Snakes Alive - Snakes Alive (1975 australia, outstanding jazz prog brass rock, 2017 japan SHM and 2020 extra tracks remasters)

In 1975, there was an album that quietly faded into obscurity after pressing only 50 copies without even a cover. This album was recorded by Snakes Alive and released by them. Their self-titled album contains an exquisite combination of progressive rock and jazz rock, and its sheer quality effortlessly showcased the magnificent talent of the members. But this album was barely known to people because of its extremely small number of pressings before the availability of bootleg CDs.

Splendid organs on top of a solid rhythm part form the core of the sound, and the solos of the two wind instruments demonstrate a strong presence throughout the record. The songs are dramatic and detailed – reminiscent of King Crimson – and their ability to create a variety of musical expressions makes one incredulous of their obscurity.

The rarity of this album is such that it is now virtually impossible to figure out how many copies remain. Michael Vidale, the producer & bassist of Snakes Alive, has kept all the master-tapes in perfect condition. Thanks to him, it has been possible to reissue the album now in excellent sound quality. 

Tracks

1. Dear Suzy (Alex Ditrich) - 11:23

2. Abberations (Boris Peric) - 8:52

3. Theme For Myra (Alex Ditrich) - 7:18

4. Snakes Alive (Alex Ditrich, Jonas Sayewell) - 5:18

5. Fruit Pie (Alex Ditrich, Boris Peric, Michael Vidale) - 6:27

Bonus track 2017 Japan SHM edition

6. Snakes Alive (Reprise) (Alex Ditrich, Jonas Sayewell) - 5:59

Bonus tracks 2020 Beatball Korea edition

6. Snakes Alive (Original Extended Version) (Alex Ditrich, Jonas Sayewell) - 14:13

7. Charred Ducks (John Simpson, Alex Ditrich, Michael Vidale) - 10:01

Track 7 performed by Bedtime Story (pre-Snakes Alive)

Snakes Alive

*Jonas Thomas - Sax, Flute, Vocals

*Boris Peric - Guitars

*Michael Vidale - Bass

*Alex Ditrich - Keyboards

*Colin Campbell - Trumpet

*Peter Nykyruj - Drums

With

*Ralph Cooper - Percussion (Tracks 4, 6, 7)

*John Simpson - Guitar (Track 7)

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The Charlie Daniels Band - Whiskey "Way Down Yonder" (1974 us, awesome souuthern blues rock, 2008 reissue)

The death of Charlie Daniels almost inevitably was met with various headlines and tributes centred around his best-known song ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’. Released in 1979, the song marked a noticeably clear crossroads in his career. He went on to be a major mainstream country crossover star whose music became evermore dull, predictable and undistinguished. However, had his passing occurred prematurely, before the advent of his big hit, he would be remembered in a quite different way.

Daniels worked during the 1960s as an in-demand Nashville session musician. An accomplished fiddle player as well as a gifted guitarist and bass player, Daniels played on Bob Dylan’s ‘Nashville Skyline’ album, making enough of an impression to then play on Dylan’s next two albums ‘Self-Portrait’ and ‘New Morning’ as well. Daniels also played on some Leonard Cohen recordings, as well as spending time as part of his touring band.

Daniel’s own recording career began with his 1970 debut album simply titled ‘Charlie Daniels’. It blended rock, country, blues and soul into a uniquely southern sound which became a foundation for the emergence of ‘southern rock’. It is an important album and an exceptionally good one, which influenced many artists that followed in its wake. Indeed, as well as pursuing his own career, Daniels also played fiddle on the early Marshall Tucker Band albums, another seminal band in the genre’s development. Daniels released two more albums under his own name before 1974 saw the release of ‘Way Down Yonder’ his first as the Charlie Daniels Band. The albums from the 1970s incorporate a range of sounds including southern rock, country-rock, outlaw country and bluegrass. By the mid-seventies, albums like ‘Fire on the Mountain’, ‘Nightrider’ and ‘Saddle Tramp’ had established Daniels as a country music outrider. So much so that he even appeared in the 1976 ‘Heartworn Highways’ film alongside Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Steve Earle.

