Genya Ravan - Genya Ravan (1971 us, great soulful funky blues rock)

Genya Ravan is an important rock & roll personality and influential vocalist and record producer, born Genya Zelkowitz on April 19, 1945, in Lodz, Poland. Her mom later changed her name to Goldie Zelkowitz, Ravan taking her birth name back when she formed the band Ten Wheel Drive. When her parents left Poland, they went into a Russian camp. The singer kindly gave personal details of her youth to AMG on April 4, 2002: "We lost everyone. I never had an aunt or an uncle, I had two brothers, they died. I never met my grandparents, it was me and my sister and my mom and dad. They came from big families and saw all of them die. We escaped to the U.S. via a ship. We were DPs and went straight to Ellis Island."

Young Goldie Zelkowitz never knew she could sing until in her late teens "then I picked up alto sax, drums, and harmonica." In the summer of 1962, she asked to sing with the Escorts (not Felix Cavaliere's band from Syracuse University nor the '50s group or U.K. band of the same name) who were performing at the Lollipop Lounge in Brooklyn, NY. She remembers it was the summer because: "I had pants that showed my belly button, they could not get their eyes off it." Soon, she was rehearsing with the band and became the first girlfriend of Richard Perry, bass vocalist in the group and the man who would go on to produce Ringo Starr, Carly Simon, Leo Sayer, the Pointer Sisters, and so many others. The band recorded and released a few singles on Coral Records in 1962 and 1963: "Somewhere" b/w "Submarine Race Watching," "I Can't Be Free" b/w "One Hand, One Heart," and "Something Has Changed Him" b/w "Back Home Again."

After she left the Escorts, Zelkowitz formed Goldie & the Gingerbreads, an original all-female band that was only the first of many firsts for Zelkowitz. All girls in a man's music world was as daunting a task as a woman trying to become president of the United States. Petula Clark, Lulu, Cilla Black, Skeeter Davis, and Kitty Wells simply did not have a crew of women backing them up. Where the Go-Go's became a bit of a novelty years later, the people who came before that hit '80s band, Goldie & the Gingerbreads, Fanny, and later, Isis, all had a harder edge and would have done more for the cause's credibility had they had the hit singles to go along with their critical acclaim. 

Genya Ravan released an album a year starting in 1969 with Ten Wheel Drive's Construction #1 on Polydor, up to the 1974 release of Goldie Zelkowitz on Janus, but created her most popular recordings on 20th Century Fox in 1978 and 1979 when she released the self-produced ...And I Mean It / Urban Desire one-two punch. Genya Ravan, her first solo disc which Columbia released after she left Ten Wheel Drive, was the catalyst for Ravan producing herself. Perhaps the most shocking thing about the record is that it is the only one she recorded for Columbia, a place that seemed like the perfect home for a woman with so many talents. Clive Davis originally wanted Richard Perry to produce, and it wasn't the fact that he was Ravan's first boyfriend that the idea was nixed, his pop work with Carly Simon was not what this artist is about. Larry Fallon former partner of producer Jimmy Miller and the guy behind "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)"for The Looking Glass (he had also put strings on an unreleased version of "Wild Horses" for Jimmy Miller and the Rolling Stones ) was brought in. But "Brandy" was more pop than "You're So Vain" if you think about it.

To feel comfortable, Ravan asked for, and got, her original partners in Ten Wheel Drive, Aram Schefrin, and Michael Zager, and with the band Baby behind her, Goldie Zelkowitz made the first album of her career beyond Goldie & the Gingerbreads and Ten Wheel Drive. It is a pure document of her transition. This is the shift between the sounds of Ten Wheel Drive and what would follow on 1973's They Love Me, They Love Me Not and 1974's Goldie Zelkowitz. She takes Rod Stewart and the Faces superb and little recognized "Flying" and makes it her own, a tune she would continue to perform live in concert. Stephen Stills' "Sit Yourself Down" gets a total reworking, just as Gabriel Mekler would revamp Whipping Post with her in 1974, when Ten Wheel Drive was re-forming with Annie Sutton. It is an amazing thread of events, with players from both the Rolling Stones and Janis Joplin filtering through her recorded work, and where this album could have been Columbia Records replacing Janis Joplin with Genya Ravan, the singer opted to take her music into a realm where Diane Schuur would feel at home, rock influenced by jazz rather than high-powered blues rock. Indeed, the final track on side one, "Takuta Kalaba," is blended into "Turn on Your Love Lights," a song Janis Joplin did with the Grateful Dead if memory serves on one of the live tapes of theirs that has circulated over the years, so there was this thread, though the result is 180 degrees from where Joplin took it. Genya Ravan did not want to fill the Janis Joplin void for Mr. Davis -- she wanted to be herself. 

