The Byrds – Straight For The Sun (1971)

The Byrds  were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole consistent member. Although their time as one of the most popular groups in the world only lasted for a short period in the mid-1960s, the Byrds are today considered by critics to be among the most influential rock acts of their era. Their signature blend of clear harmony singing and McGuinn’s jangly twelve-string Rickenbacker guitar was “absorbed into the vocabulary of rock” and has continued to be influential.

Initially, the Byrds pioneered the musical genre of folk rock as a popular format in 1965, by melding the influence of the Beatles and other British Invasion bands with contemporary and traditional folk music on their first and second albums, and the hit singles “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!”. As the 1960s progressed, the band was influential in originating psychedelic rock and raga rock, with their song “Eight Miles High” and the albums Fifth Dimension (1966), Younger Than Yesterday (1967) and The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968).The band also played a pioneering role in the development of country rock, with the 1968 album Sweetheart of the Rodeo representing their fullest immersion into the genre.

The original five-piece lineup of the band consisted of Jim McGuinn (lead guitar, vocals), Gene Clark (tambourine, vocals), David Crosby (rhythm guitar, vocals), Chris Hillman (bass guitar, vocals), and Michael Clarke (drums). This version of the band was relatively short-lived and by early 1966 Clark had left due to problems associated with anxiety and his increasing isolation within the group. The Byrds continued as a quartet until late 1967, when Crosby and Clarke also departed. McGuinn and Hillman decided to recruit new members, including country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, but by late 1968, Hillman and Parsons had also exited the band. McGuinn elected to rebuild the band’s membership; between 1968 and 1973, he helmed a new incarnation of the Byrds that featured guitarist Clarence White, among others. McGuinn disbanded the then-current lineup in early 1973 to make way for a reunion of the original quintet. The Byrds’ final album was released in March 1973, with the reunited group disbanding later that year.

Several former members of the Byrds went on to successful careers of their own, either as solo artists or as members of such groups as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Flying Burrito Brothers, McGuinn, Clark & Hillman, and the Desert Rose Band. In 1991, the Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an occasion that saw the five original members performing together for the last time. Gene Clark died of a heart attack later that year, while Michael Clarke died of liver failure in 1993. McGuinn, Crosby, and Hillman remain active.. (wikipedia)

And here´s a great bootleg from their last period:

In the fall of 1971, the Byrds were only a few months away from breaking up after several years of diminishing commercial returns, but the final edition of the group happened to be one of the best and most stable. With founder and 12-string guitarist Roger McGuinn joined by guitarist Clarence White, bassist Skip Battin, and drummer Gene Parsons, this version of the Byrds didn’t achieve the same magic as the first edition with Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Chris Hillman, but they were inarguably better pickers (especially with White on board), and they delivered some of the best and most distinctive country rock of the era. Straight for the Sun was drawn from a live AM radio broadcast of a show the Byrds played in September 1971 at American University in Washington, D.C., and given how late in the day it was for the group, this disc is a pleasant surprise.

Alternate CD front + backcover:

The Byrds sound at once relaxed and tight, playing a broad cross-section from their catalog (from early hits like “Mr. Spaceman” and an extended workout on “Eight Miles High” to late-period rarities such as “Citizen Kane” and “Tiffany Queen”) with genuine enthusiasm and no small skill, and the interplay between the guitarists is excellent, as McGuinn never had a better foil on-stage than White. The recording is in mono, but the sound is clear, with a few minor glitches, and the balance is quite good for a live mix, with the vocals and instruments giving one another a proper amount of room. Straight for the Sun is highly recommended for serious Byrds fans, capturing a great band sprinting for the finish line; this isn’t as strong as the live material on Untitled, but it comes close enough to confirm McGuinn gave the Byrds his all right up to the bitter end. (by Mark Deming)

Live College AM radio broadcast from the McDonough Gym, American University, Washington DC, 12th September 1971.

Personnel:
Skip Battin (bass, vocals)
Roger McGuinn (guitar, banjo, vocals)
Gene Parsons (drums, vocals)
Clarence White (guitar, vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Intro 1.03
02. Lover Of The Bayou (Levy/McGuinn) 4.15
03. So You Want To Be A Rock N Roll Star (Hillman/McGuinn) 2.58
04. Mr. Spaceman (McGuinn) 3.24
05. I Want To Grow Up To Be A Politician (Levy/McGuinn) 2.41
06. Medley: 5.01
06.1. Soldier’s Joy (Traditional)
06.2. Black Mountain Rag (Traditional)
06.3. Mr. Tambourine Man (Dylan)
07. Pretty Boy Floyd (Guthrie) 2.53
08. Nashville West (White/Parsons) 2.25
09. Citizen Kane (Fowley/Battin) 3.27
10. Tiffany Queen (McGuinn) 2.25
11. Chestnut Mare (Levy/McGuinn) 5.07
12. Jesus Is Just Alright (Reynolds) 2.59
13. Eight Miles High (Crosby/Clark/McGuinn) 9.39
14. Hold It (unknown) / Roll Over Beethoven (Berry) 3.02

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More from The Byrds:

Chet Baker Quartet – Jazz At Ann Arbor (1954)

Chesney Henry “Chet” Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations within the cool jazz subgenre leading him to be nicknamed the “prince of cool”.

