A real interesting US band from the late Sixites:
Jolliver Arkansaw was the group originally known as Bo Grumpus — they were a quartet formed in Boston as the Bait Shop, who moved to New York and took the name Bo Grumpus at the suggestion of producer Felix Pappalardi and his wife. They recorded one highly regarded album on Atco under that name before a label switch to Bell Records led to legal complications that forced them to relinquish the name Bo Grumpus. “Jolliver Arkansaw” was the new name under which the group — Eddie Mottau (guitar), Joe Hutchinson (guitar, keyboards), Jim Colegrove (bass), and Ronnie Blake (drums) — recorded their next album, Home, which was released in 1969. The group broke up early the next year. Mottau, Hutchinson, and Colgrove have all enjoyed long subsequent careers in music. (by Bruce Eder)
And here is their first and last album, a real collector´s item:
In the spring of 1968, Before The War was issued on the Atco label. A couple of tracks were engineered by Chris Houston, former member of The Undertakers. Felix said that the roots to his rock group, Mountain, can be traced to this recording. When Bell Records approached Felix with an offer for him to produce a record, he wanted Bo Grumpus to be the band. The problem was, The Richmond Organization (the group’s publishing company) owned the rights to the name Bo Grumpus being used for a musical group. That meant another name change.
At the suggestion of Eddie Mottau, the group changed its name to Jolliver Arkansaw. They went into the studio early in 1969 to record. On one of the tracks, Gray Afternoon, they were joined by guitarist Leslie West. The solo that Leslie played on this track convinced Felix to start a band with him. That band became known as Mountain. Jolliver Arkansaw’s LP, titled Home, was issued on Bell in 1969. It still gets played on cable music channels.
By August, 1969, Jolliver Arkansaw had come to its end and the group’s members went their separate ways. Jim Colegrove joined Ian & Sylvia’s band Great Speckled Bird and reunited with N.D. Smart. Eddie Mottau became Noel Stookey’s producer, recorded and performed with John Lennon then started his own solo career. Joe Hutchinson headed back to Pennsylvania to start a new life. In the 1970s he would reunite with Colegrove in a band called Jook. (by thecoolgroove.com)
And this is a pretty good album from this decade of progressive music.Not only because Felix Pappalardi (Felix Pappalardi never seems to produce a bad record. One cut, “Frou Frou,” may be a hit single – Robert Christgau) was the producer, not only because we can hear Leslie West on ne track, but ..we hear great compositions and … we hear a sound, that reminds me sometimes to Mountain, one of the finest bands in rock history !
And so I´m proud to have a copy of this rare album … recorded in a very special time in the history of rock music … a time of hope … a time of inspirations …
A rare reissue in red vinyl
Personnel:
Ronnie Blake (drums)
Jim Colegrove (bass, guitar, dobro, vocals)
Joe Hutchinson (guitar, keyboards, vocals)
Ed Mottau (guitar, vocals)
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Felix Pappalardi (keyboards, guitar, ocarina, bass on 06.)
Leslie West (guitar on 12.)
Tracklist:
01. Frou Frou (Hutchinson) 2.27
02. Mr. Brennan (Hutchinson/Pappalardi) 2.22
03. Bright As Fire (Colegrove/Blake) 3.13
04. The Eye (Hutchinson) 3.03
05. A Girl Like Mary (Colegrove) 2.21
06. Hatred Sun (Hutchinson) 2.15
07. Lisa My Love (J.Hutchinson/D.Hutchinson) 2.45
08. Migrant Fowl (Hutchinson) 2.12
09. King Chaos (Hutchinson) 3.35
10. You Keep Me Satisfied (Hutchinson) 2,45
11. St. Justina (Hutchinson) 2.33
12. Gray Afternoon (Mottau/Colegrove/E. Ryan/M.Ryan) 3.10
ManyFantasticColors 