My dear musical obscurists –
Let me start by saying thank you for your attention toward our tiny corner of the musical universe. Our army may be small but their hearts are pure. We are pushing thru to 2020 even as we speak with at least 3 more releases. Sacré bleu!
Let us begin with this month’s main event.
Green Monkey is proud to take up the mantle of being Richard Peterson’s label with the release of his new CD, SEVEN, releasing Friday, October 18. Richard Peterson is a Pacific Northwest institution, a well-known savant Seattle trumpet player/piano player/composer. His music is heavily influenced by the 1950’s and 60’s television soundtrack work of the Columbia and Ziv music production companies. In addition to being available in fine music stores, both in the US and internationally, the album will be available on all the major streaming and download services and at Green Monkey’s bandcamp store (https://greenmonkeyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-richard-peterson-orchestra-seven). We are working toward making Richard’s entire catalog available to you at some point in the future.
Richard will be performing on solo piano on Friday, Oct. 25, 7:00 pm at Tipsy Piano Bar, 514 Capitol Way, Olympia. This is Richard’s first Olympia piano performance. There is no cover charge for the event and you simply must attend.
Richard released his first 45 rpm single “Want to Be In The States” in 1976. He advanced his career by playing trumpet outside the football and baseball games for years. He has made records with many Seattle music celebrities. His debut full-length album, “Richard Peterson”, was released in 1982. In 1983, he released his second album, produced by Peter Barnes, from which the Stone Temple Pilots placed a track on their album “Purple”, which sold over 4 million copies. For those of you less familiar with, or even new to Richard’s work, there is extensive info available on his GMR artist page, https://greenmonkeyrecords.com/r-peterson/.
“Big City Dick: Richard Peterson’s First Movie”, a documentary about Mr. Peterson, was released in 2004. It won the audience award at the Slamdance film festival in Park City Utah. His penchant for early TV music gained him the friendship of Hollywood actor Jeff Bridges via his father Lloyd Bridges of 1950’s “Sea Hunt” fame. Based on this enduring friendship, Richard often opens for Jeff’s band “The Abiders” when they play the Seattle area.
His new record is appropriately tilted, Seven, and features The Richard Peterson Orchestra (which is all Richard). It is the culmination of his many influences and years of composing music. Seven features Richard’s compositions, his playing on piano, horns, synth oboe, bass, drums and harp as well as a variety of vocalists and a violin player. Both true and new fans of Mr. Peterson’s work are certain to enjoy Seven. It is Richard’s masterpiece.
I am listening to Seven as I write this and I must tell you it is a delight. Richard will impress you with the depth and clarity of his astonishing new masterpiece, Seven. We are confident you will marvel at this brilliant new offering. Please give it a listen!
Discography:
1976 Richard Peterson – Want To Be In The States b/w Let's Take A Trip To Spokane 7”
1982 Richard Peterson – Richard Peterson's First Album (LP)
1983 Richard Peterson – The Second Album (LP)
1991 Richard Peterson w/The Young Fresh Fellows – Mathisization 7”
1993 Richard Peterson – Love on the Golf Course (CD)
1999 Richard Peterson – The William Loose Songbook (CD)
2006 Richard Peterson – Richard’s Ungreatest Hits (CD)
2008 Richard Peterson – The Religious Album (CD)
2019 Richard Peterson – Seven (CD)
Filmography (is that even a thing?):
BIG CITY DICK: RICHARD PETERSON'S FIRST MOVIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnNCYLyBMfQ
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397041/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
What else becomes the future?
Well, in November we welcome back an old friend, Joey Kline, the King of Kline’s 57 with their debut album Joaquin Wounded. Those of you in the know will recall Joey’s band Prudence Dredge put out the second 7’ single on GMR “Don’t Stomp Away” b/w “Problem Child”. Joey is a prolific mamajama - we also featured his solo album Forever Blowing Bubbles as AotM a couple years back. More on Joey soon.
December – well you know what that is – the GMR Jolly Christmas Holiday Santa Charity Express coming straight at you with all the proceeds going to MusiCares. This year’s contestants are swooping in even as we speak. I think this is the 10th one – one every year since 2009, except 2014 when we had a Xmas show instead. In terms of longevity, this will put us tied with the Christmas in the Northwest series for number of Xmas albums. I personally find our eclectic pile a bit more frisky, but what do I know? I completed a new Xmas song with Joe Cason this week, “The Goose’s Lament” (or some such) which is not doubt my best ever since last year’s “War On Christmas” – right?
January I think it shall be Joe Cason and Bob Hart’s album featured and we have a new Dante and Eros coming your way soon.
For you that noticed, we have a beautiful new web page, just like the old one but more better. Let us know if you see anything that needs attention.
For those of you that enjoying the Kelly/Pajamas vinyl reissues, there looks to be more coming – I just re-mastered This Is Where We Disappear – great album.
I think that is enuff for this month. Carry on.
October 2019
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