Television Interview: August 19, 2022
Garry was featured in a piece by WTEN News 10 in Saratoga, discussing his love for horses and the music he has written to celebrate those experiences.
THEY'RE OFF!
Music/Video Release inspired by Saratoga Racetrack history
August Saratoga Horse Races
Hall of Fame Horse Trainer Woody Stephens
And they’re off!...and so is the release of a new video: Saratoga Sunrise and Sunup’s new Extended Play recording (EP). Those who have come from near and far to Saratoga this August, share that bond of racing. They’re Off and accompanying songs and instrumentals will strengthen that bond.
The Saratoga Sunrise music/video captures some of those magical moments at the track. This song and video sets the mood for the beauty and power found in a morning at the racetrack in Saratoga.
The title track, They’re Off, was composed to run simultaneously with the classic race distance of a mile and a quarter, associated with the length of the Kentucky Derby, The Travers Stakes Race in Saratoga, and the Breeder’s Cup Classic. The song emulates the excitement of horses breaking from the gate to crossing the finish line.
Additionally, there is the song and video tribute to Hall of Fame Horse Trainer Woody Stephens. He was a charismatic personality and fan favorite in Saratoga, having won five consecutive Belmont Races in the 1980’s. Many consider him to be one of the best trainers of all time. He is responsible for Sunup’s growing affinity for horse racing.
Horse owner, singer-songwriter, and producer Garry Manuel adds guitars, vocals, bass, and strings to this musical experience. Brian Soule is on piano and keyboards. James (Goon) Wilson entwines vocals. All for the love of horses, sensing the experience through genres of acoustic rock, and the singer-songwriter. You'll also find Phil Lake on a couple drum tracks.
Excite your racing companions as you host at the races and crystallize the memories for a life of reflection. View and listen…
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/5XxTSYP1WfOuKm5P02z52U?si=gtCPOkh5TWKYFwdKy7H_VQ
Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/theyre-off-ep/1630670072
Playlists:
Saratoga-Horses:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/saratoga-horses/pl.u-DdAN8Pau0Ke7o1
Horse Racing Playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gLrok7pmokolFdNKmuoxx?si=7f003b03a7d64fd0
The Dream Again
Garry Manuel - lead vocal, strings, electric and acoustic guitars
Narada Michael Walden - drums
Bill Tiberio - saxophone
Brian Soule - piano and keyboard
Dave Kluge - bass
Vocals: Diane Holmes, Stephanie LaBarge, Mary Manuel, Shawanda Owens, Caroline Rohlin and Karla von Aardt
About “The Dream Again”
The majority of “The Dream Again” was written back in 1974. Yes, nearly fifty years ago! Sunup actually performed the song on WCMF-FM in a live concert. To have a better understanding of where my inspiration came for the tune you need to reflect back that the country was coming out of a time of severe unrest, much like we are experiencing now. War, street violence, the Civil Rights Movement, a push for restorative measures to help the environment, the Attica uprising, Kent State protesters being shot, arguments over rights to an abortion, a gas shortage and a corrupt president resigning, all took place in a fairly short time period. It didn’t seem that short at the time. Now that I’ve listed the turbulent issues of that time period it really makes you stop and think: “How much did we really learn?!” But the song was written as a welcoming of better times and a spirit of renewed hope after struggling through the many obstacles on the road to a better America. And, as I was in the process of preparing to record this song I felt the need to add a third verse that reflected how I was currently feeling. It seems for the majority of my life I’ve fed off hopes and dreams that have propelled me to strive toward achieving a musical goal and in many instances, working to erase injustice and the lingering effects of the tragic struggles we’ve endured. This optimism finds two people in love, walking in the morning sun toward a horizon holding promise and beauty. For me, being able to have this vision of beauty and what could be (earth as it is in heaven) has always seemed more easily found away from the noise of crowds and out in the open countryside. In the 1970’s many a musician hoped to live, write, record and play tunes in a beautiful little town about 30 miles south of the Rochester area in the Finger Lakes. You’ll see a glimpse at some of those images in the music video.
It seems that I had forgotten how much I had been emotionally tied to this dream. Apparently it never left my heart and mind. At one point while in the midst of recording the vocal, I actually broke down in tears. Marshall (my son and recording engineer) and I took a little break so I could regain my composure and finish the song. That moment became a pronouncement of the fact that the “dream” was still alive and not permanently buried. The spiritual journey never ends. I am consistently falling short of my own expectations, while striving to apply biblical lessons toward attaining a better, more just and loving world.
Sadly, a couple months after recording the vocal and singing “I feel that dream again,” I found that the peace and beauty was once again being threatened. It was a metaphorical loud and jarring crash. All the factors from the turbulent times previously mentioned were all present and perhaps worse. It was and is depressing. How many times do we have to repeat the same mistakes? At this point I could almost write a book, but instead, I’ll just invite you on the spiritual journey with me and ask that you join me in singing the chorus. Perhaps God will hear our voices and our appeal, and guide us to steer away from the parts of life that hold no meaning and redirect us to consciously be better in every aspect of the word love. Make no mistake – it IS difficult. Yet, as parents, friends, and communities, shouldn’t we be able to say, “As I find the way, I’ll tell you what I know, and then we’ll ALL have a chance to go? Oh, I feel that dream again.”
My hope is that we’ll all be singing this together very soon…
Garry
“I played on this wonderful song cause I loved the line about “Gonna build me a church ⛪️ “
and I could put a deep groove on it.
Congrats Garry and beautiful team of believers. ”
The Dream Again – My story with regard to Narada Michael Walden and Ray Charles
Most drummers know or have heard Narada Michael Walden, but many music listeners have not. I first experienced his playing when seeing him perform with the Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1975, when they were touring in support of Visions of the Emerald Beyond. Jeff Beck was the headliner that evening, at the Dome Arena in Rochester, NY, having just released his fusion LP, Blow By Blow. Narada was likely about 23 years old at the time. His drum skills and the energy he poured into the music were over the top - extraordinary.