Clive told her, "You are either a rock singer or you're a jazz singer, but you cannot do both," and maybe for short-term marketing he had a point, but for longevity and vision, the Larry Fallon-produced "I'm in the Mood For Love" is exquisite. Fallon had come from a jazz band with Jimmy Miller, who coincidentally produced Genya Ravan's next album for his production company, released on ABC Dunhill. James Moody's saxophone solo is thrilling, and a real touch of class. The cabaret atmosphere seguing into the African drum sound of Michael Olatunji and his "Takuta Kalaba," which was released as a single in Europe. Brilliant material which would certainly stifle the Janis Joplin comparisons. The soulful rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on a Wire" was tracked long before Cohen was considered chic. Columbia released "What Kind of Man Are You" from this album on a 45 rpm with the non-LP A side of "Morning Glory," written by Michael Holmes, and produced by he and Dixon Van Winkle, making for five producers during these sessions! 

The single was the idea of Clive Davis, and it is beautiful, the style of music that Bette Midler was having success with at this point in time. Midler eventually covered Genya Ravan's "Stay With Me" for The Rose film and soundtrack, bringing things full circle. Genya Ravan is an album brimming with this creative woman's personality, talent, and amazing vocal prowess. "Morning Glory" should eventually find itself on a Sony/Legacy re-release of Genya Ravan, important music that is continuously contemporary because of the long-range vision of the artist. 

by Joe Viglione

Tracks
1. What Kind Of Man Are You (Ray Charles) - 3:26
2. Sit Yourself Down (Stephen Stills) - 2:32
3. I Hate Myself (Doc Pomus, Ken Hirsch) - 4:59
4. I'm In The Mood For Love (Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields) - 3:50
5. Takuta Kalaba Turn On Your Love Lights (Babatunde Olatunji, Deadric Malone, Joseph Scott) - 6:25
6. Lonely, Lonely (Aram Schefrin, Michael Zager) - 3:45
7. Flying (Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, Ronnie Lane) - 6:00
8. Every Little Bit Hurts (Ed Cobb) - 3:37
9. Bird On The Wire (Leonard Cohen) - 4:49
10.I Can't Stand It (Smokey McAllister) - 3:18

Musicians
*Genya Ravan - Harmonica, Percussion, Vocals
*Peter Hodgson - Bass
*Bian Keenan - Drums
*Mitch Styles - Guitar
*John Platania - Guitar
*Nick Oliva - Keyboards
*Bernard Williams - Percussion
*Arnie Lawrence - Saxophone
*James Moody - Saxophone
*Michael Olatunji - African Drums

1969-71  Ten Wheel Drive With Genya Ravan - The Best Of

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Sweet Salvation - Sweet Salvation (1972 us, solid funk blues rock, 2009 edition)

Led by long-established New Orleans musicians drummer "Big John" John Thomassie, keyboard player Wayne DeVillier and guitarist Don Normand, Sweet Salvation could have been one of the all-time great r&b/funk/rock/gospel bands. Unfortunately due to business mis-steps and bad timing it was not meant to be. Also featuring 2 great women singers, DeEtta Little and Fritz Basket, and Alex Smith on bass, Sweet Salvation covered ground that includes New Orleans second line, blues, r&b, rock and 70's funk. They were very much connected to Allen Toussaint and the Meters, but maybe heavier in sound and style, closer to rock.

"Sweet Salvation" features 2 great cover tracks, very elaborate and creative arrangements of Randy Newman's "Sail Away" and Aretha Franklin's "Rock Steady". "Sweet Salvation" also delivers some first-rate original tunes in what could have led to a powerful and unique style. It's great to hear rock-solid r & b and second line grooves combined with Devillier's brilliant and virtuosic piano playing, which is beautifully recorded (loud and thick sounding, not too bright) and is the backbone of the band's sound. 

by Adam Holzman

Tracks
1. Do A Number (Fritz Basket) - 3:35
2. Ain't Nobody's Fault But Your Own (Wayne DeVillier) - 4:18
3. I Just Find Myself Falling (John Vinidigni, Wayne DeVillier) - 3:28
4. Who's A Blue (Fritz Basket, Wayne DeVillier) - 3:52
5. Sail Away (Randy Newman) - 5:31
6. Carry Me Home (Wayne DeVillier) - 1:58
7. Have You Ever Had The Blues (Bill Jennings, Harold Logan, Lloyd Price) - 2:22
8. Stick With Me (John Vinidigni, Wayne DeVillier) - 2:49
9. Keep On Pushin' (Wayne DeVillier) - 2:50
10.Rock Steady (Aretha Franklin) - 8:21

The Sweet Salvation
*Wayne DeVillier - Keyboards, Vocals 
*John Evans Thomassie - Drums, Vocals
*Don Normand - Guitar
*Alexander Smith jr - Bass 
*Deetta Little - Vocals
*Fritz Basket - Vocals

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Ten Wheel Drive With Genya Ravan - The Best Of (1969-71 us, impressive jazz blues brass rock)

Ten Wheel Drive was a highly influential rock/jazz group not afraid to push the envelope while exploring various musical styles. Though musicians came and went, including the original lead vocalist, by the time the fourth album was released, the records have stood the test of time, influencing the successful Bette Midler breakthrough film The Rose, inspiring women with the drive and ambition to front their own group in a once male-dominated industry, getting sold on online auction sites to be discovered by new generations of music lovers. 

