Americana Highways is hosting this video premiere of Stephen Clair’s song “Not You,” from his forthcoming album To The Trees, due to be released on May 20.
“Not You” is Stephen Clair on vocals; Will Bryant on piano; Lee Falco on drums; Brandon Morrison on bass; Brad Hubbard on baritone sax and Jeff Fairbanks on trombone.
The video was created by Tom Moore and recorded at The Building in Marlboro, NY. With a ragtime crooner-style piano intro, this song launches into big band era dynamics with muted trombone and sax punctuating at their own intervals. But the real treat is when Stephen does a little soft shoe dancing, alone — partnerless and alone, befitting the song quite exactly. Stephen’s songwriting calls out to your reflective side, and coaxes you to envision barroom scenes of comfort, perhaps mutual, together with others in the same boat as you listen to easy, wandering, good old-time music.
The combination of Will Bryant’s saloon-style piano and the meandering second-line horns make for a wobbly and heartsick backdrop for this burbling song of longing, where the sparrows building nests in the eaves and the spider under the bed are more willing to sing along than the loved one who’s gone astray. I get to set down the guitar on this one and simply hunch, croon, and moon. And with filmmaker Tom Moore’s guidance, I got to put a little slo-mo soft shoe in the video. It is a one-dog parade.– Stephen Clair
Find more about Stephen’s music and tour dates etc, right here: https://www.stephenclair.com
and music, here: https://stephenclair.bandcamp.com/
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