Baker earned much attention and critical praise through the 1950s, particularly for albums featuring his vocals (Chet Baker Sings (1954), It Could Happen to You (1958). Jazz historian Dave Gelly described the promise of Baker’s early career as “James Dean, Sinatra, and Bix, rolled into one”. His well-publicized drug habit also drove his notoriety and fame. Baker was in and out of jail frequently before enjoying a career resurgence in the late 1970s and 1980s

Early on May 13, 1988, Baker was found dead on the street below his room in Hotel Prins Hendrik, Amsterdam, with serious wounds to his head, apparently having fallen from the second-story window. Heroin and cocaine were found in his room and in his body. No evidence of a struggle was found, and the death was ruled an accident. According to another account, he inadvertently locked himself out of his room and fell while attempting to cross from the balcony of the vacant adjacent room to his own. A plaque was placed outside the hotel in his memory. Baker is buried at the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California, next to his father. (wikipedia)

Plaque at the Hotel Prins Hendrik, in Amsterdam:

Jazz at Ann Arbor is a live album by jazz trumpeter Chet Baker which was recorded at the University of Michigan in 1954 and released on the Pacific Jazz label. (wikipedia)

Chet Baker (trumpet) was arguably at the peak of his prowess when captured in a quartet setting at the Masonic Temple in Ann Arbor, MI, May 9, 1954. He’s joined by Russ Freeman (piano), Carson Smith (bass) and Bob Neel (drums), all of whom provide ample assistance without ever obscuring their leader’s laid-back and refined style. Baker’s sublime sounds also garnered notice from critics, who had placed him atop polls in both Metronome and Down Beat magazines the previous year. Evidence of these lauds are obvious upon listening to the combo as they nestle into one of the cornerstones in their repertoire, the suave “Line for Lyons” — a track dating back to the artist’s short-lived yet genre defining work with the song’s author, Gerry Mulligan.

Almost immediately after establishing the melodic theme, Baker dives into his trademark solos. The fluidity throughout the seemingly off-the-cuff excursions presents confirmation of both his unquestionable timing and understated subtle authority. The rhythm section ably follows the improvisations with solid, yet never overpowering support. Freeman also shines throughout, especially during the stately opening to “Lover Man” or the up-tempo jiving “Maid in Mexico.” Other classics include the stark intimacy of Baker’s signature “My Funny Valentine,” as well as respectively frisky renditions of “Stella by Starlight” and Freeman’s own crowd-pleasing “Russ Job.”

The Ann Arbour Masonic Temple – Michigan:

In 2000, these eight cuts were coupled with five additional previously unreleased sides from the Carlton Theatre in Los Angeles circa August of 1953. The results were Quartet Live, Vol. 1: This Time the Dream’s on Me (2000), the first of three archival volumes featuring Baker during his initial reign as the poster child for West coast cool jazz. (by Lindsay Planer)

This album was released in red vinyl !

Personnel:
Chet Baker (trumpet)
Russ Freeman (piano)
Bob Neel (drums)
Carson Smith (bass)

Tracklist:
01. Annoucement 0.18
02. Line For Lyons (Mulligan) 7.17.
03. Lover Man (Sherman/Ramirez/Davis) 6.06
04. My Funny Valentine (Hart/Rodgers) 5.27
05. Maid In Mexico (Freeman) 5.12
06. Stella By Starlight (Washington/Young) 4.33
07. My Old Flame (Johnson/Coslow) 6.04
08. Headline (Montrose) 5.06
09. Russ Job (Freeman) 6.19
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10. Zing ! Went The Strings Of My Heart (Hanley) 6.04
11. My Little Suede Shoes (Parker) 6.30
12. Line For Lyons (Mulligan) 5.32
13. My Old Flame (Johnson/Coslow) 5.46
14. Everything Happens To Me (Carmichael/Mercer) 5.20

10. – 14.: Recorded live at the Carlton Theatre in Los Angeles circa August of 1953

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More from Chet Baker:

Joanne Shenandoah – Once In A Red Moon (1994)

Joanne Shenandoah (born 1958) is a Native American singer, composer and acoustic guitarist based in the United States. She is a citizen of the Oneida Indian Nation, Wolf clan, based in New York. The Oneida are part of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy). Her music is a combination of traditional songs and melodies with a blend of instrumentation.

Shenandoah has recorded more than 15 albums and won numerous awards, including an Honorary Doctorate of Music by Syracuse University in 2002. She received a Grammy Award for her part in the album Sacred Ground: A Tribute to Mother Earth (2005), which had tracks by numerous artists.

