Lyrical Worker (liner notes)

The main reason for doing my first solo record at this point in my musical life is that I feel as though

I have something to say. I've been heavily into many styles of music, so to make a record that firmly fits some traditional mold or format would feel counter-intuitive. I wanted to keep an intimate sound (quartet plus, in some cases, vocals) but I didn't want this whole record to sound like a "live in the studio" recording- on some songs I wanted more production.

I’m very proud of this album, and I feel blessed to have so many wonderful musicians involved. The record was brilliantly co-produced, recorded, and mixed by the one and only Tony Shepperd. It was mastered by Stephen Marsh. The invaluable asset, friend, and associate producer was Chris Wabich.The album's color photos are by the multi-talented Larry Steen. The black & white photos are by (my boy!!) Jay Matsueda, as are the CD design & layout.

Special thanks: My mother (the person who made me feel as though I could do anything in life); Jimmy, Chris, and Dennis- the core rhythm section that were so much a part of making a record that covers a lot of ground yet still (I hope) feels cohesive; Tony (what can I say....), Everyone at D'Addario Woodwinds. I play and endorse D'Addario Woodwinds Products.

Individual track info, personnel, and song notes-

Track 1: "Just Listen"

When you were lonesome, I tried to treat you kind

Expression is so illusive some people wonder where it comes from the origin of what the truth is some days you channel static so enigmatic the next you confound us and catch a glimpse of the fact that it’s all around us the sound of the cosmos ringing in my ear erasing the fear of the unknown never been shown to be incorrect until you take into account the space above your neck cause it’ll doubt what the soul has always known you keep dishin' now apply the time to find your intuition you can find your intuition you just listen you just listen

Katisse- Vocal, Flute

Chris Wabich- Drums

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Dennis Hamm- Keyboards

Carl Burnett- Guitar (the main funkiness)

Pete Snell- Guitar (a couple notes in the bridge)

Judith Hill- Vocal

Track 2: "Higher Power"

Verse 1-

Lift every voice and sing for the beauty of the culture the tiny body of the outcast could never outlast the night flight of the vulture torn to the bone is the infrastructure of a heritage at a time when they’d best repair a bridge that’s fallen through a generation gap a compound fracture for a nation strapped did not your father ever teach you respect and love you bestow I beseech you back to the mother land but if I meet you offer up a sacrifice like machu piccu fold like a soul with a hole you can peek thru we don’t look kindly on that type of thing hells bells you’re gonna hear ‘em ring access the direct effect of your darkest hour you’ll know the truth when a higher power will remind

Chorus-

A higher power will remind

He came into this life but soon he left he left behind

Love

Verse 2-

A moon for the misbegotten covered with weeds and deeds from a life that was rotten you’ll do it again and again and again millennia living in a lion’s den maybe one day you’ll climb out of that whole you created and join us in the land of the living elated rise to a state of grace like a phoenix for all those left behind pull out a Kleenex and wipe away the tears from their faces repair the damage from the years of disgraces you got a lot of big payback for the trouble it’s takes a lot of inspiration to make rubble for every action there’s an equal and opposite and even if you don’t think that it’s true there comes a time when you’ll be blown to

bits too and I’ll be standing far away when it hits you

Chorus

Bridge-

Sleep tight child of myself

All night in my arms though we’ve never met

Reigns will fall though tears will last

Condemned us all repeat the past

Burned into flesh is the last stigmata of a soul recycled like a plastic bottle evidence of benevolence and settle this once and for all and all for one ego breaking the cosmic law we all bleed so long as we’re more than a bar-code inanimate object with the logic of charcoal and set the bar low with each new body and identity preventing me from seeing the enemy I bet on these odds so outrageous we climb one step at a time from the lower ages one day the rage will all dispense when common decency is common sense what ever kind of box you fit us in the world citizen can’t live without a purpose with verses that leave you in lurches the scholar immerses intolerant followers in flowers and hearses please stay with my guardian angel age old sages pray

while I say this

Chorus

Song info-

I wrote the lyrics for this tune while I was on tour in France in 2001. Upon

waking up at the hotel I read in the paper that the Taliban had blown up the

many statues of The Buddha in Afghanistan. I got on the tour bus and sat

in the back feeling pretty bummed, so I scribbled out these words. Corei

sounds so great on this tune! We actually sent him the track in Nashville, and

he overdubbed all the parts and sent it back. Tony Shepperd has recorded and

mixed many of theTake 6 records, and that was the vibe we were going for initially.

