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Tuesday, March 31, 2026

rep>>> Jesse "Ed" Davis - Ululu (1972 us, magnificent guitar rock with country folk and blues shades, 2003 japan HDCD remaster)

Jesse Ed Davis was perhaps the most versatile session guitarist of the late '60s and early '70s. Whether it was blues, country, or rock, Davis' tasteful guitar playing was featured on albums by such giants as Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, John Lennon, and John Lee Hooker, among others. It is Davis' weeping slide heard on Clapton's "Hello Old Friend" (from No Reason to Cry), and on both Rock n' Roll and Walls & Bridges, it is Davis who supplied the bulk of the guitar work for ex-Beatle Lennon.

Born in Oklahoma, Davis first earned a degree in literature from the University of Oklahoma before beginning his musical career touring with Conway Twitty in the early '60s. Eventually the guitarist moved to California, joining bluesman Taj Mahal and playing guitar and piano on his first three albums. It was with Mahal that Davis was able to showcase his skill and range, playing slide, lead, and rhythm, country, and even jazz guitar during his three-year stint.

The period backing Mahal was the closest Davis came to being in a band full-time, and after Mahal's 1969 album Giant Step, Davis began doing session work for such diverse acts as David Cassidy, Albert King, and Willie Nelson. In addition, he also released three solo albums featuring industry friends such as Leon Russell and Eric Clapton.

In and out of clinics, Davis disappeared from the music industry for a time, spending much of the '80s dealing with alcohol and drug addiction. Just before his death of a suspected drug overdose in 1988, Davis resurfaced playing in the Graffiti Band, which coupled his music with the poetry of American Indian activist John Trudell. The kind of expert, tasteful playing that Davis always brought to an album is sorely missed among the acts he worked with.

His second album "Ululu" is far more a collector's record than an actual "turntable staple," it is a significant improvement from Davis' first solo outing. During the title track in particular, as well as a cover of Merle Haggard's "White Line Fever," Davis' voice achieves a ragged glory that makes the listener realize why sloppy rock & roll can be so much fun. Other standout moments include a version of the tune that Davis co-wrote with Taj Mahal, "Further on Down the Road," and the Davis-penned "Reno St. Incident." In all, it is the fun record that you would expect from a standout session player like Davis.

by Steve Kurutz

Tracks
1. Red Dirt Boogie, Brother - 3:44
2. White Line Fever (Merle Haggard) - 3:03
3. Farther On Down The Road (You Will Accompany Me) (Taj Mahal, Jesse Ed Davis) - 3:14
4. Sue Me, Sue You Blues (George Harrison) - 2:45
5. My Captain - 3:23
6. Ululu - 3:40
7. Oh! Susannah (Traditional) - 2:45
8. Strawberry Wine (Levoln Helm, Robbie Robertson) - 2:13
9. Make A Joyful Noise - 3:51
10.Alcatraz (Leon Russell) - 3:15
All songs by Jesse Ed Davis except where noted

Musicians
*Jesse Ed Davis - Vocals, Guitar
*Donald "Duck" Dunn - Bass
*Jim Keltner - Drums
*Mac Rebennack - Organ, Piano
*Billy Rich - Bass
*Larry Knechtel - Organ
*Leon Russell - Piano
*Chuck Kirkpatrick - Backing Vocals
*Albhy Galuten - Piano
*Stan Szeleste – Piano
*Arnold Rosenthal - Bass
*The Charles Chalmers Singers, Clydie King, Merry Clayton, Vanetta Fields - Backing Vocals

1970 Jesse Davis - Jesse Davis (Japan)

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Monday, March 30, 2026

Daevid Allen - Stoned Innocent Frankenstein (1971 australia / uk, fascinating experimental guitar jam prog rock, 2014 double disc remaster)

It's strangely like hearing a wonderful new album - but one you already intimately know! Double album of unreleased alternative versions and different mixes of daevid's first solo album. We thought "it's there in the can but it needs to be out there, heard and enjoyed" - so we're releasing it all. There's nothing more, the Stoned/Banana cupboard is now bare. The design and layout, which cleverly uses daevid's original artwork as well as previously unseen drawings and artifacts of the time from the Gong archives, is by Peter Hartl with a little finishing by the ex-Invisible Clive Buckland-Bork. It is a triple-fold card sleeve with 12 page booklet. Respect is due to Brian 'Zero' Abbott who not only did a first class mastering job, but has been a patient source of information and encouragement in helping to finally realise this release.