The following year we found Narada writing and playing on Jeff Beck’s Wired album. When Narada released his first solo album, Garden of Lovelight, I bought two copies of the album and an 8-track tape that I wore out while listening as I rode in my Chevy van. Sunup was playing a gig in the Green Mountains of Vermont and I’ll never forget cruising the winding roads, blasting that album in the van. Some of the guest performers on that album were: Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana and I loved Ray Gomez’s guitar playing throughout that disc.
Others may recognize Narada’s name from producing Grammy Award winning hits from Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin. You’ll find him playing on Journey’s new album, or on a Chick Corea or Weather Report album. He is both talented and versatile.
I’ve continued following Narada ever since 1975 and was so thrilled when he released his EP, Rising Sun, about ten years ago. He re-recorded several of my favorite Narada tunes, like, Dance of Life. You should definitely check out these tunes on your favorite streaming platform.
There are many drummers that I have such deep respect for and some are right here in Rochester. But the two I have loved listening to and followed over the decades are Narada and Steve Gadd (who is from Rochester). The two of them have so many awards with a scrolling list of the many great musicians they’ve performed or recorded with over the past 50 years.
I’m going to make a long story even longer! The first impactful album I received as a gift when I was about 9 years old was, Ray Charles in Person on Atlantic Records. I still have that album. It was recorded live in the rain, in Atlanta and I was just crazy about that album. I can remember lifting the needle on the turntable and playing certain parts of that recording over and over. It propelled me to want to be a singer, and when the Beatles came on the scene that just pushed toward that desire full throttle.
In 1967 or 1968 I was in my senior year in high school and playing with a rock band. I managed to convince most of the band that we should go hear Ray Charles at the Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, NY. We had first and second row seats. Billy Preston was with him on the organ. I was mesmerized at how Ray would completely crawl into a song to make it so powerful. He played “The Sun Died” and I had tears rolling out of my eyes. My band mates didn’t all share the same enthusiasm about the show that I did, which was disappointing. How could that have been possible?! I left that night with a newfound dream of playing the Auditorium Theatre. About six years later I did get to play there with Sunup, opening for Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt. That is another story, which I’ll leave alone for now.
Back to Narada…
In early January I reached out to Narada to ask if he’d play on one of the songs I was recording. Nearly everything was laid down in the recording process. The song choice was, “The Dream Again”, which had deep meaning for me. Narada was the perfect drummer for this song, not only because of his drum style, but also due to his deep sense of spirituality and desire to bring true peace in the world.
Once I connected with him I sent him the tracks we had and then, I wouldn’t hear back for a while, so then I’d persist in reconnecting and resend the track at his request. This probably went on for two months before there was a sign that this pairing might occur. I remember saying to Bill Tiberio when he was in recording his parts, “I’m going to reach out to Narada Michael Walden to play on the track. I sincerely believe he will.” Bill concurred.
I have a friend, Bob Naramore, who is a very gifted artist. He was ramping up his artwork and working on a portrait of Ray Charles. One morning I was checking out Facebook posts and saw that he was working on that painting. The painting, though unfinished at the time, knocked me out. In mid-March I again saw a post that the painting was finished and was just so drawn to this painting. My reaction to wanting to grab this painting was immediate; however, I was working on the album, videos, recording, marketing and much more. It really was bad timing from a monetary standpoint.
The next day, it was still on my mind. I woke up and put on this Ray Charles T-shirt that I purchased shortly after he died. I don’t wear it very often, because I want to preserve it and my wife says it makes me look fat. She might be right. Anyway, I sat around doing my usual morning routines and then I just caved. I reached out to Bob and said I wanted to buy the painting, because it was absolutely wonderful and held a lot of meaning for me.
In the mid-afternoon I went for a walk. I was about halfway through my walk and my cell phone rang. It was a beautiful day and a couple dogs were barking and carrying on as I walked along this dead end street. It was a number that I didn’t recognize, but I did see that it was the same area code as Tarpan Studios (Narada’s recording studio), so I opted to answer. Sure enough, it was Narada telling me he’d play on the track. He was kind, upbeat, straight forward and quick, but uplifting in his conversation. To say that I was thrilled would be an understatement. I was going to be able to complete this track with musicians who are great friends of mine, but would also include one of my favorite drummers in the world, who I felt certain would lift this track to another level – and did!
As a gesture of my appreciation for Narada performing on “The Dream Again,” I sent him a print of the Ray Charles painting I had just purchased, and followed up with an email giving a little story about Ray Charles’ influence on me. He sent me back a photo of him holding the print and then expressed to me what an impactful album that was for him as well. He said, “I carried that album with me in the snow in Michigan…I would be 7! My fav. Funny, before I read this I was showing that album to Kim Rea in my studio.”
My hope is that you’re able to see how one inspiration sparked another and how that inspiration propelled a vision for the pursuit of a dream that went far beyond the music? The icing on the cake for me is being able to create this music with my son, Marshall. Being the recording engineer, he was able to follow me as I took these steps, hopefully, understanding that the pursuit of a vision and a dream is possible, but not necessarily easy. You must persist even when it may seem you’re on your last drop of hope – especially in these turbulent times.
My hope is that when you’re listening to this song that it would bring back a vision or serve to inspire you toward pursuit of a dream of a deep and meaningful experience. I believe we all want to sense and feel “The Dream Again.”
Garry
Pray for Rain
Have you had that feeling where you’ve been so emotionally whipped that your heart becomes calloused? Your feelings have become so hardened that there are scarcely any emotions or tears left to cry. A love, you’ve fully invested in, has betrayed your trust. The defense mechanisms within you are up all the way and your sense of love has been paralyzed. Yet still, planted somewhere deep inside, there is an ever-present gnawing to let all the resentment out. There is a growing desire to be free from the chains of the past, to abandon your stoic nature, that will mean shedding some tears and becoming vulnerable once again. Pray for Rain plants you in that scenario.
Release date: June 17th, 2022 on most music streaming platforms
Garry Manuel - songwriter, producer, lead vocal, electric & acoustic guitars
Marshall Manuel - recording engineer, editing, mastering engineer, drum edits
Brian Soule - keyboard
Bill Tiberio - saxophone
Frank Rauck - bass
Stephanie LaBarge - vocals
Diane Holmes - vocals
New Tunes are About to Roll Out in 2022…
Garry Manuel
The album has been planned for over a couple years; with two songs already out on the streaming platforms. Three songs are finished; two are nearly complete, with three others on their way to completion. Why the delay? The answer to that question has to do with a topic that we are all sick of talking about – Covid. So, we’ll just move on.
