Square Root of Nine - Get Together 1969

Rare Michigan private press folk LP out of Westland. Great dark moody basement folk boom sound heavily influenced by Gordon Lightfoot recorded at Pac Three, which was a garage style recording studio. Features a phenomenally eccentric cover of "House Of The Rising Sun" which alone makes the LP worth checking out. Pressed on no label in an edition of 500 copies, although, according to the band, numerous copies were ruined in a flood.  Info from Reflections In a Grey Mind. Thanks to B.

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Baker Gurvitz Army - Elysian Encounter 1975

The Baker Gurvitz Army was a British rock group formed in late 1974 by drummer Ginger Baker, formerly of Cream, and brothers Adrian (guitar) and Paul Gurvitz (bass), formerly of Gun. The band was filled out by vocalist Snips and keyboard player Peter Lemer. They released three albums between 1974 and 1976, the most successful of which was their self-titled debut, which charted in the U.K. and the U.S. AMG.

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RE-POST: Colosseum - Those Who Are About To Die Salute You 1969

Colosseum's debut album is a powerful one, unleashing each member's instrumental prowess at one point while consolidating each talent to form an explosive outpouring of progressive jazz/rock the next.Those Who Are About to Die Salute You is coated with the volatile saxophone playing of Dick Heckstall-Smith, the thunderous keyboard assault of Dave Greenslade, and the bewildering guitar craft of James Litherland. Together, Colosseum skitters and glides through brisk musical spectrums of freestyle ]jazz and British blues, sometimes held tightly in place by Greenslade's Hammond organ, while other times let loose by the brilliancy of the horn and string interplay. Each song sparks its own personality and its very own energy level, giving the band instant notoriety upon the album's release in 1969. Not only didColosseum sound different from other jazz fusion bands of the era, but they could easily take the unconventional elements of their style and churn them into palatable and highly significant musical thoroughfares. Some of the more compelling tracks include "Walking in the Park," led by its powerful trumpet segments, and "Pretty Hard Luck," which embarks on a stylish blues excursion with colorful keyboard sections on the periphery. "Beware the Ides of March" borrows a page out of J.S. Bach's notebook and turns his classical poignancy inside out, while "Mandarin" and "Backwater Blues" are created with the perfect jazz and blues friendship in mind, representing Colosseum's fused sound spotlessly. Best of all, the album never strays from its intensity or its creativity, the very foundation that the band is built on. Their next album, Valentyne Suite, mirrors the same instrumental congruity asThose Who Are About to Die, and is equally entertaining. AMG.

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Bobbi Humphrey - Blacks And Blues 1973

Bobbi Humphrey scored her biggest hit with her third album Blacks and Blues, an utterly delightful jazz-funk classic that helped make her a sensation at Montreux. If it sounds a lot like Donald Byrd's post-Black Byrd output, it's no accident; brothers Larry and Fonce Mizell have their fingerprints all over the album, and as on their work with Byrd, Larry handles all the composing and most of the arranging and production duties. It certainly helps that the Mizells were hitting on all cylinders at this point in their careers, but Humphrey is the true star of the show; she actually grabs a good deal more solo space thanByrd did on his Mizell collaborations, and she claims a good deal of responsibility for the album's light, airy charm. Her playing is indebted to Herbie Mann and, especially, Hubert Laws, but she has a more exclusive affinity for R&B and pop than even those two fusion-minded players, which is why she excels in this setting. Mizell is at the peak of his arranging powers, constructing dense grooves with lots of vintage synths, wah-wah guitars, and rhythmic interplay. Whether the funk runs hot or cool, Humphreyfloats over the top with a near-inexhaustible supply of melodic ideas. She also makes her vocal debut on the album's two ballads, "Just a Love Child" and "Baby's Gone"; her voice is girlish but stronger than the genre standard, even the backing vocals by the Mizells and keyboardist Fred Perren. Overall, the album's cumulative effect is like a soft summer breeze, perfect for beaches, barbecues, and cruising with the top down. AMG. 

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RE-POST: Colosseum - The Valentyne Suite (with bonus disc 'The Grass Is Greener') 1969