It seems that at one point during it's gestation daevid's first solo album was to be called 'Stoned Innocent Frankenstein'. In fact on the original BYG vinyl pressings the tracks on Side 1 are headed 'Bananamoon' and those on Side 2 'Stoned Innocent Frankenstein' Somewhere along the line 'Bananamoon' became the official title, no-body seems to remember why. It's certainly a more 'cuddly' name, but I think 'Stoned Innocent Frankenstein' moniker suits the edgy, almost one-take, psychedelic/garage music of the album much more. daevid even got as far as drawing up a record label for that title and a spooky photograph of daevid's shadow in a pose similar to that of the silent film classic 'Nosferatu' was taken and used perhaps working towards a cover concept which never quite coalesced. Maybe that's when 'Bananamoon' as a title was decided upon? It was during the recording of these tracks that daevid first met a youthful Tim Blake, almost two years before he joined Gong. Tim was an engineer/tape op/keen studio helper.

The audio is a different, more clear, crisp and dynamic take than that of the classic daevid album. The tracks are akin to original pencil drawings and initial vibrant oil sketches which were eventually over-painted to create what became the full oil painting, covered in the required layers of 'varnish', to complete a final album suitable for 1970 consumption. Consequentially it makes all the other versions sound rather muddy by comparison. Illuminating and revealing would be ideal terms to describe these recordings.

Disc 1 follows the order of the original 'Bananamoon' album using alternative versions and alternative mixes, none of of which have been available before, in fact until the tape was unearthed in daevid's collection I don't think they had been heard by anyone for more than 25 years. Each track brings a new, fresh perspective.

The first disc alone would be an notable and intriguing Planet Gong archive release event, but there's disc 2 as well. The second CD will obviously directly appeal to the more seasoned Gong/daevid allen sonic co-traveller, consisting as it does of some deep tape-loopery and 3 different slices of the title track, one of the most out there, but oddly honest tracks daevid ever recorded. Actually there are enough juicy, innovative sections for anyone with an inquiring musical mind to enjoy, not just deep Gongsters and staunch Allenites.

Gong-Planet

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Its The Time Of Your Life (Christian Tritsch) - 3:26

2. Memories (Hugh Hopper) - 3:37

3. Out Of Here (Christian Tritsch) - 5:39

4. Fred The Fish - 2:30

5. White Neck Blooze - 6:25

6. Stoned Innocent Frankenstein / Too Much For You - 3:36

7. And His Adventures In The Land Of Flip - 11:38

8. I Am A Bowl - 2:41

All compositions by Daevid Allen except where indicated

Disc 2

1. Poet In The Land Of Flip - 12:01

2. Instrumental In The Land Of Flip - 12:00

3. Flips From The Loophouse - 12:58

4. Bass Flip - 11:42

All songs by Daevid Allen

Musicians

*Daevid Allen - Guitar, Glissando Guitar, Vocals

*Christian Tritsch - Bass, Guitar

*Archie Legget - Bass

*Robert Wyatt - Drums, Vocals, Backing Vocals

*Gerry Fields - Violin

*Gary Wright - Piano

*Pip Pyle - Drums

*Gilli Smyth - Space Whisper

*Maggie Bell, Barry St John - Chorus

Sunday, March 29, 2026

rep>>> Gravy Train - Gravy Train (1970 uk, fantastic progressive rock, 2005 remaster)

A minor classic hopelessly lost among all the innumerable "biggies" of the year 1970, it's also absolutely different from everything Gravy Train would do later, and too bad about it: no matter how much the group's limited following gushes over (A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Man or Staircase To The Day, I can easily see how Gravy Train couldn't make it to fame's top based on those albums. Their debut shows Gravy Train as a brave and daring underground band, heavily influenced by and derivative of other prog/hard acts of the time, yet actually trying to push the boundaries forward. Unfortunately, since the album bombed, the guys preferred to dump all the experimentation of these songs in favour of a smoother, more commercial sound later on, which totally destroyed their idiosyncrasy and forever nailed them as second-rate good-for-nothings.

