Taxim Records: Peter Lewis

Peter Lewis with David West
Live in Bremen

catalog-no. tx 2071
rock - 2003

In the end, it turned out to be a memorable event - but for a while it looked like it was not bound to happen. Just before his plane bound for Germany was scheduled to take off, Peter Lewis had had second thoughts about the whole endeavour. This was TAXIM's 25th anniversary bash and the expectations were high. Never before had the legendary singer, songwriter and guitar-player from California performed in Europe, not even with Moby Grape, a band with whose legacy Peter Lewis' name is inextricably linked with. On the one hand he was dying to prove that he had lost none of his musical abilities, but on the other hand, anxiety had suddenly placed a firm grip on the man's psyche. It was Lewis' trusted accompanist David West who finally managed to persuade the reluctant West Coast rock legend that he owed something to his overseas friends and fans. And so the plane took off with everyone on board. The succeeding concert Lewis and West performed in Bremen a couple of days later not only turned out to be a real winner for those present, it's now available on CD as well. PETER LEWIS with David West - LIVE IN BREMEN. There you go.

Intensity and expectancy were in the air that night at the Radio Bremen concert hall. The venerable building - famous for its brilliant acoustics - provided a dignified atmosphere for the duo's appearance. When the show started it soon became apparent that these guys were not bound to disappoint. Equipped with a bunch of timeless songs and the ability to conjure up a timeless West Coast flair, the intent audience's emotions were transported back to an era of optimism and innocence - a time where everything seemed possible. It was a performance that was a thrill to witness. The duo's repertoire consisted of various Moby Grape classics and some recent Peter Lewis songs, embellished with a bunch of beloved covers ("It's Late"/Rick Nelson, "When You Walk Into The Room"/Jackie DeShannon, "Johnny's Garden"/Stephen Stills, "Set You Free This Time"/The Byrds). It was classic folk-rock rich on melodic attraction. The music was healing and it was soulful.

It turned out to be a great night at the Radio Bremen concert hall. Peter Lewis' voice got under everyone's skin and both players were "on". On top of that, Lewis delivered some highly entertaining anecdotes from his personal past. It was easy to understand why the man is considered to be a true original. In a loose but graceful way the old and recent songs found their way into the present and into the people's hearts.

"Sometimes only our friends can remind us of who we really are and who we really want to be" a very reflective Peter Lewis remarked after the Radio Bremen concert, being aware that the ongoing support of his German friends had contributed much to the success of his performance. It was a moving moving process for everybody involved.

David West is a man of many talents. Guitars, banjo, mandolin, bass, lap steel - if it has strings he can play it. He has recorded two solo albums for Taxim ("Arcane" and "Broken Down Believers") that also present his singing and songwriting talents. Before going solo, David was a member of the legendary Cache Valley Drifters who accompanied the late Kate Wolf for a number of years. He also initiated the "PICKIN' ON..." CD-series and helped to make acoustic music hip again by transcribing rock and pop standards for bluegrass line-ups. His most popular project, David West & the Dead Strings was centered around the music of the Grateful Dead and Neil Young. He is highly in-demand as a studio player and producer these days, but when his friend Peter Lewis is calling, David West is always happy to contribute.