Al Globus' Music

Except where noted, I did all the voices and instruments. Here's the most recently recorded numbers:

Fly Free (13 Mbytes), Copyright © 2013 Gail Swain and Al Globus, is an empty-nesters song. It started with the introduction (repeated in the instrumental break) which, at least for us, evokes that knot of sadness in the gut when the kids leave home. Gail then came up with most of the melody and lyrics. It is for all parents. Gail sings it. The lyrics are here.

Space Settlement Music

Let's Go Out There (7.5 Mbytes) Copyright © 2009 Al Globus. The music to this original was written years ago, 200?, but there were no lyrics until 2007. Talks about space settlement. Try it, you like it.
This Path (4.5 Mbytes) Copyright © 2009 Al Globus. This about humanity choosing to expand into space rather than fight it out on Earth. I like the guitar leads a lot.
Found a Magic Moment (6 Mbytes), Copyright © 2012 Al Globus, is a song about those very quiet moments, first as a musician living near Mt Tam and later entering space.

Videos of Performance on YouTube

Let's Go Out There, Copyright © 2013 Al Globus.
Ride the World, Copyright © 2009 Al Globus.
Massive Displays, Copyright © 2009 Al Globus.
Thinkin, Copyright © 2009 Al Globus.

Political Music

Is This (5.6 Mbytes) Copyright © 2009 Al Globus. Original written in the 1970s inspired by the Watergate hearings that lead to the peaceful removal of Richard Nixon from the presidency. The lyrics were surprisingly current during the Bush administration. This is a live version recorded by my band at the time, Blue Mountain Blend.
There Ain't Nothing We Can't Do (4.9 Mbytes). Copyright © 2010 Al Globus. A straight ahead rock 'n' roll song with a political message. I particularly like the lyrics (see below) and the guitar solo. It may be the only place a diminished chord has been used with this standard rhythm guitar lick. Originally written in 1977 and performed around the San Francisco Bay Area by Blue Mountain Blend, I partially updated the lyrics for this recording.
Free, Copyright © 2012 Al Globus. This is a song about the experience of the native Californians from before the Spanish arrived until today. I ran the lyrics past my niece, who is very tied into the Native American community in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her response: that's pretty much what happened. Many thanks to Michael Levy for playing the piano on this track.

Oh Johnny, Copyright © 2012 Al Globus. In this song Johnny is returning home from a very long trip, in my mind to the edge of a black hole but you can choose what you like, and the girl he left behind is questioning him on his travels and plans. Needless to say, he is returning to be with her, and their 'living and loving and laughing'! When I wrote this, I really liked the A section but it sounded vaguely familiar. It was. After asking around I discovered that it is very, very close to a traditional Irish/Scottish/English melody with a number of names including "I Once Loved a Lass". The good news is, it is long, long out of copyright. The B section and the lyrics are my own.

Custom Made (13MB), Copyright © 2012 Al Globus. This is a higher consciousness blues tune, inspired by the great Allman Brother's It's Not My Cross To Bear. The protagonist has, in classic Zen fashion, created her own custom 'living hell' inside herself that nothing, not drugs nor men, can chase away (she should try meditation :-). Her hell comes back at the end of each chorus on the descending bass line. The recording is pretty rough, except for the excellent vocals by Gail Swain, but that's the blues! Whatever you do, don't miss the second to last vocal phrase. The twin slide guitar tracks were recorded separately, without listening to the other. On a lark I mixed them both in, on opposite sides, and liked what I heard. I'm not the greatest slide player so I was pleased to like it so much. Enjoy!

Ride The World (4 Mbytes) Copyright © 2009 Al Globus. Original written in the 1970s. My friends call it a rock anthem but this version is just guitar and voice. Good dance tune if you straighten out the 3/8 bar just before the verse.

Thinkin' (7 Mbytes) Copyright © 2009 Al Globus. This is a live duo version of Thinkin. I'm performing it with Michael Levy, a good singer and outstanding pianist. This was our first gig. The recording engineer is Jonathan Arthur.

