Discovering John McCutcheon’s Passage – 15 Years Later and Still Powerful
Back in November 2010, while browsing the Folk DJ Chart, I came across an artist I somehow hadn’t given enough attention to: John McCutcheon. His album Passage was sitting at #19, and I thought: it’s time. So I loaded it up on Rhapsody (yes, Rhapsody!) and the result? That familiar feeling of *What was I thinking?*—how had I missed this?
A Wisconsin native now living in Avondale Estates, Georgia, John is what Southerners might call a “Damn Yankee” — one who came and stayed. He’s a master of the hammered dulcimer but also plays guitar, banjo, autoharp, mountain dulcimer, fiddle, and Jew’s harp. And let’s not forget: he’s a terrific songwriter.
About John McCutcheon’s Passage
Passage was recorded in both Decatur, GA and Nashville and features an impressive list of guest musicians and friends: Kathy Mattea, Suzy Bogguss, Tim O’Brien, Mollie O’Brien, Stuart Duncan, and John Jennings, to name a few.
The album covers everything from mining life (“One More Day,” “Your Age”) to father-son relationships (“With My Father,” “Iowa”) to friendship (“Friendly Competition”), to those ever-resonant themes of love and loss. McCutcheon’s voice, both musically and lyrically, is a steady, soulful guide through it all.
Two standouts from the album—“Glory Hallelujah” and “One More Day”—appeared on the Folk DJ list that year, and with good reason. As his website once said:
“No one explores the uncharted, unspoken territories of the grown-up heart like John McCutcheon.”
🎶 Watch: “Step by Step” – Hammered Dulcimer Brilliance
Postscript – July 2025
This week, John McCutcheon’s latest album Field of Stars made it onto my Folk Monday rotation. Revisiting Passage reminded me just how long he’s been writing songs that matter. The topics may evolve, but the heart and craft never waver. Time to go re-listen — and maybe catch up on a few of those 24+ albums I missed the first time around!385″
House Party – Jimmy Smith on the B3, Jazz Royalty and a Connection to Today
For most of my life, the three Jimmy Smith albums that traveled with me were Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo, The Further Adventures of Jimmy & Wes, and Jimmy Smith’s Greatest Hits. But once I moved past the Raffi and Sharon, Lois & Bram years (1979–1993, while raising four kids born between 1979 and 1990!), I started collecting more. What began with a few CDs has grown—thanks to Goodwill digging and trips to Princeton Record Exchange—into a modest but beloved Jimmy Smith vinyl collection. And now House Party has become a standout favorite, not only for the groove but also for the incredible jazz talent featured on it.
My Jimmy Smith Album Collection (So Far)
House Party (1957) – Blue Note
Midnight Special (1961)
Bashin’ The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith (1962)
Live at the Village Gate (1963)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1964)
Got My Mojo Working (1966)
Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo (1966)
Peter and the Wolf (1966)
Hoochie Coochee Man (1967)
Livin’ It Up! (1968)
The Further Adventures of Jimmy & Wes (1969)
Live in Concert – Jimmy Smith
Jimmy Smith’s Greatest Hits
Don Gardner Trio – Featuring Jimmy Smith
Tonight’s Soundtrack: Jimmy Smith:House Party
This isn’t just the first album alphabetically in the list—House Party is a showcase of incredible jazz players and solid grooves. Just look at this guest lineup:
Lee Morgan – trumpet
Curtis Fuller – trombone
Lou Donaldson – alto sax
George Coleman – alto sax
Tina Brooks – tenor sax
Kenny Burrell – guitar
Eddie McFadden – guitar
Art Blakey – drums
Donald Bailey – drums
If you’re not a jazz listener, let me assure you—this is jazz royalty. These players brought depth, swing, and soul to every note, and House Party is a prime example of timeless jazz that grooves like no other.
Track Listing and Lineups
Side One: “Au Privave” / “Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be)” Side Two: “Just Friends” / “Blues After All”
“Au Privave”
Jimmy Smith (organ), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Lou Donaldson (alto), Tina Brooks (tenor), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Art Blakey (drums)
“Au Privave” is a refined piece of indisputable bop mastery as Smith commands the combo through an incendiary and driving rendition that grooves unforced flair and organic charisma… Even at 16-plus minutes, the pace and timbre of the performance begs for more. — AllMusic
“Lover Man”
Jimmy Smith, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Eddie McFadden (guitar), Donald Bailey (drums)
“Lover Man” is splendid and sincere as Donaldson drives right to the heart, unreeling stunningly lyrical leads behind Smith’s distinguished progressions. — AllMusic
“Just Friends”
Jimmy Smith, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller (trombone), George Coleman (alto), Eddie McFadden, Donald Bailey
“Just Friends” is a true gem… Each musician is given room to stretch and reveal his identity as both an ensemble player and soloist. — AllMusic
“Blues After All”
Jimmy Smith, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, George Coleman, Kenny Burrell, Donald Bailey
“Blues After All” is a soulful outing that offers arguably the most sublime and understated bop on the album. — AllMusic
From 1957 to Today: House Party Meets Big G
One of the things that jumped out at me on House Party was George Coleman’s presence on two tracks. Truth be told, I hadn’t explored his work much—until recently. I’d just heard him blow sax alongside his son, George Jr., on a new album called Working Out with Big G by organist Brian Charette—who happens to be one of today’s finest Hammond B3 players.
