Amazing guitarist, singer, songwriter and arranger who was way ahead of his time for someone so young. He died suddenly and senselessly, but
I do remember seeing Brian's band at the Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavillion a few months before he died. Great R&R/Blues trio, confident
guitar playing that moved effortlessly from rhythm to extended solos, solid low-end bass and honest vocals
with simple & tight two-part harmonies. I don't
know if they were ever recorded (they probably were, many people had reel-to-reel recorders), but their live sound was simply perfect: Fender amps,
Shure SM57 or SM58 microphones for vocals, a basic PA system (for vocals only) with small Fender 2-12 cabinets leaning back on folding chairs on each side of the stage. I believe the two vocal microphones were plugged into a regular Fender guitar amp head, maybe a Showman (also sitting on a folding chair). Mic cables with an XLR on one end and a phone plug on the other were common back then. It was just a warm, naturally blended sound. No solid state, all vacuum tube power. And they were able to set up and tear down in minutes, not hours. I would love to try to recreate that sound, but good luck finding (and funding) all that vintage gear!
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