Shenandoah is the daughter of Maisie Shenandoah, Wolf Clan Mother of the Oneida Indian Nation, in New York, and the late Clifford Shenandoah, an Onondaga Nation chief. She has four sisters, Wanda, Vicky, Diane (her twin), and Danielle, as well as a brother, Jerry. As the Oneida have a matrilineal kinship system, the siblings were all considered to be born into their mother’s Wolf clan. Descent and inheritance passes through the maternal line.

Through her father’s line, she is a direct descendant of Skenandoa, also known as John Shenandoah, an Oneida “pine tree chief.”

Joanne Shenandoah grew up on the Oneida Reservation near Oneida, New York. She learned many traditional songs and music styles, and plays many instruments, piano, guitar, flute, etc.. She has written music and developed her own style, blending traditional and contemporary techniques and instrumentation.

Joanne Shenandoah started performing in the Syracuse, New York, area. She has 23 recordings, and her first solo CD was recorded in 1989. In addition to her solo works, she has performed tracks with other musicians, or contributed tracks to group albums.

Although based in the Syracuse area, she travels frequently for her mostly solo performances in the United States and internationally. In 2011, Shenandoah and her daughter Leah recorded on the title track Path to Zero with Jim Morrison. The album also included artists, Sting/Bono, Sinéad O’Connor, Robert Downey, Jr. and others.

Shenandoah was invited to Rome, Italy, to participate in the October 2012 celebration of the canonization of Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Roman Catholic Native American saint. Shenandoah performed an original composition for this occasion at The Vatican – St. Peter’s Basilica. She has performed in major venues and at major public events, including at The White House, Carnegie Hall, five Presidential Inaugurations, Madison Square Garden, Crystal Bridges Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, The Ordway Theater, Hummingbird Centre, Toronto Skydome, Parliament of the World’s Religions, (Africa, Spain and Australia) and Woodstock ’94.

Shenandoah is a Grammy Award winner. She has received more Native American Music Awards (14 to date) than any other Native Artist, and a total of more than 40 music awards.[6] She has also received numerous Indie Awards and Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMYS). She was presented with the Rigoberta Menchú – Highest award by the Native Film Festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for her soundtrack in the documentary, Our Land Our Life.

Shenandoah was recently honored with the Atlas Award for her work with the climate change movement, both in the US and around the world.

Shenandoah family is deeply invested in Haudenosaunee culture. She married Doug George-Kanentiio (Akwesasne Mohawk), a co-founder of the Native American Journalists Association and published author.

Shenandoah is one of the original board members of the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge, which operates in partnership with Syracuse University. (wikipedia)

And here´s her third album:

Joanne Shenandoah was selected 1994 Native Musician of the Year by the First American in the Arts Foundation for preserving traditional values within the field of contemporary music. Her songs present her feelings and experiences as a member of the Oneida Six Nations Iroquois. On of the brightest singing talent today, Shenandoah has performed throughout Europe and the United States. Her twelve songs on this album deal with Native American issues including ethnic pride, treaty violations, suicide and reverence for elders. (press release)

Joanee Shenandoah, singing in English for this CD, has produced yet another wonderful treat for her listeners. Her music is contemporary but preserves tradtional native values. I would recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys a blend of tradional and contemporay, of native and modern culture. (by Linde Lewis)

Alternate edition:

Excellent representation of contemporary native american music;

Shenandoah’s Once in Red Moon is a showcase of her writing and performing styles drawing upon the history of native peoples to paint a vivid portrait of contemporary Native culture and provide a Native view of American history. The selections range from a poignant lullaby-like “This Baby of Mine” in which she subtlely criticizes wars by telling us that her child will not go to war–a reflection of the traditional power of women among her tribe to influence tribal decisions to a harsher history lesson about the practice by early White settlers and military of sending fever infected blankets to Native villages to decimate their populations and clear the way for White expansion into new lands. The death of her uncle, Lee Shenanadoah, at the hands of Philadlephia police when he was accidentally killed by police gunfire as officers engaged in a shoot out wiht feeling robbers. Rather that admit their error, the police claimed the Native workers killed by stray bullets were somehow connected to the gang.

Although the lyrics contain serious commentary, the singing remains melodious and attractive pulling the listener into the song, thus educating them about an alternative view of events in our history. (by B. Burton)

Oh yes, this woman has so much to say !

Personnel:
David Amram (flute, background vocals)
Paul Angerosa (guitar)
Erik Hokkanen (violin, background vocals)
Gerhard Rebman (guitar)
Joanne Shenandoah (vocals)
Spider (guitar)
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background vocals:
The Black Lodge Singers
Michael Ray Johnson
+
Frank Talarico (synthesizer)
Jeff Truman (drums on 12.)