One of England's prime jazz-rock -- or, more accurately, rock-jazz -- outfits, most of the members of Colossuem had apprenticed in blues bands, and it shows very strongly on some of the material here. Both "The Kettle" and "Butty's Blues" are essentially tarted-up 12-bar blues, although they work well in a grander context; in the latter case much grander, as a brass ensemble enters for the last part, drowning out everything but the guitar, an indication that this recording is in dire need of remastering. "Elegy" is a fast-paced, minor-key blues that stretches guitarist James Litherland's vocal abilities. Things do get far more interesting with "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice," which offers solo opportunities to organist Dave Greenslade and sax player Dick Heckstall-Smith before re-emerging in what can only be called a proto-industrial style, all heavily treated clattering percussion. The album's real joy comes with "The Valentyne Suite," which takes the band out of their bluesy comfort zone into something closer to prog rock. Bandleader Jon Hiseman is a stalwart throughout, his busy drumming and fills owing far more to jazz than the studied backbeat of rock. Greenslade proves to be a largely unsung hero, his only real solo in the suite something to offer a challenge to vintage Keith Emerson, but with swing. As to criticism, bassist Tony Reeves has very little flow to his playing, which severely hampers a rhythm section that needs to be loose-limbed, and Litherland's guitar playing is formulaic, which can be fine for rock, but once outside the most straightforward parameters, he seems lost. In retrospect this might not quite the classic it seemed at the time, but it remains listenable, and for much of the time, extremely enjoyable. 
The second album from this British jazz-rock quintet rocks harder than their first outing. Their take onJack Bruce's "Rope Ladder to the Moon" is especially strong, and "Jumping off the Sun" has a similar feel. "Bolero" has been done to death, but guitarist Dave Clempson (who later replaced Peter Frampton inHumble Pie) uses it to launch a showcase of guitar fireworks. In fact, Clempson's blazing guitar licks shine throughout. Dick Heckstall-Smith once again impresses on his arsenal of saxophones and woodwinds, and the seven-and-a-half minute title cut which he co-wrote with drummer Jon Hiseman is a highlight of this disc. AMG.

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Levi Smith's Clefs - Empty Monkey 1970

Paving the way for soul and R&B music in Australia during the 1960s, Scottish-born singer Barrie McAskill fronted the ever-changing Levi Smith's Clefs lineup from 1967 to 1975. The band was started by organ player Tweed Harris in Adelaide in 1963 as the Clefs and soon developed a strong local reputation. McAskill joined in 1965 and the lineup became Tweed Harris, Bruce Howe (bass), Les Tanner (guitar), Bob Jeffrey (sax), and Vince Jones (drums).

The Clefs released three singles in 1966: "I Can Only Give You Everything"/"Roberta," "Last Night"/"March of the Siamese Twins," and "A Boy Like Me"/"Bring It to Jerome." Harris left to join the Groove in 1967 and McAskill became the leader. After a suggestion from their manager, the Clefs changed their name to the Levi Smith's Clefs that year. The band then moved to Sydney where they took up a residency at the Whisky a Go Go club. The lineup changed several times and by 1968 was composed of McAskill, Inez Amaya (vocals), Michael Carlos (organ), John Blake (drums), Mick Jurd (guitar), Richard Lockwood (flute, sax), and Robert Taylor (drums).

By the end of 1968, Carlos, Lockwood, Blake, and Taylor left to form the band Tully, which backed the Australian production of Hair later that year, followed by Amaya, who left to join the cast. A new lineup of McAskill, Mick Jurd, John Bissett (organ), Bruce Howe (bass), and Tony Buettel (drums) recorded and released the Empty Monkey album in 1970. Two singles were released from the album, "Lisa"/"Roadrunner" (January 1970) and a cover of Junior Walker's "Shotgun"/"Who Is It That Shall Come?" (April 1970).

Several lineup changes followed and a new band known as Barrie McAskill's Levi Smith's Clefs released the singles "Live Like a Man"/"Piece of My Heart" (September 1970) and "Gonna Get a Seizure"/"Dancing and Drinking" (April 1971), as well as a shared EP with the band Autumn, Best of Whisky A Go Go. The band played Sydney's infamous Chequers club throughout 1971.

Several lineup changes followed again, and by late 1971, the lineup of McAskill, Carlos, Stirling, Henson, and Jeffrey toured as Barrie McAskill's Bear Brigade and McAskill's Marauders. By mid-1972, McAskill was touring with another Levi Smith's Clefs lineup, but the band was coming to an end, and by 1976, McAskill was touring under his own name. In the coming years he played in and formed several bands in Adelaide, the Levi Smith's Clefs among them. AMG. Thanks to B.

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Caroline Peyton - Mock Up 1972

