Friday, December 15, 2017

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Hiram Bullock

Artist:Hiram Bullock f/Al Jarreau
Song:You Send Me
Album:Give It What U Got





Guitarist Hiram Bullock was mainly a session musician and sideman known for his two year stint in Paul Shaffer's Late Night with David Letterman band. But in the 80s, Atlantic Records tried to turn him into a solo artist. When that didn't work out, he returned to session work though he continued to release albums in Japan. He was born Sept. 11, 1955 in Osaka, Japan. His father was in the military. But he grew up in Baltimore and studied piano as a child. He took up guitar as a teen and studied at the University of Miami with Pat Metheny and Steve Morse. He also met bassists Jaco Pastorius and Will Lee. Lee was also in the Letterman band. After graduation, Bullock moved to New York and settled into session work. Among his more high profile gigs were with Steely Dan, Paul Simon and Billy Joel. he also recorded three albums as a member of the 24th Street Band. Bullock joined the Letterman band in 1982 and stayed for two years. Then he signed with Atlantic Records. The 1987 album Give It What U Got was the second of Bullock's three albums for Atlantic. His main collaborator on the album was pianist Ricky Peterson who was a veteran of the Minneapolis R&B scene. They wrote most of the album songs and even sang together on one track. For the cover of Sam Cooke's You Send Me, guest singer Al Jarreau was brought in. Bullock had played on some of Jarreau's albums. The rest of the band was Will Lee on bass, Charlie Drayton on drums and Don Alias on percussion. This album has been released on CD by the reissue label Wounded Bird. It might be of interest to Al Jarreau fans as I don't think You Send Me appears on any of his albums. In the 90s, Bullock returned to session work and he continued to do that until his death from cancer on July 25, 2008 at age 52. Here's a video for You Send Me by Hiram Bullock featuring Al Jarreau.

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