Tracklist:
01. Mother Earth Speaks 2.35
02. Spirit Lingers On 4.10
03. You Can Hear Them Dancing 3.44
04. This Baby Of Mine 3.10
05. Skywalker 4.46
06. The Blackfeet Nation 4.06
07. Quarter Moon 3.22
08. In The Middle Of The Road 3.21
09. Blanket Fevers 3.01
10. Please Sign Here 4.22
11. Patterns Of The Drum 3.45
12. America 3.21

All songs written by Joanne Shenandoah

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“Mother Earth Speaks,” the opening track of Joanne Shenandoah’s ONCE IN A RED MOON gives voice to the anguish and pain of our deeply abused planet, and is a powerful indication of the album’s thematic weight. In “You Can Hear Them Dancing” and “Spirit Lingers On,” Shenandoah evokes the ghostly soul of vanished Native Americans, and the latter song crests with Shenandoah’s repeated chorus, a simple, plaintive, “Why?” Yet the album’s closer, “America,” provides a message of resounding hope, optimism, peace, and patriotism. Such conceptual complexities are par for the course for this talented multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and Native American activist, and ONCE IN A RED MOON is an excellent example of the artist’s politically motivated work. That Shenandoah has a clear, resonant alto voice sweet enough to break any listener’s heart is a wonderful, added bonus. (oldies.com)

More from Joanne Shenandoah:

The official website:

Alexis Korner – Get Off My Cloud (1975)

Alexis Andrew Nicholas Koerner (19 April 1928 – 1 January 1984), known professionally as Alexis Korner, was a British blues musician and radio broadcaster, who has sometimes been referred to as “a founding father of British blues”.

A major influence on the sound of the British music scene in the 1960s, Korner was instrumental in the formation of several notable British bands including The Rolling Stones and Free.

Korner died of lung cancer aged 55 years, on 1 January 1984. He was survived by a daughter, singer Sappho Gillett Korner (died 2006) and two sons, guitarist Nicholas ‘Nico’ Korner (died 1988) and sound engineer Damian Korner (died 2008). (wikipedia)

And here´s a rare album from the mid Seventies:

The lineup makes this album virtually an offshoot of Korner’s participation on B.B. King In London from four years earlier, including Steve Marriott, Peter Frampton etc., with Keith Richards making a guest appearance. Songs include the Rolling Stones title hit, and a cover of the Doors’ “The Wasp (Texas Radio).” Nothing to make anyone forget the originals, nor is the new material terribly memorable, but everyone sounds like they’re having fun here. (by Bruce Eder)

Rare alternate edition from the Netherlands:

This is indeed a kind of strange album; I think Alexis Korner tried to sound “modern” … this album probably needs to be listened to more often to discover the hidden magic.

And … check the line-up … wow !

And …

What was really in “Get Off My Cloud” was shown by old master Alexis Korner… in the mid-seventies with a searing gospel version of the song. (stones-club-aachen.de)

Personnel:
Alexis Korner (vocals, guitar, piano, percussion)
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Jason Caine (percussion on 08.)
George Caldwell (background vocals on 10.)
Peter Frampton (guitar on 01., 02., 06., 07., 09. + 10.)
Colin Hodgkinson (bass on 01., 02., 03., , 08.
Nicky Hopkins (piano on 01. – 03., 06., 07., 09. + 10.)
Neil Hubbard (guitar on 01., 03., 04., 06., 08.
Tony O’Malley (piano on 06.)
Steve Marriott (guitar on 04., 06., + 10., background vocals on 10.)
Morris Pert (percussion on 04.)
Keith Richards (guitar, vocals on 10.)
Alan Spenner (bass on 04., 06.
Terry Stannard (drums on 01. . 04., 06. – 10.).
Rick Wills (bass on 05., 07., 09. + 10.)
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background vocals:
Kokomo Singers – Sappho Korner – Barry St. John – Liza Strike – Sonny Leslie – Irene Chanter

Tracklist:
01. I Got Cha Number (Reeves/Bristol) 2.48
02. The Wasp (Texas Radio) (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore)
03. Robert Johnson (Korner/Edwards) 4.09
04. Tree Top Fever (Korner/Edwards) 2.58
05. You Are My Sunshine (Mitchell/Davis) 3.57
06. Strange N’ Deranged (Korner/Edwards) 3.34
07. Slow Down (Williams) 2.54
08. Song For Jimi (Korner) 3.29
09. Ain’t That Peculiar (Tarplin/Rogers/Moore/Robinson) 3.29
10. Get Off Of My Cloud (Jagger/Richards) 5.29

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More from Alexis Korner:

Joanne Shaw Taylor – White Sugar (2009)

Joanne Shaw Taylor (born 1985, England) is a British blues rock singer and guitarist who was discovered by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics at the age of 16. The British music publication Blues Matters! called Taylor “the new face of the blues”.

