you sound amazing Steph!!! Just you and your guitar...perfect!!!

Kind of reminds me of Linda Thompson when she sings a sad Richard Thompson song. Very nice job!

Missed this one. Beautiful, Steph! And your voice!!

Hi Steph, I have not heard the original nor the Nadia Reid version but it really suits your voice and your style.

Absolutely like this rendition, haven't heard the original so I will always think of this version if "Bully of New York" is ever spoken of!

A song about dreaming of and missing the mountains of home that are far away...Music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omHZxyzJ6ss


MOUNTAINS OF HOME
                                                                                   Words by Craig Owen © 2021
                                                                                      Melody Scottish Traditional


1) Far above tree line
     I see your high summit
     The snow covered fields
     Shine silver and bright
     The wind in the pine
     Sighs gently around me
     Calling me back to
     The mountains of home

2) Snow dusted pine trees
     The blue sky above
     Lovingly weaved by
     The Maker’s own hand
     The aspen in autumn
     The laurel in springtime
     Are waiting for me in 
     The mountains of home

3) Far away westward
     My homeland, my country
     Far in the distance
     Yet near in my heart
     If never I see you
     I’ll always remember
     The windswept peaks of
     The mountains of home

Mountains Of Home

This avian waltz started as an ad lib improv on the piano - hope you find it relaxing. Maybe I'll come along and clean it up a bit someday, maybe not. Crows aren't necessarily tidy, but they're neat anyway.

Five Crows Flying Slowly

I wrote this about 20 years ago, recorded a version somewhere around 2012 and let it fall off my radar. For the last decade I wouldn't have had a clue how to play it. But I've relearned it, rewritten it, changed a few chords, added the word No to its title, re-recorded it from scratch - and here I am offering it up again. Is it finished now? Probably no, not just yet.
I'm in two minds about returning to old songs. Part of me says move on and another part says don't just leave it lying there, help it back on its feet. So here it is, rescued from the ditch, dusted down and given a drink of water because, in the case of this one, I still care about it, I guess

No, Not Just Yet

No, not just yet 
There's someone I got to see before I go
No, not just yet
There's someone I go back east with
Someone to make my peace with before I go

No, not just yet 
There's someone I want to warn that I'll be gone
No, not just yet
There's someone I haven't mentioned                         
A matter needs my attention before I'm gone

What do you say maybe another day?
Nothing needs to be done now
Nothing needs to be done now
What do you say we give nature its way?
Things to do first anyhow
Not just yet

No, not just yet 
There's something in the sky today, looks almost blue
No, not just yet 
These plants are dry as bone
Let's find them a loving home to start anew

No, not just yet 
There's a song I want to sing
Before you move anything
I want to feel my fingers on the strings
Vibrations travelling to my head
Like my own private pleasure jet
Not just yet

No, Not Just Yet

One More Cup of Coffee written by Bob Dylan

Henri Ciliberto - drums
Bryan Ciliberto - vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards.

One More Cup of Coffee (Bob Dylan)

An ad lib solo piano improv on the classic Henry Mancini melody, Moon River.

Moon River - piano improv on a melody by Henry Mancini

A rough one-take recording of Ana Egge’s song Bully Of New York.  I heard this interpretation of the song by Nadia Reid recently and couldn’t get it out of my head. Hope you like my rendition. S x

Photo: Ana Egge

“Bully Of New York” Ana Egge

It’s so nice to be sitting outside with you on my mind
Late in the day I hitched a ride, with you on my mind, I hitched a ride

In the green park ranger’s truck,
he slowed down as he passed me up
he said Central Park, says it might rain
And I learn another stranger’s name
Late in the day

So how do you like your job I said,
You told me once it’s no good
I lock up the playgrounds, here in the park
I am the bully of New York
Yeah I am the bully of New York

It’s getting dark, so I turn the key
Kids all think I’m being mean
It’s not easy for me

Working nights, I’m never home
My love and I got divorced
Theres a path of light there in the leaves
I am a man on my knees
Yeah, I am a man on my knees

It’s getting dark, so I turn the key
Kids all think I’m being mean
It’s not easy for me

It’s so nice to be sitting outside with you on my mind
Late in the day I hitched a ride with you on my mind
I hitched a ride

The sun was sinking slow and grey
You’re still on my mind late in the day
Late in the day


Bully Of New York

A morning piano improv on a melody by Hoagy Carmichael. Though best known for the fabulous Ray Charles recording, this song was composed by Carmichael in 1930. It's associated with the US state of Georgia, and the lyrical reference to "moonlight in the pines" suggests that, but the lyrics were penned by Stuart Gorrell who was likely thinking of Hoagy's sister Georgia. Stuart Gorrell never wrote a lyric before this one, nor after. Nevertheless, an illustrious career.

