CD available from most digital (including iTunes) and CD online vendors as well as local stores.

Reviews

"Best New Blues Recording" -- John Macdonnell, WUWF-FM Pensacola, FL

"Denis Farley, who has played music with Ira Sullivan, has an album out on Flat Baroque Records. It's called Pryvit Blewz and it's a winner. Good luck with it Denis!" -- Kay N. Peters, Miami Columnist - Kay's Scene

"Funky and Clever" -- - Jewels Ross, Music Director, KDNK-FM Carbondale, CO

"An eclectic blend of soulful introspection" -- Edgar Allan Poe IV, WDNA-FM, Miami, FL

"Good Honest American Music" -- Big Joe Fitz, WDST-FM, Woodstock, NY

"The enthusiasm comes through the music" -- Michael Stock, WLRN-FM, Miami,FL

Music Notes - Southern Dutchess News -- 1/11/89, by John Darcy, Arts Editor
On 'Pryvit Blewz' Denis Farley offers a mostly acoustic mix of blues and funky folk music, and the album is a rhythmic, smoky ride on which showmanship - unfortunately The Word in entertainment today - plays second fiddle to straightforward, honest music.
The musician, born in New York City, grew up in Beacon. The record earned him the number 7 slot in Music-Machine Magazine's 1988 Critics Poll of local releases.
Farley's singing is understated slippin' and aslidin', in the vocal vein of guitar great Ry Cooder (his milestone work of the '70's such as the album, "Into the Purple Valley"). Farley's understatement makes the clever storylines and humor of the songs that much more effective. The "pryvit" songs that come to mind here are "I'll Never Drive Again," featuring guitarist Albert Williams.
"Teaser's Blewz" is a rhythm & blues shuffle with a lazy, liquid vocal, "Zeke and the Rat" is a medium tempo boogie featuring Harvey Mandel on guitar. Mandel at one time picked for the group Canned Heat and British Bluesman John Mayall.
On the tune "Mild Mannered Reporter," Farley displays his good-humor chops in a Superman /Clark Kent send-up capped by a bluesy harmonica. "Well it's a horned rim poont of view . . ."
Calvin "Fuzz" Samuel handles bass guitar chores on "Hustler's Lament," a talking blues number rife with scatter-shot, Dylanesque imagery. Samuel was a member of Stephen Stills' group Manassas in the '70's. (That unit also featured ex-Byrd Chris Hillman.) Paul Harris, also a Manassas alumnus, performs on "Hustler's Lament" as well.
Farley sails on saxophone in the number "Okefenoke," a swampy soiree into southern bluesland.
"I'll Never Give Up On You" might be the masterwork here, lyrically. Farley ruminates a relationship on its last legs, and a pledge on his part to make it work, tells the lady in question that he's quit this, surrendered that, "I gave up all the things you told me to / But I'll never give up on you."
Farley departs from his talk-sing technique on "My Poor Heart" in favor of a down and dirty country blues, with a little falsetto thrown in for good measure. And to solid effect.
"Broke and Disgusted" is a Fred Neil-like coffeehouse folk blues that is essentially a slowed-down song of self-assessment.
This fine debut album is availbable at Book & Record stores in the area.
In a recent note, Farley says the record is receiving radio airplay nationwide.
- Music Notes by John Darcy, Arts Editor for the Southern Dutchess News

