Marty Cooper – American Portraits
This massive 22-track set is cleverly immersed in a traditional quality of storytelling through folk songs. Some are in an old-school approach, but the showcase is polished & well played. The songs were written by Colorado-born Marty Cooper, who has been around the barn a few times. Some could be considered patriotic, light-hearted for children, while many tunes have been previously released on earlier LPs, covered, or originally recorded by others. The collection is impressive.
The LP American Portraits (Drops Aug 22/Howlin’ Dog Records/77:46) gathers some of Marty’s finest compositions & presents them performed by Marty himself. There are duets like “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock ‘n’ Roll,” & “In Sante Fe,” with Wendy Newcomer. Marty sounds like the late singer-songwriter Lee Hazelwood (“These Boots Are Made For Walkin'”) — together they wrote “A Stranger In Your Town.”
The ambitious project was produced by Marty & Don Richmond (electric, acoustic & pedal steel guitars/ Weissenborn slide guitar/mandolin/banjo/dobro/fiddles/keys/electric & stand-up bass/accordion/harmony), with Rick Cunha (guitar/harmony), & Ken Mansfield.
“The Mississippi Blind Boy” is of interest. The country fret work is poignant & the song is a fine piece that, with imagination, could be a country blues. It’s that good. “(I’m a) Yo-Yo Man” is worthy of a cover by Taj Mahal. This is also one of Marty’s inspired vocals. It’s mindful of music by the late Roger Miller. It also sounds like a few borrowings from Bobbie Gentry’s cover of Doug Kershaw’s “Louisiana Man.” But that’s country music & that’s a compliment.
Marty’s career encompassed a wealth of dreams, stories of visions & ideals, characters, which is all a generous part of being a good balladeer. Mickey Newbury, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, John Prine, Steve Goodman, & John Loudermilk did this. Marty Cooper’s songs have been scattered across the prairie of the Top 100 for decades. If Stevie Wonder covers your songs, you must be good. Right?
Some tunes have lovely melodies like the Stephen Foster-dedicated piece (“Stephen”). Despite Marty’s limited vocal range, & full-throttle orchestral strings & full-blown chorus may take a few steps back from traditional folky-country, but Marty grew up listening to showtunes — so a trip down Broadway may not be out of place. Chalk it up to Marty’s diversified ability.
Most tunes are poignant (“One More Time, Billy Brown”) & some are spirited like “You Can’t Be a Beacon (If Your Light Don’t Shine).” It has a gospel-spirited chorale that Beaver & Krauss had in their pseudo-ragtime “A Real Slow Drag.” One of Marty’s best vocal ballads is “Think of the Children as Roses,” with Robin James. On this, Marty sounds like one of the artists who recorded his songs – Burl Ives. The most intense song is “The View From Ward Three (A Minute of Your Time),” which could’ve been covered by Tom Waits.
The 22 songs are a lot to digest, but anyone who seriously considers a well-balanced songwriting career needs to study the Marty Cooper craft as deeply as Hoagy Carmichael. The songs were recorded in Colorado.
Highlights – “Their Roof Is the Sky,” “The Mississippi Blind Boy,” “(I’m a) Yo-Yo Man,” “The Ball Player,” “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock n’ Roll,” “In Sante Fe,” “The Indiana Girl,” “Cowboys & Daddies,” “You Can’t Be a Beacon (If Your Light Don’t Shine),” “Think of the Children as Roses,” “The View From Ward Three,” “The Leaves (with Eliza Gilkyson & Rick Cunha), “One More Time, Billy Brown,” & “A Stranger In Your Town.”
Musicians – Marty Cooper (vocals), Mark Clark (drums/percussion), James Doyle (drums/marimba), Tracy Doyle (flute), David Geist (piano), Jimmy Stadler & Matt Schildt (pianos), Andy Byrd (organ), with a full chorale of 13 singers. Add’l musicians: Al Capps & Larry Muloberac (keys), Rick Littlefield, Larry Carlton & Richard Bennett (guitar), Dennis Parker (bass), Johnny Geurin (drums), Kim Carnes & Brooks Hunnicut (bgv).
A 54pp stitched lyric insert is enclosed. CD @ Discogs + https://www.howlindogrecords.com/
Enjoy our premiere here: Video Premiere: Marty Cooper “Their Roof is the Sky”