This is a casual version, the way I actually play the piano in my living room. Far from perfect but I feel like that it's not too far from the way Hoagy imagined it.  Recorded on the Kawai D30 shown in the photo in North Judson, Indiana USA on February 19, 2024.

Georgia on my Mind improv

And there's a possum that comes by...

I was delighted when talented composer and musician Shauna-Kay Hamilton invited me to do a collaboration with her. She suggested we do a cover of "Killing Me Softly". Initially I felt intimidated - such a huge, well-loved song. But then I started humming it and soon I was hooked and so I said okay let's give it a go. 

So here is our version. We hope you enjoy it and thanks so much for taking a listen.

A big thanks to Joe Drzewiecki for giving his time and knowledge to help eliminate pesky hissing S's on the vocal track. Check out Joe's wonderful music here: http://soundcloud.com/jomama-2

Info on the song: composed by Charles Fox and written by Norman Gimbel. A number-one hit in 1973 for Roberta Flack. Later covered by the Fugees in 1995, also reaching No 1.

If you'd like to download this song you can grab the mp3 (small file) here, or the aif (larger file, higher quality) on Shauna's page http://soundcloud.com/dark_barcelona/killing-me-softly-roberta




Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack) with Shauna-Kay Hamilton

DID YOU MOVE TO NEW ORLEANS OR TEXAS?
a song by gary sunshine

As I lay there dying or at least I think I was
smiling all the way to the grave
I thought of things you used to tell me on the phone
I hardly was listening but now I'm all alone

so did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
the odds are you didn't move at all

like some kind of common criminal 
with a name on my back
with a toothless bleeding past
you were worried
like drugs & heartache & misery & pain
you were falling into pieces like that bracelet in the rain

so did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
I hardly even knew you then

well I wonder if we went back well I wonder if we went back well I wonder if we went back
so did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
I hardly ever knew the way

did you move away just to get away did you move away just to get away

so did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
did you move to New Orleans or did you move to Texas?
I hardly ever knew the way

well I wonder if you went back well I wonder if you went back
that bracelet in the rain 
what about I miss you and I miss you and you miss me and you miss me

Did You Move To New Orleans or Texas?

A song of loss, remembering, and carrying on. Dedicated to those we have lost to Covid-19, and the family and friends they left behind.  Title track from my upcoming CD, Face of Love.

FACE OF LOVE

Hi and thanks for checking out my page.

The style of music here: indie-folk/pop, americana, soul.

Steph Casey is a singer-songwriter who lives on the Kāpiti Coast of New Zealand. Her sound is a mix of indie-folk and alt-country, and her debut album landed in the top five of the NZIM Album Charts. Her songs have been licensed for NZ feature films and Government videos.

In June 2019 she released the single At a Bar Downtown which the Official NZ Music Chart included in their “Ones to Watch” platform, which flags NZ tracks that are surging on radio, download & streaming platforms.

The single was followed by her second studio album The Seats in My Car (released July 2019). The album was recorded at The Surgery, Wellington, by multi-award-winning engineer Lee Prebble (Trinity Roots, The Black Seeds, Phoenix Foundation). Casey is backed by a stellar cast of New Zealand musicians including Caroline Easther (The Chills, The Verlaines, Beat Rhythm Fashion) on drums,  Alan Galloway (Let’s Planet, Galloway) on electric guitars, Murray Costello (The Mockers, The Wooden Box Band) on bass, and Alan Norman (The Warritahs, Rag Poets) on accordion and Hammond organ. The album received a five-star review from music.net.nz and a favourable review from respected NZ music writer Graham Reid. 
For reviews, videos and upcoming shows visit www.stephcasey.com

Bully Of New York

Steph Casey

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