Despite having made some very decent albums, it was probably his live shows at this time that created the biggest buzz around him. During this period, Daniels was consistently doing around 250 shows a year. In 1974 he founded the Nashville ‘Volunteer Jam’ concerts with Barefoot Jerry and played regularly at them in subsequent years. The unfortunately low quality 1975 live clip featured below this article does at least give a flavour of prime Charlie Daniels.

As well as going down to Georgia, the devil seemed to equally infest Charlie Daniels’ mind as his success in the 1980s and beyond not only changed his music out of all recognition, but his politics as well. In the 1970s in songs like ‘Uneasy Rider’ Daniels portrayed himself as a liberal amongst rednecks. He was also a staunch supporter of Jimmy Carter and played at the President’s inauguration in 1977. However, by the advent of the 21st century, Daniels was outspokenly supporting George W Bush and the Iraq War. Daniels also became a very vocal opponent of abortion, comparing the liberalisation of abortion laws in New York to the Nazi holocaust.

Despite what he ultimately became, Charlie Daniels is an important figure in the history and development of southern music. At AUK we have debated as to whether Charlie Daniels fits within the genre of ‘Americana’ and whether or not to mark his passing. Despite largely swimming against the tide of that opinion, I am pleased to have been given to opportunity to highlight his important and influential contribution.

by Clint West, July 10, 2020 

Tracks

1. I've Been Down - 3:37

2. Give This Fool Another Try - 8:07

3. Low Down Lady - 4:10

4. Land Of Opportunity - 3:02

5. Way Down Yonder - 3:36

6. Whiskey - 5:40

7. I'll Always Remember That Song - 4:24

8. Looking For My Mary Jane - 4:28

All songs by Charlie Daniels

The Charlie Daniels Band

*Charlie Daniels - Guitar, Vocals

*Taz Digregorio - Keyboards, Vocals

*Barry Barnes - Guitar, Vocals

*Billy Cox - Bass

*Mark Fitzgerald - Bass, Vocals

*Buddy Davis - Drums

*Gary Allen - Drums

*Fred Edwards - Drums

*Lea Jane Berinati - Vocals

1970  Charlie Daniels - Charlie Daniels
1972  Charlie Daniels - Te John Grease And Wolfman (2008 issue)
1973 Charlie Daniels - Uneasy Rider "Honey In The Rock" 
1975  The Charlie Daniels Band - Nightrider

1970  Jerry Corbitt And Charlie Daniels – Corbitt And Daniels Live I (2011 korean issue)

1971  Jerry Corbitt And Charlie Daniels - Corbitt And Daniels Live II (2011 Korea)

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Elonkorjuu - Harvest Time (1972 finland, heavy prog classic rock, 2004 digipak remaster)

Elonkorjuu came from Pori, Finland and was founded in 1969. At first, the sessions were done in a rather dark cellar; the musicians were young, talented and highly motivated. That same year, Elonkorjuu won second place at a competition at Helsinki's House of Culture. A short time after this, the band's success blew fast. They toured through Finland and quickly became well-known. One of the band's highlights was the gig at the rock festival in Turku, where they performed before a hundred thousands youths who went wild about the fantastic band. By the end of the year, they decided to record an album titled "Harvest Time", which has since reached cult status in the annals of progressive rock. 

This quartet is one of the many little-known bands that did heavy blues/psych with strong prog elements, drawing initially from the schools of Cream, Black Sabbath and Colosseum, but they expanded on those influences with soulful organ and cutting guitar from leader Jukka Syrenius. A killer album from beginning to end. Heavy guitar work all over and great English vocals. 

