Wynder K. Frog – Into The Fire (1970)

And here´s a real intersting story about a great session musicians from UK:

Mick Weaver (born 16 June 1944, Bolton, Lancashire, England) is an English session musician, best known for his playing of the Hammond B3 organ, and as an exponent of the blues and funk.

Weaver’s band performed as Wynder K. Frog and became popular on the student union and club circuit of the mid sixties. A brief merging of this band with Herbie Goins and the Night-Timers took his work to a higher level. Wynder K. Frogg—they are billed under this spelling—appeared on the bill at The Savile Theatre, London on 24 September 1967 supporting Traffic on their first U.K. presentation. Also on the bill were Jackie Edwards and Nirvana. The compere was David Symonds.

When Steve Winwood left Traffic to form Blind Faith, Weaver was recruited to replace him and Traffic became Mason, Capaldi, Wood and Frog, soon shortened to Wooden Frog. They played a few gigs before dissolving three months later when Traffic reformed. After this he recorded with solo artists such as Buddy Guy, Dave Gilmour, Joe Cocker, Eric Burdon, Frankie Miller, Roger Chapman Steve Marriott and Gary Moore as well as Taj Mahal and The Blues Band, also playing keyboards with Steve Marriott’s Majik Mijits. (by wikipedia)

This is his third and last solo album … which at the time was only issued in the USA. The material on ‘Into The Fire’ once again is organ dominated Swingin’ London music, but it also includes funky moods and moves. (by shinybeast.nl)

This album by Wynder K Frog – a groovy Brit organist who’s probably best known for his work with Traffic, but who’s really opening up here, laying down some wonderfully jazzy and funky instrumentals with a fuzzy Hammond sound that’s really great!

Although the set was recorded in the UK, the best cuts have a soulful crossover sound that feels like it should have been recorded during one of the Cadet Concept sessions in Chicago at the same time. One cut has vocals, but the best are the instrumentals – like “Into the Fire”, “Howl In Wolf’s Clothing”, “Hot Salt Beef”, “Cool Hand Stanley”, and “Why Am I Treated So Bad” (by dustygroove.com)

Oh yes … this album grooves …  !

Personnel:
Kwasi “Rocky” Dzidzornu (percussion)
Neil Hubbard (guitar)
Chris Mercer (saxophone)
Shawn Phillips (guitar, vocals)
Bruce Rowland (drums)
Alan Spenner (bass)
Mick “Wynder K. Frog” Weaver (keyboards)

Tracklist:
01. Into The Fire (Mercer/Weaver) 4.11
02. Howl In Wolf’s Clothing (Weaver) 3.28
03. F In Blues (Mercer/Weaver) 5.43
04. Cool Hand Stanley (Mercer/Weaver/Hubbard) 5.40
05. Eddie’s Tune (Weaver/Hubbard/Phillips) 5.27
06. Why Am I Treated So Bad (Staples) 5.02
07. Hot Salt Beef (Mercer/Weaver/Hubbard) 4.54
08. Warm And Tender Love (Robinson) 4.12

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Coming soon, the wonderful Wynder K. Frog Box “Shook, Shimmy And Shake”
with lots of rarities and a gret booklet:

Wynder K. Frog – Sunshine Super Frog (1967)

And here´s a real intersting story about a great session musicians from UK:

Mick Weaver (born 16 June 1944, Bolton, Lancashire, England) is an English session musician, best known for his playing of the Hammond B3 organ, and as an exponent of the blues and funk.

Weaver’s band performed as Wynder K. Frog and became popular on the student union and club circuit of the mid sixties. A brief merging of this band with Herbie Goins and the Night-Timers took his work to a higher level. Wynder K. Frogg—they are billed under this spelling—appeared on the bill at The Savile Theatre, London on 24 September 1967 supporting Traffic on their first U.K. presentation. Also on the bill were Jackie Edwards and Nirvana. The compere was David Symonds.

When Steve Winwood left Traffic to form Blind Faith, Weaver was recruited to replace him and Traffic became Mason, Capaldi, Wood and Frog, soon shortened to Wooden Frog. They played a few gigs before dissolving three months later when Traffic reformed. After this he recorded with solo artists such as Buddy Guy, Dave Gilmour, Joe Cocker, Eric Burdon, Frankie Miller, Roger Chapman Steve Marriott and Gary Moore as well as Taj Mahal and The Blues Band, also playing keyboards with Steve Marriott’s Majik Mijits. (by wikipedia)

And here´s the debut album of  the UK Hammond wizard Mick Weaver, a.k.a. Wynder K. Frog.Wynder K. Frog:

The Wynder K. Frog story evolves around Mick Weaver. After he switched from piano to organ he joined a band named The Chapters that would soon be renamed Wynder K. Frog and perform material from James Brown’s Flames, Booker T. and The MGs or even songs learned through Georgie Fame’s recordings and Graham Bond’s repertoire. Wynder K. Frog moved to London and became regulars in the city’s R&B scene playing at Swingin’ London’s clubs like the Tiles or The Marquee. A contract with Island Records was secured and – under the wings of producers like Chris Blackwell, Guy Stevens, Jimmy Miller or Gus Dudgeon – Wynder K Frog, a name that would eventually be used as a pseudonym for Weaver more than a proper band name, did some some amazing Hammond organ-ized recordings and issued in three LPs and a bunch of cool 45s.

