Bruce Hornsby recommendations?

I have the first two albums he did with the Range, both of which are very good, and need more.

In addition to album recommendations, please recommend individual songs from those albums as well.

No live albums, please.

 

I can’t help you. I own and like everything that he’s done. Would recommend you buy them all chronologically and enjoy

 

Harbor Lights and Hot House are two of my favourites. A strong start to the solo phase.

 

A Night on the Town. Across the River rules, and has Jerry Garcia on lead guitar.

 

Jerry's solo - particularly the first couple bars - on pastures of plenty on the harbor lights album is one of the most uplifting moments in music.

 

Those are all I have- never got into his other stuff. I stopped at Spirit Trail. Nothing matches the style of his first two albums but some like his jazzier stuff.

 

The title track to Harbor Lights might be my favorite Hornsby song, and the album might be my favorite of his, too.

It's not for everyone, but I love his 2007 jazz-trio album, Camp Meeting. I wish he'd do another.

 

'spider fingers' is on 'harbor lights'....it is hornsby's best song.

get them all, if you can. the box set is not cheap, and may be OOP, i'm not sure.

 

It depends on your taste in music.
His first 2 albums are 2 of the greatest albums of my lifetime.
He then changed direction to a type of music I can’t stand.
But if you love those early albums and expect his whole career to follow that direction you will be sorely disappointed.
It’s always a mystery to me why he changed so dramatically, and lost his mainstream fan base.
However some artists want to follow the direction they believe in, and I guess he did.

 

The album with Ricky Skaggs is sublime.

 

Harbour Lights is a great album.Best songwriting he ever did.
If you can find it at a good price the Intersections 1985-2005 box set is an enjoyable journey through his music.

 

Here Come The Noisemakers is the best thing ever released with his name on it.

 

I guess I'm the opposite. I like a lot of the songs on those early albums, but much prefer the way he started playing them during the 90's and beyond.

 

"Spider Fingers" is the first track on Hot House, his next album. (Which I don't have and need to check out.)

 

sometimes the mind just does not co-operate

 

His most recent album, Rehab Reunion, is very good, though he only plays the dulcimer on it. Give the man credit for always trying new things.

"M.I.A. in M.I.A.M.I" is a great tune. Fans of the Miami Dolphins of old should enjoy the Marino and Shula shout-outs:

 

Another nice one from Rehab Reunion:

 

Spirit Trail is his White Album. A masterpiece.

 

His electronica-ish album Big Swing Face wouldn't be near the top of my list of recommended Hornsby albums, but it's decent enough as a one-off experiment and yielded this gem:

 

> Bruce Hornsby recommendations?

Go hear him live, if he's ever in your neck of the woods. My wife and I heard him at Wolftrap last year -- first time ever, we just went on a lark really (more out of her interest, than mine) -- and it was one of the best concerts I'd been to in years. EVERYONE in his band was listening to each other, with tons of sympathetic give and take between all. I don't think we owned a single CD of his went we went, but I'm sure we'll go hear him again next chance we have.

Purely in terms of "exceeding expectations" -- I would have to rank him up there in one of the 10 best concerts I've seen in my last 35 years of concert-going (I'll be 50 next month).

 

i saw him years ago when was touring with bonnie raitt, and he was great then too.

i'd love to see him again someday.

 

You might want to check out live recordings of The Grateful Dead around after 1988. By 1990, I'd say that was Bruce's most expressive period. There are some really special shows out there. I you can find a 1990 Berlin, Germany show recording...that's Bruce at his best, IMO.

 

Bruce's time with the Dead (and Jerry in particular) from fall 1990 - spring 92 had a massive impact on his playing, IMHO. It really freed him up to stretch things out. I'd bet it also helped give him confidence in his improvisational chops, which of course culminated in that jazz record -- Camp Meeting -- which is phenomenal.

 

I think the two best records in his entire catalogue are Hot House and A Night On the Town. Those are essential listening, especially Hot House, which is just spectacular.

 

Some good recs so far. Keep 'em coming.