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Looking For a Parking Place released on 45
The new album can be purchased at all of Sue’s gigs and also at vinyl stores Cow Records in OB and Folk Arts on University and 36th St, or online at https://www.luxrecordsusa.com/vinyl-records
Vinyl Recording of Movin' Along now available, consisting of the EP tracks plus 3 bonus tracks
Note: right click the 'mp3' link if you want to download each song
- Locked Up in Georgia (E.C.Ajuzie) - Sue Palmer, piano; April West, trombone; Jonny Viau, saxes; Steve Wilcox, guitar; Pete Harrison, bass; Sharon Shufelt, drums; Liz Ajuzie, vocals. This song is based on a true story on a band road trip to Jeckyl Island, Georgia, in Brunswick County. Liz wasn't in the band then, but was inspired to write a song about it after an amusing recount of the event.
- Do I Move You? (N.Simone) - Sue Palmer, piano; April West, trombone; Jonny Viau, saxes; Steve Wilcox, guitar; Pete Harrison, bass; Sharon Shufelt, drums; Liz Ajuzie, vocals. One of Nina Simone's most powerful hits, the theme of moving on begins.
- Whooo Wee Sweet Daddy (J.Miller) - Sue Palmer, piano; April West, trombone; Jonny Viau, saxes; Steve Wilcox, guitar; Pete Harrison, bass; Sharon Shufelt, drums; Liz Ajuzie, vocals. I have been inspired for years by a wonderful piano player from the South Texas/Louisiana border area: Miss Katie Webster. Ironically, the Thunderbird Analog Recording Studio's founder, Thomas Yearsley, recorded this song with her in his youth, as an iconic member of The Paladins.
- Last Call (L.Chavez, L.J.Willcock) - Sue Palmer, piano; April West, trombone; Jonny Viau, sax; Laura Chavez, guitar; Pete Harrison, bass; Sharon Shufelt, drums; Liz Ajuzie, vocal. This haunting tune recalls a character at the end of her career.
- Movin' Along (S.Palmer) - Sue Palmer, piano; April West, trombone; Jonny Viau, saxes; Steve Wilcox, guitar; Pete Harrison, bass; Sharon Shufelt, drums; Liz Ajuzie, vocals; Laura Chavez, rhythm guitar; April West and Sharon Shufelt, harmony vocals. Recorded in November, 2021, this title track speaks to the path of the Motel Swing Orchestra as we continue to recover from one of history's biggest disasters.
Mastered by PHPRO Music, Pete Harrison
Band Photo: Nick Abadilla
Graphic Design: Julie Warren
1962 turquoise Lincoln Continental convertible courtesy Janet Reiter
Note: right click the 'mp3' link if you want to download each song
- Soundtrack to a B Movie, by Sue Palmer, Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra: Sue Palmer, piano, Sharon Shufelt, drums, Oliver Shirley, bass, Jonny Viau, sax, April West, trombone, Steve Wilcox, guitar, Live version, 2002.
- Dark Eyes, traditional,Sue Palmer, piano, Pete Harrison, bass, Sharon Shufelt, drums, April West, trombone, Jonny Viau, sax, Steve Wilcox, guitar, 2015.
- Do Lord Remember Me, traditional, Sue Palmer, piano, Sharon Shufelt, drums, Rob Thorsen, bass, Deejha Marie, vocals, Earl Thomas, vocals, 1999.
- Oh Well by Laura Jane Willcock, Sue Palmer, piano, Sharon Shufelt, drums, Thomas Yearsley, bass, Laura Chavez, guitar, Jonny Viau, sax, Laura Jane, vocals, 2019.
- Freak Lover by Mark Unobski, Sue Palmer, piano, Frosty Smith, drums, Greg Willis, bass, Cadye Kane, vocals, Eric Hokkanen, violin, Steve James rhythm guitar, 1996.
- Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere, by Hadda Brooks, same as #1, Deejha Marie vocals, 2002.