Tracks

1. Unfeeling - 3:23

2. Swords - 4:03

3. Captain - 3:41

4. Praise To Our Basement - 4:43

5. Future - 3:55

6. Hey Hunter - 3:40

7. The Ocean Song - 3:17

8. Old Man's Dream - 4:44

9. Me And My Friend - 4:01

10.A Little Rocket Song - 4:04

All songs by Heikki Lajunen, Jukka Syrenius, Ilkka Poijarvi, Veli-pekka Pessi, Eero Rantasila

Elonkorjuu

*Jukka Syrenius  - Guitar, Vocals

*Veli-pekka Pessi - Bass

*Eero Rantasila - Drums

*Ilkka Poijarvi - Organ, Guitar, Flute

*Heikki Lajunen - Vocals

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Sonny Vincent - Diamond Distance And Liquid Fury (1969-76 us, high energy raw underground rock 'n' roll)

Although it is a compilation of bands (Fury, Distance, Liquid Diamonds, Testors) which all had Sonny Vincent, the proper curation made the record consistent yet varied enough not to ever become boring. Sound-wise the tracks are on the edge of psychedelic rock but no real chaotic mumbo-jumbo, rather large, extended solos. Everything is sweaty-face-in-trance-desperation tight, mostly mid tempo and big riffs accompany male sorrow. 

The atmosphere of the record is dirty, tired, coming down from a trip and looking either for epiphany while staring into the rising sun or for scavenging for an early breakfast before fainting onto a dirty mattress. It is closer to Rocky Erikson than to Stooges, definitely not glam at all and also distant from the proto-punk art rock of the Velvet Underground. In case you are done with the one-finger solos used on two-thirds of your hardcore songs, here is a whole catalog to lift ideas from, or in case you like to consume weed and get lost in classic sounding but still rocking albums or to be a rock dad with obscure knowledge, this can be your pick. It’s a fun listen.

by Viktor Vargyai, April 2020

Sonny Vincent is a true punk pioneer, we all know that already. But did you know how deep this man's well of punk madness really goes? Well, I guess it's taken seven long years since we made that statement, but luckily, here we are with a full LP's worth of those recordings we'd wondered about, providing a pivotal glimpse into one of NYC's most shadowy figures of the underground. It's almost incredulous that his rock n' roll lineage goes back this far, with his first recording made while home on leave from the Vietnam War, and yet he was still a part of the first wave of '70s punk. 

If you remember the Fury 7" we released, along with this massive interview, it was apparent that there was more to dig up, and luckily our engineer was able to shine up these riveting primitive proto-punk monsters into reality. Distance were in a primordial heavy psych state on their earliest recording here from 1969, but the voice that you know so well is already in place, and cuts through the foggy throb like a knife's edge. Distance was Sonny's first active band, and were known to have opened for The Dogs & Suicide in 1973, as per the two incredible handmade flyers included on the back cover, and as the liner notes can attest, provided a real-life slice of shock-rock insanity. 

On this archival LP, you're treated to three previously unreleased Distance studio tracks from 1969-71, along with a 1972 radio advertisement for a FURY show at Greenwich High School, as well as both FURY tracks from HZR-125 remastered, plus the alternate version of 'Flying.' Possibly the best intersection of The Stooges, Budgie, and Black Sabbath we've ever heard. The second side kicks off with three Liquid Diamonds tracks, both 1973 tracks from HZR-155 remastered here, as well as a sizzling previously unreleased studio demo from 1974, right when the band was starting to lean into Testors territory. Speaking of which, the latest recording on the LP is from one of the earliest Testors recording session, a 1976 studio gem called "Scary" which appears here for the first time anywhere, and provides the bridge from the later Liquid Diamonds sound, into the grittier Testors tonality. And the interview liner notes, are nothing short of a revelation as well. RIYL: Stooges, Black Sabbath, Budgie, Edgar Broughton Band, early UFO, Hawkwind, Motorhead, Pink Fairies, MC5.