Corei has toured with Take 6, and he really captured that vibe and augmented

it with his own unique flavor. He killed it! One of my favorite spots on the

record is Dennis Hamm’s solo on the outro vamp. Dennis is (always) truly

composing as he improvises and here is no exception. He knocked this out

in one take.

Katisse- Vocal, Tenor and Alto Saxophones

Corei Taylor- Vocal, Vocal Arrangement

Kate Higgins- Vocal Chris Wabich- Drums

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Dennis Hamm- Keyboards

Track 3: "Miles Left"

Song info- Miles is the MAN. Dig the 2 bar bridge (with much

respect to James Brown)

Katisse- Tenor Saxophone

Chris Wabich- Drums (including playing that "ghosty" sounding

drum loop in the background. No samples used here…)

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Dennis Hamm- Keyboards

Track 04: "Isolated"

Isolated and sliced a vein cuz I had waited and made is plain that all I do is seek the truth the blood should flow from me to you

not an isolated incident caught and annihilated the dissident fought those wrought with discipline Sought those thoughts we

visited Columbine and those who followed them invisible rules and fools that swallowed them over the counter violence they only

bottled them babies laced with hate and mothers coddle them citizens afraid to face a society of pepper spray and mace and

no sobriety check your baggage in cuz your anxiety stressed the rest and became an impropriety

Something wicked this way

Runs aground and disdain

Comes to town and these plains

Now belong to thieves...........

20/20 hindsight

Still we think we all might

Kill and win the good fight

Bring them to their knees

All of us are brothers under the skin those who are righteous and

those who sin open up a dialogue is to win

Favor with the maker and next of kin

Some say retreat and not to fight a long daze journey into night

Shelter your brother there's a slight Chill in the air

The fading light grabs the ignorant and shakes them

Disposable lifetimes abatement

why do we stare in amazement when

The hardest head hits the pavement

Something wicked this way

Runs aground and disdain

Comes to town and these plains

Now belong to thieves...........

20/20 hindsight

Still we think we all might

Kill and win the good fight

Bring them to their knees

History repeats itself as though it's spherical we look up towards the sky and trust a miracle soon will wander by like an empirical

king upon the throne who’s never fearful the power is our own if we can seize it I walked into your home and you say please sit but I came by alone because the keys fit a heart that’s made of stone under the trees lit fire and what transpired really moved me a crowd had gathered near and needed proof seas raged and mountains fell just so the truth be known we’re all alone under the same roof

Song info- This tune is the odd time (signature) machine. Hopefully

it doesn’t sound like a science experiment and just sounds like a cool

tune. If you care- intro in 3/4, then 5/4, melody is in 3/4, 7/4, then 4/4,

then back to 5/4. Rap goes over the same sequence then it’s 3 bars

of 5/4 and one bar of 6/4 (repeat that). Solo section is in 15 (7/4 then

2 bars of 4/4). The next rap and drum solo are in 3/4 (or 6/8, whatever).

The stop time thing is too freaky to explain- it pretty much goes off

the vocal). Back to the 5, 5, 5, 6 a couple times and then the melody

again. The outro is in 4/4.

Katisse- Vocal, Soprano Saxophone, weird noises :-p

Chris Wabich- Drums

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Dennis Hamm- Keyboards

Track 05: "Blind Man's Bluff"

Had to combat the stereotype the type of creativity creating levity pursuing life liberty and all the cosmic energy sustained in my soul below is the bass coming thru the phonograph it’s just a holograph if all you wanna do is grab some material possessions confession you can’t take it with you so don’t be so concerned with it all

Chorus-

It’s like the blind man’s bluff he isn’t bluffing he’s just stuffing the notion

(I want to float in the ocean)