- Bricktop, by Sue Palmer, April West, Sharon Shufelt, Sue Palmer, piano, vocals, Sharon Shufelt, drums, vocals, Pete Harrison, bass, April West, trombone, vocals, JPBalmat, alto sax, 2015.
- 2 Deuces, by Lil Hardin Armstrong, Tobacco Road: Sue Palmer, piano, Preston Coleman, bass, Sharon Shufelt, drums, Phil Shopoff, trumpet, Eric Hybertsen, clarinet, April West, trombone, 1988.
- Down Amongst the Sheltering Palms, by A.Olman and J. Broman, Sue Palmer, ukelele, Pete Harrison, ukelele and bass, Sharon Shufelt, drums, vocals, April West, vocals, Phil Shopoff, lead vocals, JPBalmat, clarinet, Jonny Viau, gull sounds/sax, 2015.
- East St. Louis Toodle-oo, by E. Ellington, B.Bigard, and B. Miller, Sue Palmer, piano, Pete Harrison, bass, Sharon Shufelt, drums, April West, trombone, Phil Shopoff, trumpet, Jonny Viau, bari sax, JPBalmat, clarinet, 2015.
- On the Sunnyside of the Street, by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields, Sue Palmer, piano, Sharon Shufelt, drums, Rob Thorsen, bass, April West, trombone, Jonny Viau, sax, Steve Wilcox, guitar, David Mosby, vocals, 2001.
- Narrative, written by Sue Palmer, performed by Romy Kaye, live show "Soundtrack to a B Movie," Dizzys, 2002
- Just for a Thrill, by Lil Hardin Armstrong, Sue Palmer, piano, Sharon Shufelt, drums, Oliver Shirley, bass, April West, trombone, Romy Kaye, vocals, 2002.
- Fish for Supper, traditional, same as #8, Preston Coleman, lead vocals, 1989.
- Ferriday Breakdown, by Sue Palmer, The Hayriders: Sue Palmer, piano, Katie Cavera, bass, Jonny Gee, rhythm guitar, vocal, Gino Meregliano, guitar, Junior Smith, drums, 2007.
- Blue Skies, by Tom Waits, "New Coat of Paint, songs by Tom Waits," Sue Palmer, piano, Buddy Blue, guitar, Tony Bishop, bass, Pete Boyd, drums, Floyd Dixon, vocals.
- Ladies Shoes by Sue Palmer, Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra: Sue Palmer, piano, Sharon Shufelt, drums, Pete Harrison, bass, Jonny Viau, sax, April West, trombone, Steve Wilcox, guitar, Deejha Marie, vocals.
- Dragnet for Jesus by Sister Wynona Carr, Sue Palmer, piano, Rob Thorsen, bass, Sharon Shufelt, drums, April West, trumpet, trombone, Eric Hybertsen, sax, Candye Kane, vocals, 2001.
- Angels All Around You, by Dana Leewood, project to benefit the Nicole Brown Charitable Foundation, featuring Nicole's Choir, with soloists: Dana Leewood, Lisa Sanders, Eve Selis, Candye Kane, Mary Dolan, Randi Driscoll, Sue Palmer, piano, 2011.
- Speakin' My Mind by Sidney Bechet/Blue Monk, T. Monk, Sue Palmer, solo piano, recorded at John and Blanche Ulrich's home, 2015.
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Sue Palmer GEMS, Volume One
Purchase it from CDBaby and all of Sue's gigs
GEMS consists of 20 songs I have recorded since 1980, with various bands of mine, with others, and with special guests. My latest recording, one of 20, was done this year, 2018, and was recorded by my band, Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra, with Sharifah Muhammad on vocals, and Laura Chavez on guitar. This beautiful Candye Kane/Laura Chavez penned tune, is called "Don't Cry for Me, New Jersey." Candye was a prolific songwriter, but rarely performed this tune in her live shows. The other 19 are particular favorites of mine, over the years, from bands Ms.B.Haven(an all women's rock band from the late '70s), Tobacco Road (featuring Mr. Preston Coleman), Candye Kane, a country/rockabilly band called the Hayriders, and my current band, to bands that have hired me(Earl Thomas, 2000 Lbs of Blues, Missy Andersen). Special guests on this album include San Diego all stars like Daniel Jackson, Gilbert Castellanos, Rob Thorsen, Molly Stone (Stones Throw), Adrian Demain, and others.
