Back in the day, when musicianship was still valued by the music industry, any respectable record collection had more than a few instrumental records. These records were perfect for stacking on the LP. They were good for dinner music, wiling away the hours or even better, getting busy. That’s right, grandma and grandpa were putting that Jackie Gleason record on AFTER they turned off the Lawrence Welk show.

Above all this music was fun. And its that spirit of fun that is captured on “Steel Guitar Air Show” We tried to convince Jon that the lounge revival was over. Undaunted, he donned his smoking jacket and broke out his pick and slide. Chock fill of classics like Perfidia, the Lonely Bull, and Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie, a mix of spunky originals and guest stars like Neko Case, Sally Timms, Calexico and more, it’s part Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant back from the grave and part Esquivel wearing spurs. Add up all these parts, throw in the unquestionable technical mastery of one tricky instrument and “Steel Guitar Air Show” will guarantee your next dinner party or lazy afternoon won’t crash and burn.

It is, simply put, the last word in tiki-inflected, spaghetti western, when’s-the-Rat-Pack-showin’-up? geezer rock. We highly recommend mixing a pitcher of Mai Tais, slipping into those silk pajamas (you know, the ones with the little horsies and ukeleles on them), turn up the heat to 85 degrees, and get real, REAL gone. Seriously, if you can listen to this record without being put in a better mood, without a content, distant smile creeping up on you, you should see a specialist. Really.

Track List

1. The Glow Worm
2. F86
3. The World Is Waiting For A Sunrise
4. Circle the Wagons Babe
5. Who’s the Baddie? Says Alan Laddie
6. Hula Blues
7. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive
8. The Lonely Bull
9. Beer & Lettuce
10. Summer Samba
11. Perfidia
12. Choo Cho Ch’ Boogie
13. Homie’s Parade
14. Agent Burns (Theme)
15. Can ‘O’ Corn
16. Million Dollar Mermaid

He played on a few tracks including pedal steel on the album’s final track “Once I’m Dead” – It’s just acoustic guitar, pedal steel played by the ever-awesome Jon Rauhouse and my vocal Brendan Murphy

Info about the album is up in the Discography section where you can listen to the full album by clicking the “audio sample” link.

You can download the album at iTunes.

Well playing the pedal steel, banjo, Hawaiian, standard guitar etc etc. There’s a certain person fits right in with having both a broad skill and mind set.

Check out the article for what Jon has to say about it all.

Who: the Jon Rauhouse Sestet featuring
Rachel Flotard: singing
Jon Rauhouse: pedal steel guitar
Tommy Connell: guitar
Kevin O’Donnell: drums
Will Lovell: bass
Jeff Livingston: piano
Jacob Valenzuela: trumpet

What: release of the single “Witchcraft” on Itunes

When: Dec 1, 2010

Where: the World

Why: because it is awesome

Get it today and pass it on