The album A Wink Is As Good As A Nod To A Blind Mule by David Moore has the quality of remembrance without at the same time neglecting the music. It was created as a tribute to James Masters Patterson and includes songs that he wrote, co-wrote or inspired, transforming what was a very personal relationship into a thoughtfully put together studio project. The odd title also shows Patterson’s sense of humour and adds a personal touch before the first note is played.

What is so notable about the album is the care that went into its making. Moore took nearly two years to reconstruct the drum sections from previous recordings, entering each performance step by step via MIDI before the songs were further developed with the help of a large number of contributors. The guitar, bass and vocal parts were recorded at various locations, ranging from Texas and New Mexico to Pennsylvania and the United Kingdom, before the recordings were assembled at Moore’s Ground Zero West studio in Texas.

One of the stand-out moments on the album is the song “Mysteries Of Life”, in which Jay Michael Smith’s guitar playing acts as a particularly touching element of the tribute. The way he performs it is so similar to Patterson’s style that Moore compares the experience of listening to it with feeling as if Jim himself is once again in the room. This close connection imparts the song with a striking sense of presence and transforms the recorded performance into something far more personal.

Instead of just going back to the past, the album provides a new context for Patterson’s songwriting through the involvement of musicians who had helped realise Moore’s vision. Although the seven singles issued before the full album gradually opened the way to this bigger project, only by listening to the complete album can one appreciate the extent of the work involved. A Wink Is As Good As A Nod To A Blind Mule is a thoughtful recording the result of friendship, collaboration, patience and a continued respect for a songwriter who had always been at the heart of Moore’s creative journey.

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