Taylor was born in Wednesbury, West Midlands, England, and grew up in Solihull, and was inspired in her early teens to play the blues after hearing Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and Jimi Hendrix. Dave Stewart heard Taylor play, and in 2002 invited her to join his supergroup, D.U.P., on tour in Europe.

In May 2009, Taylor released her debut album, White Sugar, on Ruf Records. Taylor’s second release was 2010’s Diamonds in the Dirt, also on Ruf Records. Both her albums peaked at number eight in the US Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. In 2010, she won Best Female Vocalist at the British Blues Awards. She won the same award at the 2011 British Blues Awards, plus the Songwriter of the Year award for “Same As It Never Was” from Diamonds in the Dirt.

On 4 June 2012, Taylor played lead guitar in Annie Lennox’s band at the Diamond Jubilee Concert in London. Taylor played an extended solo during the performance in front of Buckingham Palace, attended by approximately 12,000 people (not counting the many thousands lining The Mall). Just before her solo spot, Taylor’s Fuzz Face pedal malfunctioned, leaving a much cleaner guitar sound than usual. This apparent misfortune was ameliorated, however, when she was informed that Stevie Wonder had loved her “clean, bluesy, understated tone”.

Taylor’s fourth studio album, The Dirty Truth, was recorded in Memphis, Tennessee with producer Jim Gaines, and was released on 22 September 2014.

Wild, Taylor’s fifth studio album was released on 30 September 2016. It was recorded in Nashville’s Grand Victor Studios with Kevin Shirley working as producer. The album became her first top 20 entry in the UK Albums Chart.

In 2018, it was announced that Taylor had signed her first major label contract with Sony Music on their imprint, Silvertone Records. She supported Foreigner at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on 15 May 2018 and at the Royal Albert Hall on 16 May. Following her own headline tour in 2017, Taylor completed a four week tour around the United States, and returned to the UK in late 2018 to play intimate venues around the country. Taylor’s sixth album Reckless Heart was released on 15 March 2019 in the UK and Europe, and on 17 May in US.

Taylor uses primarily Fender Telecaster electric guitars, although she also sometimes uses a Gibson Les Paul has also said she likes Stratocasters for rhythm guitar work. She acquired her main Telecaster, nicknamed ‘Junior’, at the age of 15. It is a modified 1966 Esquire model purchased secondhand in Denmark Street, London which has had a Fender Jazz humbucker neck pickup added in addition to the factory bridge pickup. She also uses a Fender Albert Collins signature model Telecaster which was a gift from Joe Bonamassa.[citation needed]

She uses Ernie Ball skinny top/heavy bottom strings and usually tunes the guitar to E♭. (wikipedia)

She’s already being called “the new face of the blues” by the press in her native Britain, but her debut album is the first opportunity most Americans will have to hear Joanne Shaw Taylor’s sharp, fiery take on blues-based rock. Opening with the dark and sultry “Going Home,” Taylor makes her intentions clear from the very beginning: her sound is raw, funky, and soulful, and she’s as likely to reference Jimi Hendrix’s R&B-inflected blues-rock as Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rock-inflected blues. She’s also unwilling to be hemmed in: notice the gorgeous guitar intro on “Just Another Word,” and the way that the song goes well outside the lines of traditional blues structure without erasing them. Also notice the especially Hendrix-y “Kiss the Ground Goodbye,” the lovely instrumental title track, and the stark, spare “Heavy Heart.” The latter is the finest track on the program; it features a brilliant chord progression and a sly bluebeat outro that reveals a sense of humor that is otherwise pretty much hidden. The album ends on a very powerful note, with the slow-burning “Blackest Day.” The challenge on this song is the solo, and she meets that challenge brilliantly, twice, and in two very different ways: once with gentle regret and then again with forsaken rage. A spectacular debut from a major talent. (by Rick Anderson)

Personnel:
Steve Potts (drums)
David Smith (bass)
Joanne Shaw Taylor (guitar, vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Going Home 4.49
02. Just Another Word 4.10
03 Bones 5.22
04. Who Do You Want Me To Be? 3.35
05. Time Has Come 5.52
06. White Sugar 4.28
07. Kiss The Ground Goodbye 4.40
08. Heavy Heart 5.21
09. Watch ‘Em Burn 5.09
10. Blackest Day 8.19

All songs written by Joanne Shaw Taylor
except 03, written by J. Davey – J. Amor – R. Davey – H. Coltmann

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Blossom Toes – If Only For A Moment (1969)

Blossom Toes were a British psychedelic pop band active between 1966 and 1970. Initially known as The Ingoes, they were renamed and signed to the Marmalade record label of manager Giorgio Gomelsky. The original line-up comprised Brian Godding (born 19 August 1945, Monmouth, South Wales) (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Jim Cregan (born James Cregan, 9 March 1946, Yeovil, Somerset) (guitar, vocals), Brian Belshaw (born 25 February 1944, Wigan, Lancashire) (bass, vocals), and Kevin Westlake (born Kevin Patrick Westlake, 5 March 1947, Dublin, Co Dublin, Ireland (drums).

