Busy On You

John Morris Band "Busy On You"

All original music

"The John Morris Band with Busy On You
translates the laid-back feel that makes them powerhouse live performers onto CD
without losing the up-close-and-personal ambience."
- Rob Pratt, Santa Cruz Good Times, April 30, 1998

album credits || song descriptions || John Morris artist profile

John Morris Band 1998 Summer Calendar

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song descriptions

1. Mystery Train
Laying down the driving bass line at about 120 miles per hour, Ken Embrey
sets the rich pace for this session of cutting edge blues. Horns are jazzed
up and John Morris's acoustic sounding guitar is in the background to pump
up the rhythm section. Morris proves here that he's the Sultan of swing.

2. Call Me
This is a hot number with sexy horns that have as much to say as the
lyrics. The bass line compliments the guitar's riffs and the rhythm guitar
rings in the background, simulating a telephone. It's the little nuances in
this song that make this track particularly intriguing.

3. Busy On You
This song feels like the big city with lots of things going on. The line
". . . Busy like the preacher when the sun goes down," just slays me.
(That's busy!) There's no jive on Doug Rowan's sax solo, just full steam
ahead. Brian Loftus' funky drums pulls the groove together steadily with
some kicks to accent the breakdown in the middle of the song.

4. Let Me
I feel like I've just entered a deep dark stairway leading to an underground
domain where the blues are being played. The horns might remind you of
a contented alley cat while the drummer takes your ears for a nice ride on
the cymbals.

5. Baby Talk
This energetic song is in heavy pursuit of a dance beat, backed solidly with
Ron E. Beck on drums. The wa-wa pedal is used for a good humorous effect.

6. Ought To Be Making Love
Three A.M. fights are almost worth it to come up with a song like this one.
John Morris offers dynamic inflection and vocal tone. The band seems keyed
in with one another on the entire album, and it really shines through on this song.

7. Just Lucky I Guess
Brushes on the drums and a low voice with a soft guitar strum and a little
sax by Doug Rowan is all this song needs. It's all part of the formula for
a song made for dedicating to your partner.

8. What Time It Is
Here's an entire story, and in less than four minutes. All the instruments
are talking, with a lot to say, yet the song isn't over-produced. This story
could easily be front-page news on the gossip rags. Dig Jim Hannibal's
sax solo.

9. The Way I Do
We don't hear acoustic guitar used very often so it's a pleasure to my ears
to hear it used so effectively on this song. The band fills in all the empty
spaces, and helps the song to flow from the speakers to your body.
Jazzy and thoughtful.

10. Make Love To You
This songs tells it like it is, or at least, how it ought to be. I respect
a man who can get his point across in so few words.

song notes by Leslie Ann Knight
Monday Morning Blues, KKUP 91.5 FM, Cupertino, Ca
Knight & Day Media Control

ordering info

for John Morris booking information, call
408 426-9086 or 408 461-0637

album credits

John Morris - Guitars and Vocals
Bryan Loftus - Drums
Ken Embrey - Bass
Mark Carino - Bass
Doug Rowan - Baritone Sax
Jim Hannibal - Tenor Sax
Gary Regina - Alto Sax
Ronnie Beck - Drums

Produced by
John Morris Band

Saxophones written and arranged by
Doug Rowan and John Morris

Engineered and Recorded by
Ken Embrey at White House Canyon Studio

Mixed by
Daren Chadwick and Mark Gilbert at Mark Gilbert Music

Digital Editing by
Richard Karst at Prema Music Studio

Mastered by
Daren Chadwick and Ken Capitanich at M.A.R.S. Studio

Graphics and Layout by
Richard Karst and John Morris

Videography by
Eric Geis

Post Production Co-ordination by
Janinne Chadwick

All songs written by John Morris
©1997 John Morris/Hazeltone Music

Executive Producer: Daren Chadwick

"John Morris plays with such conviction and sensitivity while offering freshness on blues, funk and R&B tunes.
He's awesome when it comes to original concepts for music and melodies.
I have a strong appreciation for his style and ability to hold a groove whenever necessary."
- "Sista" Monica Parker, 6/15/97

"John Morris is a bluester supreme, but he can funk it up with the best of them or swing it real sweet.
John has plenty of heart and soul and both are evident in his playing."
- Arden Eaton, programmer, KPIG and KAZU radio

"The Blues rule in barrooms and on Public Radio and across the USA,
but finding a blues unit led by an inventive, distinctive player is not so easy.
John Morris is just the kind of creative player that can tear up a tavern
and is musically compelling enough to engage a larger concert audience."
- Tom Miller, promoter, concert co-ordinator

"John Morris is a catalyst to dance hounds and much more.
With his gift for composition, setting tempos and arranging skills,
Morris pioneers an innovative blues style on this recording.
John Morris clearly feels the blues."
- Leslie Ann Knight, Monday Morning Blues, KKUP 91.5 FM, Cupertino, Ca

"I love your style, very original,
nice combination of blues, jazz and funk, it swings!"
- Marc Frijlink, Blues Train, Radio Meppel, The Netherlands 3/5/98

THE JOHN MORRIS BAND
from GOOD TIMES, a Santa Cruz, California weekly entertainment newspaper
November 13, 1997

Guitarist and singer John Morris has played everything from funk to jazz to blues during the 20 years he's worked the clubs of Santa Cruz and Bay Area, copping licks from his mentor, Joe Louis Walker, founding the Broadway Blues Band and leading eclectic pop band Rhythm Box. But for the group that bears his name, Morris turned to the blues, the style where, he says, he can get to "that space," the meditative state when true inspiration comes. With his band's debut CD, Busy On You, Morris hits "that space" over and over again, setting out funky, horn-heavy grooves that owe as much to James Brown or the Meters as to the legends of Chicago electric blues. It's a sound so hypnotic and groovy that boogie-blues master John Lee Hooker's band has taken to kicking down versions of Morris originals. Delta blues sensation Jimi Mamou and a handful of Bay Area blues stars join the John Morris Band at the Crow's Nest Saturday for a CD release show beginning at 9:30 p.m. - Rob Pratt