Edgar Winter – Entrance (1970)

Edgar Holland Winter (born December 28, 1946) is an American musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist, playing keyboards, guitar, saxophone, and percussion, as well as singing. His success peaked in the 1970s with his band the Edgar Winter Group and their popular songs “Frankenstein” and “Free Ride”. He is the brother of late blues singer and guitarist Johnny Winter. (wikipedia)

The brother of Texas guitar legend Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter shared his sibling’s love of the blues, but he never let that limit his musical world view. Edgar scored a massive hit single in 1972 with “Frankenstein,” a hard rock instrumental from the Edgar Winter Group’s album They Only Come Out at Night that became his signature, and as a bandleader and keyboard and sax player, he showed he was just as adept at jazz, funk, R&B, and progressive rock accents on LPs like Entrance (1970) and Edgar Winter’s White Trash (1971).

Edgar’s strongest blues recordings were his collaborations with brother Johnny on Together – Live (1976) and Winter Blues (1999, with Johnny guesting along with Dr. John and Leon Russell), while he indulged his taste for smooth jazz with the science fiction-themed Mission Earth (1986) and the more conventional Jazzin’ the Blues (2004). Edgar’s time as a major rock star was relatively short, but his estimable instrumental skills made him a valued sideman (he spent several years as part of Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band) and he always had a loyal fan following, with projects like the R&B-influenced rock of Rebel Road (2008), his collaboration with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, The Odd Couple Live (2011), and his tribute to his late sibling, Brother Johnny (2022). (by Mark Deming)

Entrance is the first studio album by Edgar Winter, brother of guitarist Johnny Winter who featured on one track, “Tobacco Road”.

Edgar Winter came out of the chute kicking with this remarkable record filled with jazz, blues, and a little old-fashioned rock & roll. The record follows an established theme throughout its first side, stringing the songs together without breaks, highlighted by dreamy keyboard and sax work, plus Winter’s smooth vocalizations. But jazz isn’t the only thing Winter brings to the party. His first recorded version of the old J.D. Loudermilk tune “Tobacco Road” throws a few nice punches (although the live version with White Trash a few years later would prove the definitive one). “Jimmy’s Gospel” plays on his early church influences, while “Jump Right Out” is the predecessor of half-a-dozen “jump up and dance” numbers Winter would pepper his records with in the years to come. (by Michael B. Smith)

Edgar Winter’s triumphant 1970 debut as a solo artist is an amazing mix of jazz, progressive rock and blues.

At times reminiscent of some of Todd Rundgren’s 1970s work, the initial seven tracks make up a medley of songs collectively known as “Edgar’s Dream”. It includes six tracks co-written with his older brother, the late blues guitarist Johnny Winter, and one solo composition. It is at once fusion, traditional jazz, blues and rock; with Edgar’s high tenor blistering throughout. It is buoyed by Edgar’s wonderful keyboard work, with one piece featuring a fine alto sax solo, brother Johnny on harmonica and great horn accompaniment.

As an entrance, it is at once majestic, advanced and stunning.

What was original side two of the album starts with a great rendition of the blues classic, “Tobacco Road”, but played with a sensibility of both blues (Johnny plays lead guitar) and jazz, complete with wild vocalizations and one hell of an extended scream.

This progresses onto some wicked jazz/rock/blues/soul renditions of more original (most with his brother) compositions, played about as tightly as one could hope with that incredible groove that only the jazz-funk of the time seemed to be able to deliver. Pay special attention to the excellent sax work on “Jump Right Out” and “A Different Game“. (by Michael Mahan)

Personnel:
Randal Dollahon (guitar)
Jimmy Gillen (drums)
Gene Kurtz (bass)
Edgar Winter (vocals, keyboads, saxophone, celeste)
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horn section:
Ray Alonge – Earl Chapin – Brooks Tillotson

string section:
Paul Gershman – Emanuel Green – Gene Cahn – Ralph Oxman – Russ Savakus
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on 08.
Tommy Shannon (bass)
“Uncle” John Turner (drums)
Johnny Winter (guitar, harmonica, vocals)

Alternate edition (re-issue):

Tracklist:
01. Entrance (E.Winter/J.Winter) 3.30
02. Where Have You Gone (E.Winter/J.Winter) 2.40
03. “Rise to Fall (E.Winter/J.Winter) 4:04
04. Fire And Ice (E.Winter/J.Winter) 6:52
05. Hung Up (E.Winter/J.Winter) 3.01
06. Back In The Blues (E.Winter) 2.18
07. Re-Entrance (E.Winter/J.Winter) 2.31
08. Tobacco Road (Loudermilk) 4.11
09. Jump Right Out (E.Winter/J.Winter) 4.22
10. Peace Pipe (E.Winter) 4.43
11. A Different Game (E.Winter/J.Winter) 5.05
12. Jimmy’s Gospel (E.Winter) 4.42
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13. Now Is The Time (Single B-side) (E.Winter/J.Winter) 3.46

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