I’m VERY excited about offering up my first solo album. Nearly everything I’ve done, with regard to recording material, has been associated with Sunup. There have been about three versions of the group over the decades of performing and recording. In fact, we hope to have another album recorded by the end of the year (although, we’ve said that before). This brings me back to the current project that will include many of the Sunup alumni and long time music friends. In addition, my son, Marshall, is the recording engineer. Yes, I am biased, but he has great ears and is very adept in the mixing realm and I’m extremely happy with the outcomes. This will also be the first time my immediate family will all have been part of one of my recording projects!
I’ve been blessed with a roster of extraordinary talent and wonderful friends filling the roles needed with regard to the various instruments and vocals on these tracks! I’m quite certain you’ll concur once you’re able to grab a listen.
I’d like to introduce you to these musicians, and since I don’t know where to begin, I’ll just begin by going alphabetically:
Dave Arenius is playing upright bass with his beautiful sounding instrument from the early 1800s. He has played and still plays with numerous jazz artists in the Rochester, NY area and he was part of Sunup and a recording we did in the 90s that was not released. But, who knows, maybe one of those tunes will become a bonus track? He is performing on a Stevie Wonder cover.
Chuck Bianchi has been a bass instructor at our music studio for many years, who is a grad from Berklee School of Music, plays in the group, Brass Taxi, has performed at shows at Geva Theatre, released an album with our longtime music buddy and fellow guitar instructor, Jerry Preston, and has just assisted his wife in opening a vegetarian/vegan café named the Hollycake House. He brings a great sensitivity and some wonderful lines on electric bass to the songs, Words Won’t Do and Romantic Knots.
Diane Holmes – I first heard Diane sing with The Salzano Big Band at Red Creek and was just completely knocked out by her vocals. She has a long resume of singing jazz and blues with a variety of artists. She also happens to sing quite a bit on Sunup’s, Saratoga Sunrise album. She should have her own recordings out! I’ve appreciated her talent for so many years. You’ll hear her voice on The Dream Again and Pray for Rain.
Dave Kluge is a multi-instrumentalist, who plays with many great jazz groups, worship bands and is a songwriter and arranger, as well as being a music teacher in Rush Henrietta School. He plays electric and upright bass. Dave took guitar and bass lessons at our music studio years ago and then went on to SUNY Fredonia. Speaking as an instructor, you always hope that your students will surpass your abilities and continue on to love music and be successful. Dave has excelled and surpassed any of those expectations. He is also a warm and caring human being. He can be heard on The Dream Again.
Stephanie LaBarge has sung a lot of Gospel and worship music, also performing with a number of groups, and in fact, with the Bill Tiberio Band. We go back a distance, as we played and sang in worship bands together at church for many years. She and her husband Dave, have been longtime friends. In fact, I use Dave’s business, LaBarge Media, for music videos and with the non-profit I founded back in 2002. You’ll hear Steph belting some strong and impassioned vocals on The Dream Again and Pray for Rain.
Marshall Manuel is, of course, my son, who is one heck of a sound engineer. In addition, he is a wonderful songwriter, singer, guitarist, and creator of Beats. He also works with other artists, and produces some singer-songwriters, R&B, Hip Hop and Rap artists. He graduated from the New England School of Communications and is presently running our music studio, RAMP (Rochester Area Music Project).
Mary Manuel, aside from being my wife and an incredible talent, is one of the finest and most caring persons you’ll ever meet. That is probably why she was a longtime general music teacher in the elementary school at Penfield, NY. She is a wonderful pianist, who will also have a classical release coming out soon! I know I am biased, but she truly is one of the finest human beings on the planet and I’m truly blessed to have her in my life! It was fitting to have her singing on The Dream Again.
Shawanda Owens has to be one of the finest Gospel vocalists anywhere. Her vocal range is off the charts! I met Shawanda when working with her mom, volunteering in a program that provided opportunities and a healthy meal on Saturday mornings at a church in downtown Rochester. Shawanda has a dynamite Gospel recording out that I urge you to check out. That is why she is a perfect fit as one of the primary vocalists in The Dream Again!
Frank Rauck plays electric bass on Pray for Rain. We go back a ways too! We played in bands together and he is responsible for laying down some of the best tracks ever on Sunup’s, Saratoga Sunrise album. Check out songs Woody and Sunday Ride. He played these tracks with a feel and finesse that a songwriter/producer hopes will occur. It was wonderful having him lend his talents to this session once again.
Caroline Rohlin is a longtime, wonderful friend who has performed in multiple bands and in the worship setting for years. While her father was a vocal professor at the Eastman School of Music, Caroline inherited a natural talent, that allows her to belt out notes both beautifully and with a ton of power. You’ll hear her soulful strains in The Dream Again.
Brian Soule is responsible for the majority of piano and keyboards on most of the tracks. You’ve seen or heard Brian perform with Sunup since the early 80s. He brings his own style and sensitivity to the songs, along with his humor and wit. Our musical introduction and friendship trace all the way back to the mid-70s.
Bill Tiberio has had his own performing jazz band with several album releases, that include former Sunup drummer, Phil Lake. Bill plays in the Rochester, NY area, sitting in with many of the top performing jazz musicians. On top of that, he teaches music in Fairport High School, Jazz at Ithaca College and SUNY Geneseo. When you hear the phrase, “eat, sleep and breathe music”, you have to think of Bill. He not only brought his incredible talent to the sessions, but an uplifting and positive vibe as well. Bill is playing saxophone on The Dream Again and Pray for Rain.
Karla van Aardt is one of my former guitar students, who just soaked up everything she could in a lesson and has become not only a fantastic guitarist, but, a wonderful songwriter and vocalist. Karla brings a very positive energy to whatever she is working on. You’ll hear her singing, “Oh, I feel that dream again!” She was also part of the Jazz Band at Fairport High, under Bill Tiberio’s direction.
by Garry Manuel
Video: Saratoga Sunrise by Sunup
It's no secret, if you've been following our news/blog page or Facebook postings, you know that Garry has quite a long running history with his affection for horses, from having friends who owned horses, assisting friends with care of their horses and being introduced to horse racing in 1978 and meeting Hall of Fame horse trainer, Woody Stephens, back in 1988 (see Woody Stephens story below). One of his passions is photographing horses and some of that work can be found in video tribute to Woody and also, the latest music video, Saratoga Sunrise. He is not shy about introducing people to the world of horse racing and now is involved with partnerships that own thoroughbreds. So, what do songwriters do? They write songs about topics they're passionate about, and with Garry there is no exception.
