"Zing Went The Strings of My Heart"
(MP3 approx 1.4MB)
Written by: James F. Hanley; Solo pedal steel. Arr. Dave Van Allen.
1998 ZumSteel U12, Fender VibroChamp w/Alesis MicroVerb.

The tune Judy Garland sang for her MGM audition, from the show "Thumbs Up " (1934).
This recording dates from my stint on WDVR FM (Sergeantsville NJ) "Heartland Hayride", a live "barn dance" style show on an eclectic , low-power, listener supported radio station. I was in the house band, and got to do a "feature" occaisionally. This is from a Valentine's Day 2002 love songs theme program, and was/is dedicated to my wife, Lizz.

"Where or When"
(MP3 approx. 1.5MB)
Rodgers and Hart; Solo pedal steel. Arr. Dave Van Allen
1998 ZumSteel U12, Line6 POD ("Blackface II"amp model, 12" speaker model)

I originally worked this up as a Ray Price style shuffle. I like it just fine as a solo set piece. Just a home recording, nothin' fancy.

"We'll Be Together Again"
(MP3 approx 2.7MB)
Written by: Carl Fischer/Frankie Lane.
Performed by the Kevin Cordt Quartet with guest Dave Van Allen on Pedal Steel Guitar.
Recorded LIVE @ iota Club & Cafe' April 2003.
1998 ZumSteel U12, 1968 Fender Twin Reverb Amp, JBL D-130-F 15" Speaker.

I fell in love with this tune on a Tony Bennett/Bill Evans record. When the opportunity came for me to sit in with Last Train Home trumpeter Kevin Cordt's jazz combo, this is the tune I most wanted to do. Please note the Tom Brumley melodic references in the steel solo, a musical pun that only steel players are likely to get.

"If I only Had A Brain"
(MP3 approx 7.7MB)
Written by: Harold Arlen.
Performed by the Kevin Cordt Quartet with guest Dave Van Allen on Pedal Steel Guitar.
Recorded LIVE @ iota Club & Cafe' December 2003.
1998 ZumSteel U12, 1968 Fender Twin Reverb Amp, WeberVST California 15" Speaker.

Kevin graciously asked me to sit in again in December. I took the title of the tune seriously, performing a solo consisting of a data-dump of my brain's contents (Christmas Music, Ravel, Gershwin, Emmons) on a Sunday Matinee after playing til 2 AM the two nights before.

"You're Stronger Than Me"
(MP3 approx 1.2MB)
Written by Hank Cochran and Jimmy Key
Recorded LIVE to videotape (hence the strange mix and tinny tonalities) at the PSGA Show, circa 1999.
1998 ZumSteel U12, 1972 Fender Vibrolux Reverb, accompanied by my laptop and a Kawai K1r. thru the PA.

Dedicated to Jimmy Day who had passed away earlier that year... Originally recorded by Patsy Cline in two versons: One is a clone of "I fall to Pieces" 4/4 arrangement. The second arrangement is 12/8 ballad, which is the one I chose to "reverse engineer"= copy as close as I possibly could, for the MIDI-fied rhythm track I play with in this recording. While not the cleanest recording I think the "feeling" is there...

"Swimming Pool"
(MP3 approx 2.2MB)
Pedal Steel solo (Dave Van Allen) intended for long fade out.
Song by DC area Songwriter Karl Straub. Recorded for an as yet unreleased Graverobbers album.
Rhythm section = Martin Lynds (Drums) and Jim Carson Gray (Bass), also of Last Train Home

"Nuthin' But a Baby"
(MP3 approx 1.2MB)
Pedal Steel (Dave Van Allen) and Electric Guitar (Karl) solos.
Song by DC Songwriter Karl Straub. Recorded for an as yet unreleased album.

"Reflections"
(MP3 approx 3.2MB)
T. Monk arr. K.Straub.
Electric Guitar Karl Straub, Pedal Steel, Dave Van Allen.
Karl had a "vision" , I believe, of a Thelonius Monk tune as if The Buckaroos had recorded it. Recorded for an as yet unreleased Graverobbers album.

All 1998 ZumSteel U12, 1968 Fender Twin Reverb Amp, JBL D-130-F 15" Speaker.
(I think this was the first recording date I did with the Twin.)

Country Rock Lives-Part 2!

"Beautiful Dreamer-steel solo."
(MP3 approx 1MB)
Pedal Steel Solo: Dave Van Allen. Artist: Bill Williams.
Very Rough Mix Recorded September 2004for an as yet unreleased album.

"My Heart Hs a Mind of it's Own"
(MP3 approx .8MB)
Pedal Steel Solo: Dave Van Allen. Artist: Bill Williams.
Very Rough Mix Recorded September 2004for an as yet unreleased album.

Both 1973 ZB Custom D10, 1968 Fender Twin Reverb Amp, Weber California 15 " Speaker.
This was the second recording date I've done with the ZB Custom.

"Kind Woman-steel solo."
(MP3 approx .8MB)
Pedal Steel Solo: Dave Van Allen.
Artist: Last Train Home.
Very Rough Mix Recorded December 2004 for possible inclusion in a Buffalo Springfield tribute CD.

"Kind Woman-steel solo to ending."
(MP3 approx .8MB)
Steel solo number 2 from same cut.

Both 1973 ZB Custom D10 pedal steel, 1968 Fender Twin Reverb Amp, Weber California 15 " Speaker.
This was the third recording date I've done with the ZB Custom, and I think most representative of the "ZB Sound" I fell in love with as a kid...

"Twin Peaks"
(MP3 approx 7.4MB)
Pedal Steel: Dave Van Allen. Arrangement: Dave Van Allen.
Zum U12, POD 2.0.
Angelo Badalamente's fabulous theme for the David Lynch TV series... Another home recording

"Dogs on the East Side"
(MP3 approx 3MB)
Written by: Eric Brace

"My Sally"
(MP3 approx 3MB)
Written by: Eric Brace

"Hendersonville"
(MP3 approx 3MB)
Written by: Eric Brace

Artist: Eric Brace, Guitar & Vocal; Dave Van Allen, Pedal Steel
Recorded LIVE @ The Point, BrynMawr,PA February 2005.
I played my 1998 ZumSteel U12, 1968 Fender Twin Reverb Amp, WeberVST California 15" Speaker.

Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie"
(MP3 approx 5MB)

And here is a link to a page full of "rarities" from my past, a self release 1982 EP of my original tunes, plus some oddities from other sources...