The new album from American composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Myles Cochran, You Are Here, was released back in July 2024 via 9Ball Records. A lovely set that weaves its way through lilting pedal steel alongside dusty stand-up bass, soaring cellos and Cochran’s myriad acoustic and electric guitar flourishes; plus a splash of electronic production alongside twang, jazz, folk, and chamber elements.

“Roots and country music were in the air when I was growing up and they still shape my aesthetic.,” says Myles. “But my love of improvised music, from Talk Talk to Soft Machine, also informs what I do, and guitarists from John Renbourn to John Fahey to Bill Frisell have made a deep impact. To me, these aren’t disparate influences, but make beautiful sense together”.

Myles joins us to share his love of instrumental music but particularly Booker T & The MGs.

It’s rare these days, but there’s a long tradition of instrumental tracks that become pop hits.  The jazz era saw many instrumental tracks achieve success.  Henry Mancini famously wrote the theme for the Peter Gunn television show, and then entered the pop charts with Baby Elephant Walk and the theme from The Pink Panther.  

Link Wray scandalised adults in the 1950’s with Rumble, The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Take Five was a surprise hit in 1961.  One of my favourites is Twine Time by Alvin Cash:

But one of the most dominant sources of instrumental hits was Booker T. & the MGs.  In addition to serving as the band for most (and co-writing many) of the songs that came out on the Memphis-based Stax label – Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, and all the others – the group scored several successful instrumental tracks under their own name.  Green Onions was the first, in 1962 (and hit the UK top 10 in 1979 after it was used in Quadrophenia).  It was followed by Hip Hug-Her in 1967 and Time Is Tight in 1969.  Interestingly for UK readers, their tune Soul Limbo from 1968 was used by the BBC as the theme music for cricket coverage on radio and TV.

Composed of Booker T. Jones on organ, Steve Cropper on guitar, bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, and the legendary drummer Al Jackson, Booker T & The MGs displayed a musical sum greater than their parts – and the parts were pretty great.  The band was also noteworthy because two members were black, and two were white, an unusual combination even in the 1960’s.

I saw Booker T & The MGs live; it was my introduction to a band improvising onstage.  Because the band was focused on the groove, not on flashy solos, the effect of skilled musicians feeding off each other was powerfully musical and utterly hypnotic. I encourage anyone who hasn’t heard them to check them out.

Booker T. & the MGs influenced my own music – the idea of concise, strong instrumental songs has run through everything I’ve done, even if my instrumentation is different.  

Here’s the lovely Signs And Symbols from Myles’ new album, You Are Here:

Myles Cochran online: Website / Facebook / X-Twitter / Instagram

You can read more from our extensive archive of Why I Love pieces from a wide array of artists on an even wider array of subjects, here.

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