Personnel includes: Geoff Muldaur (vocals, guitar, clarinet, piano); Kate McGarrigle, Anna McGarrigle (vocals); Dave Alvin, Stephen Bruton (guitar); Richard Greene (violin); John Sebastian (harmonica); Van Dyke Parks (accordion, pump organ); Roswell Rudd (trombone); Mike Finnigan (organ, background vocals); Bill Rich (bass); Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Bob Neuwirth (background vocals).
Engineers includes: Sean Carberry, Dave Ahlert, Bernie Larsen.
Adapter: Geoff Muldaur.
Personnel: Geoff Muldaur (vocals, guitar, banjo, clarinet, piano); Stephen Bruton (guitar, electric guitar); David Lindley (guitar); Greg Leisz (electric guitar, lap steel guitar); Billy Watts (electric guitar); Bob Siggins (banjo); Richard Greene , Margaret Wooten (violin, fiddle); Jimbo Ross (viola); John Sebastian (harmonica); Van Dyke Parks (accordion, pump organ); Larry Ragent (French horn); Roswell Rudd (trombone); John Herron (electric piano, organ); Sean Hopper, Tim Emmons (double bass); Bill Rich (electric bass); Don Heffington, Wally Ingram (drums).
Audio Mixer: Daryn Roven.
Liner Note Author: Peter Guralnick.
Recording information: Chez Du Gr‚ Pleasure Emporium, Burbank CA; Media Vortex, Burbank CA; Nevessa Prodution, Saugerties NY; Rear Window Recording Service, Brookline MA; Russian Hill Recording, San Francisco CA; Spinout, Burbank CA.
Photographer: Issa Sharp.
Geoff Muldaur's 1998 album THE SECRET HANDSHAKE was a cause for celebration, coming as it did after a 17-year gap. The equally impressive PASSWORD came a scant two years later. He's joined on this one by an assortment of musical cohorts. Their appearances are subtle, always gracing the heart of the songs.
Charlie Patton's "Some of These Days" is rendered with light parlor room flourish, while Blind Willie Johnson's "Trouble Soon Be Over" is proudly funky, recalling Muldaur's time with Paul Butterfield in the band Better Days. The album closes with Muldaur and his guitar alone, singing the conclusion to his "Got to Find Blind Lemon," a saga which began on his previous release. As Richard Thompson has said, "There are only three white blues singers, and Geoff Muldaur is at least two of them."
Professional Reviews
Uncut (2/01, p.79) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Nearly 40 years on from his debut, Muldaur and numerous legendary buddies mine the more obscure seams of traditional blues....Old dogs still turning tricks..."
Living Blues (1-2/01, p.86) - "...A typically eclectic mix of material...with neo folk backing..."
No Depression (11-12/00, p.116) - "...A pre-eminent singer and performer in the blues tradition....mining excursions into country, jazz, gospel and traditional folk..."