Garry has been working on a solo album project for well over a year. The pandemic played a role in slamming the brakes on the project, as there were many musicians and vocalists that he wanted to include on the recordings. Things have started up again, but this is how it's rolling, "I really wanted to get more of the recording down during the summer, but I stayed longer in the Adirondack Mountains than I originally anticipated. But, it was well worth it on many levels. Lining up the musicians to record doesn't always fall into line as easily as you think it might, so it's looking like instead of a Fall 2021 release we may be looking at Winter 2022. I'm very eager to have the music out there! Two tracks are available on the streaming platforms."
There is the possibility of another single and new video being released before the album is completed. Be watching our Facebook page!
How far back do Goon & I go?
A long way back...
WMCC at Monroe Community College — 1971
Goon and I were at Monroe Community College and both really into radio. The station only broadcasted through the college, but we had a great time sifting through the albums and checking new artists out. I taped a couple of the shows on a reel-to-reel deck. I made up what could be considered almost a "set list", often with some subtle or sometimes not so subtle music commentary on the Viet Nam War or racial strife. Things were quite unsettled then, but may even be worse now, because we don't seem to learn well. It's either that or we have short memory spans.
Goon and I began recording in 1970, but not as Sunup. In fact, we were recording in mono with Mick Guzauski. I borrowed a friend’s electric guitar to record with. It was a Gibson Firebird - a unique sounding and playing instrument and I owned played a horrible old Gibson acoustic. We recorded three of my original songs. The drummer on those tracks was Rob Day and the interesting thing about the link to Rob is that his daughter emailed me this past year asking if she could put a home video together using one of the songs to put up on Facebook. That is something I never expected, but it was fun to go back and listen to those songs once again.
Goon and I did a few gigs as a duo. One gig was to include our good friend, Jim Tomkinson, who also sings on the Woody track. A friend at the college introduced me to Jim and he thought we should get together and play. Jim's style was very much like James Taylor. After all, they were both JT! The original plan was to have Jim join the two of us as part of an "official" group. The first gig at the college Jim showed up when we were half way through the gig. He said he had a flat. Another time, we were rehearsing at my parent's house and when Jim didn't show up Goon and I just rehearsed without him. Well, it turns out he did show up, but we were finished rehearsing and heading out the door. At that point we decided that Jim probably wasn't going to work out; however, we remained great friends until his passing a few years ago. And in fact, Jim often played with his cousin, Brian Soule, and that is how we wound up getting hooked up with Brian playing keyboards with us.
At the Olde Bryan Inn in Saratoga Springs, NY — 2019
Soon after, Goon went to Ithaca College to pursue his degree in communications and gain experience as a broadcaster. Every once in a while I'd drive down to Ithaca when his roommate was going to be gone for the weekend. We'd listen to music and play guitars. You'd have thought we would have gone out somewhere, but neither of us had any money. We were lucky to be able to buy a slice of pizza! I was barely able to scrape together gas money to get there and back. As most of you know, Goon left for a full-time jock gig in Danbury, CT in 1979, where he still works even today. You can hear him in the morning on I-95 (WRKI) or dial in through the internet. He and his radio partner, Lou Milano, go from 6am until 10am during the week. It is a Classic Rock station, so no, you won't hear any Sunup tunes.
Tribute to Hall of Fame trainer, Woody Stephens
Woody Stephens, Hall of Fame horse trainer, who passed in 1998, precipitated my interest in horse racing. Many an August morning I would go to the track in Saratoga to photograph the horses working out and to simply soak in the majestic beauty of the horses. Several of those mornings I’d see a small crowd gathering with one of the trainers chatting with group. It was Woody Stephens. He wasn’t shy about bragging about the horses he trained or his prospects for winning. He made you feel like you were one of the members of his private group and I enjoyed listening to his stories, as well as his assessment of the horses he had trained. Woody was truly an ambassador for the sport of Thoroughbred Horse Racing.
It just so happens that clips of what may be my favorite race of all time are in this video. Forty Niner was a hard knocking colt who was one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby, and though he didn’t win that particular race, he had a string of Grade I wins and one happened to be the Travers Stakes in 1988. That race was as about as exciting a race that you’ll ever see and I’m so thankful that we were there.
My wife and I would visit the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame many times on off-season visits to Saratoga Springs, NY. For a long period of time there was a special film they showed every hour about horse racing. The photography, video and interviews really showed the beauty of the horse and the racing world. One day when we walked out of the museum I just couldn’t stop thinking that the song about Woody, that I had been working on, would provide a great backdrop to a film about Woody. I was in the midst of recording the Sunup album, titled, Saratoga Sunrise. I’m not sure if I ever put as much into writing a tune. There were many rewrites, as well as scratched out verses and many subtle musical nuances within the song.
Of course, this dream did not unfold before Woody died, although I had suggested it. I was a struggling musician at the time, who couldn’t fund it on my own and was never comfortable asking people for money. This was before there was crowd funding. But, the thought never left my head or heart. This project would have been much easier if tackled while Woody was still alive. As is often said, better late than never…
My hope is that this 5 minute plus tribute to Woody Stephens will not only give you a glimpse into the life of a great horseman, but also, into a behind the scenes care and training of the thoroughbred. If you’ve never been to the track or visited the workouts in the morning, I encourage you to do so. Just think, one summer day a person asked if I’d ever been to the track? And when I said, “No.” She said, “You ought to just try going once.” The rest is history…
I want to give a shout out to those who were in on the Sunup recording of Woody:
James Wilson (affectionately known to most Rochesterians as Goon), on vocals, Brian Soule on piano, Phil Lake on drum programming, Frank Rauck on bass, Paul Hofmann on synth strings and our good friend, Jim Tomkinson, who unfortunately passed several years ago, on vocals. The recording engineer was Bob Potter and the song was re-mastered by my son, Marshall Manuel. I wrote, produced, played acoustic guitar and shared the vocal duties.
