration exploring an improvisational blues riff heard at the beginning.  Done in one take (essentially) I employed a little editing and sound enhancement to tighten the track. Curtis is left center in the mix. Hope you enjoy this "shade of blue".

Love In A Shade Of Blue (with fine guitarist Curtis Gremmel)

It always amazes me how a collaboration can change the whole feeling of a song. Such is the case when Cloud artist Devin Locke reached out to me to collaborate.  I sent him a tune I had been working on, but would not necessarily stand on it's own.  What he did with his fine playing, getting inside the basic melody, bringing out the possibilities, reminded me of the playing of Django Reinhardt and helped me hear the song in a whole new light.  For more of Devin's fine playing check out  soundcloud.com/devin-locke.  To hear a wonderful vocal version of this song, check out: @myckael-marcovic/si-django-avait-joue

Conversation At A French Cafe (with fine guitarist Devin Locke)

Devin Locke had a wonderful freeform jazz guitar track he wanted me to collaborate on.  This marvelous cluster of chord voicings with melody and bass lines weaved in and through it, I could not begin to compete with much less add to.  I did the next best thing;  I added variations to his main themes in my own style, hoping to complement his phrases.  The result is a contrast of guitar and chord voices, and melody lines from two very different perspectives.  Devin's  Noir ending is very cool in the best tradition of jazz. For more of his music and fine playing: @devin-locke

Jazz Scenario-Theme and Variations (Devin Locke, David Dunham)

Longtime friend Clint Culwell and I got together to practice and record some of his songs and covers, and jam a little as well.  Out of the session came this little gem, a unique, slightly reggae take on a traditional favorite.  Clint is left center on vocal and nylon string guitar; I am right center doing some ornamenting on steel sting guitar and playing bass. For more music from Clint check out his Cloud @Clint-Culwell.

Wayfaring Stranger (Clint Culwell;  guitar, vocal, David Dunham; guitar, bass)

Clint Culwell wrote this little romp a couple of years ago that we recorded in rehearsal a while back.  This is about taking a trip to Mexico of days gone by, now a dangerous prospect.  Clint runs through the lyrics pretty fast in places so here they are to follow along. Hang around for the sweet little instrumental end:) Check out @clint-culwell for more cool songs.
Well I left from Texas about an hour ago
I waited at the station, but you never did show
I'd have waited a little longer, but for a month I been ready to go.
I got fifteen dollars and an eight-track player
My friend just gave me a bottle of strawberry wine
I'm takin' a little blanket because I've been told those Guadalupes can turn off cold.
Down in Mexico we're going to be alright,
Down in Mexico we're going to leave it all behind,
Yea, if you hustle up you can catch up with me,
I'll be down in Mexico.
Down in Mexico they've got a beach with a band
We can drink Mojitos and dance in the sand.
Down in Mexico it's going to be alright.
Flying down the back of this broken down old road,
I can hear my old pickup wheels starting to whine,
Caliche dust floats like a halo, coats my teeth and blows in my eyes.
Down in Mexico we're going to be alright,
Down in Mexico we're going to leave it all behind,
Down in Mexico it's going to be alright.
I got fifteen dollars and an eight-track player
I got a big ol' bottle of strawberry wine,
I'm takin' a little blanket 'cause them Guadalupes can turn off cold.

Down In Mexico(Clint Culwell: vocal, nylon guitar; David: guitar, bass)

I am a finger-style guitarist living on the Texas high plains.  At the core of my music is melody that is inspired and informed by my Christian faith, family, friends, and countless influences through the years from the great composers, to jazz, folk, rock, Latin, Celtic, and the many fine musicians I have come to love on the Cloud, some I have been privileged to collaborate with.  Thanks for stopping by to have a listen. Comments are always welcome. Feel free to click on the picture of any track to learn more about it.