En Noir Et Blanc

Though the exact history is disputed, pedal steel guitar was invented no more than 15 years before I was born. As I studied the instrument, I often found myself learning by spending hours listening to and trying to figure out how to play like the many great players who either came before me or were further along than I was (or will ever be?). I owe a debt of gratitude to so many such players: Buddy Charleton, Buddy Emmons, Lloyd Green, Tom Brumley, John Hughey, Bud Isaacs, Lucky Oceans, Bobby Black, Johnny Farina, B.J. Cole, Paul Franklin, Pete Drake, Don Helms, Leon McAuliffe, and so many others. I've always tried to have my own voice, but know that these great players, most of whom I've never met, had a hand in shaping my approach to the instrument. It's with this lineage in mind that I wrote this piece, knowing that my influences go back to an era even before black and white tv...

The title of this tune is in French and translates to English as "In Black And White". I love double (and triple and quadruple and so on) entendre (hmmm... another French word), so I love the idea that black and white (which when combined includes millions of shades of gray) has a temporal connotation (in television), as well as a polemic (either/or) connotation associated with it. I suppose I chose to use the French translation as the title because for me the French translation somehow feels less polemic and that better suits my taste. Maybe it's just the sound of the words subtly changing their meaning? "Black & White" sounds kind of harsh rolling off the tongue; "En Noir Et Blanc" sounds kind of sensual. In any event, it's just a name for a piece of music that was inspired by times (and people) gone by.

This track features Rich Kuhns on piano, Jeffrey Wash on electric fretless bass and Jason Lewis on drums.