In addition thanks go to John Wager at Galileo Media Arts, who was Producer & Editor and had to put up with my constant reference to the horse racing world and my consistent additions to the photographs and videos included for the project. https://galileomediaarts.com
I also want to say how much I appreciated the contributions of photographs and video to make this project a reality to the following:
Bob & Adam Coglianese (link)
Gene Devine (link)
www.dreammakerracing.com from Blue Stone Farm (video of young foal)
Dell Hancock from Claiborne Farms – I thank her for digging out the old photos and sending them to me for use in this tribute to Woody.
Barbara D. Livingston – award winning photographer and horse lover. Please check out her books (Northshire Books in Saratoga) and her photos are offered in the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame and other spots.
Elizabeth Lundberg – who dug out an old photo of Woody out on the track.
Janet Malloy-Garaguso – a wonderful morning shot with horse and rider.
New York Racing Association (NYRA) – Eric Donovan for the footage of the 1988 Travers Stakes Race, which as mentioned, is perhaps my favorite race of all time.
Amanda Olds – who is works with trainer, Brad Cox, and allowed us to use the video of her working the horse on the backstretch.
Harold Roth at Horsephotos – who provided some great older, historical photos that I couldn’t find elsewhere!
Alex (Wei) Zhang – is an awesome photographer who contributed several of his incredible photos into the mix, which enhance the production even more.
The majority of the cinematography and still photos were shot by yours truly.
Again, my sincere thanks to all who helped make this endeavor possible and to you for watching and listening to this tribute to Woody Stephens.
Garry
Don't Lose the Meaning and Purpose
Before Covid-19 pandemic hit we were rekindling relationships on a regular basis, reconnecting with many people with whom we don't have regular contact. When the pandemic hit, it seemed like there were several weeks where people that we knew from the 1970s were reconnecting - it was wonderful. As I (Garry) began to reflect upon the 1969-1979 time period, it became an unveiling of memories and a realization of just how important that decade was to me and, apparently to others. In a span of a couple weeks I had emailed or spoken on the phone with many of our friends. When I do reflect, I always think of Kerry Peterson and Jim Tomkinson. Both of these wonderful gentlemen have passed too soon. Sunup tunes will pop up on our playlists and I marvel at the wonderful bass lines that Kerry laid down on those tracks. I"m working on a music/video tribute to Woody Stephens, so I often hear Jim singing lines in the song Woody. In my mind I can see their faces and inside I'm smiling at our wonderful friendship and the impactful music history we shared together.
Recently, it was so wonderful to have Brian Soule play piano on a track I wrote for my wife, called, 'Words Won't Do.' [Spotify LInk]
I've recently heard from our old friend and photographer, Jeffrey Rollins, who dug out an old photo from an MCC yearbook (perhaps the last one ever produced?) of Goon and I spinning tunes at the radio station. Sunup would spring forth from that love of music and radio. Goon (Ethan Carey) from 1979 and continuing to this day is one of the leading jocks in Danbury, CT on classic rock station (I-95). You can catch his morning show during the week. Even if you're not in that vicinity, you can call it up on the internet. On Father's Day, we had a wonderful phone chat and concurred with the power of the relationships that were created and remain in Rochester, NY.
About a month ago, after mowing the lawn, I was relaxing outside and a Sunup song came on the playlist which triggered me thinking of my good friend and former Sunup manager, Bob Rice. It had been WAY too long since we spoke. I couldn't remember how many years back it was when I randomly decided to stop at his house and reconnect. He was working at the UR and we skimmed over a quick view of life and when I left, he handed me a CD of his son's wedding music. Apparently that visit was further back than I imagined. I picked up my cell phone and dialed his number. It was a number I hadn't called in over 15 years, and without having it in my contact list, I punched his phone number in just like it was 1973! We had several Sunup events, with the most prominent being our reunion gig at Mickey Finn's in Victor in 2007. But, Bob did not come. His daughter took piano lessons at my music studio when I first opened. For many years I wondered, what did I do to offend him? I was deeply perplexed, because he was a great friend and did so many great things for Sunup in the 1970s. We'd go to his house for band meetings and Cathy (his wife) would make these incredible hors d'oeuvre of prosciutto and melon, putting up with us being there late in the evening. When I called I was somewhat cautious because I knew that peoples’ numbers change or maybe I misdialed.
A woman answered, and I asked, “Is the residence of Bob Rice?” She answered somewhat reluctantly, “Yes, it is.” I then said, “This is Garry Manuel, is Bob there?” Her reply was, “Bob died 15 years ago.” I erupted into tears and sobbed on and off (mostly on) for our conversation. I was so bowled over that I don't think I retained everything she told me. It was lung cancer, and Bob did smoke cigarettes, but mostly, cigars. I felt so horrible that I wasn’t there for the service or to see him before he was in his new home. I'm not sure I have fully recovered from that call.
Not so long ago I had a wonderful chat with Kevin Cuatt, and he was reflecting on the time we opened for Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt at the Auditorium Theatre. There is MUCH I could say about that day, but I don't think there is enough room here. I also chat with Kevin's mom quite a bit (Marie Cuatt) and we do deep dives into our relationships, politics and spiritual reflections. Again, these relationships molded my life and the experiences of that time period put the most important stamp in my heart and mind, whether it be music, friendships or God.
As you may have seen, we had a mini-Sunup reunion in Saratoga with Goon, Mindy and Charlie and Barb Castilano back in November. We all stayed at the Springwater B & B in Saratoga. It was filled with laughter, stories, fine dining, music and some deep conversation.
Charlie and Barb and Ed Castilano were here a couple weeks ago to help celebrate my retirement from teaching guitar. It was a wonderful evening under our maple and pine trees. And I'll mention, we since have had several gathering under those same trees and we're beginning to believe that spot seems to have a magical aura, along with the wind chimes.
My sister (Lynne Manuel) has also kept her circle of friends intact for decades. It is another testimony to the power and necessity of sharing life with friends.