What really blew me away? That modern quartet—Brian Charette (organ), George Coleman (sax), Ed Cherry (guitar), and George Coleman Jr. (drums)—feels like a spiritual echo of House Party’s lineup. It’s like the legacy continues, recharged and reimagined for a new era.
Final Thoughts
House Party is going to be one of my go-to jazz albums for a long time to come. If you’ve got a turntable or even just Spotify, I highly recommend diving in—and then checking out Working Out with Big G to hear how that soul-jazz legacy lives on.
For now, I’m spinning both albums and smiling at how full-circle jazz can be..
Here’s “Blues After All” from House Party And tow tracks from Working Out with Big G from Brian Charette,,,
Originally posted March 2014 revised and updated July 2026
2026 :Update:When I first started listening to Jerry Jeff Walker, I thought I had simply found another singer-songwriter I enjoyed. Looking back, I realize he became something much more. Through his albums he introduced me to an entire circle of songwriters—Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Chris Wall, and Bill Staines—artists who have remained part of the soundtrack of my life ever since.
Through the Years – Jerry Jeff Walker and the Songwriters He Shared with Us
Through the years, Jerry Jeff Walker introduced me to a whole new world of great songwriters — folks like Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt who have become legends in their own right. But it doesn’t stop there. On his album Live at Gruene Hall, Jerry Jeff shines a light on two other stellar songwriters whose work may not be as widely known: Chris Wall and Bill Staines.
🎶 Jerry Jeff Covers 3 Chris Wall Tunes
Three songs by Chris Wall appear on Live at Gruene Hall:
I Feel Like Hank Williams Tonight
Trashy Women
Rodeo Wind
These covers turned me into a lifelong fan of Chris Wall’s storytelling. His songs are rooted in dusty plains and dancehalls, with characters that feel lived-in and true. Jerry Jeff’s renditions add that raw, boots-on-the-barroom-floor charm he always brought to a good tune.
Can’t you just see that cowboy out in the barn saddling his horse, with his woman leaning in the doorway, as he gets ready to ride off into the sunset?
🌾 Jerry Jeff Covers Bill Staines’ “The Quiet Faith of Man”
The other songwriter Jerry Jeff salutes on Gruene Hall is Bill Staines, a beloved folk troubadour. If you’re not familiar with him, here’s a bit from his official biography:
For more than forty years, Bill traveled back and forth across North America, singing his songs and delighting audiences at festivals, coffeehouses, and concerts. A New England native, he got his start in the 1960s Boston folk scene, even emceeing the Sunday Hoot at the legendary Club 47 in Cambridge. A reviewer once called him “simply Boston’s best performer,” and he remained a top name on folk radio listener polls for decades.
The song Jerry Jeff chose — “The Quiet Faith of Man” — is, in my humble opinion, one of Bill’s most powerful and moving pieces.
🐾 Bill Staines Sings Bill Staines – “Old Dogs”
To wrap things up, here’s one more Staines gem — Old Dogs, a song that’s tender, wise, and every bit as timeless as the quiet folks it celebrates.
So a few weeks ago as I was researching for a post about Walter Trout’s latest album Common Ground ,I discovered or rediscovered that Walter had played on John Mayall‘s 1988 release Chicago Line.
I say rediscovered because I probably knew in 1988 that Walter played on the album, but by the time I listened to Walter’s solo albums a few years ago, it was something I didn’t remember!
Anyway I went to the CD shelf and pulled out Chicago Line and listened to it. I haven’t listened to it for a while because it currently is not on the iPod. It was ripped a long time ago and now resides on one of the external hard drives that think it is a CD drive!
About Chicago Line
Chicago Line was an old time John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers type album like the albums when Eric Clapton and Peter Green were the guitarists. This time the lead guitar duties were shared by Coco Montoya and the aforementioned Walter Trout. Coco has the first lead guitar solo on the opening track “Chicago Line” a great number to open the album!
On the second track “Gimme One More Day” John shares guitar with Coco. On the third track “One Life to Live” about John’s experiences in the Korean War. Walter takes over lead guitar duty.
On the cover of Jimmy Rogers’ “The Last Time” Coco takes the first solo and Walter the second. Track 5 “Dream About the Blues” Coco plays lead and Walter provides rhythm and harmonica. Walter takes the 1st solo on “Fascinating Lover” and Coco the 2nd. On one my favorite tracks “Cold Blooded Mama” Coco plays lead and Walter provides finger picking and rhythm guitars. On “The Dirty Dozens” they share guitar duties with Coco in the lead spot on the next track “Tears Came Rolling Down”.
The closing track is a Walter Trout tune “Life in the Jungle” (I used a video of Walter’s version of the song on the Common Ground post) which sounds a little different than Walter’s version!
