David Dunham

Springs and autumns in the Panhandle are a mix of bluster and balminess, robins and red buds, falling leaves and falling temperatures, gentle rain and time change; a resetting of the clocks, and maybe a resetting of one's life. This tune considers resetting one's life, rethinking priorities.  Francois Pierre Morin graciously offered to add orchestration enhancing the mood and mystery of the seasons.  His additions are lovely:  https://soundcloud.com/fpmorinstudio/equinox-collab

Equinox

My good friend and church band mate, mandolinist Pat Howell, was messing around with a couple of chord sequences in the key of C. I asked him to play them again, then again. I capoed my guitar to the 3rd fret and played A shapes to what he was doing. His face lit up and said, "I like that"!  It's amazing sometimes how a mere musical suggestion of a melody can blossom. I plan to add his mandolin part when he composes it, but for now I hope you can say with him "I like it".  This all happened just prior to time change so the picture seemed "Springy" and appropriate to the song, and a breath of optimism and hope in the face of the pandemic.

Spring Forward (Inspired by Pat Howell)

Having two distinct melody lines and not knowing what to do with them, combining them seemed to work well. I hope you think so too.

Pastorale

Some words are so wonderful, you want to hear them again:  the first time she (or he) says "I love you", and later,"I'm sorry, I was wrong", or "I forgive you". The judge says "not guilty", The doctor announces,"the cancer's gone"... you get the idea, news so good you want to hear it again.  I hope you like my trying to capture it in a song.

Say It Again!

It was so nice to see family and friends these past few days, some I haven't seen in over two months.  Sharing a meal, laughter, hugs. Things taken for granted can come to mean so much.  A little song to celebrate.

Nice To See You!

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)

Two powerful words in the English language that embrace both regret of missed opportunity, and all the possibilities that life has to offer, and maybe even beyond this life...What if?  Closer to home;  "what if" I used two different guitars for this track, how would it sound?  You be the judge, but I hope you like it:)

What If...

A little smooth jazz, bossa homage to the stock market...and money in general played on a lovely 1970 vintage Hernandis classical guitar.

Easy Come, Easy Go

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)

It has been brutally hot this summer across most of the US and especially in Texas.  I thought I would do my part to cool things off a bit with a little ditty in an Irish style;  a toast to over 10k listens, and you the cherished listener:) Cheers!

An Irish Toast

This tune came out of a wonderful convergence (happy accident); my collaboration with @devin-locke on "Theme and Variations" and a renewed interest in the painting of Bob Ross. One of the variations I became so taken with, I wanted to develop it into a full track using the original steel string voice of the collaboration then adding nylon string to enlarge the melody line.  "Happy Accidents" was a favorite saying of Bob Ross as he would go about his painting on Public Television.  I saw how it applied to me in how I have composed guitar music over the years;  the unexpected note or chord I first thought a mistake became a turning point for a phrase or melody line.  Some would call it "serendipity", for Bob Ross it was a "happy accident".  If you listen closely toward the beginning, you can hear my granddaughter Lily in the background, a bit of a cameo and very much a happy accident:)

Happy Accidents (For Bob Ross)

Some tunes you have to work at.  This one came quickly, but I still wanted it to steep a little, especially the middle section.  The title came quickly as well as I thought about my son-in-law's work as a truck driver.  When he is at home, he's home as a loving and devoted family man.  On the road, however, it's all "white lines and deadlines".  For a revealing look into the trucker's "white lines and deadlines", my videographer brother assembled a great video using a shorter version of this track: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4xLPK3TUBA&list=LLj-OlGOzJtweD8nMGsz7Vsg&index=4&t=0s

White Lines And Deadlines

A little upbeat offering for the Autumn season.  Not long before we "fall back" an hour with the time change in a year that has seen so many changes and challenges.

Fall Back

A little tune for those in the Autumn of life who may have lost a spouse or maybe never married but have found someone very special and find themselves "falling again" in love.  
Annie @annie-smart-1 loved this tune and asked to collaborate on it which can be heard on her Cloud by following the link.  It is lovely in every way, and I am so honored by her collaboration.

Falling Again (Guitar Instrumental)

A while back fine guitarist @devin-locke inspired me to revisit some of the early Miles Davis' recordings which are brilliant jazz masterpieces.  I wanted to try my hand at the style and have Devin join me if he felt so inclined.  He hasn't yet, but may do so in the future:) Anyway, a little tribute to a master...

Miles And Miles To Go

Written for my 2nd granddaughter who turned 20 last November, she is pictured here as a three year old about the time the song was first written.  It was a stylistic breakthrough for me finding its birth on a Mexican classical guitar I found at a pawn shop and bought at a bargain because it needed repair.  Shortly after the glue dried, I started playing it and the opening phrases of the song just poured out and I thought "that sounds like my Grace".  So here it is on the Godin, a song for Grace and a prayer for you.

Grace To You

Angels play a huge role throughout the Biblical narrative.  They also play a role in our lives as well, probably much more than we realize...May Lemke is one such angel. I read about her years ago and her rescuing of a hopelessly disabled, premature baby she would adopt and name Leslie in an article titled "The Miracle of May Lemke's Love".  Here is a brief video of that angel telling her story.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWtZA-ZmOAM&list=PLKj3m-0NiJ6VpEOx8YE1dhsRg0umHaQ8N&index=1  Debra Buesking gives the song yet another dimension of ambience and power in our collaboration: soundcloud.com/david-dunhamuser589535203/on-the-wings-of-angels-second-flight-with-debra-buesking-piano

On Angels' Wings (In Memory of May Lemke)

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)

With all that's going on, sometimes the heart just wants to flee to a place of innocence. Maybe we could meet there...

David Dunham

Tony