A companion to the Portraits collection, Untouchable documents another fascinating aspect of Danny Gatton’s musical career: Funhouse, his mid to late ’80s sextet which also included trumpeter Chris Battistone, tenor saxophonists Phil Berlin and Bruce Swaim, drummer Barry Hart, and longtime bassist John Previti. The tapes had remained unmixed after the guitarist signed to Elektra Records, according to his mother Norma, who released them on her NRG label after her son’s 1994 death. The first three tracks steer the listener through moody bop (“Poinciana,” “One for Lenny,” a tribute to late jazz guitarist Lenny Breau), a storming R&B tune (“Ain’t That Peculiar,” featuring a rousing Tommy Lepson vocal), and standards like “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “One for My Baby.” The collection closes with a live recording of “Deep Purple” from The Cellar Door on New Year’s Eve 1978, featuring Buddy Emmons on pedal steel guitar.
Tracks: 10
Length: approx. 51 min
Released: 1998-07-14
Label: NRG Records