Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA
The Woodies - Swimmin' In The Reverbdotdotdotdotdot
artworkRick Escobar & his chums work very hard for several years cultivating what is both an original and very vintage sound used as a vehicle for Rick's wonderful writing. Days in the studio on multi-tracks, and mixes & remixes has paid off with a totally killer CD in waiting. CD in waiting because I'm reviewing a CD-R written from the session DAT. This is due for release in the coming months! If your a fan, get set for the best old school CD in years. There are no dogs in this set. 11 originals, two live recordings of originals, two live covers, and two swami bows from the Rubba Chicken Band to the fan club. The CD not yet released, but VERY soon...
Picks: The Swami, Agent Woodrow, If It Swells (Ride It), Surfin' With Bernie, Zorba's Last Ride, Maverick's, Spanish Word, Midnight Ride, Little Dume, Chief Bigwood, K-55, Mr. Rebel, Bonanza, Surfin' With Bernie, The Swami, Funky Sound Effects, Phil's Dirt, Uncle Al, The Surfers Pal

Track by Track Review


The Swami dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

With a sitar peaking out of the mix, Rick Escobar Y pals chunk out a grand surf epic that just oozes caravans of spice traders on the road to Morocco. This speedy powerful and melodic shredder will make even the sleepiest camel bow to Mecca and pray for surf!

Agent Woodrow dotdotdotdotdot
Surf Spy (Instrumental)

The best trad surf band the Bay Area has ever seen, and among the best world wide, The Woodies embodied everything that traditional surf was, but did it with Rick Escobar's amazing writing. They almost got signed to AVI last year. Alas, they broke up recently. This track was recorded in '95 at an event Robert Emmett and I co-hosted called Psychotronic Surf. The crowd's reaction at the end tells all. They were great! RIP!

If It Swells (Ride It) dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

A marvelously written modern surf classic, precisely written as if it were 1963, but it's not. Melodic, chunky, and oozing stormy swells just off the lighthouse at Steamer Lane. Cool.

Surfin' With Bernie dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Lumbering tom tom playfulness, like Ben Vaughn doing John Anderson tunes while chopping onions. Playful, percussive, and enjoyable. The chorus uttered a few times is "Dead Beat Dad."

Zorba's Last Ride dotdotdotdotdot
Fiddler On The Wave Surf (Instrumental)

Northern California:
From the fertile mind of Rick Escobar comes one of those mergers that leaves you saying of course. Take the nineties best trad surf bad, make 'em do the Greek line dance and yell "Hey!" a lot, and through in some Greek folk changes, and you have what should have been done eons ago. Totally wonderful!

Maverick's dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This dark and powerful track celebrates the fast and dangerous ride on a wave racing towards the rocks. You can just see a rider on a short board shredding back and forth across the face, all the while watching the approaching rocks, trying to get every last zig out of the wave before cutting back at the last possible minute. Great track.

Spanish Word dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Occasionally known as "Fajita Sunrise," this spunky and pretty track oozes Mexican scenes, señoritas on the shore, waves off Baja, and a spicy taqueria. For the album, Rick brought in a Mariachi trumpet player to enhance the already splendid song.

Midnight Ride dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

From the opening horror laugh, this ominous track reeks of monsters riding the waves after dark, haunting the surf, and stalking the unsuspecting.

Little Dume dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Closing out side one is a great sounding track from my favorite Woodies, a song they've played for a few years now called "Little Dume" It's a wonderful tune, and this version is quite inviting, capturing your attention wholly while you play the disc.

Chief Bigwood dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This surf number delivers the best possible combination of the Indian instro ethic and trad surf. It is ominous and proud, melodic and strong, rhythmic and enchanting. A great track, and a great name too...

K-55 dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Simply stunning! Exotic bongos and slow slithering bass lines under the most romantic midnight walk on the beach down in Baja somewhere. The melody line is sensuous and the tones are all gentle and breezy and magical. This MUST appear on the soundtrack of some romance, or at least in a love scene somewhere. Quentin, are you out there?

Mr. Rebel dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This bonus track (not intended for the album) is a fine pure trad cover of the Eddie and the Showmen classic. It features all the right intensity buildups, and the sound is pure Woodies.

Bonanza dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This is the best studio cover of this track ever! I only qualify "studio" track, because I have a live recording of the Woodies doing this that is even hotter! It's major chunky, cowboy surf with super humor in the playing. Totally rhythmic and rolling, incredibly infectious!

Surfin' With Bernie dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

I recorded this live at Psychotronic Surf, a KFJC event I co-hosted with Robert Emmett. It was a variation on his Psychotronic Film Festival with a beach movie theme, a vintage beach flick, and lots of trailers and period TV ads, and a real surf band in the middle. This track shows off the live crunch the band possessed. Fine tight performance.

The Swami dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

With a sitar peaking out of the mix, Rick Escobar Y pals chunk out a grand surf epic that just oozes caravans of spice traders on the road to Morocco. This speedy powerful and melodic shredder will make even the sleepiest camel bow to Mecca and pray for surf!

Funky Sound Effects dotdotdot
Surf (Vocal)

This is a silly introduction to the last two special tracks Rick and friends laid down in what Rick calls "Swami Bows" to Uncle Al and I for the years of support and friendship. Both of us are very honored.

Phil's Dirt dotdotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Ex-Woodies recorded this honoria to me, which I am humbly flattered by. Rick's surf writing is still in tact. He chose to use a more agreesive tone, which gives this the air of a Surf Trio presentation of the Woodies extreme prowess. The jungle noises are so exotica, and the tribal rhythm is so infectious... A splendid tune.

Uncle Al, The Surfers Pal dotdotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

Country riffs, playful tones hinting of chicken coupes and corn on the cob, and rhythmic drive merge in this infectiously enjoyable track. This slightly country tune is a heart felt dedication to our mutual good friend Uncle Al, a man who gave Rick a gorgeous 1964 Fender Jaguar one Christmas just because he like the way Rick played. Al has been a long time supporter of surf music, and has always been there for me in my leve recordings and events. His technical exp[ertise and critical ear are priceless. Al is a one of a kind human being I am priviledged to call my friend.