Over the course of three decades, A.J. Croce has established a reputation as a piano player and serious vocal stylist who pulls from a host of musical traditions and anti-heroes - part New Orleans, part juke joint, part soul. Having been paired with soul legend Dan Penn and an all-star cast of players for his previous album, his new record was born of memories - of favourite artists and shows, but mainly of late-night musical gatherings with groups of friends, with Croce at the piano taking requests. He revisits these evenings on ‘By Request’, twelve personally curated covers that traverse decades and genres, propelled by the spirited, loose-and-easy mastery of his piano and emotive voice. It is a tribute to Croce the music fan as well as the musician that, with the addition of a full band and horns, both the variety and execution are inspired.

‘By Request’ is the first album by Croce to feature his full touring band. From sharing an obscure song by Motown artist Shorty Long, ‘Ain’t No Justice’, to his funky, dead-on version of Billy Preston’s ‘Nothing from Nothing’, Croce and co keep the virtual party hopping. Although delivering faithful recreations of nuggets such as The Five Stairsteps’ ‘Ooh Child’ and Allen Toussaint’s ‘Brickyard Blues’, he puts his own spin on piano-driven arrangements of songs by Neil Young, The Beach Boys, Sam Cooke, The Faces and more. Young’s ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ is reinterpreted as a gospel song, and ‘Sail On Sailor’ by The Beach Boys becomes a trippy, rollicking ride. “I reimagined the arrangement, wondering how Willie Dixon would have recorded it if he were on psychedelics,” he explains.

Guitar legend (and Croce’s Nashville neighbour) Robben Ford guests on a version of folk/blues greats Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry’s ‘Better Day’, with stellar results. “I’ve loved Sonny and Brownie since I first heard them and this song was the first tune I learned on guitar. I added quite a few chords in my arrangement, but what’s new,” he quips. This song is being released as a single ahead of the album.

Although he lost his famous father, music legend Jim Croce, when he was just two years old, he pays tribute by covering Randy Newman’s ‘Have You Seen My Baby’, since the first show he attended was a bill featuring his dad and Newman. “I love so much of his music, and while this is by no means my favourite of his, it’s been a request at soirées. I sort of treated it as if Little Richard sat in with The Flaming Groovies and played it like I was 15 years old, with reckless abandon.”

Summarising this collection, Croce concludes that “it is my way of inviting you over for a private gathering at my place. We listen to great music, laugh, make great food and after a few drinks and maybe a few more we end up in my music room and I start taking requests of any genre and era. The music is always fun and completely diverse. We’ll play and sing all kinds of music. Some of my friends are professional musicians, some do it for fun and many are just serious music fans, so you’ll fit right in. There’s no way that I could record all the songs I’ve performed at home over the years, but every selection on this album has been requested by close friends who have hung out at my place many times. Welcome to my home, by request. You’re hereby invited to join the party.”

BY REQUEST
TRACKLISTING
1 Nothing From Nothing (Billy Preston)
2 Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Neil Young)
3 Have You Seen My Baby (Randy Newman)
4 Nothing Can Change This Love (Sam Cooke)
5 Better Day (Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry)
6 Ooh Child (The Five Stairsteps)
7 Stay With Me (The Faces)
8 Brickyard Blues (Allen Toussaint)
9 San Diego Serenade (Tom Waits)
10 Sail On Sailor (The Beach Boys)
11 Can’t Nobody Love You (James Mitchell)
12 Ain’t No Justice (Shorty Long)

MUSICIANS
A.J. Croce - piano, vocals
Garrett Stoner - guitar
David Barard - bass
Gary Mallaber - drums

Nashville's AJ Croce releases By Request an inspired album of cover songs