Tracks

1. Distance - She's Like Hiroshima - 3:09

2. Distance - Indecision - 3:47

3. Distance - Lament - 3:12

4. Fury - Radio Advertisement - 1:05

5. Fury - Flying - 3:53

6. Fury - 100% Proof - 4:35

7. Liquid Diamonds - Aw Maw - 3:40

8. Liquid Diamonds - Long Ago - 4:32

9. Liquid Diamonds - All Day - 2:44

10.Testors - Scary - 4:34

11.Fury - Flying - 3:05

The Fury

*Sonny Vincent - Vocals, Guitar 

*Chris Gedney - Bass 

*Victor Gonzalez - Drums

Liquid Diamonds

*Sonny Vincent - Guitar, Vocals

*Bob Brown - Drums 

*Doug Harvey - Bass, Vocals 

Testors

*Sonny Vincent - Vocals, Guitar 

*Gene Sinigalliano - Guitar 

*Jeff West - Drums 

*Kenneth Brighton - Bass

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Harvey Mandel - Get Off In Chicago (1971 us, stunning amalgam of blues, jazz and rock)

Mandel came home to Chicago, assembled the most worthy players from Chicago's jazz, rock & blues scenes, & jammed for three days.: An "Underground-Super-Session", if you will.

Tracks 

1. Jellyroll (Harvey Mandel, Ira Kart, Freddie Fox, Vicki Hubly) - 3:52

2. High-Test Fish Line (Ira Kart, Ken Little, Norm Wagner, Thomas Russ) - 5:19

3. Local Days (Nick Tountas) - 3:34   

4. Check Me Out (Harvey Mandel, Freddie Fox) - 3:46  

5. Highway Blues (Dave Cook, Don Cody, Gregory Stinson, Harvey Mandel, Freddie Fox) - 3:09

6. I'm A Lonely Man (Dave Cook) - 6:26

7. Sweet Lynda (Harvey Mandel) - 3:06   

8. Springfield Station Theme (Ken Little, Norm Wagner) - 6:28

9. Race Track Daddy (Harvey Mandel) - 5:52

Musicians

*Harvey Mandel - Guitar

*Freddie Fox - Vocals

*Vicki Hubley - Vocals

*Judy Roberts - Keyboards, Vocals

*Peter Milio - Drums

*Craig Rasband - Bass

*G.E. Stinson - Guitar

*Nick Tountas - Bass

*Norman Wagner - Guitar

*Bob Davis - Drums

*John Bishop - Guitar

*Don Cody - Bass

*Dave Cooke - Keyboards

*Phil Johnson - Drums

*Rusty Jones - Drums

*Ira Kart - Keyboards

*Kenneth Little - Bass, Vocals

1968  Harvey Mandel - Cristo Redentor (2003 remaster and expanded)

1969-70  Harvey Mandel - Righteous / Games Guitars Play (2005 remaster)

1971  Harvey Mandel - Baby Batter (2016 remaster)

1972  Harvey Mandel - The Snake (2016 remaster) 

1973  Harvey Mandel - Shangrenade  
Related Acts
1965-66  The Barry Goldberg Blues Band - Blowing My Mind ..Plus (2003 remaster and expanded)
1967  Charley Musselwhite - Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's Southside Band
1968  The Barry Goldberg Reunion - There's No Hole In My Soul
1969  Barry Goldberg - Two Jews Blues (vinyl edition) 
1967-73  Canned Heat - The Very Best Of (2005 issue with previous unreleased track)
1970  Canned Heat - Future Blues (remastered and expanded) 
1971-72  Canned Heat - Historical Figures And Ancient Heads (extra track remaster issue)
1974  Love - Reel To Reel (2015 deluxe edition)

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The Buckinghams - Time And Charges / Portraits (1967-68 us, heartfelt vocals riding over lush horn arrangements, 2011 remaster)

Born and bred in Chicago, Illinois, the Buckinghams were one of the most successful groups of 1967. The band started the year off on a banner note, as they netted a No. 1 hit single with their first single “Kind of a Drag” — distributed by the regional USA label and appeared on their debut album of the same name.

By the time 1967 drew to a close, the Buckinghams scored 4 more Top 40 winners. And what an amazing feat that was, in light of the truckloads of incredible records arriving in the bins that fabled year. Revolution was in the air with acts like the Doors, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Procol Harum, and Jefferson Airplane hawking psychedelic commodities. Although the Buckinghams traveled a different route than these bands, they were uniquely forward thinking in their own right.Shortly after Kind of a Drag sent the band into orbit, they relocated to the Columbia label, where they cut a pair of excellent albums, Time and Charges and Portraits. 