He’s just stuffing the notion all the junk that we dump in the ocean of our

intellect is carried out with the tide

Well try this on for size it intersects every other aspect of our lives don’t relegate your third eye sight into obscurity it gets all blurry see but that’s don’t worry me black and white white with black stripe the one’s I never wear when I tune into the sound of OM my spiritual home thru which light can pass but only on the highest level and thru that light you can revel in the source of creation no limitation sensation of duality will fade away and only peace will remain

Chorus-

Well try this on for size it intersects every other aspect of our lives don’t relegate your third eye sight into obscurity it gets all blurry see but that’s don’t worry me black and white white with black stripe the one’s I never wear when I tune into the sound of OM my spiritual home thru which light can pass but only on the highest level and thru that light you can revel in the source of creation no limitation sensation of duality will fade away and only peace will remain

Chorus-

Song notes- Kate is one of a kind and she sings like an angel. Thank you, Kate!

Katisse- Vocal, Soprano Saxophone

Kate Higgins- Vocal

Chris Wabich- Drums (not a drum loop-

he played this tune top to bottom), Steel Drum

Derek Frank- Keyboard Bass

Quinn Johnson- Keyboards

Track 06: "Fame Buffet"

You strung 15 minutes together on the famous playlist it painsto say this reality shows them you’re going down as fast as you

rose the trust reposed upon you from an adoring public they gobble you up like a pup when he’s love sick until the until the

veil is lifted the critical mass and public eye has shifted to the next willing victim on the fame buffet

Chorus- You’re the next willing victim on the fame buffet (I

claimed a plate but was made to wait)

You’re the next willing victim on the fame buffet (my

personality trait made it hard to relate)

You’re the next willing victim on the fame buffet I claimed a plate but was made to wait My personality trait made it hard to relate I’ll try to say it straight and not mince words then it’s hurts when you’re working with a scalpel but you aren’t a surgeon for the next little Disney pop tart they thought up they try to call it art it’s nothing more than a product little chick with a hit spit out 6 more like it until we get sick of the hype shit a tight fit of life scripts the knife slips a sign of the times or a sign of the apocalypse all the while we’re smitten sittin in a prison of voyeurism cuz we’re the next will victim on the fame buffet

Chorus

Look fool a window to look through you got nothing better to do than watch a woman cook food but hold on she’s cookin

without a shirt on it’s a turn on let’s give her a network show and assert our constitutional right to be completely idle you might

have time to kill but I don’t with a flick of the wrist this is risk with a twist I have to insist to inspire and uplift all the clues refuse

it check out the exponent of modern music when you’re hearing the sound I got my ear to ground forever head honcho and I track

like Tonto when things get risky then who could this be I burn like whiskey but I don’t need to drink this for you to relinquish control

of your senses look at life for a moment thru rose colored lenses the path of the sage without diamonds or Benzes inner connection is free but expensive….inner connection is free but expensive…..but you’re the next willing victim on the fame buffet

Chorus

Katisse- Vocal, Flute

Judith Hill- Vocal

Chris Wabich- Drums

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Dennis Hamm- Keyboards

Track 07: "The Darkness"

Katisse- Tenor Saxophone

Chris Wabich- Drums

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Dennis Hamm- Piano

Track 08: "Pearls"

Shrouded in shadows clouded so many friends who lived hard and died young defying the rule of thumb the fools are dumb to think you burn the candle at both ends and blow yourself to kingdom come those friends are now gone gone from now on never to return to home sweet home they were a part of my childhood my heart would smile good of you to live in my neighborhood for a while in the oyster of my daily life you were the pearls I wish you peace and happiness even if you left this world

Chorus-

I always come back to this (you were the Pearls) I wish you peace and

happiness I always come back to this (you were the Pearls)

(repeat)

From our days at Venice beach baking in the sun an easy life's not a victorious one the worries are done and all I have left are the various memories they’re carried off to the cemeteries like a flower cut to the stem no obsequies attended them I befriended them a visit from the dark bird ended them but they would never begrudge judge not lest thou be judged and I’ll be nudged back to my senses with my friends down the blocks and over the fences

I always come back to this (you were the pearls) I wish you peace and

happiness I always come back to this (you were the Pearls)

(repeat)

Song info-

I wrote this tune in loving memory of my many childhood friends who

are no longer alive (in the body). As the song says- " they lived hard and

died young". There may be a window between us (physical plane and

astral plane) but I can still see them. We are still together.

