MICHAEL PACKER/SANDY ALLEN "REUNION - LIVE AT LUCILLE'S NEW YORK CITY"

Michael Packer/Sandy Allen “Reunion” Live At Lucille’s New York City

This “Reunion” album is the first part of the Michael Packer Blues Band Recording “Live at Lucille’s” (on 42nd Street, in the heart of Times Square New York City). As the opening set, the country/folk part of the evening, Michael invited Sandy Allen, his early band mate in two groups they had founded, Papa Nebo and Free Beer, to participate in the evening’s musical celebrations. Both this CD and the companion album, the ‘playin’ the blues’ part of the performance are released on the Iris Music Group label, as are albums by Sandy Allen, Michael Packer and the complete Free Beer and Papa Nebo recordings.

In his opening remarks, Michael notes that he and Sandy have been playing together since they were kids, with one of their favorite bands as The Band. A most poignant rendition of that group’s “Long Black Veil” followed. Sandy, playing mandolin, sang some past popular songs he had written, “Family Pie”, “Down Among the Diamonds”, and he and Michael reminisced an early Papa Nebo classic, “Makes Me Fell Fine”. Michael then called on some band members, some of whom participated in the blues segment, to back him and Sandy in two songs Michael had previously released in his “Sunny Side of Me” album, also on The Iris Music Group label. These new band versions of “My Lady Loves Me” and “The Sunny Side of Me” sailed beautifully into the next set. The lyricist of Sunny Side Of Me, the remarkable 9 year old Gabby Kasper, happened to be in the audience, with her mother, waking up from an after dinner nap just in time to take a bow. The band members consisted of Pat Squitieri on drums, Ed Jackson, bongos, King Bear on bass, and David Maxwell on piano, with Michael playing electric guitar.

The live recording was engineered by Blue Note soundman Everett Ramos for Jack O’Hara. The album is produced by Michael Packer. Alan Lorber is the executive producer.

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