Released in the spring of 1967, Time and Charges opens up with “Don’t You Care,” which peaked at No. 6 on the national charts. Constructed of crooning horns, breezy boyish vocals and a plush finish, there was no way a tune this catchy could fail. The album also includes the band’s slinky, soul-drenched cover of Cannonball Adderley’s “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” that seized the Top 5 that summer. Flooded with engaging tempos, complex movements, and a strict anti-war message, “Foreign Policy” is an elaborate progressive rock piece, and a beautiful version of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s “I’ll Be Back” exerts a nip of a jazz feel.

The tail end of 1967 saw Portraits land on the shelves. Featured among the prizes on the collection are “Hey Baby (They’re Playing Our Song)” and “Susan,” which reached No. 12 and No. 11 respectively. Both these tasty tunes represented the sound and style the public came to know and love of the Buckinghams. Sweeping harmonies, reminiscent of the Beach Boys, combined with brassy horn arrangements and potent melodies were the magical ingredients directing the popularity of the band. But as their albums indicated, the band was adventurous and as daring as the best of the bunch. Rife with stinging guitar leads and rattling rhythms, “Just Because I’ve Fallen Down” is a particular mind-blower heard on Portraits while the rest of the record involves a nice balance of pure pop and horn rock.

Blessed with great vocals, solid chops and the tunes to match, the Buckinghams were an A-Grade band. Filled with songs that are fun, imaginative, arty, thought-provoking and just plain good, Time and Charges and Portraits are satisfying on every conceivable level.

by Beverly Paterson, November 28, 2011

Tracks

1. Don't You Care (Gary Beisbier, James Holvay) - 2:30

2. Pitied Be The Dragon Hunter (James William Guercio, Larry Dunn Fitzgerald) - 2:32

3. And Our Love (James William Guercio) - 2:47

4. Why Don't You Love Me (Gary Beisbier, James Holvay) - 2:28

5. You Are Gone (James William Guercio) - 3:28

6. I'll Be Back (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 2:32

7. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Joe Zawinul, Johnny Guitar Watson, Larry Williams) - 2:48

8. Remember (James William Guercio) - 2:25

9. The Married Life (James William Guercio) - 3:41

10.Foreign Policy (James William Guercio) - 4:16

11.C'mon Home (Marty Grebb) - 4:06

12.I Love All The Girls (Marty Grebb, B. Grebb) - 3:05

13.We Just Know (Carl Giammarese, Dennis Tufano, Marty Grebb, Dennis Tufano) - 3:52

14.We Just Know (Reprise) (Carl Giammarese, Dennis Tufano, Marty Grebb, Dennis Tufano) - 1:16

15.Inside Looking Out (Dennis Tufano, Marty Grebb) - 3:22

16.Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song) (Gary Beisbier, James Holvay) - 2:49

17.Susan (Gary Beisbier, James Holvay, James William Guercio) - 2:56

18.The Mail (Marty Grebb) - 2:57

19.Big Business Advisor (Marty Grebb) - 3:01

20.Have You Noticed You're Alive (Dennis Tufano, John Poulos, Marty Grebb) - 4:40

21.Have You Noticed You're Alive (Reprise) (Dennis Tufano, John Poulos, Marty Grebb) - 1:47

22.Just Because I've Fallen Down (Dennis Tufano, Marty Grebb) - 4:15

23.Any Place In Here (Dennis Tufano, Marty Grebb) - 3:25

24.Any Place In Here (Reprise) (Dennis Tufano, Marty Grebb) - 1:32

The Buckinghams

*Marty Grebb - Keyboards, Vocals, Guitar 

*Dennis Tufano - Vocals 

*Carl Giammarese - Guitar, Vocals

*Nick Fortuna - Bass, Vocals

*John Poulos - Drums, Percussion 

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Myrth - Myrth (1969 us, fascinating jazz brass rock)