When Bette Midler put the Jerry Ragovoy/Larry Weiss song "Stay With Me" in her film The Rose, it was a sly tribute to the genius of Genya Ravan and her innovative ensemble Ten Wheel Drive. The former Goldie Zelkowitz hit big in Europe with "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat," which Peter Noone has said Zelkowitz/Ravan's manager nicked off producer Mickey Most's desk. Most and Noone, of course, hit in America with "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat" on a Herman's Hermits release. Zelkowitz emerged from her pioneering girl group (later producing Ronnie Spector's first solo disc) to front an adventurous and highly experimental unit known as Ten Wheel Drive.

With elements of Blood, Sweat and Tears meeting Big Brother and the Holding Company somewhere in the middle, Ten Wheel Drive covered the gamut of pop styles. The band's three albums with Ravan, and a fourth without her on Capitol, only hinted at Ten Wheel Drive's potential. Polygram's Bill Levenson has done another commendable job putting together a solid collection featuring six tracks each from the first two discs and four from the third. A track from the Capitol disc co-written by Schefrin/Zager/Ravan and entitled "Why Am I So Easy to Leave" would have made this perfect but, clocking in at 79:05, this disc is generous indeed.

"Come Live With Me" has Ravan's exotic vocals slinking up and down the scale alongside bass and guitar, and "Brief Replies" is reminiscent of Mae West singing in the film Myra Breckinridge, but it is Ravan's screaming-from-the-cosmos wail in her astonishing performance of "Stay With Me" that is the album's zenith. Pearl producer Paul A. Rothschild was enlisted to recreate Ravan's performance somehow and Bette Midler did a wonderful tribute to her, as well as to Joplin and to songwriter Ragovoy (who also co-wrote Joplin's signature tune "Piece of My Heart."

Make no mistake, both Joplin and Midler have owed a debt to the work of Genya Ravan. Just listen to "Last of the Line," with its experimental pop that Big Brother and the Holding Company flirted with so often, or the dreamy "Shootin' the Breeze," which sounds like a Jackie DeShannon/Burt Bacharach reunion. It is second only to "Stay With Me" as the showpiece of the disc. Any group that goes out on so many limbs to cover pop, jazz fusion, hard rock, country, blues, and any other musical format whether in vogue or not, deserved the opportunity to generate more sound. This "best-of" is a unique snapshot of talents who have yet to receive their due.

by Joe Viglione

Tracks
1. Tightrope (Genya Ravan, Leon Rix) - 5:10
2. Lapidary - 4:32
3. Eye Of The Needle - 8:11
4. Candy Man Blues (Elizabeth Hoff, Louie Hoff) - 4:36
5. Ain't Gonna Happen - 5:39
6. House In Central Park - 4:29
7. Morning Much Better (Genya Ravan, Mike Zager) - 2:36
8. Brief Replies - 5:20
9. Come Live With Me - 5:22
10.Stay With Me (George David Weiss, Jerry Ragovoy) - 4:20
11.How Long Before I'm Gone - 6:43
12.Last Of The Line - 5:20
13.The Night I Got Out Of Jail - 3:46
14.Shootin' The Breeze - 3:18
15.Love Me - 5:03
16.I Had Him Down - 3:53
All compositions by Aram Schefrin, Mike Zager except where stated

Ten Wheel Drive
*Genya Ravan - Vocals, Harmonica, Tambourine
*Aram Schefrin - Guitar, Vocals, Banjo, Percussion
*Michael Zager - Organ, Piano, Clarinet
*Bill Takas  - Bass
*Leon Rix - Drums, Percussion, Cello
*Louie Hoff - Flute, Tenor, Baritone Saxophones
*Dennis Parisi - Trombone
*Jay Silva - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Flute
*Richard Meisterman - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
*Peter Hyde - Piccolo Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Trumpet
*Allen Herman - Drums, Percussion, Vibes
*Bob Piazza  - Bass, Vocals
*Dave Liebman - Flute, Soprano, Tenor, Baritone Saxophones
*Steve Satten - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Hamesha, Cowbell
*John Gatchell - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
*John Eckert - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
*Blake Hines  - Bass
*David Williams- Drums, Percussion
*Alan Gauvin - Woodwinds
*Tom Malone - Trombone
*Dean Pratt - Trumpet
*Frank Frint - Trumpet
*Danny Stiles Francisco - Trumpet

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Ron Davies ‎– I Don't Believe It (1978 us, amazing folk country classic rock with horns section, 2010 korean remaster)

Ron Davies was a genius of rhyme and melody. He has been described by his peers as the "quintessential poet” and the "songwriter's writer." John Hadley (a music professor at the University of Oklahoma) was quoted as saying, “I separate the world into two kinds of people, the ones that get Ron Davies and the ones that don’t.”