Joni Mitchell's influence on other female singer/songwriters of the late 1960s and early '70s was so pervasive that one almost dreads bringing up comparisons to her in yet another review of an obscure record of the period for fear of falling into cliché. The fact remains, however, that it's unavoidable when describing Caroline Peyton's 1971 debut LP. Some of the traits of Mitchell's early work are also found here: the winding, swooping vocals that sometimes build up to a trill, the jazzy phrasing, and the rather solemn tone of many of the lyrics. There are differences, too, though not ones that will excite many listeners into replacing Mitchell with Peyton in their home rotation. The plainness of the production and basic arrangements are threadbare when stacked up against even Mitchell's earliest albums, though they likewise emphasize vocals, acoustic guitar, and piano. The material -- mostly by producer Mark Bingham-- lacks the depth and distinction of Mitchell or the better singer/songwriters. In addition, several tracks unpredictably leap into avant-garde territory, with most un-Mitchell-like operatic screeching and free-form structures incorporating jazz and art song. (Even the liner notes to the CD reissue describe her vocals on "Bill Monroe" as "Peyton's best impression of a donkey in ill health.") The presence of a male vocalist singing along with Peyton on a couple of slightly bluesy pieces also makes this stand out --Mitchell, after all, never sang with a guy on her early records -- as does, on "Gone for a Day," the lyric "creamed in my jeans," which no one sang in the early '70s if they hoped for radio play. Though the odder tracks are more original, they're also less pleasing to ear than the more conventional and derivative ones. That puts Mock Up in the odd position of a record that might be both too strange and too imitative for fans of singer/songwriters like Mitchell, and not unusual enough overall to gain a strong cult following. [The 2008 CD reissue added extensive historical lines; omitted a track, "Lor el iii," on which the vocal was taken by Mark Bingham (who wrote most of the songs); added a 1972 live recording, "Breathe," which strikes a reasonably accessible midpoint between folk and avant-jazz; and adds three songs from her 1973 album In the Eye that, while similar to her debut, are somewhat less Mitchell-indebted and jazzier, the highlight "White Teeth" adding some Indian flavor. It also has a color video, in reasonable though slightly lo-fi, of Peyton performing two songs not on the CD live on acoustic guitar in 1972 at the Hummingbird Cafe in Bloomington, Indiana. AMG.

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Charles Sullivan - Re-entry 1975

A most underrated trumpeter, Charles Sullivan has excellent technique, fine tone, a bright, shimmering sound, and is effective in hard bop, free, big band, or bebop contexts. He's simply not gotten the credit he deserves, though he also doesn't have a large legacy of recordings to tout. Sullivan studied at the Manhattan School of Music in the '60s, and worked for off-Broadway productions. He played with Lionel Hampton and Roy Haynes' Hip Ensemble in the late '60s, then toured briefly as Count Basie's lead trumpeter in 1970 and with Lonnie Liston Smith in 1971. He played with Sy Oliver in 1972, and Norman Connors in 1973. Sullivan toured Europe and recorded with Abdullah Ibrahim in 1973 as well, then worked and recorded with Sonny Fortune, Carlos Garnett, Bennie Maupin, Ricky Ford, Eddie Jefferson, and Woody Shaw, as well as cutting his own records, through the remainder of the '70s. Despite all that activity, Sullivan couldn't expand his audience nor gain more recognition. He began heading the band Black Legacy in the late '70s and continued into the '80s. Sullivan currently has no sessions available on CD, but can be heard on reissues by Shaw, Jefferson, Maupin, Fortune, and others. AMG.

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Marc Benno - Ambush 1972

A wonderful follow-up to Minnows, this provided a much looser feel, almost as though everything had been written and worked up in the studio. Good from start to finish, featuring a core band, with cameos by well-known accomplices. Hard-pressed to choose between this one and Minnows as pick of the litter, this is probably the place to start. Standouts are "Jive Fade Jive," "Share" and "Either Way It Happens." Real lazy, real good. AMG.

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Country Joe McDonald - Tonight I'm Singing Just For You 1969

Political and ecological issues were set to musical accompaniment by Country Joe McDonald, who co-founded and led the psychedelic folk-rock band Country Joe & the Fish, the leading left-wing band of the '60s. Since the group's breakup in 1971, McDonald has continued to musically espouse his political views through his original, folk-like songs.

A native of Washington, D.C., McDonald grew up in El Monte, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles, where his parents, Florence and Worden, had moved to escape political difficulties in the capital city. Music played an important role through McDonald's childhood, and he attended many concerts at El Monte Legion Stadium; after becoming enchanted by Dixieland music, he frequented the Lighthouse Club in Hermosa Beach.

At the age of 17, McDonald enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Following his discharge after three years, he attended City College in Los Angeles for a year. Although he moved to Berkeley to continue his schooling,McDonald was distracted by his love of music and spent most of his time playing in bands like the Berkeley String Quartet and the Instant Action Jug Band, which included future bandmate Barry Melton.

Joined by folk guitarist Blair Hardman, McDonald recorded his first tunes in 1964. Released originally by First American Records, many of the songs were later re-recorded by McDonald for his 1976 album The Goodbye Blues.

McDonald continued to be active in politics in the mid-'60s, and published a left-wing magazine, Rag Baby. After publishing the first few issues of the magazine, McDonald conceived the idea of recording a special "talking" issue. Released as an EP, the issue featured two songs, "I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag," a Dixieland-like indictment of the Vietnam War, and "Superbird," a satire aimed at President Lyndon Johnson; both were credited to "Country Joe & the Fish." Following the completion of the project, McDonald and Melton agreed to form a more serious rock band.

