Tag Archives: James Arthur Payne

Better Than Ezra: How Does Your Garden Grow?

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On August 25, 1998, “Elektra” label released “How Does Your Garden Grow?” the fourth Better Than Ezra album. It was recorded January – March 1998 and was produced by Malcolm Burn.

Personnel:

  • Kevin Griffin– vocals, guitar, Rhodes, piano, Chamberlin, VCS3
  • Tom Drummond – bass, pedal steel, MetaSynth, VCS3
  • Travis Aaron McNabb – drums, percussion, Beat Box, VCS3, Optigan
  • James Arthur Payne – vocals, guitar
  • Anthony Dagradi – flute
  • Mark Mullins – trombone
  • Brian Graber – trumpet
  • Karl Berger – vibraphone

Track listing:

All tracks by Kevin Griffin

  1. Je ne m’en Souviens pas
  2. One More Murder
  3. At the Stars
  4. Like It Like That
  5. Allison Foley
  6. Under You
  7. Live Again
  8. Happy Day Mama
  9. Pull
  10. Particle
  11. Beautiful Mistake
  12. Everything in 2’s
  13. New Kind of Low: Low / Coma
  14. Waxing or Waning?

Better Than Ezra: Friction, Baby

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On August 13, 1996, “Swell” label released “Friction, Baby”, the third Better Than Ezra studio album. It was recorded March – April 1996 and was produced by Don Gehman.

Personnel:

  • Kevin Griffin– vocals, guitar
  • Tom Drummond– bass
  • Travis McNabb– drums
  • James Arthur Payne – guitar
  • Lawrence Sieberth – piano
  • Peter Holsapple – piano, organ, mandolin
  • Anthony Dagrade – saxophone, clarinet, flute
  • Jamil Sharie – trumpet
  • Mark Mullins – trombone
  • Matthew Perrine – tuba
  • Joan Wasser– violin

 Track listing:

All tracks by Kevin Griffin.

  1. King of New Orleans
  2. Rewind
  3. Long Lost
  4. Normal Town
  5. Scared, Are You?
  6. Return of the Post Moderns
  7. Hung the Moon
  8. Desperately Wanting
  9. Still Life With Cooley
  10. WWOZ
  11. Happy Endings
  12. Speeding Up to Slow Down
  13. At Ch. Degaulle, Etc.
  • “Mejor de Ezra – starts at 3:20 into the track

Better Than Ezra: Closer

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On August 7, 2001, “Beyond Records” label released “Closer”, the fifth Better Than Ezra studio album. It was recorded in January 2001 and was produced by Brad Wood and Ethan Allen.

Personnel:

  • Kevin Griffin– vocals, guitar, piano
  • Tom Drummond– bass
  • Travis McNabb– drums
  • James Arthur Payne – guitar
  • Michael Goods– Rhodes, organ
  • DJ Wolf (Chick Wolverton) – keyboards, turntables
  • DJ Swamp– turntables
  • Mark Mullins – trombone
  • Eric Lucero – trumpet
  • David Campbell- string arrangements
  • Guenevere Measham – cello
  • Leah Katz – viola
  • Daphne Chen – violin
  • Melissa Reiner – violin
  • Toddy Walters– backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Kevin Griffin

  1. Misunderstood
  2. Extra Ordinary
  3. Closer
  4. Rolling
  5. A Lifetime
  6. Recognize
  7. Sincerely, Me
  8. Get You In
  9. Briefly
  10. Juarez
  11. I Do