“…some hold on to dreams, some hold on to the fear that they’re just growing old”
'Long Way to Heaven' is a track I have been playing in my sets for over 30 years. Autobiographical and written of a time when I lived in Marseille, France. Places mentioned in the song are real (given poetic license!) and the song still evokes a whole load of memories for me
This version came from my 'Moon over Indigo' sessions so features Danny Flam & the New York Brass as well as Cenovia Cummins' String Quartet amongst the many ither fine players involved
On a side note, Cenovia Cummins' Quartet has worked with and been featured on recordings by Rod Stewart and Barbara Streisand!
The late, great Benjy King played Hammond and the rest of his band (Patty Smyth's 'Scandal') provided the backing (Keith Mack, guitar; Eran Asias, drums, Tom Welsch, bass).
Kareña K added her backing vocal arrangements to the song after it was recorded
The track was originally released on the Wily Bo Walker & Kareña K EP 'A Long Way from Heaven' - the EP is being remastered and expanded upon for a full album release in 2024
Available as Hi Res Audio 24Bit 96khz FLAC or WAV download as well as regular MP3 etc
Said of this track:
"what a wonderful sound-scape that record has…" Paul Long - Blues & Roots Connections
"the amazingly voiced Wily Bo Walker & Kareña K…" Pete Feenstra - Blues & Rock Show
"Long Way To Heaven …could have been written for Joe Cocker to power out at Woodstock" John Bottomly - Blues in the North West
from
Wily Bo Walker presents 'Troubadour Jams (Deluxe)',
released February 12, 2021
Wily Bo Walker - Vocals / Tambourine
Kareña K - Backing Vocals
Drums - Eran Asias
Electric Bass - Tom Welsch
Keyboards - Ruslan Agababayev
Keyboards - Benjy King
Guitar - Keith Mack
Trumpets - Tony Gorruso, Michael McGovern, Kenny Rampton
Trombones - Daniel Flam, Steve Withoft
Saxes - Ron Bertolet, Mark Gatz, Nir Naaman
The Cenovia Cummins String Quartet:
Cenovia Cummins - Violin
Louise Owen - Violin
Alissa Smith - Viola
Laura Bontrager - Cello
Arranged by Wily Bo Walker & Danny Flam
Produced by Wily Bo Walker
Engineering: Daniel Flam, Blue Tha Engineer, Wily Bo Walker
Recorded at: Brown Sugar Studios, New York & Wily Bo Studios, London, UK
Remastered at 24 Bit 96khz by Denis Blackham, Skye Mastering