Tracks

1. Gotta Find A Way (David Drury, Grier Cook, Ray Cork) - 4:34

2. He Don’t Know (Grier Cook, David Drury, Ray Cork) - 4:31

3. Get It Straight (Grier Cook, Ray Cork, David Drury, Johnny Guthie) - 5:55

4. Myrthiolate (Grier Cook, Ray Cork, David Drury, Ken Mulholland, Bob Kenrich, Johnny Guthie) - 3:43

5. Fading Image (David Drury, Grier Cook) - 4:31

6. We Got To Get Together (Ken Mulholland, Bob Kenrich, Grier Cook, Ray Cork, David Drury) - 4:03

7. Aftermyrth (Grier Cook, Ray Cork, David Drury, Ken Mulholland, Bob Kenrich, Johnny Guthie) - 2:00

8. Shed My Skin (Grier Cook, Ray Cork, David Drury) - 6:25

9. Don’t Pity The Man (David Drury, Grier Cook, Ray Cork) - 6:25

10.Myrthadrine (Grier Cook, Ken Mulholland) - 6:15

Myrth

*Grier Cook - Guitar, Percussion, Lead Vocals

*David Drury - Guitar, Trombone, Vocals

*Ray Cork - Bass, Trumpet, Baritone Horns, Percussion, Vocals,

*Ken Mulholland - Piano, Organ, Percussion

*Bob Kenrich - Reeds, Percussion, Vocals

*Johnny Guthie - Drums, Percussion

With

*Darlene Love And The Blossoms - Backing Vocals

links removed after a complaint by an organization self-proclaimed lumen (lol) .. 

nice name but LUMEN means bright, and not dark .

The Cates Gang - Wanted (1970 us, elegant mix of r 'n' b country folk swamp rock, with brass section, 2021 remaster)

When Earl and Earnie Cate forned their first band in Springdale in the early 60;s, they called themselves the Del Rays. By 1970they were The Cates Gang, regulars this on the Dickinson Street and frat party circuit in Fayetteville, and MetroMedia label had issues their first album, "Wanted".

"Wanted" is a fine album that really puts is all together musically on "If You Got The Time (I Got The Love)", with some delicate but exciting rhythms "Song Man" and "Leavin' This Town", are also good, while message type songs like "We All Got To Help Each Other", and "When Will We Learn" have programming strength and could happen.

Tracks

1. We All Got To Help Each Other - 2:35

2. God Gave Me A Woman - 2:35

3. Song Man - 2:22

4. Leavin' This Town - 3:00

5. Lead Me Anywhere - 2:36

6. When Will We Learn - 2:17

7. I'll Take You Back Again - 1:52

8. What's The Use In Lovin' You - 2:30

9. I've Made Up My Mind - 2:38

10.Help Me Work It Out, Woman - 2:22

11.If You Got The Time (I Got The Love) - 2:14

All songs by Earl Cate, Ernie Cate  

The Cates Gang

*Earl Cate - Guitar, Vocals

*Ernie Cate - Keyboards, Vocals 

*Terry Cagle - Drums, Percussion

*Billy Wright - Bass

1973  The Cates Gang - Come Back Home (2011 korean remaster)  

1975  The Cate Brothers - The Cate Brothers (2009 edition)  

1976  Cate Brothers - In One Eye And Out The Other (2009 reissue)  

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Tom Jans - The Eyes Of An Only Child (1975 us, marvelous soulful folk country soft rock, 2007 japan remaster)

"The Eyes of an Only Child" by Tom Jans was released in 1975. I loved that record and used to play it a lot, along with his eponymous debut LP on A&M, featuring his best known song, “Lovin’ Arms,” recorded by Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge, Dobie Gray, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and many others. I still have those two on vinyl, so I retrieved them, album covers, sleeves and all.

Jans was a songwriter and performer of some standing in the 1970s, a “folk” singer strumming an acoustic guitar, but he also played keyboards, plugged in and toured with a backup band. He was born in 1948. He was from California and had majored in English Literature at UC-Davis (graduating Phi Beta Kappa) before playing clubs in San Francisco and being discovered by Joan Baez and her sister Mimi Farina.