With McDonald's political lyrics set to a dynamic rock beat, Country Joe & the Fish became popular in the San Francisco Bay area, performing frequently at the Jabberwocky coffeehouse in Berkeley and the Avalon and Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. Their second EP featured three of McDonald's tunes -- "Bass Strings," "Section 43," and "(Thing Called) Love."

Signed by Vanguard Records in December 1966, Country Joe & the Fishsoon released their first album, Electric Music for the Mind and Body. Although "I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag" was intended to be included on the album, the record label convinced McDonald to omit it. It was finally released as the title track of the band's second album. A single of the tune reached number 32 on the Billboard charts.McDonald & the Fish made their East Coast debut at the Cafe Au Go Go in 1967. Following the release of their third album, Together, in 1968, the band toured Europe, where they were met by enthusiastic crowds. Their fourth album, Here We Are Again, released in 1969, featured musical guests Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane and David Getz and Peter Albin of Big Brother & the Holding Company.

Together with the Fish, McDonald performed at most of the major music festivals of the '60s. Their performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 was featured in the film of the event. In addition to performing with the group at Woodstock in August 1969, McDonald performed a solo set that was capped by his obscene altering of the "Fish Cheer" intro to "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die." Featured in the movie of the festival, the intro brought McDonald to international attention.

Woodstock, however, came during the final stages of the band's tenure. In the aftermath of the festival, McDonald was arrested in Worcester, MA for inciting an audience to lewd behavior, while Melton was arrested for possession of marijuana. Although they recorded a final album, C.J. Fish, with a new keyboard player and rhythm section, and had appeared in the 1970 film Zacharia, Country Joe & the Fishdisbanded in 1971.

By that time, however, McDonald had signed a solo contract with Vanguard and recorded two albums in Nashville -- Thinking of Woody Guthrie, released in December 1969, and Tonight I'm Singing Just for You, released in May 1970. McDonald continued to tour and record as a solo singer/songwriter. During a tour of England, he recorded an album, Hold On: It's Coming, with accompaniment by Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green and other British musicians. In Scandinavia, McDonald was contracted by film producer Knud Thorbjorsen to compose songs for a film based onHenry Miller's novel Quiet Days in Clichy. The three songs he wrote -- "Mara," "Ny's Song," and "Henry Miller and the Hungry World" -- were included on the film's soundtrack. When Grove Films attempted to import copies of the film to show in United States theaters, they were seized by customs and dubbed "obscene." Grove Films eventually won a court battle, and the movie premiered in New York in 1971.McDonald later scored and appeared in a Chilean film, Que Hacer, documenting Salvador Allende's successful campaign for president.

Beginning in April 1971, McDonald became active in the growing anti-war movement and appeared at demonstrations in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.. Together with Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland, McDonald appeared during an FTA (Free the Army) tour of Vietnam that featured skits by former Second City members Ann and Roger Bowen. Although he became disenchanted with Fonda'spolitical views and left the show, the experience earned McDonald a spot on President Nixon's enemy list.

Returning to the United States, McDonald recorded an EP with the San Fransisco-based band Grootna. A solo performance at the Bottom Line was released as a live album, Incredible Live!, in 1972. During 1972 and 1973, McDonald performed with the All-Star Band, a group mainly comprised of members of the Fish and Big Brother & the Holding Company. The band accompanied McDonald on his 1973 album Paris Sessions.

McDonald spent most of 1974 living in Europe. Returning to California in 1975, he joined a band, Energy Crisis, that featured former Fish Bruce Barthol and ex-Instant Action Jug Band member Phil Marsh. The band appeared on McDonald's 1975 album, Paradise With an Ocean View. The album, which included the anthemic tune "Save the Whales," reflected an increase in McDonald'secological commitment.

The remainder of the '70s representedMcDonald's most prolific period as he released seven albums -- Love Is a Fire, Goodbye Blues, Rock & Roll Music from the Planet Earth, Leisure Suite, On My Own, Into the Fire, and Child's Play. In 1977, Country Joe & the Fish temporarily came together again to record an album, Reunion.

Beginning in 1982, McDonald became involved with furthering the cause of Vietnam veterans and worked with such groups as Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Swords to Plowshares, and Vietnam Veterans of America. His experience peaked with the release of an album and video,Vietnam Experience, in 1988.

McDonald's 1991 album, Superstitious Blues, was a mostly acoustic effort and included two songs recorded withJerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Carry On, released in 1995, was inspired by the death of McDonald's parents and featured his touching tribute to Florence Nightingale, "The Lady with the Lamp," and the title track, which featured Garcia on electric guitar. AMG. Thanks to Rockasteria.

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