All these people that I speak of know the good, bad and the ugly about each other’s lives. Believe me when I say that I've had more than my share of screw ups and many of my own making. It is the fabric that is woven together that makes each of our experiences special. Being connected is so important and it IS the heartbeat of life. Value these times and friends.
I'm going to leave you with two things: 1)Call someone today that you've thought about calling, know that you should, but just haven't and 2) If you feel like grabbing the vibe of the Sunup connection, you can just go here:
https://itunes.apple.com/…/sunup-days-r…/pl.u-DdANvpou0Ke7o1
Last, but certainly not least, I am so grateful for the life I have with my wife and son, Marshall. To quote Stevie Wonder, "Mary wants to be a superwoman," and she IS.
If you got this far, thank you! Make the most of your days!
Garry Manuel (of Sunup) Releasing Two New Songs May 1st!
Sunflare Songs/Records is excited to announce that on May 1st Garry Manuel will be debuting two ballads (Romantic Knots and Words Won’t Do) for release. Both songs are Garry’s compositions and feature him on vocals, guitars and production. Another very satisfying aspect of this recording for Garry is the fact that his son, Marshall Westlake Manuel, is the recording engineer and co-producer on the tunes and upcoming album. Additionally, Charles Bianchi, who has been a bass instructor at the Manuel’s music studio (now named Rochester Area Music Project - RAMP) for many years, laid down the wonderful electric bass tracks for the recordings. Former Sunup keyboardist, Brian Soule, joins on Words Won’t Do, which is an instrumental piece that Garry wrote for his wife.
Romantic Knots: APPLE MUSIC SPOTIFY AMAZON KICKBOX
Words Won’t Do: APPLE MUSIC SPOTIFY AMAZON
The Covid-19 restrictions curtailed the current recording process in working with the other session musicians. Consequently, the album will be unfolding over time. It will also include some covers, as well as some new songs Garry has held in his back pocket for a while. Stay tuned!
Woody Stephens Music Video
You’ve seen former blog/news that featured the Hall of Fame Trainer, Woody Stephens, who trained 5 consecutive Belmont Stakes winners (1982-86). Most in the horse racing world agree, that record-breaking string of victories will remain unbroken. It has long been a goal to produce a fitting documentary or video as a tribute this wonderful ambassador and legend in thoroughbred racing.
Garry has been organizing his photos and soliciting video and photos that will serve to epitomize this talented trainer who passed in August of 1998. This video tribute will not only be a testimony to the infamous skills of Woody Stephens, but will also bring the viewers a beautiful glimpse into what is often a misrepresented sport. We cannot wait to have this project completed to share with everyone.
Sunup News
In November a trio of the Sunup members gathered in Saratoga Springs, NY, for a reunion of sorts. Goon (James Wilson, (radio=Ethan Carey), Charlie Castilano, Garry Manuel and their wives met for a wonderful weekend of celebrating and sharing old and new stories. On a Saturday afternoon they even broke our their instruments and began playing some of the old Sunup repertoire. That event was probably the solidifying event for reuniting once again to record another album that will reflect back to the early days of Sunup – more acoustic and bare bones. Goon and Garry had discussed that possibility earlier in 2019. Due to the current Covid-19 situation, the album may not unfold exactly as planned, but we’re pretty sure it will happen in the second half of 2020 and be released at the tail end of the year or early in 2021. It seems a little weird talking about 2021 four months into the current year, but we’re just rolling with all that’s happening.
Saratoga - Horses
In the late 60s and early 70s we’d drive from the Great Sacandaga Lake into Saratoga Springs to roam around town, take in some music and grab some of the infectious energy that filled the streets. That was the first stage of loving Saratoga. The second was mentioned in a previous post, when someone recommended that I check out the racetrack, and did so when Affirmed and Alydar dueled in 1978. Now there was some energy! Since then I’ve seen General Assembly in 1979 break the Travers Stakes record in 2:00 minutes flat in a downpour, Easy Goer running beautifully, Fortyniner winning in an intense duel with Seeking the Gold, the undefeated Personal Ensign winning with lightening striking just prior to the race, then meeting Woody Stephens and many other VERY memorable moments shared with my wife, family and friends.
While those memories are etched in my memory, perhaps the part I cherish most is being at the track around sunrise. The photo on the Sunup album (Saratoga Sunrise) cover was taken at the Oklahoma Track in Saratoga, as the horse and rider emerge from the orange-pink morning mist. Being up close to the horse and in the company of these majestic and powerful animals rein (pun intended) supreme. With camera in hand, birds chirping and the pounding of hooves, pulls like a magnet force for me.
Recently visiting horses on the backstretch affirmed the magnetism of the horse remains very real; especially when you have an interest in them. In all honesty, it wouldn’t make that much difference if we didn’t have an interest, we just naturally gravitate toward being their friend. Despite my wife being allergic to horses and hay, she still drew close to these wonderful animals. Yes, they each have personalities. In fact, the one photo (bottom center) is of the horse, Double Happiness, raising his head up and seeming to smile after Mary gave her a peck on the nose. A subtler, almost cuddling reaction came from the 2-year-old colt, Determined Fury, who we also visited. They seem to sense the affection from us and respond in kind. What’s not to love?!
Along with this brief story of our Saratoga experience (which really IS brief) there is a link to my Saratoga – Horses playlist. I hope you’ll check out the music and use it to gear up for your own Saratoga experience and to trigger memories of days past and those yet to come.
*For some reason, I've always associated the tune, Teen Town, by Weather Report with Angel Cordero riding in his front-running style, in Saratoga. I think it's another instance of experience being coupled with a song and that becoming a soundtrack for a memory. I think we all have those?!
Marshall (3 years old in the picture) is now recording , writing and recording his old-man :)
Wishing you all the best!
Garry
Saddling Up: the Song for Woody Stephens (a tribute to Hall of Fame trainer, Woodford Cephas Stephens)
There are moments in time that stand still, when you’re able to turn back the clock, able to return to that memory like it was yesterday. I’m able to recall the intensity of the crowd, smell the mix of food, beer, cigars, horses and feeling the anticipation that something monumental was about to take place. I’m relaying my afternoon at the Travers Race which featured the rematch of Affirmed and Alydar in August of 1978 in Saratoga Springs, NY. This race is often tagged as the Mid-Summer Derby. It was a further extension of the intense rivalry of the Triple Crown races, where Affirmed squeaked out each of his victories by thin margins from Alydar.