So anyway, Gravy Train is, in many respects, a marvelous album, and the one not to be afraid to blow your cash on if you can trace it anywhere. It does take some getting used to, of course, because at first, my reaction was "what the...?", and it doesn't happen all that often, I tell ya. Regular rule number one says that if you don't get the main point of the record on first listen, you don't get it ever. And, well, that kinda bothered me, but then I realized that yes, Gravy Train actually completely lacks a main point, and maybe so much for the better. This helps the guys avoid the pretentiousness and overblown character of later releases. What this album is is a bunch of stoned British guys with a good sense of melody and rhythm trying to have some fun with their influences. That's all. But isn't that enough when you actually have talent? The world won't be saved by this band anyway.

So, what are the influences? If I may be allowed to generalize (and who needs a review with no generalizations?), the main 'style' of this record can be reviewed as a mixture of Barrett's Pink Floyd and Canterbury bands like the Soft Machine. It's almost creepily evident even from the details: Norman Barrett is the name of the band leader, and the band themselves look eerily like the Soft Machine on the inlay photo. There's plenty of weirdass avantgarde jamming on the record, and a lot of bizarre and pseudo-psychedelic attitude as well, and one of the tracks is actually bluntly named 'Dedication To Syd', no less.

On the OTHER hand, while there are few thoroughly original ideas on the record, Gravy Train get by sticking to the immortal principle - "hey guys, let's take this thing from this band and that thing from that band and see what happens". So the main instruments on the record are Norman Barrett's guitar and J. D. Hughes' flute. The former has an unbelievably cool - if always the same - tone throughout, the thoroughly distorted analogy of Clapton's 'woman tone', rather favoured by British guitarists of the epoch, such as Alvin Lee and some others, but 'dried out' even more, so that without actually being as brutally heavy as Tony Iommi's tone, it produces almost the same effect. That said, on a few tracks, like 'Think Of Life', Norman does get almost brutally heavy, so Black Sabbath probably were an influence. As for the flute, well you know the flute can be used in two ways and two ways only - you either go the Moody Blues route and make it all gentle and smooth and loving or you go the Jethro Tull route and make it all sizzly and rough and rocking. Hughes goes the second way, so that some of the flute riffs actually are undistinguishable from prime Tull. Apart from that, he occasionally plays a nice sax part.

Now, what about the songs themselves? Much of this stuff rules. Barrett really has a knack for solid riffage; tunes like 'Think Of Life' will linger in your head for a long time - that flute/guitar interplay in the song's first part is unbeatable, truly as if Tony Iommi were meeting Ian Anderson (come to think of it, Tony Iommi did meet Ian Anderson, as any Tull expert will tell you, but at that time neither Tony nor Ian were playing in that way as of yet). The second, faster part of the song is pretty captivating as well, although the repetitiveness gets a bit stale.

On another lengthy track, 'Coast Road', the guys apply their playing techniques to a piece of generic blues improvisation, which is as marvelous as generic blues improvisations get; Barrett shines in all his might, with perfectly fluent, inflammatory guitar solos and a beautiful mastery of feedback techniques - he's cleaner and more restrained than Hendrix, but dammit if I don't enjoy his soloing on here just as much as Jimi's soloing on a random blues cover. The sax and flute work is also masterful and add further punch to the jam.

If there's anything to really get mad about on this record (and the following ones), it's the vocals. Barrett doesn't have a bad voice per se, but it's absolutely unfit for screaming your head off - it's raspy and whiny at the same time, and you have to be pretty vocally tolerant to enjoy that 'vocal feedback' pitch of his. I know I am pretty tolerant in that department, but even I had to stuff myself with tranquilizers and Alka Seltzer in order to adjust to the fella. And worse, he seems to revel in ugly vocal effects - the perfectly funny and well-written 'Dedication To Syd', for instance, is utterly spoiled by having the vocals double-tracked and one track played at high speed, so that you have Barrett's raspy vocal feedback in one channel and a stupid 'baby squeal' in the other one. All to that marvelous bassline that surely could have been used differently. And when they go 'I need you, so wonderfu-u-u-u-ul' on 'Enterprise', it nearly makes me throw up. At some points they simply get out of tune. And why the stupid whisper? Dammit.

