Danny Kortchmar
"Kootch" 1973
Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar (born April 6, 1946) is a guitarist, session musician, and songwriter. Kortchmar's work with singer-songwriters such as David Crosby, Carole King, Graham Nash, Carly Simon and James Taylor helped define the signature sound of the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s. Jackson Browne and Don Henley have recorded many songs written or co-written by Kortchmar. Kortchmar is credited as Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar, Danny Kortchmar, Dan Kortchmar and even Danny Kootch on different recordings.
Kortchmar first came to prominence in the mid-1960s playing with bands in his native New York City, such as The Kingbees and the Flying Machine, which included the then-unknown Taylor; in Taylor's autobiographical composition "Fire and Rain", the line "sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground" is a reference to the break up of that band. In 1967 Kortchmar joined The Fugs, appearing on their 1968 Tenderness Junction album before following bassist Charles Larkey to California, where they joined Carole King in forming a trio named The City. The group produced an album in 1969, Now That Everything's Been Said, which was not a success. The group subsequently broke up, but Kortchmar continued backing King on her more successful solo career, including the groundbreaking Tapestry. In 1970, Kortchmar reunited with Taylor on his breakthrough album Sweet Baby James. Kortchmar's work with Taylor and King made him one of the top session guitarists in the 1970s.
Kortchmar worked on his own, reuniting with Larkey in the band Jo Mama in 1970 and 1971 and recording solo albums Kootch (1973) and Innuendo (1980), but he experienced his greatest success backing other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, Harry Nilsson and Jackson Browne. In the 1970s he made three albums with Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and Craig Doerge, as The Section. He has also produced recordings by Don Henley, Neil Young, Jon Bon Jovi, Stevie Nicks, Billy Joel, Hanson, Tracy Chapman, Louise Goffin and others. He is featured on guitar on Carole King's 1975 album, Thoroughbred.
He had a cameo as Ronnie Pudding (Spinal Tap's bass player in their early years) in the "Gimme
Some Money" video segment of the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.
In 2006 he co-produced Hanson's album The Walk, which was released in the U.S. in the summer of 2007.
Danny Kortchmar: vocals, bass, guitars, drums
Craig Doerge: keyboards
Abigale Haness and William Smith: background vocals
Jim Horn: flutes, recorder, baritone and alto sax
Doug Richardson: alto sax on "Dancing Shoes"
William Smith: piano, organ
Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar (born April 6, 1946) is a guitarist, session musician, and songwriter. Kortchmar's work with singer-songwriters such as David Crosby, Carole King, Graham Nash, Carly Simon and James Taylor helped define the signature sound of the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s. Jackson Browne and Don Henley have recorded many songs written or co-written by Kortchmar. Kortchmar is credited as Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar, Danny Kortchmar, Dan Kortchmar and even Danny Kootch on different recordings.
Kortchmar first came to prominence in the mid-1960s playing with bands in his native New York City, such as The Kingbees and the Flying Machine, which included the then-unknown Taylor; in Taylor's autobiographical composition "Fire and Rain", the line "sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground" is a reference to the break up of that band. In 1967 Kortchmar joined The Fugs, appearing on their 1968 Tenderness Junction album before following bassist Charles Larkey to California, where they joined Carole King in forming a trio named The City. The group produced an album in 1969, Now That Everything's Been Said, which was not a success. The group subsequently broke up, but Kortchmar continued backing King on her more successful solo career, including the groundbreaking Tapestry. In 1970, Kortchmar reunited with Taylor on his breakthrough album Sweet Baby James. Kortchmar's work with Taylor and King made him one of the top session guitarists in the 1970s.
Kortchmar worked on his own, reuniting with Larkey in the band Jo Mama in 1970 and 1971 and recording solo albums Kootch (1973) and Innuendo (1980), but he experienced his greatest success backing other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, Harry Nilsson and Jackson Browne. In the 1970s he made three albums with Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and Craig Doerge, as The Section. He has also produced recordings by Don Henley, Neil Young, Jon Bon Jovi, Stevie Nicks, Billy Joel, Hanson, Tracy Chapman, Louise Goffin and others. He is featured on guitar on Carole King's 1975 album, Thoroughbred.
He had a cameo as Ronnie Pudding (Spinal Tap's bass player in their early years) in the "Gimme
Some Money" video segment of the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.
In 2006 he co-produced Hanson's album The Walk, which was released in the U.S. in the summer of 2007.
Danny Kortchmar: vocals, bass, guitars, drums
Craig Doerge: keyboards
Abigale Haness and William Smith: background vocals
Jim Horn: flutes, recorder, baritone and alto sax
Doug Richardson: alto sax on "Dancing Shoes"
William Smith: piano, organ
posted by Lizardson at 11:03 PM
2 Comments:
Just passing by to say once more big thank You!!! Didn't know this one! Fantastic Music! To good to be unknown! Any chance to find something from "The Section"? Friendly Greetings From Crete! LEFTERIS
Hi!
Thanx you SO MUCH for the Kootch!!!
I've been looking around for this for so long... My old vinyl is almost played through.
I can't seem to find any of the great albums by The Section or their solo efforts (Kootch and Craig Doerge) around any of the blogs.
And I'll chime in with the anonymous passer-by above who votes for anything by The Section. I love those albums (Hand-me-downs from an older brother).
If you have any of these wonderful albums, or you know where they might be... any information would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanx again!!!
~leesa
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