As for the songs themselves, all written by Waits and Kathleen Brennan, they're worthy enough in their own way. If the lyrics generally failed to elicit a strong emotional response in these quarters, that's most likely a generational shortcoming and no fault of Waits, Brennan or Southside Johnny, for whom the recording was a labor of love. Those who are admirers of Waits' themes will know more or less what to expect from Grapefruit Moon; those who aren't may or may not be pleasantly surprised. That verdict will rest largely on their fondness for popular folk music spruced up in handsome big-band clothing.

Tracks and Personnel

Sounds from the Road

Tracks: Alex's Tune; Seascape; La Virgen de la Macarena; Mr. Natural; Pennies from Heaven; I'm Glad There Is You; On a Slow Boat to China; Boney; Baubles, Bangles & Beads; Autumn in New York; Variations on a Brazilian Folk Song; Oblivion; Malaguena; All the Things You Are (bonus track).

Personnel: Mike Vax: leader, trumpet, flugelhorn; Dennis Noday, Carl Saunders, Steve Huffsteter, Don Rader, Dan Fava (2, 8, 10): trumpet, flugelhorn; Kim Richmond: alto, soprano sax, flute; Pete Gallio, Alex Murzyn: tenor sax, flute; Keith Kaminski: baritone, alto sax, flute; Scott Peterson (2, 8, 10): baritone sax; Joel Kaye: baritone, bass sax, flute; Roy Wiegand, Dale DeVoe, Scott Whitfield, Curtis Fox (2, 8, 10): trombone; Kenny Shroyer: bass trombone; Mike Suter: bass trombone, tuba; Bob Kafka, Bob Florence (2, 8, 10, 14): piano; Chris Symer: bass; Gary Hobbs: drums; Dee Huffsteter: Latin percussion; Scott Whitfield, Ginger Berglund (7): vocal.

Dave Siebels

Tracks: The Coupe; Not That There's Anything Wrong with That; Da Blues; Girl Talk; I Wish; The Gospel According to Hammond; I Love You Even More Again; The Cat; Sort of Like a Samba; The Eleventh Hour.

Personnel: Dave Siebels: Hammond B3 organ; Gordon Goodwin: leader, piano; Wayne Bergeron, Dan Fornero, Pete De Siena, Dan Savant, Roy Wiegand (7, 9): trumpet; Eric Marienthal, Sal Lozano: alto sax; Brian Scanlon, Jeff Driskill, Ed Smart (9): tenor sax; Jay Mason: baritone sax; Andy Martin, Alex Iles, Charlie Morillas: trombone; Craig Ware: bass trombone; Grant Geissman: guitar; Rick Shaw, Michael George (7, 9): bass; Bernie Dresel, Dave Spurr (4, 7, 9): drums.

The Children's Suite

Tracks: The Good Little Girl; Come Out with Me; Sneezles; Pinkle Purr; Down by the Pond; Waiting at the Window; Buttercup Days; The Friend & Us Two; Furry Bear; Knight-in-Armor; Wind on the Hill & The Engineer; Solitude; The Morning Walk; In the Dark & The End.

Personnel: Phil Woods: conductor, alto sax; Ken Brader III: trumpet, flugelhorn; Bobby Routch: French horn, flugelhorn; Nelson Hill: alto sax, flute; Tom Hamilton: tenor sax, clarinet; Roger Rosenberg: baritone sax, bass clarinet; Rick Chamberlain: trombone; Eric Doney: piano; Mark Williams: guitar; Steve Gilmore: bass; Bill Goodwin: drums; Paul Peabody, Jeanne Farrer: violin; Juliet Haffner: viola; Mary Wooten: cello; Vicki Doney: vocals; Bob Dorough: vocals, keyboards; Peter Dennis: narrator.

Give It One

Tracks: Los Jaraneros; Not Like This; Give It One; Fat Belly Blues; The Trolley Song; Daydream; Caseoso; Three Point Turn; Lana's Lullaby; The Way We Were; God Bless the Child; Blues for Hughie.

Personnel: Geoffrey Simon: conductor; Richard Bissill: composer, arranger, horn; Jim Rattigan, Timothy Jackson: composer, arranger, horn; Angela Barnes, Nigel Black, Jeffrey Bryant, Anthony Chidell, Laurence Davies, Pip Eastop, Anthony Halstead, Nicholas Korth, Dave Lee, Jonathan Lipton, Frank Lloyd, Cormac O hAodain, Martin Owen, Christoper Parkes, Kathryn Saunders, Hugh Seenan: horn; Gwilym Simcock: composer, arranger, piano, solo horn (12); John Parricelli (1): guitar; Sam Burgess: bass; Martin France: drums; Chris Baron (1): marimba.

Mustermesse Basil 1956, Part 1

Tracks: You for Me; Shiny Stockings; Cherry Point; Sixteen Men Swingin'; Eventide; Mambo Inn; Blues Backstage; Flute Juice; Unknown Title; Blee Blop Blues; Yesterdays; Eddie Jones' Blues.

Personnel: Count Basie: leader, piano; Wendell Culley, Reunald Jones Sr., Thad Jones, Joe Newman: trumpet; Marshal Royal, Bill Graham, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Charlie Fowlkes: reeds; Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Benny Powell: trombone; Freddie Green: guitar; Eddie Jones: bass; Sonny Payne: drums.

El Viaje

Tracks: El Bajonazo; El Viaje; Yarulina; Nachgeschmack; Punto de Partida; Hiroshima.

Personnel: Pedro Giraudo: composer, arranger, bass; Jonathan Powell, Tatum Greenblatt: trumpet; Will Vinson: alto, soprano sax; Todd Bashore: alto sax; Luke Batson: tenor sax, clarinet; Carl Maraghi: baritone sax, bass clarinet; Ryan Keberle, Mike Fahie: trombone; Jess Jurkovic: piano; Jeff Davis: drums; Tony De Vivo: cajon, guiro. Special guest—Alejandro Aviles (1, 6): alto sax, clarinet.

Visiting Old Friends

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