Daryl Runswick: Young Man Songs

This album, except for one track, dates from the 1982 sessions, wonderfully recorded by John Burns, whose other credits, I was unaware at the time, are stellar (Hendrix, Clapton and on from there). My basic rhythm section consists of some of my closest musical associates and dear friends - all with a jazz streak in their makeup. I play a 'piccolo bass guitar' on several of the tracks: an idea I stole from Stanley Clarke, who's credited with playing one on Chick Corea's Romantic Warrior album. Having no clue what a piccolo bass guitar might be I invented my own: a short scale bass guitar strung with guitar strings an octave higher than conventionally. John Burns didn't take to it, despite which he got wonderful sounds out of it. He didn't like the nostalgic next-room strings in So Long Gone either, and Kerry didn't like the Pastorius brass in King of Cool. Oh so conventional, you boys! I'll defend these things to the death, and I still play a piccolo bass to this day.