GEMS was nominated for Best Blues Album 2019, San Diego Music Awards.
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Song List... |
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Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra - The Thunderbird Sessions
Purchase it from Vintage, Space 441, at the Carlsbad Art and Antique Mall (2752 State St, Carlsbad - 760-730-9494), CDBaby and all of Sue's gigs
"Toe taps give way to foot stomps. Finger snaps burst into claps. Shoulders spontaneously shimmy. Hips begin to wiggle in provocative ways. You can't help it. The jump, swing, soul, grit, sex, heartbreak, jubilation....everything the music promised and more. When the sax moans out 'Harlem Nocturne,' you expect to open the door to find it raining in black and white." ...Claudia Russell, The Jazz Ride Home, www.jazz88.org |
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We are very honored that our recent album, The Thunderbird Sessions, was nominated for Best Jazz Album 2017 Song List... |
Watch all of the videos from The Thunderbird Sessions! |
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Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra - Bricktop
Purchase it from Vintage, Space 441, at the Carlsbad Art and Antique Mall (2752 State St, Carlsbad - 760-730-9494) (CDBaby and Amazon.com coming soon)
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Song List... Read our San Diego Troubadour review... "Bricktop is guaranteed to please anyone who has grown to love Sue Palmer, The Motel Swing Orchestra, and the music they make." - Paul Hormick, The Troubadour, July 2015 "Does Sue Palmer have the Boogie Woogie flu? No, but she's without a doubt a carrier." - Michael Kinsman, producer of the San Diego Blues Festival |
Album of the Year 2015 for meIt is a little early; I usually wait until the following February to finalize a choice for AOY to ensure that late-year releases get a full shot; but it is already obvious that nothing is close enough that 20-30 more listenings will push it past this. And fair warning-- though a born in the 50's, Beatles/Stones/Dylan type, I'm apt to choose any damn thing in a given year-- jazz, country, bluegrass, english folk, famous or obscure-- someday I may even find a rap album I like. I'm as likely to choose Hot Club of Cowtown as Steely Dan, Elaine Summers as the Stones, and I'm as likely to choose choose Patti Scialfa as her husband Broooce-- and in fact the couple both have one win. Also, transparency-- my copy of this comes directly from the source; I've admired and been slightly acquainted with Ms. Palmer for something like a decade. But I've never considered any of her other releases in the AOY category before. This one is different. The unit is played in, really a unit now-- Deejha sounds like part of the band to me rather than a really really good singer sitting in with somebody else's band; and Steve Wilcox has been around long enough now that he's gotten something of a transfusion of Charlie Christian and Eddie Lang to go with his already considerable 50's-and- 60's chops. Everybody's in the car now, facing forward; nobody's hanging out the windows or running along side any more, and that just gives it a major extra charge of musicality. That's how it feels to me. The material is very strong-- Porter and Ellington and Palmer's title track to open, but a variety of types throughout. In all cases the song is served by the band; yet for all that, it is not a band trying out different identities-- the jigsaw all fits together and the band is not subservient to the tunes-- it all belongs in this "Motel Swing" idiom. If you come to it from a Bonnie Raitt consciousness, "Do Your Duty" will be an entry for you; if you are a Deadhead "East St Louis Toodleoo" will be familiar. If Lyle Lovett or his ancestor Spike Jones is your fave "Down Among the Sheltering Palms" is made to order. If you are a Dixieland fan, guest clarinetist Jean Paul Balmat's New Orleans flavored "Beignets & Bourbon" is the catchiest track on the album; whatever your taste there's something here to whisper in your ear. The material is all around the dial, but it is all on the same clock, and the clock is definitely striking. If there was any disappointment for me it was a rather idiosyncratic one-- I'm a trombone fan, and the estimable April West is a bit less forward than on previous releases; but against that the drumming of Sharon Shufelt is special-- it has a definite "bubbles in the beer" quality that brings smiles all through, and the saxes of Jonny Viau are, as always, very tasty-- the man is one of the best kept secrets in music-- and Pete Harrison deserves his metaphor too-- I just can't think of the right one at the moment. A long way to say "5 stars, I strongly recommend this album." Amazon review by taosjohn, December 13, 2015 |
