Barry Walker Jr is a singular pedal steel player whose influence and presence across cosmic country and ambient americana is inescapable. He has recorded with many wonderful groups and often graces stages and festivals across the US as a central piece of psychedelic country/rock/jam legends Rose City Band. On this first official live album documenting his own quartet, he leads the group through four lengthy instrumentals that cover much of the sounds found across his discography- wide open ambient, free form jazzy jams and laid back cosmic country.

He has great relationships and therefore great jams with his band. At the time of this recording, he has active projects with all of them. Psych fans will recognize Riply Johnson (Wooden Ships, Moon Duo, Rose City Band) instantly, if not by his singular guitar playing then by his mustache. Here like in Rose City Band his guitar is the perfect foil to Barry’s sweet pedal playing. Rose City bandmate John Jeffrey holds down drums, and Mouth Painter’s Jason Willmon rides on bass.

However don’t need to be familiar with the material or players to recognize great, natural improvisation and close listening in a live ensemble. This album is like a nice, heavy rocking chair, you can just relax into timeless craftsmanship and it’ll help you enjoy the day itself.