Song notes- Kate MAKES this tune.

Katisse- Vocal, flute

Kate Higgins- Vocal

Chris Wabich- drums

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Michael Bluestein- Keyboards

Track 09: "Invincible"

I’ll teach the children well unless they’re ruined by the masses thrashed

in the ashes of outdated principles invincible

(repeat)

Follow me to a place always safe

Hypnotize all your inhibitions

I’ll teach the children well unless they’re ruined by the masses thrashed in

the ashes of outdated principles invincible

(repeat)

Follow me to a place always safe

Hypnotize all your inhibitions

Realize all your life’s true wishes

I’ll teach the children well

(repeat)

Song Info-

I was (very happy to be) doing some playing with the legendary, Jimmy

Haslip. He mentioned he’d be down to lay down some of his signature

(humongous sounding!) electric bass on a track for me. He came in and

killed it! But now I had a big problem (and Tony made this clear to me

in no uncertain terms)- no other bass player can bring the low end like

Jimmy. I was going to have some serious sonic imbalance in the low range.

I mention this to Jimmy and he said, " No problem! I’ll play on anything

you need, Bro!". He laid down the whole record and I couldn’t be happier!

Katisse- Flute, alto flute, Tenor and alto saxophones

Kate Higgins- Vocals

Chris Wabich- Drums

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Quinn Johnson- Keyboards

Cassio Duarte- Percussion

Lee Thornburg- Trumpet, Flugal Horn, Valve Trombone

Track 10: "Honor Among Thieves"

When i wrote this tune I was totally incapacitated with a broken collarbone ( I successfully

cleared 16 feet of a 17 foot gap jump on my bike). I rolled over

to the piano and I scribbled this out with my left hand (as in- hardly legible). I had the title for

this tune in the back of my head for years- I just think it’s a cool phrase…

Katisse- Soprano Saxophone, Alto Flute, keyboards, weird noises

Chris Wabich- Drums

Jimmy Haslip- Bass

Dennis Hamm- Piano

Track 11: "Incantation"

We all participate in the "quaint human spectacle" according to

Mahatma Gandhi(repeat)

We all participate in the "quaint human spectacle" according to Mahatma Gandhi true to non violent light upon he stands a war

on terror is a contradiction in terms fight fire with fire and entirety burns society learns that a personal agenda can render a nation

unconscious but I won't sit and watch as a world goes down in flames we worship the same higher power with different names

sustain the pain with more time in war times convicted of war crimes I see that the core shines through it always comes back to

you charity begins alone the sins atone the long way home prone to disasters on the way twice fade away say no more faced with the silent rage of the cold war

excuse me for caring invest in a kind gesture that the rest called a red herring on the global level the scariest fate is the prez the vice the secretary of state I barely relate that goes for most I suppose we see the turnout at the poles the heat retreats the coals turn to apathy then another figure head like Vaseline slides upon the scene with a policy reminiscent of a predecessor and then he cracks under pressure and after all that we laugh about his malapropisms and not his lack of vision hanging from a string like a marionette without breaking a sweat but he looks real bask in the glow of a million dollar book deal these men aren't born they're created manipulated instead of wise and contemplative but people are mesmerized with a smile and the requisite style with lies in disguise and power ties while sighs of futility rain from the skies

the name of this guys not the issue when he's gone another appears like

a tissue we call this a fertilizer for a battle of jokes a four year sitcom

without a remote I can't help but think of our elation when we reach out

and change the station…. Incantation

We all participate in the "quaint human spectacle" according to Mahatma

Gandhi

(repeat)

Song Info-

The monk voices were sung by myself and Chris (who is a super funky guitar player) when we recorded this

tune with our group, Mosaic, in 1994. Tony and I lifted it off the original

recording and I sang a few more passes to fatten it up. Right before the

fade out the high voices that come in are a sample.