Gabe Dixon has been making music for quite some time. But he knew he was on to something when Paul McCartney came to check him out and then offered him a job in his tour band. Unbelievably, Dixon passed. No, Dixon, who loves The Beatles, wasn't crazy (well, maybe a little). It's just that he believed in his new trio -- The Gabe Dixon Band (drums, bass, piano) -- and the new songs that he had written, most of which can be found on The Gabe Dixon Band, the band's new album. Even a quick listen shows why McCartney liked what he heard. Dixon is a terrific singer, a rollicking piano player, an inventive arranger and a songwriter who is more impressed by what he heard growing up than by trying to write to impress to woo a contemporary trend-following audience. His songwriting reflects influences -- Elton John, Billy Joel and Sir Paul are biggies -- but it's filled with enough of his own twists and turns to stand as something fresh.
Dixon is headed to North Carolina to play with his band at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro as the opening act for Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers. Before heading out, he shared with relish five of his favorite CDs. Don't look for anything recorded in this century.
Stevie Wonder,
Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium
: "Stevie is one of my true musical heroes. I was fortunate enough to see him perform in concert last year in Memphis, and I was completely moved by the continued irresistible joy and soul of his music. Though Musiquarium is technically a greatest-hits compilation, he still debuted some great songs on this set (‘Ribbon In The Sky,' etc.). There are just too many classics on here to ignore."
Elton John,
Tumbleweed Connection
: "I'll never get tired of this album. It is genius. Raw, tender, original, transportive, and oh-so soulful. Elton at his best."
Joni Mitchell,
Blue
: "I get goosebumps just thinking about this album. It is pure poetry, the most powerfully vulnerable and honest type of expression. I love it."
The Beatles,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
: "It's not easy to pick just one album by the Beatles. To me, this is one of the band's most innovative and cohesive albums. It's ballsy and beautiful and still interesting. Amazing."
Paul Simon,
Still Crazy After All These Years
: "I wore this album out when I was a kid. Who knew such a gem could be found in my parents' record collection? I will have arrived if I ever write anything as poetic as ‘I Do It For Your Love' or ‘Still Crazy.…'"
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