In The Valley With Ryland Cooder

How many of my readers know about Ryland Cooder? Don't raise your hands all at once now. The man we all know as Ry Cooder is a mystery to so many people and that once included me. I knew nothing about him for the longest time. The library where I worked at had a few of his records, but I did not know what to think when I heard them. I liked his guitar licks, but I was wondering why he was not placed in the Hendrix's Clapton's, Page's of the world. He was and I did not know it. His musical knowledge of any kind of music that involves a stringed guitar type instrument is quite amazing. He can also cross so many boundaries that you wonder what he doing next.

I have heard his music on music from Cuba (Buena Vista Social Club) to the blues when he played with Son House, to being session man to so many people. This resume includes people like Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Little Feat, Captain Beefheart and so many more. Even with all that genre crossing he still has time to do music for films or just for himself. He has done a lot of musical scores. I have a few and they are pretty damn good, because of how his music can be put in any mood that is portrayed on screen. From his famous score for one of my favorite films Paris Texas to a movie called Crossroads, which is about the blues Ry pops up everywhere. He has made me listen to his music for a number of years and has got me into music I thought would never possibly listen to.

One day I decided to take a gamble on some of his music. It was an album called Rising Sons. It featured a young Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal. I picked up this cassette at the store one day and I wanted to hear for myself what he had to say. At 18 or 19 Ry Cooder was playing better then anyone his age. His guitar playing on the blues gems were absolutely stellar. His playing did not sound like he was this young pup, but a man with years and years of experience. Little did I know that he would be playing with Captain Beefheart and The Rolling Stones in the very near future.

All the playing he did outside his own work leaves us to wonder what he was not on as far as people he played with. The list of all the people he worked with is out of this world. I mentioned a few people above, but that was only part of the long list of people who asked him to play with on their albums. I was thinking the other day while playing some of his music that most of the people he did play with are still around today. Ry has pretty much cut session work out of his things to do list and now just works on his own stuff and of course got the Buena Vista Social Club to a rise in aware how great Cuban music is. His soundtrack work he still has an effect to amaze us with all he has done. I picked up my score to End of Violence and really could hear how much of an impact that he is.

Now, when it comes to an album that I should talk about in his catalog, there are many. His first four are really great. I could pick all of them and really. I chose Into The Purple Valley because it was my first Ry Cooder album I bought. The music on this album is unique and fun and really shows off why people like me love his guitar playing. If anything you take out of this album it's his great guitar playing. Something that is lacking on some music from the 1970's. He stuck to his guns on most of his music. He did not change his idea or focus with any music he put out. If you want to start with any Ry Cooder album, start here. It is really good stuff and it might get you more into his music. So take a chance like I did and I am sure you will enjoy it. Enjoy!!!