Jim Wann & Friends: Blue Heaven
“Blue Heaven” as you may know, is a nickname for Chapel Hill and UNC, where many of us on this record first began to enjoy each other’s music and form bands, including the Southern States Fidelity Choir, Red Clay Ramblers, Arrogance, and more.
Who would I be if not for Chapel Hill? This record is dedicated to my great music pals all along the way; to everyone who makes Blue Heaven Blue Heaven; and to the memory of Marcia Wilson, whose generosity and vision gathered us up in a real home for music, the Cat’s Cradle.
Produced by Don Dixon at Rubber Room, Chapel Hill, Engineer Jerry Brown; also at SPA and Jim’s on Tybee.
Jim Wann Sings Johnny Mercer Vol. 1
Classic American Songbook Sung and Played with Southern Roots sensibilities; Johnny Mercer lyrics with melodies by Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, Henry Mancini, and more.
Johnny Mercer and I are from different generations, musically speaking, and yet I feel a great kinship with his songs. Part of that comes from having grown up in the South, as he did, and having a natural appreciation of his turns of phrase. They sound like what Southerners hear each other say all the time, only better. And quite often he could say what all of us, wherever we’re from, have felt but could not put into words.
Produced by Don Dixon, Engineered by Mark Williams, Reflection Sound, Charlotte.
Jim Wann Sings Jim Wann Vol. 2
Jim Wann originals not associated with Musicals: folk, rock, soul, poetic, sometimes dark, sometimes cheerful. Produced by Don Dixon and recorded at Needmore Farm, SPA, Rubber Room, Kingswood, and The West Bank with technical assistance by Jerry Brown and Jim Brock, with special thanks to Helene Blue.
King Mackerel & The Blues are Running
Original Cast Recording with Bland Simpson, Don Dixon and Jim Wann, Produced by Don Dixon with Mark Williams, Engineer, and Jim Brock, drums, Reflection Sound, Charlotte. Before this there were cassettes recorded at Gronback Studio, Chapel Hill, and live at The West Bank, NYC, which are collected at KingMackerelMusical.com and bandcamp, along with a new EP, Let’s Go To The Coast, recorded at Simpsonhurst by Dixon.
Wild Ponies
New songs by Coastal Cohorts (Simpson, Wann, Dixon), many of which are played in King Mackerel live shows. Recorded and Produced by Don Dixon at SPA, the Grove Park Inn, Simpsonhurst and Kingswood. With Jim Brock, drums.
Pump Boys and Dinettes On Broadway
Original Cast Recording featuring John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann on CBS/Masterworks Records. Recorded at RCA Studios, New York (Mike Berniker, Producer) and in Nashville/CBS Studios (Billy Sherrill, Producer).