Released in spring 2002

Martini Red's first CD, entitled (appropriately enough) "We Three", was recorded as a live set in a one-day session in April 2001.  It includes many of our favorite old songs, as well as a couple of originals, and represents most of the musical territory we've been covering over the last few years.  The tracks are:

1. Who Walked in When I Walked Out?  (Hoffman, Goodhart, Freed)
    This tune from 1935 was recorded by Bob Wills long before he went to Hollywood and smoothed out the Western Swing he'd been playing in Oklahoma.  We arranged it to feature both a hot mandolin break and a slapping bass solo.

2. Once I Was a Cowboy   (Brussat)
    Former bandmate Tony Brussat wrote this sweet ballad before taking off for Texas (is he a cowboy again?) and graciously lets us continue to have our way with it.  This has always been one of our favorites, inspiring "dreams as clear as blue sky".

3. We Three  (Robertson, Cogane, Mysels)
    This gem was covered by the Ink Spots around 1940 and almost didn't survive a music publishing company's ban of its songs being played on the radio.  We took it as a sort of a theme song for the band -- hence the title of the CD.

4. Fiddlin' Joe/ Draggin' the Bow  (Bazar, Cavanaugh, Mills/Traditional)
    We took the first song from an early Mills Brothers recording, and pair it with a traditional fiddle tune, where James gets to show what a mandolin can do in the right hands....

5. Miss Otis Regrets  (Porter)
    The story goes that Cole Porter was challenged by a friend to create a song based on the three words used in the title.  This lovely ballad was the result.  Poor Miss Otis.  Pass the tissues, please.

6. Angel of Christmas Sorrow  (Key)
    James wrote this one as an expression of some of the darker side of the holiday spirit.  It was included in the 2001 Hungry for Music complication of Christmas music.

7. Shoes Blues  (Traditional)
    Nick saw a clip of Scatman Crothers (The Shining, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Chico and the Man) singing this accompanied with his baritone ukulele, and knew that the band had to try its hand at this unique philosophical statement.

8. Russian Lullaby  (Berlin)
    This Irving Berlin song is another introduced to us by Tony, and we use it to turn the burners up.  It always seems to inspire people whenever we play it.  Including us.

9. Do You Know what it Means to Miss New Orleans?  (Delange, Alter)
    A beautiful 1946 tune that brings us back to where jazz started, and was usually identified with Louis Armstrong. James kicks it off with a lovely mandolin intro.
 

Recorded April 2001 by Emily Hay at Recording Arts, Merrifield VA
Mixed by Marco Delmar at Recording arts, June 2001
Mastered by Bill Wolf, Springfield VA, July 2001
Produced by Martini Red
Total running time: 25:30