Take this out to the ballgame
The Baseball Ballads (Chuckbrodsky.com Records)
Chuck Brodsky
Do you know who Eddie Klepp is? I didn't either until I listened to "The Baseball Ballads," a collection of folksongs about the National Pastime. Singer/songwriter Brodsky, a life-long baseball fan, has written a collection of tunes that pay tribute to his love of baseball, and also showcases his talents.
The CD is a history lesson, delivered by an excellent storyteller, that serves up some of the odder personalities in baseball. Some of those include Klepp, the only white man to play in the Negro Leagues; Dock Ellis, who, in 1970, threw a no-hitter while on LSD; Moe Berg, the journeyman catcher and CIA spy; and of course "The Unnatural Shooting of Eddie Waitkus," the story on which the movie "The Natural" was based.
Brodsky is an excellent guitarist, and sings with a whine similar to Bob Dylan's. Brodsky also shares Dylan's ability to weave a compelling narrative through a song. "The Baseball Ballads" may not be for everyone, but if you're a baseball fan, you're sure to enjoy Brodsky's tales, and the sincerity with which he shares them.