The album A Wink Is As Good As A Nod To A Blind Mule is thoroughly thought out and centres on themes of memory, friendship, and songs that wouldn’t be forgotten. David Moore has dedicated the project to James Masters Patterson, his long-time writing partner and close friend, whose work forms the basis of all the tracks. This link gives the album a definite purpose, while the title also serves as a lighter reference to Patterson’s character and the humour that David Moore remembers so well.
The recording process played a vital role in giving the album its particular character. Instead of merely going back to Patterson’s earlier work, Moore carefully rebuilt the drum performances from previous recordings, going through them beat by beat before passing on the sections. The album then expanded as a result of recordings made separately in different parts of the world: Jay Michael Smith recorded the guitars in Dallas, Brian Patterson recorded the bass at his home, and further vocal and production contributions were made in Albuquerque, Pittsburgh and in the UK.
The book “Mysteries Of Life” is a clear example of how well the project manages to link the past with the present; Jay Michael Smith’s guitar playing closely matches Patterson’s original style and therefore gives the recording an extremely realistic feeling. This is a very important point since the tribute doesn’t rely entirely on words or on expressions of dedication, but rather Patterson’s musical identity can be sensed in the way his compositions have been brought back into focus.
The album also has to thank the wide range of people who contributed to making Moore’s long-standing idea a reality, such as Brian Patterson, Hollan Holmes, Fred Sullivan, Ralph Galetti, Abbie McKinney, Jackie Dwire, and the recording engineer Stuart Epps. Having seven tracks been released as singles from late 2025 onwards, the finished album now presents the whole project in its entirety. A Wink Is As Good As A Nod To A Blind Mule comes across as a thoughtfully preserved piece of creative history, not only reviving Patterson’s songs but also recording the considerable amount of effort that Moore put into respecting his friend.
DAVIDMOORE1056.COM SPOTIFY X.COM FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE