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana (the oldest son of country singer Tex Dickerson), Ron was influenced by songwriters like Hank Williams, but he also loved the music of Blind Lemon Jefferson and classical guitarist Andrés Segovia. Ron spent his early years living in the South, until his parents separated, and he moved with his two siblings to Washington State. Ron's last name was changed when his mother remarried, and he was adopted by his kind and loving stepfather, Darby Davies, who bought him his first guitar. Ron’s songs often reflect his love of the Pacific Northwest, and yet a longing to get “Back To The South.”

By the time Ron was seventeen, he had written an album’s worth of stellar songs for a Seattle based band called The Wailers, along with a regional hit single entitled "It's You Alone." Ron's unique style of singing and writing (referred to by Joan Baez as a cross between Bob Dylan and John Lennon) caught the attention of A&M record executives in California. Ron was signed to a recording contract in 1968 and released his first solo album, which he called "Silent Song Through The Land," featuring nine of his original compositions including the blues standard "It Ain't Easy." As a side note, the angelic harmony vocals on this album were sung by Ron’s beautiful young wife, Vicki Lynn Davies, who was his singing partner from 1962 to 1974, as well as the mother of his two daughters.

Ron’s career received a major boost in 1970 when Three Dog Night recorded “It Ain’t Easy” and made it the title of their album. Although often miscredited to Ray Davies from The Kinks (Ron displayed his wry sense of humor when he asked his publisher to take some of The Kinks out of his copyright), “It Ain’t Easy” gained international fame when a British artist by the name of David Bowie recorded it on his RCA album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars."

It wasn’t long before Ron Davies’ songs were in demand and being recorded by such iconic artists as Long John Baldry, Dave Edmunds, Joe Cocker, Anne Murray, Dobie Gray, Bettye LaVette, Chris Smithers, Glenn Yarbrough, Merry Clayton, Mitch Ryder and Steppenwolf’s John Kay, to name a few. Australian born pop singer Helen Reddy recorded what would later become one of Ron’s signature songs entitled “Long Hard Climb” and made it the title of her 1973 platinum selling album. This song was also recorded by Maria Muldaur on her 1974 Reprice album "Midnight On The Oasis."

Even though Ron Davies was the author of an impressive music catalog, he only recorded five albums during his lifetime: Silent Song Through the Land, U.F.O., I Don't Believe It, Gold and Silver and Where Does The Time Go. Ron sadly passed away of a heart attack at his home in Nashville on October 30, 2003.

Ron Davies

Tracks
1. Poor Man Walks - 2:54
2. Northern Lights - 3:52
3. It's You Alone - 3:00
4. I Don't Believe It - 3:58
5. Good Old Song (Ron Davies, Mentor Williams) - 2:43
6. Nickels And Dimes (Ron Davies, Barry Goldberg) - 3:08
7. No More Crazy Tears - 2:42
8. Give A Little Bit - 3:03
9. Laughing Into Love - 3:29
10.In My Life (I Have Been Lucky) - 3:19
All songs by Ron Davies except where stated

Musicians
*Ron Davies - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
*Jerry Swallow - Electric Guitar
*Michael jones - Drums
*Jack Conrad - Bass
*Elmo Peeler - Piano
*Bill Como - Piano
*John Raines - Percussion
*Jreg Smith - Horns
*Walt Johnson - Horns
*Outman Dennis - Horns
*Helen Lowe - Vocals
*Cheryl Alexander - Vocals
*Sondra Alexander - Vocals

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It's A Beautiful Day - Live At The Fillmore (1968 us, outstanding psych prog rock, 2013 release)

When looking back at all the San Francisco bands who toiled the psychedelic scene of the late '60s/early '70s, It's a Beautiful Day seems to have taken a backseat to other more popular acts like the Grateful Dead, Santana, and Jefferson Airplane. Listening to their music here in 2013, it's kind of hard to imagine why this band didn't achieve superstar status. Led by the powerful vocals & soaring electric violin of David LaFlamme, It's a Beautiful Day combined pop, psychedelia, jazz, prog, folk, rock, and classical into a unique sound that peaked with their hit single "White Bird" in 1969, but by 1974 the band had all but split up, reforming in various incarnations from time to time before fully reuniting in 2000 with LaFlamme, his current wife Linda Baker LaFlamme, original drummer Val Fuentes, Gary Thomas on keyboards, guitarist Rob Espinosa, bassist Toby Gray, and percussionist Michael Prichard.

This particular concert was recorded at the famous Fillmore West in San Francisco in 1968, and captured them at the peak of their powers. Along with LaFlamme & Fuentes were vocalist Patti Santos, Linda Neska LaFlamme on keyboards (David's first wife...apparently he likes the name Linda), and bassist Mitchell Holman. As there was no guitar player in the band at this time, their music is rich with the dual female/male vocal attack, LaFlamme's energetic violin, and Linda's insistent organ textures. Psychedelic pop tracks like "Love For You" and "White Bird" contain some really great melodies and vocal harmonies, but here in the live setting all these songs are pushed to epic length and feature some spectacular violin & organ passages.

"Wasted Union Blues" is like a meeting of Vanilla Fudge and Jefferson Airplane, while "Bombay Calling" is a moody anti-war piece whose main musical theme was borrowed by Deep Purple for their legendary song "Child in Time" which appeared on their In Rock album less than 2 years later. The epic, near 10-minute "Time Is" is littered with sizzling guitar & organ lines, a real treat for all the prog lovers in the house, and has a bass lick like the classic Animals track "We Gotta Get Out of This Place". Other highlights include the mysterious, gypsy/blues of "Changes" and the atmospheric rocker "Hot Summer Day", another song with addicting organ from Linda and soaring vocal interplay between David and Patti.

The sound quality on this vintage concert is quite good, and the informative DVD documentary contains plenty of interview segments with David LaFlamme & Fuentes, as well as some notable journalists, who talk about the history of the band and the San Francisco music scene back at the end of the '60s. Filled with some vintage live clips as well as more recent footage of the band, it's a nice little companion piece to the live CD. It's a shame that the booklet is somewhat bare bones other than two short essays and three photos, but overall this is a nice package documenting a fascinating band who never got the attention they deserved. 

by Pete Pardo

Tracks
1. Love For You. 6:44
2. Bulgaria (With Love For You Reprise). 6:51
3. White Bird. 8:02
4. Wasted Union Blues. 10:28
5. Time Is. 9:30
6. Countryside (David LaFlamme, Linda LaFlamme) - 5:19
7. Bombay Calling. 7:38
8. Changes. 8:26
9. Girl With No Eyes. 5:40
10.Hot Summer Day. 11:03
All songs written by David LaFlamme except where noted.

It's A Beautiful Day
*David LaFlamme - Violin, Vocals
*Linda Neska LaFlamme - Keyboards
*Patti Santos - Vocals, Percussion
*Mitchell Holman - Bass
*Val Fuentes - Drums

1971  It's A Beautiful Day - Creed Of Love

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Groundshaker - Groundshaker (1971-72 us, fine rough hard rock)

Groundshaker was an American hard rock band from the early 1970s. They played many times in the cafe "The Continental Hyatt House" and in some other places of Hollywood. One of their managers was Charlie Green from the management company Brian Stone & Charlie Green, which represented some well-known collectives of the 60's as Iron Butterfly, Sonny ‘n’ Cher and Buffalo Springfield. 

They had many offers from record labels, but they drop them down, and ofcourse without any contract the group disbanded in 1973. More than three decades later,  Morgana Welch and Terry C. Corbett produced their only self-titled album, collecting records from old tapes. 

This never before released hard ‘n’ heavy psych opus, contains eight long tracks (plus three bonus alternate versions) with a frenzied attacking guitar and jams, a powerful loud vocals, and heavy rhythm section.

Tracks
1. On My Way (Dave Pike) - 3:30
2. World That's Tight (John Sanchez) - 4:58
3. Things (John Sanchez, Ron Barron) - 4:21
4. Leavin' (Traditional) - 3:52
5. Got Those Blues (Skip Gillette, Dave Pike, Steve Schweizer) - 3:59
6. Fly (John Sanchez) - 3:16
7. Abaseal (John Sanchez, Skip Gillette, John Sanchez, Ron Barron) - 6:02
8. Hearts And Flowers (Skip Gillette, John Sanchez, Ron Barron) - 5:50
9. Hearts And Flowers (Slight Different Mix) (Skip Gillette, John Sanchez, Ron Barron) - 5:51
10.Abaseal (Slight Different Mix 1) (John Sanchez, Skip Gillette, John Sanchez, Ron Barron) - 6:02
11.Abaseal (Slight Different Mix 2) (John Sanchez, Skip Gillette, John Sanchez, Ron Barron) - 5:58

The Groundshaker
*Skip Gillette - Drums
*Steve Schweizer - Bass
*John Sanchez - Guitar
*Ron Barron - Vocals

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Ford Theatre - Time Changes (1969 us, spectacular bosstown acid psych, 2011 remaster)

The origins of Ford Theatre lie in a popular Boston-based group called Joyful Noise, which played the college circuit. The four members of the band were James Altieri (bass), Arthur Webster (guitar), Robert Tamagni (drums) and John Mazzarelli (keyboards, vocals). All of them were childhood friends from Milford, Massachusetts. The group attracted the attention of New Yorker Harry Palmer who first came across the band when attending college in Boston. Palmer was a composer by nature and was looking for that band that could play the musical ideas he had, and on his return to Boston, a few years later, contacted Joyful Noise to do just that. The link between the band and Palmer was their eventual manager Fred Cenedella who used to book bands for dances to pay off his tuition fees and who had met Palmer on a visit in 1965. There exist acetate recordings from 1967 of the quartet Joyful Noise as they made two demo recordings in the hope of acquiring a record deal. The tracks included are Known the World Over, Something Of A Change, Good Thing and Stop.

The group were impressed by Palmer's material and slowly he became a fully fledged member of the band. However a few changes were made to the band. First a vocalist, Joe Scott, was drafted in (also from Milford, Massachusetts), and secondly the name of the band had to be changed. The reason for this was that Palmer's music was dark and ominous, a reflection of the times as America was still reeling from the assassination of President Kennedy and was in the midst of the Vietnam war. Thus Joyful Noise became Ford Theatre, the place where President Lincoln was shot. (Actually the name of that place is Ford's Theater, but the group dropped the 's and changed Theater to Theatre.) On the other hand an interview with the band at the time of the release of their first album has them dismissing the link and instead stressing that the name was actually a combination of two factors. The Ford was used as a sign that the group would one day make money doing auto commercials while on the other hand the Theatre gives the group a dramatic and serious slant. The first concert that the band played under the moniker of Ford Theatre came in the summer of 1967 at the Unicorn Theatre in Boston.

Following the release of the first album, the band went on tour of seven cities including Chicago, New York and Philadelphia performing with bands such as Big Brother And The Holding Company, Iron Butterflyand Procol Harum as well as playing local television shows. However poor promotional backing from ABC did not help the band. A classic example was the summer of 1968 when the band played in front of 10,000 people at the Kiel Auditorium, sharing the bill with Big Brother and Iron Butterfly. The album was being played in heavy rotation in its entirety on the local radio (KSHE), thus achieving a large amount of publicity. However there was one snag. The area of St Louis was not supplied with records of the band and thus all the publicity that was achieved was all useless! 

September of 1969 saw the release of the band's second album, Time Changes (ABC ABCS 681/Stateside SSL 10288; Value BS15:00). Though dubbed a concept album, it is in fact a loose collection of songs, most of which were new songs composed by Harry Palmer. Recordings took place at the original Hit Factory in New York while production was entrusted to Bill Scymczyck. Time Changes was the first piece of production work for Szymczyck, who would go on to achieve fame for his production work with James Gang, Joe Walsh, Edgar Winter and The Eagles. Also there was a change in line-up for the recordings of the album as James Altieri had left the band and was replaced by Johnny Pate.

Two singles were released from the album Time Changes/Wake Up In The Morning (ABC 11192) and I've Got The Fever/Jefferson Airplane (ABC 11227).

Jim Altieri continued to play with various bands in the Boston area while Bob Tamagni teaches at the Berklee School Of Music in Boston. Harry Palmer went back to New York, producing other bands and artists before moving towards the business side of the musical worlds and becoming an executive for various record companies such as Polygram, Atlantic, BMG and Sony. 

by Nigel Camilleri

Tracks
1. Introduction - 1:00
2. Time Changes - 3:12
3. Interlude One - 1:10
4. That's My Girl - 2:10
5. Wake Up In The Morning - 3:06
6. I've Got The Fever - 5:13
7. Crash - 1:05
8. At The Station - 3:44
9. Back To Philadelphia - 3:56
10.Clifford's Dilemma - 1:52
11.Jefferson Airplane - 3:02
12.I Feel Uncertain - 2:25
13.Interlude Two - 1:15
14.Good Thing - 2:20
15.Outroduction - 0:57
All songs by Harry Edward Palmer

The Ford Theatre
*Harry Palmer - Guitar, Percussion
*Jimmy Altieri - Bass, Vocals
*Joey Scott - Bass, Vocals
*John Mazzarelli - Organ, Piano, Vocals
*Robert Tamagni - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
*Arthur "Butch" Webster - Lead Guitar, Sleigh Bells

1968  Ford Theatre - Trilogy For The Masses

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The Flock - Truth / The Columbia Recordings (1969-70 us, brilliant jazz prog avant garde rock, 2017 double disc remaster)

After starting its The Rock Machine Turns You On campaign in 1968, CBS continued releasing bargain compilations that consolidated its position at the forefront of contemporary US music. The striking cover of 1970’s Fill Your Head With Rock featured electric violinist Jerry Goodman in full curtain-haired reverie while the comp featured his band The Flock’s version of The Kinks’ Tired Of Waiting; hardly representative of an album that pushed the jazz-rock envelope further out than fellow Chicagoan label-mates Blood, Sweat & Tears and CTA.

