Hacienda Brothers
What would cause Soul legend Dan Penn, an American music icon, responsible for writing hundreds of soul classics such as Dark End Of The Street, Do Right Man, and I’m Your Puppet, to drive 2000 miles in his Lincoln to Tucson, Arizona to record a group called the Hacienda Brothers? Well the answer is he became enamored with a simple demo recorded in an old adobe house. This demo, produced by the band in Tucson, conjured up the plaintive southwest, almost as if the desert howled; and Penn yearned to be part of that ethereal landscape. The Hacienda Brothers also wanted Dan Penn. In fact he was the band’s dream producer. Guitarist extraordinaire Dave Gonzalez met Penn in Europe where his band the Paladins were headlining a festival. A few years later when discussing the Hacienda project with partner and veteran vocalist Chris Gaffney, they gushed at the chance of obtaining Penn to man the wheel. They knew Penn was single handedly responsible for creating the whole country-soul genre and that was a similar path the band wanted to travel. The idea was to pay homage to the musical styling of 60’s honkytonk and soul yet create a sound that was truly their own. Kindred souls with tons of experience between them, Chris Gaffney and Dave Gonzalez conjured up a pallet of musical tastes to the liking of Penn. So while taking in the beautiful vistas of Tucson and sampling the culinary delights of old Mexico, Penn and the Hacienda Brothers began to assemble a record full of flavors like an exquisite Mexican combination plate. At the core is a staple of Soul and Classic country, spiced up with Southwestern textures and Bluesy rhythms. Haunting vocals and tasteful guitar licks throughout the album are the order of the day. Dan Penn also arrived in Tucson with a song he had written for Chris Gaffney to sing. It harkens to a point in one’s life when reflection is the vision they use to understand what is really important. Dave Gonzalez also had a chance to sequester Dan Penn for an impromptu songwriting session out in the Desert. There among the majestic Saguaros the pair wrote the soul gem Looking For Loneliness. Also included on the album were seven band originals, a Fred Neil composition, an obscure Dallas Frazier gem, and a truck drinvin’ tune by the great Carl Montgomery.This debut CD by the Hacienda Brothers is truly a collaboration of musical ideas, songwriting, inspiration, and experience. The soulful byproduct of these sessions was poured out live on two-inch tape for the entire world to enjoy. It’s a one journey that the Hacienda Brothers are sure glad Dan Penn made.
