J's homage to his old musical friend, vocalist-saxophonist Kevin Keith, and their nights playing out on the streets. The mix of scat vocalizations is meant to capture the spontaneity and playfulness that often accompanied their music which often drew in passersby to join in with their song making.
Some other friends of J's are also represented here: Dave & Jackie from J's days living in Wisconsin. One night, on a whim, they got together and made a recording of this song. Some of their backing vocal ideas and scat-phrasing have been replicated here.
lyrics
I wanna say hats off to Kevin Keith
Gotta say hats off to Kevin Keith
Wanna say hats off to Kevin Keith
Gotta say hats off to Kevin Keith
We used to take it on down yes, we did
We used to take it on down yes, we did
We used to take it on down yes, we did and then we'd move it around
I wanna say hats off to Kevin Keith
Gotta say hats off to Kevin Keith
Wanna say hats off to Kevin Keith
Gotta say hats off to Kevin Keith
We used to take it on down yes, we did
We used to take it on down yes, we did
We used to take it on down yes, we did and then we'd move it around
Sometimes when you get down
You wind up feeling low
Sometimes when you get down
The knees will wobble
And sometimes when we took it on down
The tweak freaks would think they were wearing the crown
And, you know, to them that mirth-blazing sound
Was something which they tried to confound
Sometimes when we get down
We wind up feeling low
Sometimes when we get down
The feet can stumble
But sometimes when we took it on down
His sax and my six we'd capture the sound
And the tapping feet they'd begin to resound
And out would come our words absurd and profound
And the people they'd stop and say:
“Hey, that sounds OK -
Come on man keep on playin'”
And then–
We'd take everybody away
I wanna say hats off to Kevin Keith
Gotta say hats off to Kevin Keith
Wanna say hats off to Kevin Keith
Gotta say hats off to Kevin Keith
We used to take it on down yes, we did
We used to take it on down yes, we did
We used to take it on down yes, we did and then we'd move it around
credits
from easy (does it),
released December 7, 2013
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