With enthusiastic sleevenotes by John Mayall, 1969’s self-titled debut started with Goodman’s keening Introduction ushering in The Flock’s hefty blend of densely textured jazz-rock charged with classical and avant jazz flavours, climaxing with the epic blues of Truth. Also helmed by veteran jazz-classical producer John McClure, 1970’s LSD-inspired Dinosaur Swamps – here dubbed their Sgt Pepper’s by guitarist Fred Glickstein – saw The Flock flying further into exotic experimental areas to forge an American prog milestone. Perhaps inevitably, all these directions were already pulling the band apart when Goodman was poached for the Mahavishnu Orchestra, sealing their fate.

This collection corrals both albums, along with edits and out-takes, making for a compelling account of this overlooked gaggle.

by Kris Needs

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Introduction - 4:53

2. Clown - 7:45

3. I Am the Tall Tree - 5:34

4. Tired of Waiting (Ray Davies) - 4:39

5. Store Bought - Store Thought - 7:00

6. Truth - 0:15:24.

7. What Would You Do If the Sun Died? - 2:48

8. Lollipops And Rainbows - 4:05

9. Tired of Waiting (Single Version) - 2:42

10.Store Bought - Store Thought (Single Version) - 2:44

11.Clown (Part One) - 3:12

12.Clown (Part Two) - 4:38

All songs by The Flock except where noted

Disc 2
1. Green Slice - 2:03
2. Big Bird - 5:50
3. Hornschmeyer's Island - 7:25
4. Lighthouse (Rick Canoff, Fred Glickstein, James Taylor, Tom Webb) - 5:18
5. Crabfoot - 8:14
6. Mermaid - 4:53
7. Uranian Sircus - 7:13
8. Chanja - 2:38
9. Atlantians Truckin’ Home - 4:50.62]
10.Afrika - 4:34
11.Just Do It - 6:35
12.Mermaid (Single Version) - 2:49
13.Crabfoot (Single Version) - 2:49
All songs by  Rick Canoff, Fred Glickstein, Tom Webb except where indicated

The Flock
*Rick Canoff - Tenor Saxophone, Vocals
*Fred Glickstein - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Hammond Organ
*Jerry Goodman - Violin, Guitar, Vocals
*Ron Karpman - Drums
*Frank Posa - Trumpet
*Jerry Smith - Bass, Vocals
*Tom Webb - Sax (Disc 1)
*John Gerber - Alto, Tenor Saxophones, Flute, Banjo, Vocals (Disc 2)

1969  The Flock - The Flock
1970  The Flock - Dinosaur Swamps 
1975  The Flock - Inside Out (Vinyl issue)

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Froggie Beaver - From The Pond (1971-73 us, beautiful melodic prog rock with psych touches)

Froggie Beaver were in fact from Nebraska. Guitarist John Fischer, drummer Tom Jackson (replaced by Rick Brown), keyboardist Ed Stasko, and lead vocalist John Troia were in fact cornhuskers who played music on a part time basis.  Originally determined to showcase their own material, their efforts were met with indifference which led them to focus on top-40 tunes.  They were apparently a pretty good cover band since their performance saw a loyal regional following when they played local clubs such as Omaha's Aquarius Lounge and The Club at Westroads Mall.  That in turn gave them an opportunity to incorporate original material in their repertoire and by 1973 they'd made enough money to record this surprisingly impressive album at Omaha's Sound Recorders Studios.  

Produced by David Sandler, 1972's "From the Pond" was apparently a self-financed vanity project released on the band's own Froggie Beaver label.  Interestingly various references I've seen categorize the album as progressive.  Technically I guess that's correct since 'Lovely Lady and 'Road To Tomorrow' embed fairly complex musical structures, including some swirling ELP-styled keyboards. That said, be forewarned that if you're looking for hard core progressive moves this probably won't punch your ticket.  

With Fischer responsible for the majority of the seven tracks (Stasko and Troia co-wrote 'Lovely Lady'), most of the album sported a highly commercial sheen.  In fact songs such as 'Buy Back My Life' and the pretty ballads 'Come To Believe' and 'Just for You' would have sounded great on top-40 radio.  To be honest the entire album was pretty catchy.  Fischer was quite an accomplished guitarist (check out the atypical slice of Pink Floyd-influenced psych 'Away from Home'), while Troia had a likeable voice that could have made a car dealership jingle entertaining.  Fisher was also a decent singer.

Adding guitarist Steve Beedle to the lineup, the band toured in support of the album; but couldn't generate much interest in the collection (they even camped in front of a local radio station until the station agreed to add the album to their playlist).  By 1974 they were history.

There's also an earlier non-LP 45 which I've never heard, but is suppose to be quite impressive: 'Movin' On' b/w 'Nothing for Me Here' (Million catalog number 34).

The collection has been reissued a couple of times.  The Italian Arkama label released it on vinyl and CD with the single added as bonus material.  Gear Fab released it on CD. 