Solo Guitar Music

Solar Sailing, Copyright © 2011 Al Globus, is an instrumental guitar piece written in the 1970s. This is solo steel string.
Aeolean C, Copyright © 2011 Al Globus, is an instrumental guitar piece written in the 1970s. This version is using a classical guitar only.
Celtic Faire (5.5 MB) (aif format (67 MB)) Copyright © 2010 Al Globus. This solo acoustic guitar instrumental is inspired by celtic rhythms and the 1973 Renaissance Faire Marin County after hours performance of the Flamenco dancers and guitarists -- one of the most amazing performances ever seen on the planet. Having an audience of Faire people really makes a difference, the fire almost leapt out of their feet and fingers!
Bulerias ala Nino Ricardo (7.2 Mbytes). Performance Copyright © Al Globus, 2012. I learned this from a Japanese transcription of a recording by the flamenco guitarist Nino Ricardo. I had to modify it a bit here and there. There are also a few mistakes, see if you can find them.
Alegrias ala Sabicas (5.4 Mbytes). Performance Copyright © Al Globus, 2010. I learned this from a Japanese transcription of a recording by the great flamenco guitarist Sabicas, whom I saw perform in the 1960s. He was terrific. This is, by far, the most difficult piece I've recorded, and I had to modify it a bit here and there. There are also a few mistakes, but I hope you don't hear them. I played this at my sister's wedding, and scenes from that event always inform the performance. Enjoy!
Dance groove plus guitar solo (3.0 Mbytes) my daughter put together the dance groove and I added a guitar solo in the second half. Big fun! Copyright © Hannah Globus 2007.
Spanish Ballad (2.9 Mbytes), Traditional. This beautifully simple piece was the last live music my mother heard. Actually, not the whole piece. After the first A section everyone was so emotional I had to stop. Performance Copyright © Al Globus, 2010.
Prelude 1 (5.1 Mbytes), H. Villa-Lobos. This is a long time classical guitar favorite of mine. I hope you like it too. Performance Copyright © Al Globus, 2010.

Permission to use the copyrighted material for non-commercial purposes is granted, provided you credit Al Globus. If there's any commercial interest, contact me at AlGlobus@ gmail.com (spaces put in to fool the autobots).

For a number of years I sang with Mount Madonna Choir. All of the recordings are here.

And now for some covers:

Summertime, Performance copyright © 2012 Al Globus. A somewhat different arrangement of the classic George Gershwin tune -- just guitars behind Gail Swain's fabulous vocals. I particularly like the nylon string solo. Enjoy!
Last Night (12.5 Mbytes) Performance and Lyrics Copyright © 2009 Al Globus. This is a live duo version of a Marc Almond song, The City, with revised lyrics. The words come from a fictional American solider in Iraq who chronicals his experience by where he spent the night. I'm performing it with Michael Levy, on piano and harmony vocals. This was our first gig. The recording engineer is Jonathan Arthur.
4 + 20 (4.1 Mbytes) Great Steven Stills song, just me and my guitar.
Zen Gospel (3 Mbytes) by Brian Bowers. Performance Copyright © 2010 Al Globus. This is a gag song in "four square harmony". I sang all four parts. This is about a country guy who started as a Baptist and became a Buddhist -- and the problems that involved. Have fun!
Christmas Bells recorded for the Mount Madonna Choir Christmas album.

In the late 1970's I played with Blue Mountain Blend in Marin County, California. I mostly played bass and sang, but also a little guitar and some sax. The group had great vocals. Patty Quimby sang the female leads, Michael Costello sang and played guitar, bass and flute, David Weaver sang and played guitar, bass and mandolin, and Ray Ormsby played drums. Here are some cover tunes recorded live in a pizza joint:

Landslide (5.2 Mbytes).
River Run (5.1 Mbytes).
Fiend of the Devil (5.8 Mbytes).
Been to Long at the Fair (4.6 Mbytes).
Gold Dust Woman (7.4 Mbytes).
Woman Be Wise (6.6 Mbytes).
The Bottle (5.0 Mbytes).
Henry (4.0 Mbytes).
Ave Maria (2.8 Mbytes).
Summertime (9.2 Mbytes).
Johnny's Garden (6.9 Mbytes).
I Don't Want to Know (4.7 Mbytes).
Dogs and Ferrets (3.5 Mbytes).
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (5.2 Mbytes).

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