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Liner
Notes
Prudence Johnson - Vocals
Tim Sparks - Vocals & Guitar
Tom Lieberman - Vocals & Guitar
With
Eddie Berger - Alto Sax, Baritone Sax,
Soprano Sax, Clarinet
Butch Thompson - Clarinet
Jim Price - Fiddle
Hearn Gadbois - Conga
Willie Murphy - Bass
Gary Rayhor - Bass
Steve Benson - Bass Sax
Peter Ostroushko -
Mandolin
The popular vocal jazz trio Rio Nido
emerged from the heady days of the
Minneapolis West Bank music scene of the
early 1970’s, playing at the
legendary New Riverside Cafe and Extempore
Coffeehouse. With Tom Lieberman on vocals
and guitar, Prudence
Johnson on vocals and Tim Sparks on
vocals and guitar, Rio Nido specialized in
Classic Jazz and Swing of the 1930’s
and 40’s. In 1977 they recorded
“I Like to Riff” which featured
arrangements of The Boswell Sisters, The
Cats and the Fiddle, Stuff Smith, Al
Jolson and Nat King Cole performed with a
stellar lineup including Butch Thompson,
Eddie Berger, Peter
Ostroushko, Jim Price, Gary Raynor,
Hearn Gadbois, and members of the
Wolverines Classic Jazz Orchestra.
Recorded by Dave Ray, Chris Hinding and
Michael McKern, “I Like to Riff”
was produced by Charlie Campbell and Doug
Ackerman for Campbell’s Shadow
Records label with artwork by famed music
poster artist John Hanson.
Tom Lieberman left the group in the late
70’s and after a brief hiatus he was
replaced by Roger Hernandez on vocals and
drums. Beginning in 1980, Rio Nido
switched to a quartet format of guitar,
bass, drums and vocals and focused on the
vocalese style of Lambert, Hendricks and
Ross and Eddie Jefferson as well as Do-Wop
classics like 60 Minute Man, which
showcased Hernandez’ rich baritone.
Prudence Johnson blossomed in this period
as arguably the best jazz singer ever to
come out of Minnesota.
In 1983 they released “Hi-Fly”
on Bob Feldman’s Red House Records,
which featured original lyrics by Jim
Nance, Mary Jo Knox, and Sparks set to the
music of Slide Hampton, Bud Powell,
Charlie Parker, and Randy Weston. Hi-Fly
featured Dave Maslow on bass and vocals,
Dave Karr on flute and tenor sax and Jimmy
Hamilton on piano. Rio Nido’s last
recording was “Voicings”,
recorded for the Pro Arte Jazz label, one
of the first early, all-digital recordings
released in the then new compact disc
format.. They were joined by a who’s
who of Minnesota Jazz greats including Tom
Lewis on bass, Jimmy Hamilton-piano, Dave
Karr-tenor sax, Gary Berg-tenor sax and
chromatic harmonica, Phil Hey-drums, Dave
Jensen-trumpet, Kathy Jensen-tenor sax and
flute, Pete Enblom-trombone, Billy
Carrothers-keyboards, Dave Birget-bass
vocals, and Marc Anderson-percussion.
Rio Nido garnered widespread recognition
and many awards including MN Music Awards
for Best Jazz Group, Best Female Vocalist,
Best Jazz Guitarist, etc. They performed
in many renowned music venues of the Twin
Cities such as the Night Train, Capp
Towers, the Dakota, Sweeney’s, the
Taiga, First Avenue, the Triangle Bar, and
the Cabooze as well as The Guthrie
Theater, Orchestra Hall, the Walker Art
Center, the MN State Fair and the Prairie
Home Companion Show.
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Track
list
- Minnie the Moocher's Wedding
Day
- The Trouble With Me is You
- In Walked Bud
- Hannah in Savannah
- Wacky Dust
- Gone
- I Like to Riff
- Shanghai Lil
- Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love
- The Man With the Jive
- Crazy People
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