He and Farina toured for a year as a duo, opening for Cat Stevens and James Taylor. They made an album for A&M before he went his own way with the self-titled disc for A&M, recorded in Nashville, followed by The Eyes of an Only Child, produced in part by Little Feat’s Lowell George, with backing by marquee talent like Fred Tackett, David Lindley, Billy Payne, Jeff Porcaro, Herb Peterson, Valerie Carter and Jim Keltner. 

Jans was so versatile, and that might have been an obstacle in the biz at the time — not sounding the same on each cut. He could write a tender standard like “Lovin’ Arms” and an uptempo two-step like “Out of Hand” that honky tonk hero Gary Stewart (more royalty) made into a #4 country hit. Other keepers include “Gotta Move,” “Struggle in Darkness,” and “Green River.” Somebody should be playing these on the radio.

by Sean Mitchell, January 31, 2021

Tracks

1. Gotta Move (Tom Jans, Lowell George) - 4:15

2. Once Before I Die - 3:15

3. Where Did All My Good Friends Go? - 4:50

4. Inside Of You - 3:05

5. Struggle In Darkness - 5:40

6. Out Of Hand (Tom Jans, Jeff Barry) - 3:15

7. The Lonesome Way Back When - 4:20

8. Lonely Brother - 5:45

9. Directions And Connections - 4:35

10.The Eyes Of An Only Child - 3:35

All compositions by Tom Jans except where stated 

Musicians

*Tom Jans - Electric, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Piano

*Colin Cameron - Bass

*Valerie Carter - Vocals

*Sam Clayton - Congas

*Jesse Ed Davis - Guitar

*Lowell George - Guitar

*Lovely Hardy - Vocals 

*Jim Keltner - Drums

*David Lindley - Electric Guitar 

*Harvey Mason, Sr. - Drums

*Jerry McGee - Electric Guitar 

*Bill Payne - Piano, Moog

*Herb Pedersen - Vocals 

*Jeff Porcaro - Drums

*Chuck Rainey - Bass

*Fred Tackett - Guitars

*Mike Utley - Organ

1971-82  Tom Jans ‎- Loving Arms Best Of (2013 release)  

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Willie Dixon - I Am The Blues (1970 us, superb influential blues backing by a solid lineup)

Originally released in 1970. "Entire genres of music would look and sound vastly different if not for the contributions of Vicksburg, Mississippi's Willie Dixon. A writer of songs such as 'Hoochie Coochie Man', 'Spoonful', and 'My Babe', among so many others, Dixon's songs have gone on to become standards of blues music, after being covered by legends such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Little Walter, while these same songs served as inspirational templates for the evolution of rock and roll music. Along with Muddy Waters, Dixon is to this day considered one of the most influential figures to the development of the post-World War II music scene. Dixon originally began as a performer, but as his career as a songwriter and session musician took off he performed less and less, working behind the scenes more frequently. 

In 1970 however, he entered the studios to record a selection of his own tunes. The end result was titled I Am The Blues, and consisted of songs written during his time as a staff-writer with Chess Records, previously performed by the likes of Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush, and Willie Mabon. Dixon was joined by a solid lineup of seasoned session veterans the "Chicago Blues All Stars", many of whom had performed as sidemen for the same singers he'd written for. A remarkable collection of new renditions of classic songs, straight from the original source.

Tracks

1. Back Door Man - 6:13

2. I Can't Quit You, Baby - 6:45

3. Seventh Son - 4:19

4. Spoonful - 4:59

5. I Ain't Superstitious - 4:08

6. You Shook Me (Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir) - 4:18

7. I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man - 4:52

8. The Little Red Rooster - 3:40

9. The Same Thing - 4:42

All somngs by Willie Dixon except where stated

Personnel

*Willie Dixon - Vocals, Bass

*Walter Horton - Harmonica

*Lafayette Leake - Piano

*Sunnyland Slim - Piano

*Johnny Shines - Guitar

*Clifton James - Drums

Related Act

1964-72  Koko Taylor - What It Takes / The Chess Years (2009 remaster and expanded)  

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