A Salute to Travis Edmonson of Bud & Travis
Keeping His Legacy alive!
visit the up-to-date version of this website at www.travisedmonson.com
Recollections & Comments 22
Comments Pages
The noted dancer and Choreologist RICHARD HOLDEN, who once served as Igor Moiseyev's assistant, recalls working with Travis Edmonson on a production of “Brooms of Mexico” in Tucson.
“My memories of Travis go back to 1969. I was in Tucson, Arizona on leave from The Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center, to choreograph a ballet for the Tucson Ballet Company. The ballet was called "Brooms Of Mexico" from a book illustrated by Ted DeGrazia and performed with the Tucson Symphony.
I was delighted when Travis agreed to appear as part of it, not as a dancer of course but to perform as a special guest artist. It was a ballet that I revived many years later with New Age music, massive scenery and authentic Mexican dancing, but in that first production of 1969 I was surprised that Travis agreed to perform in it at all.
Richsard Holden dancing with Travis Edmonson's Guitar
The fact that he was a close friend of Ted DeGrazia who designed our scenery and costumes may have had something to do with it. At the end of his song, Malaguena Salerosa, I went out on stage, took his guitar from his hands and danced with it while he watched. There was cheering and standing ovations for Travis.”
Richard Holden
December 2007
RICHARD STRECKER in Montana particularly likes the Bud and Travis debut album.
“I have enjoyed the Bud & Travis music for years. I have some on vinyl so I don't play them much. I am glad to find their music on CD.”
Richard Strecker
December 2007
DAVID HOLLAND in Houston, Texas is one of those musicians who consider Travis Edmonson an entertainer's entertainer.
“Malagueña Salerosa is one of my favorite songs, and the Bud and Travis rendition is absolutely unbelievable. My second favorite of theirs is Raspberries, Strawberries,
I was pretty serious about music in the late 50s. A friend of mine, Johnny Winter (http://johnnywinter.net/welcome/) would hang out and my house, and we'd listen to albums and then play the music by ear. When we lost the rhythm guitar in the band I was in, I got Johnny the spot. It was the first time he got paid to perform.
Another group I played with had, after I left, Johnny, his brother Edgar
(http://www.edgarwinter.com/), and Janis Joplin.
I was well aware of Bud and Travis from the group I hung out with. The guys I knew who played the guitar couldn't believe some of the things Travis could do. It's just that I only had one album of my own. (As it turned out, Johnny was no slouch either.) I drifted out of performing in college--I had far more academic than musical talent--but I never lost the appreciation of greatness.”
David Holland
December 2007
GUS BROCKSEN in Hawaii is reconnecting with the great Bud & Travis in Concert album via The Travis Edmonson CD Collection.
”My old vinyls bit the dust long ago. Glad to see i can get the CDs here! Best of everything to Travis. I love his music!”
Gus Brocksen
December 2007
RANDY WRIGHT in southern California has also had Bud & Travis on his mind lately, in particular the In Person album
” I remember as a boy hearing one of the live concerts the year of the recording at the Cellar Door in D.C. A great live act...with Buckwheat on bass.”
Randy Wright
December 200
FRANK OGAZ in southern California especially likes the Bud & Travis in Concert album.
“I grew up on Travis Edmonson's music, and remember spending many hours listening to Bud & Travis with my dad, so I am extremely happy to see the CD's available.”
Frank Ogaz
December 2007
DAVID ANDERSON in Nebraska particularly likes the early Bud & Travis albums.
“I enjoyed the beautiful music of Bud&Travis back in the early sixties when I lived in England.”
David B. Anderson
December 2007
HUGH KERR in Florida is an entertainer who received a very special bequest from Travis Edmonson.
”The material chosen by Bud & Travis is extraordinarily diverse and generally far in front of their peers. Their patter is witty and urbane (I think that Orson Bean may have had a hand in that.). Their arrangements were superior. Bud's persona is strong and attractive; his guitar playing is always effective, sophisticated, and sure. On the other side, there is no mistaking Trav's voice for any other. Trav's voice is pure music with no affect; its soulful quality lingers long after the words lose their meaning. In popular music, only a few, like Sam Cooke, compare with Trav in the ability to enchant with sheer musicality of voice. Together they were, in the current vernacular, awesome!
“For three reasons the private re-issue of Bud & Travis catalog warms my heart. First, all 8 of my B&T LPs are worn beyond recognition. (My solo albums are OK.) Second, at least one of the artists is finally getting all of the money.
Third, in 1964, Bud and Travis gave my partner (Pete Duey) and me, as Pete and Scot, permission to use all of their recorded material in our nightclub act. (Travis warned us at the time that imitation is the sincerest form of failure. He was more than half-right.) Now, my disbelieving friends and I again have the opportunity to hear their music as it was meant to be heard.
B&T were in their idiom--as Frank Sinatra said of Tony Bennett in his--"simply the best in the business."
I would like to congratulate Travis for reaching his diamond jubilee year. Whodathunkit?
I was glad to hear that David King (David Kroll, Bud & Travis' bassist after Charlie Gonzalez) is still out there working. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened to Pete Duey.
Hugh Kerr
November 2007
CHRISTIAN BRAMSWIG in northern California was delighted to find that his cherished “Bud & Travis in Concert” is now available on remastered stereo CD.
“Bud and Travis are and were deeply important to me and I am very happy for this opportunity to have them in my life again.”
Christian Bramswig
November 2007
Bea Duran in southern California is one of those whose familiy has a special affection for Travis Edmonson's Latin repertoire.
”I have searched for a long time for The Bud & Travis Latin Album. I remember B&T's music from my mother and dads time. they played the album over and over. They loved it, and so do I!”
Bea Duran
November 2007
Comments Pages
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Travis Edmonson made his breakthrough with The Gateway Singers, resident group at the hungry i
Be sure and check out the website
celebrating the great San Francisco club at www.hungryi.net
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