At the end of the 1960s, Weaver would quit the “band scene” to become one of the most in demand session musicians and throughout his career he’d be heard backing names such as Eric Burdon, Roger Chapman, Dave Gilmour, Keef Hartley, Alexis Korner, Ralph McTell, Taj Mahal or Otis Rush a.o, but his LPs as Wynder K Frog are classic Hammond sound from the 1960s UK and will appeal to those into Brian Auger, Graham Bond, The Artwoods, Zoot Money, Jimmy McGriff, Booker T. & The MGs and the likes.

Recorded mostly in 1966 and issued in 1967, Wynder K Frog’s first LP came out of sessions produced by Chris Blackwell, Jimmy Miller and Syd Dale. Weaver was assuming more and more the identity of Wynder K Frog and was backed by session musicians rather than by his live band. It consisted in organ led instrumental covers of songs from the Island catalogue, some built over rejected backing tracks for other artists of the label like Jimmy Cliff, Jackie Edwards and Owen Gray and some new recordings of hits like Spencer Davis Group’s “Somebody Help Me”, plus some covers of american R&B hits by the likes of Sam & Dave, Willie Mitchell or Wilson Pickett. The end result gave an idea of the Wynder K Frog sound, resulting in a top mix of dance club go-go sounds, perfect for any allnighter at the Tiles or any Swingin’ London venue of the 1960s.

Rare French EP, 1967

Master of the Hammond B4 organ, Mick Weaver had played with his own band in the mid-sixties mostly playing Student Union gigs and average size clubs etc. He was approached by Island Records to record his organ over a set of instrumental backing tracks produced by top session musicians from New York. The result was a very cohesive union of soulful horns and Weaver honing in on his keyboard skills at every opportunity. (by Trevor H. Faull)

As I bonus track we can hear his verion of “I´m A Man” from The Spencer Davis Group, officially “recorded live in Paris”:

Hi. I know that it says recorded in live Paris on the single but I met Mick Weaver at a gig and asked him about this. He laughed and said that it was Chris Blackwell’s idea to say that and it was actually recorded live in London at Brigitte Bardot’s birthday party! (by elvispreseli)

Nice story …

Personnel:
Mick Weaver (orgn)
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a bunch of unknown studio musicians

Tracklist:
01. Sunshine Superman (Leitch) 2.35
02. I Feel So Bad (Edwards) 2.25
03. Oh Mary (Edwards) 2.34
04. Blues For A Frog (Dale) 3.03
05. Somebody Help Me (Edwards) 2.45
06. Mercy (Harris) 1.57
07. Hold On, I’m Coming (Hayes/Porter) 2.12
08. Shook, Shimmy And Shake (Gray) 2.14
09. Insence (Fallon/Miller) 2.29
10. Walking To New Orleans (Domino/Bartholomew/Guidry) 2.01
11. (Don’t Fight It) Feel It (Pickett/Cropper) 2.21
12. Dancin’ Pain (Miller) 2.30
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13. I´m A Man (live) (Miller/Winwood) 3.20

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Wynder K. Frog – Out Of The Frying Pan (1968)

Mick Weaver (born 16 June 1944, Bolton, Lancashire, England) is an English session musician, best known for his playing of the Hammond B3 organ, and as an exponent of the blues and funk.

Weaver’s band performed as Wynder K. Frog and became popular on the student union and club circuit of the mid sixties. A brief merging of this band with Herbie Goins and the Night-Timers took his work to a higher level. Wynder K. Frogg—they are billed under this spelling—appeared on the bill at The Savile Theatre, London on 24 September 1967 supporting Traffic on their first U.K. presentation. Also on the bill were Jackie Edwards and Nirvana. The compere was David Symonds.

When Steve Winwood left Traffic to form Blind Faith, Weaver was recruited to replace him and Traffic became Mason, Capaldi, Wood and Frog, soon shortened to Wooden Frog. They played a few gigs before dissolving three months later when Traffic reformed. After this he recorded with solo artists such as Buddy Guy, Dave Gilmour, Joe Cocker, Eric Burdon, Frankie Miller, Roger Chapman Steve Marriott and Gary Moore as well as Taj Mahal and The Blues Band, also playing keyboards with Steve Marriott’s Majik Mijits.(by wikipedia)

Remarkable, fresh and joyful. These three words are the best I found to describe this album. When I got it, most the original songs, instrumentally covered on it, were already known. It didn’t matter; they sound as if they are brand new songs. From Rock hits such as Rolling Stones’ Jumping Jack flash, to Soul gems such as Aretha Franklin’s Baby I love you, to Jazz standards such as Oscar Peterson’s Hymn to freedom or Bobby Timmons’ This here. Two songs are penned by Mick Weaver, Wynder K. Frogg’s real name, who is the leader playing Hammond organ and piano, backed by an incredible and powerful band. (by Javier Fernandez)

Personnel:
Reebop Kwaku Baah (percussion)
Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophone)
Neil Hubbard (guitar)
Henry Lowther (trumpet)
Chris Mercer (saxophone)
Bruce Rowland (drums)
Alan Spenner (bass)
Mick Weaver (organ)

Tracklist:
01. Jumping Jack Flash (Jagger/Richard) 4.05
02. Gasoline Alley (Weaver) 2.58
03. Willie And The Hand Jive (Otis) 2.20
04. Harpsichord Shuffle (Weaver) 3.54
05. Baby I Love You (Shannon) 2.40
06. This Here (Timmons) 6.23
07. Green Door (Davie/Moore) 2,27
08. Bad Eye (Mitchell) 2.34
09. Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Berlin) 3,35
10. Tequila (Rio) 2.00
11. The House That Jack Built (Price) 2.40
12. Hymn To Freedom (Peterson) 4.19
13. Hi-Heel Sneakers (Higgenbotham) 3.39

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