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Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra - Party Favorites
Purchase it from CDBaby, Amazon.com or at the Vintage, Space 441, at the Carlsbad Art and Antique Mall (2752 State St, Carlsbad - 760-730-9494)
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Listen at Amazon.com Song List... |
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Candye Kane & Sue Palmer's One Night in Belgium
Nominated for Best Jazz Album 2011, from the San Diego Music Awards
Purchase it from CDBaby, Amazon.com or at the Vintage, Space 441, at the Carlsbad Art and Antique Mall (2752 State St, Carlsbad - 760-730-9494) |
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Listen at Amazon.com Song List... "14 songs recorded live in Eeklo, Belgium circa 1999. Just voice and piano, the album is well recorded and an engaging listen. To be clear, this is a warts and all, in concert, recording – check out the bumped mic on “Dream A Little Dream of Me” at 2:00 – but small things like that add to the charm of the album. Best of the bunch is a great version of r&b ballad “Only Time Will Tell,” but “Cry Me A River” comes close." by Bart Mendoza, San Diego Troubadour, November 2016 |
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Sue Palmer/After Hours, solo piano
Winner of the Best Blues Album 2010, by the San Diego Music Awards
"intoxicating and illuminating..." Michael Kinsman, Blues Revue - Sept. 2010 |
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Listen to AFTER HOURS Song List... |
| "ON AIR" NOMINATED FOR BEST BLUES ALBUM 2009 by the San Diego Music Awards Listen to Sue's Interview with Jazz 88.3's Vince Outlaw |
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Listen to SPRINGROLL Song List...
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Sophisticated Ladies
Nominated by the San Diego Music Awards, for Best Blues Album, 2007!Winner of the 2008 INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE (IBC) Award (in Memphis) for Best Self Produced CD of 2007! |
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Listen to QUEEN OF THE BOOGIE Sue wants to thank Blues Lovers United of San Diego (BLUSD) for submitting her album, her all star band for playing on it (Steve Wilcox, Jonny Viau, Sharon Shufelt, April West, Deejha Marie, Pete Harrison, and guests), PHPRO Music for recording it, Julie Warren for the cover, Candye Kane for the liner notes, Janell Rock for writing "Queen of the Boogie", and San Diego for supporting her all these years! |
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Sue Palmer Piano with The Hayriders
with Sue on this album are Johnny G. D'Artenay, Hal Smith, Katie Cavera, and Gino Meregillano |
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Listen to YOUR CHEATIN' HEART |
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In the Green Room
SUE PALMER'S "In The Green Room" is a celebration of Sue's musical roots. |
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Listen to JAKOB'S BOOGIE WOOGIE LULLABY Listen to TENDERLY |
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Live at Dizzy's
Voted Best Blues Album 2002-2003 by the San Diego Music Awards!!! |
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Listen to ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, ANYWHERE Listen to WALKIN' |
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Soundtrack to a B Movie
nominated for best Blues Album!! |
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Listen to SOUNDTRACK TO A B MOVIE Listen to THE BOOGIE AND THE BLUES |
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Motel Swing
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Listen to SWANGO Listen to BEEHIVE |
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Tobacco Road - Home and Arranged
Also Now Available: The last recording of Sue's Swing Band in the 80's, Tobacco Road, featuring Mr. Preston Coleman. |
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Listen to Poor Butterfly |
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Sue Palmer and her Southern California accomplices have plotted an album of driving piano, expressionistic horns and dance-inducing rhythm! If you live in San Diego, you can purchase the CD from Sue at any of her gigs (see the schedule page for dates & places). |
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