Bad-cat

Tracks
1. Road To Tomorrow (Part 1) (John Fischer) - 0:55
2. Lovely Lady (John Fischer, Ed Stazko, John Troia) - 5:05
3. Buy Back My Life (John Fischer) - 3:18
4. Come To Believe (John Fischer) - 5:48
5. Away From Home (John Fischer, Mark Gorat) - 9:43
6. Just For You (John Fischer) - 5:28
7. Road To Tomorrow (Part 2) (John Fischer) - 2:05
8. Movin' On (John Troia) - 2:27
9. Nothing For Me Here (D. Lapsley Rotstein, John Fischer) - 2:47
10.Visions Of My Life (Ed Stazko, John Troia) - 4:17
11.Bring My Children Home (John Troia) - 4:50
12.Janine In Somewhere Land (John Fischer, Ed Stazko, John Troia) - 7:02
Tracks 1-7 recorded at Sound Recorders, Omaha, Nebraska
Track 8 single from the Million release 1972
Tracks 9-12 Previously Unreleased studio recordings from 1971

The Froggie Beaver
*John Troia - Lead Vocal
*Ed Staszko - Organ, Piano, Vocals, Key Bass
*John Fischer - Guitar, Vocal
*Rick Brown - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
*Chris Stovall - Vibes
*Tom Jackson - Drums
*Steve Beedle - Lead Guitar, Bass (1973)

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Front Page Review - Mystic Soldiers (1968 us, amazing bosstown acid psych rock)

Front Page Review was a Boston band. Although they signed a contract with the MGM label, their only album was produced by Alan Lorber, the legendary inventor of "Bosstown Sound", but for several reasons it never came to be released. Front Page Review made an interesting Psychedelic Rock, typical of the late 60's, with influences from California groups like The Doors or Jefferson Airplane. 

Band formed in 1965, as the typical group of Boston area, making their living playing rock 'n' roll hits in local clubs, between 1965-1967.  Their fate and direction will radically change in late 1967, with the arrival of the charismatic, guitar, singer and songwriter Steve Cataldo.

Steve carried with him, deep, serious musical and social directions to the group, which were immediately added to the Front Page Review repertoire. His social explorations and his great musical vision led the group, to even higher levels of maturity and quality, much more than could be expected of a group of young people between 17 and 19 years. 

Their sole album, "Front Page Review" is a really delightful work, lasting only 29 minutes, but intense at times, full of intelligent and original ideas, changes of unexpected times and interesting melodies, with inspirational lyrics and original musical proposals. Alan Lorber did a spectacular job, taking advantage of this unique combination of musicality and social content, characteristic of the group, he managed to integrate the magnificent themes of the band into a new sound dimension, adding sound effects that raised dramatic intensity and realism of the excellent instrumental parts, obtaining a very cinematographic effect, when transporting the listener to an almost real scene, making him visualize moving images as if it were a movie. A clear example of this we have in the subject that opens the disc, "Prophecies / Morning Blue" , where the sound of children who play, confident and unprepared, are represented in a world of sudden nuclear devastation by a frenetic change of pace 5/4 Jazz as the nuclear cloud gets closer and closer to them.

Steve Cataldo signed a new contract for the recording of a solo album with the label "ABC Records" and in 1969 under the name "Saint Steven" he released the excellent album "Over The Hills" " . In the 1970s Cars group manager Freddie Lewis and group leader Ric Ocasek helped him get a contract with "Elektra Records" in Los Angeles, in which the first work of his new group was released the Nervous Eaters . Already in the 80 edited a second album with this same group in a small independent seal. Other contributions can be heard on the albums of Wille Alexandre , for which he recorded some magnificent acoustic guitars, in several of his classic songs, among them "Mass Ave" or "Keronac" .

With their unique album, in their unusual format of musical fusion and poetic narrative , Front Page Review left an extraordinary and original contribution to the history of Rock from Boston and to what was dubbed the Boston Sound . Fortunately, the album "Front Page Review" , which remained for more than 30 years in complete oblivion and on some shelves filled with dust, was finally unearthed and edited in 1997 from the original Master Tapes. This is a little forgotten gem that deserves close attention.

Tracks
1. Prophecies / Morning Blue - 3:54
2. Prism Fawn - 3:44
3. One Eyed Minor - 1:54
4. Feels Like Love - 2:32
5. Silver Children - 6:27
6. Valley Of Eyes - 2:16
7. Without You - 3:45
8. For The Best Offer - 3:35
Lyrics and Music by Steve Cataldo

The Front Page Review
*Steve Cataldo - Voice, Guitar.
*Richard Bartlett - Guitar
*David Weber - Battery
*David Christiansen - Guitar
*Thomas Belliveau - Bass
*Joseph Santangelo - Organ, Piano

1966-69  Saint Steven - Over The Hills / The Bastich 

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