So the saving grace of the record, I'd say, is that most of it is actually instrumental. Including the lengthy 'Earl Of Pocket Nook' composition, sixteen minutes of proggish jamming with only a little bit of vocals in the beginning. Of course, it's pretty overlong - and also displays the band's Cream influences, because the jazzy tempo changes and the way they explore the different themes almost miraculously reminds me of stuff like Cream's live version of 'Spoonful'. But some parts actually rule, and it doesn't really bother me as such.

Oh! The album was produced by Jonathan Peel, if the name of the guy tells you anything. This happens to be the band's main link to the "rockin' community" of the epoch - unlike other minor prog/rotts-rock bands of the time, Gravy Train were never really a revolving door act and stood pretty much isolated of the community. Which is of course weird considering all the influences of the album. Which I would really recommend you to track down if possible.

George Starostin
Tracks
1. The New One - 5:15
2. Dedication To Sid - 7:17
3. Coast Road - 6:46
4. Enterprise - 6:20
5. Think Of Life - 5:10
6. Earl Of Pocket Nook - 16:11
All compostions by Les Williams, Barry Davenport, J.D. Hughes, Norman Barrett

Gravy Train
*Les Williams - Bass, Vocals
* Barry Davenport - Drums
* J.D. Hughes - Flute (Alto, Simultaneous Alto And Tenor), Vocals
* Norman Barrett - Vocals, Guitar

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Taj Mahal - The Natch'l Blues (1968 us, awesome blues, 2000 remastered with bonus tracks)

Taj Mahal (formerly Henry Saint Clair Frederick) literally was born to play the blues. Growing up in a musical household, his musical pedigree would be defined by the gospel music of his mother and the West Indian jazz arrangements of his father. Classical piano lessons resulted, plus mastering the harmonica and acoustic guitar. His organic comprehension of music was reflected in academic pursuits of farming, a passion he maintained in addition to his music.

Taj moved to California and formed a blues group with Ry Cooder that failed to generate commercial success. Subsequently, he started working with iconic blues players, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy and Lightnin’ Hopkins, developing his distinctive singing and playing. He recorded with the Rolling Stones (appearing in the groundbreaking Rock and Roll Circus), and release a self-titled debut album for Columbia Records. His career over the next four decades elevated his status to legendary.

Natch’l Blues, originally released in 1968, is a transformative album. It combines traditional blues with modern sound production. “Good Morning Miss Brown” sets a rhythmic tone with a jazzy acoustic steel guitar, walking piano bass line, and soulful vocal. There are numerous hooks that make the songs vibrant. “The Cuckoo”, a medium-paced number has an infectious electric guitar groove that works in tandem with Taj’s discerning harp work.

The harp playing has a natural, understated quality, that is displayed on the instrumental, “Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine” (one of three bonus tracks on the album), as he and Jesse Ed Davis exchange urgent leads, fixed in counterpoint. On the frequently covered, “Corinna”, a country aesthetic is rendered with the harp licks, blending seamlessly with the song’s tempo. A colorful rhythm and blues theme is developed on “You Don’t Miss Your Water (‘Till Your Well Runs Dry)”, punctuated by Memphis-Stax/Volt horn chorus and lead vocals reminiscent of Otis Redding or Sam Cooke.

Even in a traditional blues format (“Goin’ Up To the Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue”), the mystique of this modern bluesman is proprietary. It is inconceivable that he recorded an album this commanding in his twenties. The supporting band (Davis, Gary Gilmore, Chuck Blackwell, Al Kooper and Earl Palmer) is cohesive, led by the musical acuity of Davis.

The analogue stereo sound is flawless. The separation of the instrumentation (especially between the electric and steel guitars) is exact. With reduced distortion, a clearer tone on the electric instruments and the harmonica is achieved. Audiophile or not, this album is an idiomatic excursion into great blues music.

by Robbie Gerson

Tracks
1 Good Morning Miss Brown - 5:16
2 Corinna (Jesse Ed Davis) - 5:01
3 I Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Steal My Jellyroll - 5:13
4 Going Up To The Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue - 5:35
5 Done Changed My Way Of Living - 11:44
6 She Caught The Katy And Left Me A Mule To Ride (Taj Mahal, James A. Rachell) - 5:27
7 The Cuckoo (Traditional) - :55
8 You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til Your Well Runs Dry) (William Bell) - 7:05
9 Ain't That A Lot Of Love (Homer Banks, William Dean Parker) - 6:41
10 The Cuckoo (Traditional) - 5:20
11 New Stranger Blues - 8:59
12 Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine - 5:17

