Breezy Stories

by

Danny O'Keefe

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I miss Danny O'Keefe. O'Keefe, along with a cadre of other early/mid 70s artists, forged individual catalogs of quiet - and sometimes raucous - masterpieces that never seemed to get enough air time or publicity. Their FM radio air play was sporatic, if any, and albums or bodies of work, such as O'Keefe's were best ferreted out at the local music store in the (illegally sold) Promo bin where for a few bucks one could take a chance on a nice album cover, interesting song titles, or a good selection of musicians. That doesn't happen today with CDs.

With "Breezy Stories" - and later "So Long Harry Truman" - O'Keefe put together unforgettable album sides that hold up today, shifting from dark rock and roll to country rock on each album.

I played my "Breezy Stories" album just last month, and marveled at the intensity of the arrangements of Side One, the poetic and often dark lyrics by O'Keefe.

"Angel Spread Your Wings" opens with O'Keefe's guitar work that says "this is different - have I been here before?" - and you are drawn into a joyful sexuality that was unlike anything else a band in 1973 put together. You move effortlessly on to "Magdelena", my all-time O'Keefe favorite, and savor the Hugh McCraken slide guitar and the Donny Hathaway backing vocals - and perhaps, the mysterious energy of Magdelena herself.

Side One finishes up with "Drive on, Driver," a literal driving, endless dirge of rock and roll. Indeed, all of Side One is untypical rock and roll for the time - or for any other. Which is perhaps why O'Keefe never "caught on" with the mainstream.

Side Two is O'Keefe's country rock side, as good as anything coming out of Nashville today. O'Keefe perhaps suffered from a country stigma in the early 70s, when country was "uncool" and few would admit to listening to it. His only hit, Good Time Charlie, was country-oriented, and I would guess potential fans were scared away from O'Keefe due ! to this.

O'Keefe was also a thinker, a rock and roll Leonard Cohen with a hard edge guitar. A unique and staunchly independent rock and roller.

"Breezy Stories" is one of my all-time favorite albums, and O'Keefe's work needs to be resurrected, but as with the early 70s, I'm not exactly sure who would give him air time. Such a shame, but do buy "Breezy Stories" - and try to hunt down "So Long Harry Truman" while you're at it.