November 16, 2006
Lenny Breau's Sad Song
Posted by Sean Moores at November 16, 2006 6:24 AMOne Long Tune: The Life and Music of Lenny Breau
By Ron Forbes-Roberts
University of North Texas Press
325 pages
I don't know how much of a stir Ron Forbes-Roberts' book "One Long Tune: The Life and Music of Lenny Breau" is making at a bookstore near you. When I was home for a visit with my parents in Maine this summer, it was creating quite a stir indeed. After reading a review in the local newspaper, I headed into town to buy a copy.
Nice idea, but I wasn't the only one thinking it. There were no copies to be had. I called four more bookstores, and all told me the same thing: We're fresh out – but we can order it for you.
Tired of dialing and running, I ordered it from Amazon.com instead. It arrived in Virginia not long after we returned. I breezed through it, and it was an enjoyable and informative read, but it has taken me some time to decide what to write. I'm not sure I can persuade you to hop in your car and head to the bookstore, but if I could inspire some interest in the subject I'd say my work here was done.
Lenny Breau was arguably the greatest guitarist that ever lived, a distinction that isn't exactly common knowledge. It's a little more known in guitar circles, in Nashville, in Breau's adopted home country of Canada, and, judging by the brisk book sales, in Central Maine. Breau was born on Aug. 5, 1941, in Auburn, Maine, just across the Androscoggin River from my hometown, Lewiston. He was murdered in Los Angeles in 1984, and his death not only silenced a brilliant talent but banished it to semi-obscurity, which sadly is where Breau spent much of his career as well. At the time of his death, his only work was a weekly gig at a jazz club.
The title comes from a Breau quote in an interview with writer Joan Sadler: "I just improvise and keep it going and see what happens. Sort of like adapting to your environment and playing however the environment makes you feel. Just one big, long tune."
From a performance standpoint, the long tune that was Breau's life got off to an inspired start. His Franco-American parents, Harold Breau and Rita Cote – known professionally as Hal Lone Pine and Betty Cody – were popular country singers in the northeast who recorded for RCA and gained further acclaim on radio shows in Canada, West Virginia and New York. Lenny showed an early ability to harmonize with his parents, and began performing in their act at the age of 4. He picked up the guitar in earnest at 8, and showed even more natural ability on the instrument than he did as a harmony singer.
In the early 1950s, Breau heard on the radio the man that along with jazz pianist Bill Evans would shape his musical development – Chet Atkins. He quickly adopted Atkins' style of playing bass lines with his thumb and the melody with his other fingers, making the sound of two guitarists playing at once. He added elements of classical and flamenco guitar to his style and applied them to Evans' harmonically complex sound to create a singular brand of playing that left even accomplished players scratching their heads.
More puzzling still were the ways Breau's talent went to waste. His own ambivalence about making music commercially, substance abuse, depression, poor management and an indifferent music industry and record-buying public conspired to keep Breau a cult figure adored by other musicians but unknown to most people.
Atkins and Breau eventually became acquainted, and the elder player became a mentor, student, jamming partner and father figure to the younger man. In Atkins, Breau couldn't have asked for a better advisor. He was a giant of the guitar and the Nashville music scene, but despite his prowess and business acumen he couldn't keep Breau from becoming a heavy drug user in the Toronto jazz scene. Amphetamines, marijuana, heroin, methadone and alcohol would keep Breau from realizing his artistic or commercial potential.
Forbes-Roberts, a contributing editor to Acoustic Guitar magazine, conducted more than 200 interviews, and the recollections helped him present Breau as a person rather than just a guitar god. You soon come to realize that for all of Breau's seemingly unlimited potential, an awful lot of it went unrealized. His addictions cost him steady gigs and recording opportunities. Custom-built instruments were hocked for a fix. It's painful to read about Breau playing the biggest hall he ever headlined, Winnipeg's 1,500-seat Playhouse Theatre, and bombing because he was, well, bombed on whatever intoxicants he could get his hands on.
"One Long Tune" makes it abundantly clear that one of Breau's worst decisions was his marriage to Jewel Taylor in 1980. Worse still, after it was apparent to family, friends and Breau himself that she was an abusive spouse (physically as well as mentally), he magnified that bad decision by going back to her time and again after they had separated. It proved to be his ultimate undoing.
Lenny Breau was found dead in the rooftop swimming pool of his apartment building on Aug. 12, 1984. He was 43 years old. His wife claimed that he drowned, but an autopsy determined that he had been strangled and then dumped in the pool. The Los Angeles Police never had enough evidence to bring charges, but in a 1999 Canadian documentary Detective Richard Aldahl stated that Jewel Breau was the primary suspect. (Jewel Breau declined to be interviewed for "One Long Tune".) Lenny Breau's murder remains unsolved.
Drugs sometimes get a glorified treatment in music bios because they fuel the hard-charging lifestyle and in some cases the creative process. Whatever your feeling on the topic, there's nothing glamorous about one of the world's most talented guitarists face-down at the bottom of a pool. It's just sad, and Forbes-Roberts' book is more likely than not to leave you heartbroken.
Readers of this site might find Breau's recorded work interesting because he got his start in country music, was a Chet Atkins disciple and continued to fuse country with jazz, classical and flamenco throughout his too-short life. Unfortunately, the album he made with Atkins in 1981, "Standard Brands," is out of print. The recent reissue "Swingin' on a Seven-String" might be a good starting point, as it features Breau's takes on "Blue Moon of Kentucky," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" among its 11 tracks. As to the title, Breau played guitars with more than six strings, so he could better explore the harmonic possibilities.
Through the reissues by a handful of small labels, more of Breau's music seems to be available now than ever, and though Forbes-Roberts does an admirable job of presenting his subject, it is only through the recordings that you can get a true measure of the guitarist's talent. Whether or not Breau ever finds widespread popularity, the music is his lasting legacy. Undoubtedly he intended it to be that way.
So many great talents have been destroyed by the abuse of drugs and booze. I was living in LA when Lenny was killed, and can say that my obscure little corner of the musical community was bummed but not surprised at his death. There was only mild shock that he'd been murdered instead of dying of an overdose. The party didn't even slow down.
Posted by: Jim Pipkin at November 16, 2006 10:52 AMLenny...thanks for all the great music you have left behind...truly an inspiration for all guitarists...glad to have met you.
Marty
Posted by: Marty L at November 28, 2006 12:41 AMHey there...I'm DON YOUNG from Winnipeg Canada. I'm a guitar player and film maker. I'm trying to do a film about LENNY BREAU...and need some help. If you care about who Lenny is/was please go to my "Bringing Lenny Home" group. I'm trying to use F'book as a way to finally put Lenny to rest and bring him the respect he deserves. thanks. Peace out.
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