"Always Remember Me" - BEHIND THE SONG:


Like most folks, I became an immense fan of Jeff Buckley the instant I heard his timeless release, Grace. Some years back, I was fortunate to hang out with Jeff's dear mother, Mary on a few memorable occasions. I was surprised to learn that aside from the fact that we share the middle name "Scott" and both attended Musician's Institute/GIT, Jeff also shared my passion for Brazilian music, Qawwali devotional singer, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and of course, Led Zeppelin. I still keep one of Jeff's guitar picks that Mary gave me in my case for good luck and the intent of his music continues to inspire. It's become like a mission to turn as many uninitiated ears onto Jeff's music as possible and I made a special point to share his Grace with a certain singer compadre of mine, Sage Sansone. I first met Sage in Sarasota, Florida and was simultaneously astounded and haunted by the eerily "Buckley-esque" qualities in her soaring vocal approach. I was equally astounded to hear that she had been living in a cave and had never heard any Buckley... not Tim, not Jeff... Never!!?? When I finally played Grace for her, it was like she had found her long lost brother - a dream brother, if you will.


"Always Remember Me" began with an unfinished piece of music I had recorded with Brazil's Badi Assad on kalimba, bassist Jake Wolf and renowned drummer, Matt Chamberlain (Tori Amos, David Bowie, Fiona Apple). The song had these watery, rapidly cascading verses contrasting the very percussive flamenco nature of the choruses. The meter and arrangement of the song was rather unusual so, I knew the vocals would need to have a more legato and soaring quality - much like J.B. did with many of his more rhythmically complex pieces. I gave the music to Sage, spurring her on to use our collective passion for Jeff's life and music as an inspiration for the words and melodies. When we met in Nashville, TN the night before we were to record Sage's vocals for the song, I was blown away by what she had written thus far. I suggested that the verse she was singing sounded like the chorus and what she was singing in the chorus should be moved to the verse. So, we literally flipped them, massaged a few of the melodies and I offered up the line "like this tear in my hand" to accentuate the chorus. This is a song that sat without lyrics for 9 years and then in one magical evening, it was finished! The following day in vocal session, Sage was channeling "Jeff" with everything she had and it comes across very poignant & powerful on the track. Afterwards, we went to dinner and ordered a single drink for the empty chair at our table - in Jeff's honor. As you can imagine, our waiter thought we were just a bit strange. That is, until we told him who the drink was for... turns out he was a Jeff Buckley fan too! 


~ Jeff Young 11.16.2009


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FROM THE ALBUM JEFF YOUNG ~ EQUILIBRIUM
featuring vocals by Sage Sansone 
"Always Remember Me" ~ for Jeff Scott Buckley
(written by Jeff Young, Sage Sansone, Badi Assad)

HEAR IT HERE: www.myspace.com/guitaristjeffyoung

"Always Remember Me"

I am the rain
Falling around you - ooh 

I am the streams Moving below you - ooh Flowing through life The balance between will and surrender Wrapped in my song Moving through thundering torrents Believe and it shall be Always remember me - ooh hoo All ways lead back to the sea Like this tear in my hand (bridge improv) I am the ocean My body is yours - ooh
I am your dreams Unbound emotion - ooh Believe and it shall be Always remember me - ooh hoo All ways lead back to the sea Like this tear in my hand


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Jeff Young is the lead guitarist on Megadeth's platinum selling classic, So Far, So Good…So What! (1987 Capitol Records). His 1997 "acoustic based" collaboration with Brazilian phenom Badi Assad, entitled Chameleon (Verve/PolyGram), climbed to number one in Europe also topping JAZZIZ magazine's Readers Poll: "Best Brazilian Albums of the Year." Jeff's association with the Assad family also spawned songwriting collaborations with guitar luminary Sergio Assad and two pieces on Badi's Verde album.


Jeff's eleven song solo debut, Equilibrium is available in limited release beginning 11.10.09. You may obtain a CD copy via Jeff's official web site www.catgutnut.com (only 600 available in this initial printing on the artist's own WaterSongs Music label). All CD sales PayPal Verified.


Jeff is also a member of the YMT Guitar Trio along with Scott Morris and Steven Thachuk. During the summer and fall of 2009, the trio ommenced their first series of concert dates in Florida - Bath, England - Los Angeles - Indiana and Ohio. As 2010 begins, YMT3 will record their first album and continue performing around the globe.