The band’s debut album, We Are Ever So Clean is a classic example of quintessentially English psychedelia. On release, it was presented in the UK music magazine Melody Maker as “Giorgio Gomelsky’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”. Although not a major commercial success, tracks such as “What On Earth” or “Look At Me, I’m You” have helped give the album something of a cult period status as it is unearthed by successive generations of 1960s retro fans. It was included in Record Collector’s list of the “100 Greatest Psychedelic Records”.

If Only For A Moment saw the band taking a noticeably heavier and rockier direction,[2] with Cregan and Godding’s distinctive two-part guitar harmonies playing a prominent role.[citation needed] At this point Westlake left, and was replaced by John “Poli” Palmer, and then Barry Reeves.

The band quit in 1970. Belshaw and Godding rejoined Westlake in B.B. Blunder,[1] Cregan formed Stud with John Wilson and Charlie McCracken,[1] before joining Family, as did Palmer.

The Blossom Toes contributed music to La Collectionneuse (1967), a film by French director Éric Rohmer, and also appeared in “Popdown” (1967) by Fred Marshall. (wikipedia)

Blossom Toes’ If Only For A Moment (Marmalade, 1969) ditched 60s psychedelia for heavyweight riffs and tightly honed songwriting

Two years after their arresting debut We Are Ever So Clean, those budding darlings of impresario Giorgio Gomelsky released If Only For A Moment. Ostensibly led by Brian Godding, a guitar god of the second firmament, who shared songwriting duties with the equally talented Jim Cregan, Blossom Toes now sought to leave behind the psychedelic leanings of their earlier work for a heavyweight sound that veers between the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Captain Beefheart via Iron Butterfly.

The opening track Peace Loving Man is penned by Godding and sung by bassist ‘Big’ Brian Belshaw. It’s a riff-laden anti-Vietnam anthem delivered with aggressive vigour (check out the buzzsaw guitar coda) and released as a single.

Throughout the album, Godding’s thoughts are frequently troubled by violence and its destructive effect upon the sound mind. ‘The darker side of you is when you shine,’ he laments on Kiss Of Confusion, while ruminating upon the proverbial good cop/bad cop scenario in Billy Boo The Gunman. His pacifist tendencies again come to the fore with Love Bomb; a 100 per cent gold-plated purified projectile that he schemes to drop upon the devil’s own. It was the unadulterated dictum of the Woodstock nation, now advancing all too rapidly towards extinction.

Cregan contributes his own off-centre blend of songwriting sensibilities with Listen To The Silence, Wait A Minute and the luxuriating textures of Indian Summer that might have shone twice as brightly had it ever been released as a single. (by Lin Bensley)

Personnel:
‘Big’ Brian Belshaw (bass)
Jim Cregan (guitar, vocals)
Brian Godding (guitar, keyboards, vocals)
Barry Reeves (drums, percussion)
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Giorgio (background vocals)
‘Pol’ Palmer (drums on 01.)
Sean Phillips (guitar, sitar)

Tracklist:
01. Peace Loving Man (Godding) 4.53
02. Kiss Of Confusion (Godding) 4.45
03. Listen To The Silence (Cregan) 4.50
04. Love Bomb (Godding) 7.39
05. Billy Boo The Gunmen (Godding) 7.09
06. Indian Summer (Cregan) 5.56
07. Just Above My Hobby Horse’s Head (Havens) 2.54
08. Wait A Minute (Cregan) 5.56

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Mountain – Live At The Felt Forum, New York (1974)

Mountain was an American hard rock band that formed on Long Island, New York, in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist and vocalist Felix Pappalardi, keyboardist Steve Knight and drummer N. D. Smart (soon replaced by Corky Laing), the band broke up in 1972 and has reunited frequently since 1973. Best known for their cowbell-tinged song “Mississippi Queen”, as well as the heavily sampled song “Long Red” and their performance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, Mountain is one of many bands to be commonly credited as having influenced the development of heavy metal music in the 1970s. The group’s musical style primarily consisted of hard rock, blues rock and heavy metal.

he studio work Avalanche (July 1974), for which Laing returned to play drums and David Perry became the new second guitarist (from November 1973 to September 1974), would be Mountain’s final album with Pappalardi as a participant;[7] the group broke up again after playing a final show at Felt Forum in New York City on December 31, 1974. (wikipedia)

And here´s their final concert !

This was most likely Mountain’s very last show with the “original” lineup, recorded on New Year’s Eve 1974 at the NYC Felt Forum within the Madison Square Garden complex.

Though formed in 1969, Mountain first disbanded in February 1972 after a tour of the UK. After West, Bruce & Laing and Leslie West’s Wild West Show in June and July 1973, Felix Pappalardi and Leslie West reunited and hired Bob Mann and Alan Schwartzberg for a Japanese tour in August 1973.

