B-3 Hammond organist Tom Kubiszyn and I played in several bands together in the late 60's and early 70's, the most musically ambitious of which was Shelter, with Ed Ryan on drums and Norm MacKenzie on electric bass.  I played lead guitar, and was the default lead vocalist, in order to take advantage of Norm's incredible range as a harmony singer.

 

Green River (revisited) - Shelter

recorded live at the Zodiac - Oct 1970 

    I had fallen in love with the guitar-hammond organ-bass-drums configuration of the    legendary Stan and the Ravens at the Hideaway circa 1965-66 and was elated at the    opportunity to front a similar lineup.  Bands of the day were expected to recreate top 40 hits mindlessly, but we stretched those limitations to the best of our abilities, covering artists as disparate as the Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Crosby Stills  Nash, Neil Young, the Beatles, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Traffic, Bob Dylan, Donovan, Arlo Guthrie, Jerry Jeff Walker, Canned Heat, Cream, Steppenwolf, Jimi Hendrix, the Who, and Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention.  (We were fired from the Zodiac, source of the Green River (revisited) track because we sounded 'too country' (the club owner cited a Beatles song, One after 909) - go figure...

 

See Me, Feel Me (medley) - Shelter

recorded live at Mister Lang's - Feb 1971

Mister Lang's in Buffalo - a smoky basement watering hole which later became the    original site of the Tralfamadore Cafe.  Four sets a night, five nights a week...most of it lost to oblivion, save for two prized cassettes that had been mixed down from the original reel-to-reel tapes.  Bassist Norm MacKenzie takes the lead vocal on two standout tracks: a Creedence Clearwater Revival meets the Grateful Dead version of John Fogerty's Green River, and an adventurous See Me, Feel Me medley from Pete Townshend's rock opera, Tommy, which roars to a breathless finish....  Drummer Ed Ryan turns in outstanding work on both tracks, and Kubiszyn, as always, adds just the right touches from his B3/Leslie combo....

Nietzsche's at 248 Allen St in the Allentown section of Buffalo has been my home base for several years, and the site of countless magical moments....  Fortunately, many of those priceless memories have been captured on tape:

 
• Susquehanna Echoes (the Train Song)

Tim Baldwin and Katie Miller

Zachary Richard's Ton Ton Gris Gris inspired the funky rhythm guitar part to one of my earliest songs.  Katie and I have jammed on this one many times, and her soulful vocals have become an integral part of the song.  The title is a reference to the memory of a late summer afternoon spent photographing trains near a massive coal tower along the former Erie RR mainline near the Susquehanna River crossing southeast of Binghamton NY, while a pair of golden eagles circled high above the valley.  This performance was recorded at Nietzsche's during the 1998 Allentown Arts Festival.

 

September Leaves

Katie Miller with Tim Baldwin and Leah Zicari

Though I've loved September Leaves since the first time I heard Katie perform it, and I particularly love playing lead guitar on it, various circumstances had thwarted previous efforts at capturing a live recording.  The wait was well worth it, however, and the impromptu addition of Leah Zicari on harmonies adds to the magic.  Recorded September 17, 1999 during the debut of Aerin Tedesco's band, Gabriel's Cage.

 
• Feed the Fire

Katie Miller with Tim Baldwin

Katie's inspired performance at the September 17 gig merited a well-deserved encore, and Feed the Fire was a perfect choice.  I'm proud to have had an opportunity to contribute my talents to this wonderful song.

 
• Fly

Katie Miller with Tim Baldwin

I'm extremely happy to have a live recorded version of this bluesy gem, another personal favorite. As a guitarist, I love playing on songs which evoke the intensity of the blues experience without adhering to the narrow confines of a 12 bar format. The studio version of Fly features a moving piano solo by Katie, another of her many incredible talents...

 

My Ember 

Lea Prentiss with Tim Baldwin

Lea and I have shared many gigs over the past few years. She is a prolific songwriter with a hushed, intimate vocal style that requires a delicate touch from an accompanist. My Ember was recorded in the waning moments of the July 3, 1998 "Nice Girls Don't..." show, which featured a stunning array of talented women performers. The organ-like tone and the somewhat atypical structure of the brief guitar solo make this one of my favorite tracks. Lea's vocal performance ranks among her best.

 
• Don't Go To Strangers

Tim Baldwin

There is a strong blues element in much of my music that is tempered with a love for jazz influenced harmonic structures and improvisation.  I wrote the first two verses that evolved into Don't Go To Strangers spontaneously one night during my weekly blues jam at Buffalo's Mohawk Place.  The third verse was inspired by a real life incident that was related by a guitarist friend named Chuck.  This impassioned vocal was recorded during my opening set September 17, 1999 at Nietzsche's.

 
• Walkin' in the Woods Alone

Tim Baldwin

Another unconventional blues-derived original, Walkin' in the Woods Alone is a love song for those who find love in unconventional forms and places.  A gift to my friends, from the September 17 show...

 
• One More

Tina Crapsi with Tim Baldwin 

Tina Crapsi showed up unexpectedly at my weekly open mic and blew me away with her intensity and her raw talent.  The Ani DiFranco influence was obvious initially, but as time progressed Tina's music expanded into other directions, including this bluesy offering.  Unfortunately, Tina is but one of numerous Buffalo area musicians and friends who have left the area in search of greener pastures....

A collection of songs from various acoustic demos and tapes I've made for friends of cover songs that I've personalized into my own style:

 
• Wyoming Skies (dedicated to the memory of Matthew Shepard)

I was moved to write Wyoming Skies after reading my online friend Lance Longwell's moving account of Matthew Shepard's funeral.  The version here contains an overdubbed acoustic guitar lead that intensifies an already emotional performance.