"Blues: The aspiration of Beacon's Denis Farley" -- Bob Pucci, Correspondent, Evening News 1988
Picking at Chinese food, with a trace of the sniffles (allergies) Denis Farley is talking about the economics of the music business and singing the blues.
His album "PRYVIT BLEWZ" has been getting good air play. Its predominant blues sound with a trace of country western thrown in speaks well for the talents of its creator. Notable tracks include "Dreaming South", "Zeke and the Rat" and "Mild Mannered Reporter." Farley suggest that promoting the album may be more difficult than producing it.
After much research, mailings and telephone calls, Denis has literally written the book for the promotion of works by blues performing artists. His Blues Promotion Handbook will be published this year by the Williams File in Nashville.
He relishes his roles as promoter, producer, agent, song writer, song plugger and publisher, although sometimes he wishes he could settle down, performing at will, earning enough for a house, home recording studio, jeep and kids.
Denis did not have any scheduled gigs in the area on his recent visit to his hometown, Beacon, but he did sit in with his friend Jim Eppard and the Crows when they played at Sidetrakked, a bar in Poughkeepsie which features a monthly blues night.
As a musician he plays harmonica and works the saxophone but lately he's been leaning more to the harmonica and a folk sound.
His next album "Letters of Transit" will be a folk album featuring two songs with local inspirations: "Sandy Beach" and the "Ghost of Bannerman's Island."
"Sandy Beach started out as a little shuffle ad-libbed at the 1983 Pumpkin Festival," said Denis. "When I was working on the melody I had Kenny Roger's rendition of the Gambler stuck in my head. When I turned it around I discovered that it was a variation on the Tennessee Waltz.
Honed and refined on the advice of Pete Seeger, Denis has recorded this song of summer twice with Seeger and once with a full reggae band call Reggae Justice.
"The Ghost of Bannerman's Island" is an anti-war song about an enticing specter who leads men and women to a bloody death. Denis recites the lyrics. They are filled with finely tuned images and line so powerful grace. Denis the song writer is also a poet.
When asked about the anti-war sentiments in his music, Denis offered some background on his experience and the discovery of his avocation.
"I joined the army after being drafted for money and prestige, but I developed a different perspective when I found myself in training to lead a combat squad," he said. At Fort Benning, GA while in Officer Training School, he started to write, exhibiting an acerbic wit and an ability to entertain. When he was given an essay to write as punishment for not studying in study period, Farley expressed his thoughts in a tract on the relative and private nature of time. When Denis recited his essay to his commander and fellow officers in training it brought down the house with laughter.
Denis is also a pitchman who tries to sell his songs to established artists. A gospel tune "Dark Waters" for example is being considered by a well known gospel group.
While working as a stage hand for U2 he tried to sell song to lead singer Bono. Meeting the singer backstage Denis described the song. Bono extended his hand to accept the demo tape. Unfortunately Denis did not have the tape in his pocket.
The music business is full of insulators, people who act as middle men between talent and agent, agent and producer, etc. Denis has spent years learning the game and fronting for himself. Jim Reynolds is the name of his promoter, agent, who is never in the same room with Denis Farley the singer, song writer. They are one and the same.
"When I go to work in the studio, I tend to be well organized. Studio time is expensive, so I need to have a strong idea of how I want each piece to sound," Farley says.
Sometimes the sound is determined by the economics rather than esthetics. The tracks on "PRYVIT BLEWZ" featuring a full studio sound with electric guitar and bass with Denis on sax have a rich texture that would seem to encourage the investment in a fuller sound.
By the time this piece is published, Denis will be on the road. He will write a little, perform a little and promote a lot. Denis is ready.
Like a character in a song, he says, "It is important to look into the sun each day and enjoy your accomplishments and dreams." -- Bob Pucci, Correspondent, Evening News, Beacon, NY

Guest Artists and side folks (band information)

Denis Farley - vocal, harmonica, saxophone, percussion
Harvey Mandel - guitar (Canned Heat, John Mayall, Charlie Musselwhite, etc.)
'Fuzz' Samuel - bass (Dr John, Taj Mahal, Herbie Mann, Jimi Hendrix, Stephen Stills, etc.)
Paul Harris - keyboards (B.B. King, Stephen Stills, Dion, Al Kooper, etc.)
Jimmy Eppard - acoustic and electric guitar (Levon Helm, the Band, Memphis Pilgrims, etc.)
Scott Petito - bass (Dry Jack, a host of recordings from his studio, NRS in West Hurley, NY)
Mark 'Slick' Aguilar - piano (Jefferson Starship, Marty Balin, David Crosby, etc.)
Albert Williams - acoustic guitar
Harry Morgan - acoustic guitar
Dave Rimelis - acoustic guitar & violin
Scott Baggett - bass
Victor Schwarz - acoustic guitar
Kevin Hurley - acoustic slide guitar
Moon - drums
Jim Brady - drums
Derek DeVries - percussion
'Smokin' Ed Hubbel - electric guitar
The Egg Cream Man - bass

Recorded at Bayshore, DB, Rainbow, Natural Sound, Mood Creations, The Ranch, NRS, Little Big Horn, Sound Control, Rolling Thunder Mobile & The Mosley's Bros' Berry Hill, TN studios.
Engineers: Buddy Thornton, Bruce Hensel, Mitch Cohen, John Klein, Tom Anthony, Mike Roam, Scott Petito, Scott Baggett & The Mosley Bros.
Cover Illustration by Catherine Ann Ryder
Special thanks to Ed Bell at WLRN-FM and Karen Samuel in Bayshore, NY
Poduced by Denis Farley for Pouring Rain Music - 1987

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