At the beginning, this might have been regarded as a one-off undertaking. However, this tour yielded the Twin Peaks double album that was originally planned as a Japanese-only release but was released worldwide in 1974. Alas, the Japanese shows and this resulting album did not represent Mountain adequately by any means.

After the tour, West insisted that Corky Laing be part of the band if they were to continue. Pappalardi agreed but demanded in return – much to West’s dismay – that the band took on David Perry as an additional guitarist (to avoid the Mountain look and not sound too much like Cream [he had produced three albums for the group]). It seemed the band’s original organ player, Steve Knight, was not considered.

In a nutshell, this four-piece toured from late 1973 to September 1974, and recorded the band’s last album, Avalanche, in January 1974. The few existing recordings from this period showed a revitalized band with some refreshing new and up-to-the-mark material.

After their September 1974 tour, it seemed West finally succeeded in convincing Pappalardi to condense the band to his favourite trio format. Pappalardi obviously gave in and it was left to West to phone Perry to give him the bad news. Perhaps it was already decided at this point that their autumn/winter 1974 tour would be the band’s farewell which may have made it easier for Pappalardi to actually concede.

The band kicked off their last tour on October 3, 1974 with a phenomenal show at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall. Fortunately there is a decent audience recording of this in circulation and it’s worth getting hold of. On this tour, Mountain were the main act when they played mid-sized venues and, for larger venues, they were the support act, for instance, they supported new stars the J Geils Band.

One can only hope that West was indeed happy on this tour – at least, this recording demonstrates a still extra-tight band. They even came up with an otherwise not-to-be-found rendition of Ten Years After’s I’m Going Home, perhaps a nod to their colleagues (both bands often appeared in festivals together) who were also, at that time, on the verge of splitting.

The sound quality for this recording is superb, it’s a first generation off-the-master copy, and it’s a complete recording of the show. Close listening reveals that it must be an audience recording but it is indeed so well recorded that one may mistake it for a soundboard tape. The late Rich Demartino, a long-time friend of West – and who was close to the band from the very beginning – was in possession of this show. (Hope he is having a good time up there with Felix!) As he told this reviewer in 1996, he regarded this recording so highly that he had tried to sell it to Sony – which owned Mountain’s Windfall Records catalogue – as an official release. However, that did not materialize.

Enjoy Mountain at their last and “creamy” peak! (Thomas Schmid)

Personnel:
Corky Laing (drums)
Felix Pappalardi (bass, vocals)
Leslie West (guitar, vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Introduction / Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On (Williams) 6.25
02. Theme For An Imaginary Western (Bruce/Brown) 5.27
03. Thumbsucker (Pappalardi/Collins) 5.48
04. You Better Believe It (West/Laing) 10.20
05. Nantucket Sleighride I (Pappalardi/Collins) 16.06
06. Nantucket Sleighride II (Pappalardi/Collins) 4.41
07. Medley: 16.11
07.1. Leslie West’s Solo (West)
07.2. Roll Over Beethoven (Berry)
07.3. Drum Solo (Laing)
07.4. Going Home Jam (Lee)
08. Mississippi Queen (West/Laing/Pappalardi/Rea) 6.37

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More from Mountain:

Felix Pappalardi:
December 30, 1939 – April 17, 1983

Leslie West:
October 22, 1945 – December 23, 2020

Chorus Of Tribes – Myth (1998)

Chorus of Tribes is New Age music project from the UK. Símon Hulbert wrote all the tracks found on the project’s first and only album, Myth (1998).Chorus Of Tribes – Myth is a relatively unknown new age / ambient album from Etherean Records.

The album was released in 1998 in the UK.

The album has a rather ironic story behind it. Late 1997 it was released as a bootleg across the internet and various p2p sites as an album by “Deep Forest and Enigma”, and not by “Chorus Of Tribes”. (getsongbpm.com)

If you manage to find this for sale then grab it. For me this is the best tribal/new age/world mix, out there and I have many albums in those categories.

This is a cross with Enigma. Pangea and Deep Forest.

So much range and emotion in this album I’m surprised that so few people know about it. I think a lot of the music has incorrectly been attributed to Deep Forest in the Napster era and people are missing out because they can’t find the album.

This is really a turn of the lights album and a wonderful journey with sounds, music and voices. You may not like all the tracks but the ones you like will be memorable. (Sam)

Personnel:
Simon Hubert (vocals, all instruments)

Tracklist:
01. Into Morroco 6.05
02. Inception 7.09
03. LoLo 5.16
04. Rain Song 7.21
05. Ikkijungle 2.52
06. Lullaby 5.59
07. Marakesh 5.59
08. Shackera 5.03
09. Hiyahiyahey 4.16
10. Myth 2.53
11. New Dawn 7.47

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Passenger – Whispers I (2014)

Michael David Rosenberg (born 17 May 1984), better known by his stage name Passenger, is an English singer-songwriter and musician.