My Thoughts
Overall it was a great listen to a really good Mayall album with the overall strength of the album coming from the guitars of Coco Montoya and Walter Trout! I must confess that I haven’t listened to much from John since his 2005 release Road Dogs. I see that his latest album Tough is his 57th album and his band is now composed of Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass, and Jay Davenport on drums. Guess I have to check it out! Oh, and by the way Chicago Line is now on the iPod! And while it doesn’t make any difference to you it does to me!
Here’s a Mayall performance of “One Life to Live” with Walter on lead and Coco playing rhythm and drinking! Filmed at Iowa State in 1987.
“One-two….Uh, listen here now,here’s what….tihs is where it’s at, this is the thing of this gig and here’s…I’ll tell you ’bout it now. Uh, awhile ago my friend Alan Kooper called me on the phone and said, “Let’s make this gig, an LP in Los Angeles and we’ll sat will happen” So we went and I played, and I played for one day and I split and went back to San Francisco where I live and the other day Stephen Stills played….and they put out an album called “Super Sessions”…….Mike Bloomfield , San Francisco, September 26, 1968 9:50 PM
The above quote is the begining of a little speech given before Mike Bloomfiled and Al Kooper were introduced for their live gig based upon their album Super Session describing what the audience would be listening to. What they would be listening to would be some grerat live music recorded over three nights.
The first two were with Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper and band mates John Kahn and Skip Prokop and after Mike Bloomfield’s insomia caught up with him (he was up for five straight days and ended up in the hospital) and for the final night’s tracks recorded with Carlos Santana and Elvin Bishop filing in are included in the album which is the first album side
I listened to tonight side 2 of The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper.
The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper.
Side 2 of The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper opens with a great cover of The Band’s song “The Weight” and Mike and Al are both in good form on the number.
On the next three tracks Mike and Al swap lead vocals with Mike doing the vocals on a Ray Charles song “Mary Ann” and then Al on”Together ’til the End of Time” and Mike again on “That’s All Right”.
During this gig it was the first time Al had heard Mike sing! But the real reason that I listened to this album was the last track on Side 2 a great cover of Booker T’s “Green Onions” with Mike playing the part of Steve Cropper. I always loved this track and mentioned it the other day.
Overall even after uh 42 years, it’s still a great listen. I love both Mike Bloomfield guitar work and Al Kooper’s organ playing!!
The second album I listened to was released around the same time and was my introduction to another band I would be listening to for the next forty years and that would be Poco and their live album Deliverin’.
Again I listened to the second side. I guess I was always like that side a little more than the first because I really liked Jim Messina’s “You Better Think Twice” but then again I also like Richie Furay’s “A Man Like Me” and the medley which included Rusty Young’s “Grand Junction”.
So I guess I always like the whole album including side 1! Through the years my wife became a bigger fan than I was, I never like the band as much after Messina and Furay left.
In the last several years, we have seen Poco them several times live and they always put on a great show. We haven’t seen a show yet where Richie has played with them but I’m hoping we get to one!
The last album that I listened to was Pearls Before Swine The Use of Ashes. Released in 1970 this is another of my favorite all time albums and one I’ve listened to frequently through the years but not for a while.
I listened tonight to Side 1 because that’s the side that has my two favorite songs “The Jeweler” and “Rocket Man” both of which are great songs with vivid imagery.
In Rocket Man the chorus when a mother and child other face a world where their husband and father could be being killed at any moment
My mother and I never went out
unless the sky was cloudy or the sun was blotted out
or to escape the pain
we only went out when it rained.
It’s a chorus that’s rambled around in my head for forty years and never fails to move me! Anyway the other songs on this side “From a Movie”, “God Save a Child” and “Song about a Rose” are less remembered but listening again tonight brought back how much I liked this whole album!
Overall, it was a better night of listening to music than it was watching Phillies baseball!
Thre Video
Here’s a video of Mike and Al’s cover of “Green Onions”
Several years go I bought this poster at Wolfgang’s Vault with a Christmas Gift Ceritifcate from my son Peter.
It wasn’t until I looked more closely at the dates on the poster that I realized it was the nights the album was recorded!
2026 Update: Weekly Music Days Are Changing
As I look back at these posts from my early blogging years, I realize that most of the artists and albums featured here were never really forgotten. They had simply gone a long time without finding their way back onto my turntable or playlist.
Because of that, I’ve decided to rename Folk Monday as Memories Monday.
This post isn’t just about three albums. It’s about spending an evening revisiting music that has been part of my life’s soundtrack for decades and discovering that it still sounds every bit as good as I remembered.
Going forward, Memories Monday will be the place where I revisit the music and memories that have shaped my journey. Some weeks that might mean rediscovering favorite albums or concerts. Other weeks it may be old playlists, first musical discoveries, reel-to-reel tapes, stories about sharing music with Andrew or Peter, memories from my college years, or even family stories and genealAfter all, music has always been more than something I’ve listened to—it has been one of the threads that connects the people, places, and moments that have made me who I am.
P.S. As part of the new weekly rhythm on A Sixties–Seventies Man, Folk Monday is moving to Folk Friday.
