The Story Behind the Band

Lahaina Nights brings together an impressive list of players, all of whom were drawn to the project through the music. Here was a project, an indie effort at that, where each player had the freedom to do what they do best. And some of the best players in the area contributed to the effort.

The first to get involved was harmonica legend Norton Buffalo. Norton is a long-time veteran on tour with the Steve Miller Band. He's played with almost everyone at one time or another. Remember the harmonica on Bonnie Raitt's 'Runaway'? That was Buffalo.

Bill met Norton at Lou's Blues Bar on the wharf in San Francisco. Bill had been there on jam nights on his previous trips through town, and had already gotten the attention of the owner, musicians and a number of regulars at the bar as a harmonica player and guitarist.

Bill writes, "I contacted Mark Poznanovich in Santa Rosa and asked for his assistance in finding a studio. I also contacted a friend and fellow harmonica player, Norton Buffalo, to ask him if he'd consider playing harmonica on the CD. We had met several years before at Lou's Blues Bar at Fisherman's Wharf, where I was sitting in on harmonica with a band from Santa Cruz, called Full House. After the gig, we traded stories about music and some mutual friends and thus began our friendship."

Norton's first track on the CD is 'Tell Me Why.' Buffalo plays a sustained, organ-like texture over the verse section in this song about 'picking up a chick in the Hard Rock Cafe in Lahaina.' The solo break is 'pure Buffalo,' melodic, and surprising. Totally Awesome!!

'Tell Me Why' also includes an exceptionally fine vocal performance by Ms Dallis Craft, who has toured in recent years with Little Feat. The combination of the lead guitar from native Texan Ralph Patlin, Dallis's vocals, and the solo by Buffalo create a powerful, eerie, driving outro. It is in fact, the only song on the album with two solos. Cabrera said, 'After hearing them both, it was impossible to pick between Ralph's lead guitar and Buff's harmonica for the solo in the middle of the song. So I did what King Solomon would do, I used 'em both!'

Stu Blank is featured throughout the album on grand piano and Hammond B3, shining brightly on songs like the Doors tribute, 'Dance with Amadeus' that features an extended B3 solo, clearly showing Stu at his best. There is no doubt that destiny brought this Texas songwriter together with this keyboards legend, creating the 'Lahaina Nights' sessions that would prove to be Blank's final studio album.

What the public didn't know was that Stu was suffering from cancer that was in remission. In the Spring of 2000, He felt good after completing Lahaina Nights and decided to go on tour in Europe with Charlie Musselwhite. Upon returning from Europe, he had a relapse and did not survive. Cabrera has often said that it was a Godsend to have Stu Blank on the album and how his playing made everyone else sound better, just with his hands! . His musical contribution will live on with this CD and these musicians along with the other musical legends this man played with over 35 years.

Mark Rennick, (Lovingly referred to as, Mooka) aside from being the band's premier bass player, made the single most significant contribution to the project. Mooka, as owner of Prairie Sun Studios, was responsible for being the catalyst that brought in most of the luminaries, who would contibute to the album and who would have otherwise been unaware of the project. This, along with his eloquent bass lines, made him an integral part of the music from start to finish. Of Mooka, Bill said," He showed us that when it was time to rock, he could take off his executive producer hat and get down like a country boy 'til the cows come home and that attitude can't be bought. He's got a lot of heart; more than most and he showed it when he played his bass 'pro bono' as one of his contributions to the project. I love him for that and I'll always be indebted to him."

Rob Sudduth, will forever be remembered as a member of Tower of Power and Huey Lewis and the News, but on this CD he will be remembered for his intricate, heartfelt saxophone throughout and in particular his soprano sax solo on 'Til I Write,' that is worthy of being called 'angelic'! Rob's comment was that it was the "songs" that brought the inspired play out in the players, not the other way around. Several music critics mistook his solo for Kenny G, before reading the credits so, it's no wonder this virtuoso is in such strong demand from New York to California.

Marvin McFadden, also a veteran member of Tower of Power and Huey Lewis and the News, played an inspired trumpet on the R&B original, 'In the Mornin',' where he and Rob did a 'Call' and 'Respond' with Cabrera on harmonica that wasn't part of the original arrangement, but that became THE arrangement and then blew us away with the 'Rocker,' 'Bring Me My Dog,' where Marvin teamed up again with Rob, Mooka and Buffalo, for one of the most incredible endings to 'Dog' ever captured on tape featuring the horns, bass and harmonica outro. Cabrera said, 'It was absolutely, controlled delirium with those guys, and the inmates were loose!' The combination of sounds he helped create with Rob Sudduth, truly made the two of them, a horn of plenty, allowing the two to be compared afterwards with the Memphis Horns!