Previously the main vocalist and songwriter of Passenger, Rosenberg opted to keep the band’s name for his solo work after the band dissolved in 2009.

In 2012, he released the song “Let Her Go” which topped the charts in 16 countries. In 2014, the song was nominated for the Brit Award for British Single of the Year, and he received the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work.

Whispers is the fifth studio album from British singer-songwriter Passenger. It was released between 6 and 10 June 2014 in different countries, through Black Crow Records and Nettwerk. The album includes the singles “Scare Away the Dark” and “Heart’s on Fire”.

On 26 March 2014 Passenger announced details of his fifth studio album, confirming the UK release date as 9 June 2014. When speaking to Digital Spy about the album he said, “This is easily the most ‘up’ album I’ve ever made, it’s quite cinematic. There are lots of big stories and big ideas. There are also some sombre moments about loneliness and death but hey, it wouldn’t be a Passenger album without those.” He released “Heart’s on Fire” as the lead single from the album on 14 April 2014.

“Heart’s on Fire” was released as the lead single from the album on 14 April 2014. Talking to Digital Spy about the song he said, “Heart’s on Fire’ is a nostalgic song. It’s about when the timing with someone isn’t right, even though the person might be. And although you’re not with that person at the time, there may be a moment in the future where the relationship makes more sense.”

The album debuted at No. 12 on Billboard 200, No. 5 on Top Rock Albums, selling 18,000 copies in the first week. The album has sold 71,000 copies in the United States as of August 2016.

“Whispers” received a 2015 Grammy nomination  for Best Recording Package. The art director, Sarah Larnach, was also the artist and designer on the album and credits Mike Rosenberg with creating the concept. “Whispers” is the third Passenger album cover created by Sarah Larnach. (wikipedia)

British singer/songwriter Mike Rosenberg, otherwise known as Passenger, continues exploring the broader sonic palette he developed on 2012’s All the Little Lights with his sixth studio album, 2014’s Whispers. As he did last time, Rosenberg once again teamed up with All the Little Lights producer Chris Vallejo. Together, they deliver a batch of evocative acoustic folk and indie pop songs that are often expanded with orchestral flourishes. That said, Rosenberg’s main instrument of choice here is still the acoustic guitar, and all the songs on Whispers retain the Brighton-based artist’s core intimacy. Influenced by both traditional British folk and more modern singer/songwriters,

Rosenberg’s work here falls somewhere between the earnest classicism of Mumford & Sons and the contemporary pop of Ed Sheeran. Vocally, he has a distinctively poignant chirp of a voice that sounds something akin to an elf who stayed up all night smoking, drinking, and sharing stories with friends. Which isn’t to say he sounds wizened, just world-weary and steeped in a kind of twee ennui. Whether he’s singing about growing older (“27”) or delving into a poetic allegory about loneliness (“Bullets”), Rosenberg has a knack for intimate revelations that still read as universal. He also has a gift for melody, and cuts like the melancholy “Heart’s on Fire” and the similarly hushed “Rolling Stone,” with its Van Morrison-esque woodwind backgrounds, are pleasantly enjoyable songs, perfect for introspective listening on warm summer afternoons. Ultimately, with Whispers, Rosenberg has crafted an album of sweet, hummable anthems for tender-hearted troubadours everywhere. (by Matt Collar)

Great, listen a new generation of singer/songwriters !

Personnel:
Stu Hunter (keyboards, glockenspiel on 07.)
Peter Marin (drums)
Michael David Rosenberg (vocals, guitar)
Cameron Undy (bass)
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Scott Aplin (piano on 10. + 11.)
Tony Azzopardi (percussion)
Alex Boneham (bass on 05.. 09. – 11.)
Jess Ciampa (percussion)
Nick Garbett (trumpet)
James Greening (trombone)
Glen Hannah (guitar on 08. + 10.)
Tim Hart (mandolin on 03.)
Matthew Keegan (saxophone, clarinet)
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Enigma String Quartet:
Marianne Broadfoot (violin)
Rowena Macneish (cello)
Kerry Martin (violin)
Shelley Soerensen (viola)
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background vocals:
Georgia Mooney – Stu Larsen – The Once – Andrew Dale – Geraldine Hollett – Phillip Churchill

Tracklist:
01. Coins !n A Fountain 3.04
02. 27 3.18
03. Heart’s On Fire 4.13
04. Bullets 3.24
05. Golden Leaves 4.04
06. Thunder 2.25
07. Rolling Stone 3.22
08. Start A Fire 4.18
09. Whispers 4.00
10. Riding To New York 5.01
11. Scare Away The Dark 4.35

All songs are written by Mike Rosenberg.

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The best time machine …

… is a song