Prior to that year I had been hanging out with some friends who had horses, but were into jumping and dressage, which differ greatly from the horse racing world, despite many thoroughbreds coming off the track to adapt to these equine endeavors. Occasionally I would get to hop on. There was just something gripping about being with the horses. Perhaps the power they exude or how they display their own personalities, much like us. Watching them gallop or munching on some hay against the backdrop of mist in the morning sun allows for their presence to be even more compelling.
Back when I was a teen our family would sometimes go to the New York State Fair. My parents would like going into the various displays, checking out the latest gadgetry or grabbing a hot dog, but for me, I just wanted to hang out where the equestrian events were and watch them warm up outside the arena.
Drifting back to the 1978 Travers Race, it was an electric day and I knew next to nothing about horse racing, but I had seen the Triple Crown races on TV. We went because a woman that was staying at a camp at the lake described her time at the track and asked if I had ever been? When I said, “No”, she said, “You should try going at least once.” That began my journey into horse racing and I began going to every Travers Race for 20 plus years straight. There are some terrific memories attached to those days. But it was that first time at the Travers that really set the tone. Affirmed was disqualified and Alydar was placed first. It was a good thing for me, because when driving home that evening I had just enough money to pay the Thruway toll and probably no more than $2 in my pocket with my van running on fumes.
You couldn’t be around horse racing back then and not hear the names D. Wayne Lukas, Laz Barrera, Woody Stephens and others. Each summer we spend a couple weeks at a lake that is a little less than an hour away from the track. Many a morning I would wake up at 4:30 in the morning and head to the track to take photos of the horses working out. Each morning at the Oklahoma training track I would wait for the sun to rise and take scads of photos. Eventually I’d make it to the main track and find Woody Stephens watching and evaluating the horses in his care. He’d look up at the clocker and wait for them to give him the time of the horses’ work. More often than not he’d pull his horse up to the fence and just carry on conversations with the the morning rail birds. He just seemed like a “regular” guy who loved to chat, boast on his horses and truly be an ambassador for the sport. It wasn’t hard to gravitate toward admiration for him and rooting for his horses to win. To top things off, I doubt there will be any trainer in my lifetime and beyond who will ever train five consecutive Belmont winners, let alone win five Belmont Stakes races period.
From 1988 through until 1995 our group, Sunup, had been working on an album. It was titled, Saratoga Sunrise, and included a number of songs descriptive of the horse racing world. I had been working on a tribute for Woody by way of writing a song. To this day there is probably no other song that I’ve spent more time developing. There were verses I scrapped and numerous rewrites. Once in the recording studio, it was no different. We spent hours recording the song and it went down on tape. Digital was about to hit in a couple years. There are many intricacies that are woven into the production, that in order to fully appreciate the subtleties you’d probably have to listen more than once and be under a set of headphones as well. There was no automated sound board, so it was all hands-on deck. The actual recording process took almost eighteen hours and it took nearly the same amount of time just mixing the track. I must have listened to those mixes over one thousand times. I was determined to make it as close to the mix I had envisioned as possible, and I think the results show. Everyone performed well and the vocal harmonies worked out well.
When the final mix was complete I mailed a cassette copy to Woody. One day after teaching guitar I came home and the answering machine was blinking, so I pressed play and heard the voice of Woody Stephens saying, in his slight southern accent, “Hi, this is Woody Stephens, and I’m trying to reach Garry Manuel.” I’m quite certain that I was beaming. I probably played the message several times.
About a month later I was in Saratoga at the track and I introduced myself to Sandy Bruno, who was one of the women working for Woody. She said, “He loves the song and listens to it in his car. He’d love to meet you.” So, my wife and I went back to the barn area and met Woody. One of my pastimes is shooting photos, so I had my camera with me. Of course, the film jammed on the spool, but at least a portion of the photograph of Woody and I came out. Honestly, that remains a huge highlight in my life, both in terms horse racing and songwriting. That was also the year the horse he trained, Fortyniner, narrowly missed winning the Kentucky Derby, but squeaked out an incredibly exciting victory in the Travers. That was one heck-of-a thrilling summer!
My wife and I frequently visit Saratoga Springs in the off season. Often, we’ll visit the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. The first time we visited we were both so moved by the short twenty-minute film that they showed throughout the day in the Hall of Fame. The photography, commentary and music drew you into the captivating world of horses and racing. The film artistically took you from the birth of a foal, to the racetrack and the retirement of the horse. We’d both get choked up watching this unique and wonderful film. We never grew tired of viewing It year after year. Apparently, the film ran its course (pardon the pun) and has yet to be restored. This was one of the most compelling presentations in giving people a glimpse at the beauty and power of horse racing. In my mind this feature served as one of the most powerful draws and tributes to horse racing. To this day, I’ve not seen anything quite like it.
As we finished recording the song, Woody, I couldn’t help but think the song could provide the backdrop to the story of Woody Stephens and that it could well make for another terrific short film serving to draw more people to the sport. I actually think Woody’s book, “Guess I’m Lucky”, might even work as a full-length movie. Even at this time, I still can visualize a feature on Woody being part of the more captivating presentations at the Hall of Fame. That remains my hope to this day. With the rough year that horse racing has encountered, it just might be the winning ticket in elevating the stature of the sport.
The power and beauty of a song can be much like that of horseracing.
Garry
New Album
Garry has begun working on a new album that will cover some new territory. The album is being co-produced and engineered by his son, Marshall.
New from Sunup: Passion & Politics (music recorded from 1973-75)
There were many people who loved the music of Sunup in the 1970's. It was an intense period of time that was reflected in the music. But Sunup’s music wasn't available then.
So why would Sunup release that music over forty years later? Simply put, many of the songs are timeless and unfortunately, too many of society's challenges and disturbances from that time period have not disappeared. In fact some have even festered. For example, new stories, books and classified documents are still being rolled out about the Attica uprising. We're also still debating about legalizing pot and discussing the unfair practices in the criminal justice system, that have caused the incarceration of so many black males. And in regard to the live recording of the song Open Up, which is about the Nixon presidency, that continues to be an unraveling piece of history as well, and one that irreparably damaged the country, having drawn similarities to what we are now experiencing.
Even the tune Old Wooden Barns brings voice to environmental concerns and the disruptive nature of housing tracts and mini-malls replacing the old wooden barns in the countryside. The dialogue around environmental concerns remains as heated now.
Sunup performed mostly in western New York, but also opened shows for Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Eric Anderson, Johnny Winter and others. Some of the best gigs were at college campuses and small coffeehouses throughout New York and Vermont. In Rochester, they performed regularly at the Bungalow Inn (formerly on Mt. Hope Ave.), The Wine Press, Steak Stockade and area schools.
The Passion & Politics recording preserves the historical context of the early 1970's, while also uncovering the ups and downs of the group’s personal relationships, further adding to an already volatile time period. Unsettled times often provide a wealth of songwriting material for artists.
Over the past couple years Garry Manuel took a great number of reel-to-reel tapes in storage and had them converted to digital files, otherwise, they would have soon disintegrated. The backing carbon on the majority of the tapes had begun to break down and had to be baked (yes baked!) in order to play properly while passing across the tape heads of the tape deck. John Schroth, from Media Transfer, did an incredible job in the conversion process, and all the material on the reels was saved. Some of the recordings were not particularly well recorded to begin with.
Garry's son, Marshall, began the process of remastering the tunes. Many of the songs were recorded live on WCMF-fm. At the time the station was a progressive rock station in Rochester, NY. Not only were many of the live concerts performed at the station, but also some were recorded at clubs, like the Wine Press, that once was on the corner of Norton and N. Goodman Streets in Rochester. The bottom line was that the majority of the recordings were done live to 2 track, so you’re not able to go into individual tracks and tweak the audio in a precise manner. Instead, some of the changes you attempt to make can influence the entire track and compromise other important aspects of the recording.
The core of Sunup was James Wilson (Goon), known in Connecticut as Ethan Carey (his radio name on WRKI) and Garry Manuel. Charlie Castilano was the bassist in the early days of Sunup, who also did much of their graphic design, and can be heard on numerous tracks of this CD. Around 1974 Kerry Peterson (RIP) replaced Charlie on bass. Some of his shining moments can be heard on this album. Kerry, in fact, would remain as part of the three phases of Sunup over the decades.
Sunup also brought in special guests, like Benny Grammatico (Ben Gramm), Dee Carstensen and many others to perform at concerts and live shows. They can also be heard lending strong support on some of the studio tracks as well.
The early studio tracks were done at PCI Studio, once on Culver Rd. in Rochester. The engineer was the incomparable, Mick Guzauski. He was doing amazing things with his talents then and continues to do so now, like recent projects with Daft Punk. Mick's resume is impressive and reads like a who's who in the music business. His engineering talent was evident in these early studio tracks. Keep in mind that Attica and Old Wooden Barns were recorded on an 8-track machine! Mick’s talents became more widely recognized after recording the Friends and Love Concert with Chuck Mangione.
What transcends Sunup’s music is the lifelong bond of friendship that remains as strong, if not stronger, since the 1970's. The group is preparing to record with their sons, Marshall and EJ, who are terrific songwriters and artists in their own right. The group is appropriately being called, Sonsup! So, the Sunup story will live on.
David Crosby offers a great example of how older musicians can continue to write and record great music and mix with younger musicians (Snarky Puppy). Manuel and Wilson, both in their 60's, continue to create and record. Sunup followers will be able to reflect on the memories that Passion & Politics offers up as well as the new material that will be released in the coming years.
Sunflare Songs
31 W. Church St.
Fairport, NY 14450
www.sunflaresongs.com
Marshall Westlake Manuel is about to release his first EP!
He received his degree from New England School of Communications (soon to be part of Husson University) in Maine, and then headed to Long Island to intern at Cover Recording Studios.
Marshall and long time friend and band-mate, Ray Boss, have been laying down tracks for a time and they’ll soon be out for people to download or buy the CD to enjoy. My guess is that this first release may someday be a collector’s item!
Marshall’s tunes have a very catchy vibe to them, with great lyrics and melodies, as well as some well-placed harmonies.
So, be on the lookout for MWM’s first EP comin’ at ya!
Sunup reissues their 1995 release of Saratoga Sunrise
Why release it again?
Simply put, there are many people who were never exposed to the music, because distribution was limited and after a few years there were no CD’s remaining.
Several other reasons for the reissue surfaced as well. This past year many of the Sunup recordings from nearly forty years ago have been uncovered. A great many of those recordings are now being restored and transferred to a digital format before the tapes lose the ability to be played. Some of the songs will be remastered and released in the next couple years.
As a couple of recording engineers recently commented, “These recordings are timeless.” That thought coupled with the fact Sunup will probably be heading back into the studio for a 2015 release gave the spark to ignite the flame.
Garry was always a little disappointed in the sound effects, as the earlier sounds of the horses galloping were taken from the audio portion of a video tape and certainly did not fit the quality standards he would have liked. So, we have recorded new sounds of horses working out at Saratoga and have inserted sounds of the Great Sacandaga Lake surrounding the song “Sitting Beside the Reservoir”, which was written about the lake.
In addition, our dear friend and bassist, Kerry Peterson passed in November of 2009 and we dug out a live track from the Barrett Alley Studio sessions, where he played a rippin’ solo. So we felt that this was a fitting tribute in memory of a wonderful friend and bassist.
Hall of Fame trainer, Woody Stephens, also passed since the album was released. This song is a tribute to the life of Woody. Garry also thinks from a songwriting and production standpoint, that it’s one of the best songs he’s penned. It begins with the piano intro, done so delicately by Brian Soule, evoking images of the dew sparkling in the grass as the as the mist begins to rise and the horses begin to approach the track for their workout. It then moves into the whole imagery of training horses and reflections on Woody Stephen’s life. The Sunup Facebook page has a link to a great You Tube video of the 1988 Travers Race in Saratoga, when Woody trained Fortyniner.
We want to introduce the music to a broader spectrum and a new generation. The music should be streamin’ through new ears! Perhaps they too will find the music “timeless.”