All songs written by Taj Mahal except where noted

Bonus Tracks 10-12

Musicians
*Taj Mahal - Vocals, National Steel Guitar, Harmonica
*Jesse Ed Davis - Guitar, Piano
*Al Kooper - Piano
*Gary Gilmore - Bass
*Chuck Blackwell - Drums
*Earl Palmer - Drums

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Saturday, March 28, 2026

Billy Preston - Encouraging Words (1970 us, excellent amalgam of r 'n' b, funk soul and rock, backing by great musicians , feat. Eric Clapton, George Harrison a.o., 2010 bonus tracks remaster)

For Preston’s Encouraging Words (SAPCOR 14), Harrison took a far more active production role and the result is a more unified album The release stands as a true collaboration between Preston and the Beatle George was so taken with Preston that in addition to co-writing the album’s “Sing One for the Lord,” he offered him “All Things Must Pass” and “My Sweet Lord” before his own recordings made their debut

“My Sweet Lord” can’t help but get your body moving, marrying funk to the church; George knew that while Preston’s God was Christ and his was Krishna, the similarities were far greater than the differences With Harrison’s version so well-known today, it’s refreshing to hear this very different take on the song now Preston’s “All Things Must Pass” contrasts wistful verses with soulful choruses containing ad-libs and shouts, and wonderful harmonies, along with a solid arrangement of cinematic strings In the end, I prefer Harrison’s more humbler rendition, but Preston’s stands alongside it proudly Having played on its Beatles recording, Preston also offers a playful version of Lennon and McCartney’s “I’ve Got a Feeling”

Like many Apple artists, Preston had diverse influences The sound of the sweet “Little Girl” harkens back to an earlier time with smooth vocal harmonies, while on “I Don’t Want to Pretend,” you can even hear a bit of Allen Toussaint in the vocal delivery! Eric Clapton plays on three tracks with his customary power, including the title track on which he shares guitar duties with Delaney Bramlett

Some songs again originated during the artist’s Capitol tenure, although all were re-recorded Preston had a habit of revisiting songs with new interpretations over the years, re-recording some of his Apple output later for A&M

“As Long As I Got My Baby,” the intended B-side to “My Sweet Lord” (cancelled as Apple 29) and “All That I’ve Got,” co-written with Troy (Apple 21), both return from CD SAPCOR 14 as bonus tracks along with one new addition, “How Long Has the Train Been Gone,” recorded in early 1970

Perhaps George Harrison should have been known not as the Quiet Beatle, but as the Soulful Beatle His work with Troy, Preston and Lomax certainly proves that he could “do” R&B with the best of them

by Joe Marchese, November 18, 2010

Tracks

1. Right Now (Billy Preston) - 3:15

2. Little Girl (Billy Preston) - 3:31

3. Use What You've Got (Billy Preston) - 4:22

4. My Sweet Lord (George Harrison) - 3:23

5. Let The Music Play (Billy Preston, Jesse Kirkland) - 2:43

6. The Same Thing Again (Billy Preston, James Herndon) - 4:36

7. I've Got A Feeling (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 2:52

8. Sing One For The Lord (Billy Preston, George Harrison) - 3:49

9. When You Are Mine (Billy Preston) - 2:44

10.I Don't Want You To Pretend (Billy Preston) - 2:35

11.Encouraging Words (Billy Preston) - 3:32

12.All Things (Must) Pass (George Harrison) - 3:45

13.You've Been Acting Strange (R.L. Williams) - 3:24

14.As Long As I Got My Baby (Billy Preston) - 2:42

15.All That I Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You) (Billy Preston, Doris Troy) - 3:34

16.How Long Has The Train Been Gone (Billy Preston, Bruce Fisher) - 3:17

Bonus Tracks 14-16

Personnel

*Billy Preston - Vocals, Organ, Piano, Electric Piano, Harmonica, Backing Vocals

*George Harrison - Electric Guitar, Moog Synthesizer, Backing Vocals

*Eric Clapton - Electric Guitar (Tracks 1,3,11)

*Delaney Bramlett - Electric Guitar (Track 11), Backing Vocals

*Klaus Voormann - Bass Guitar

*Carl Radle - Bass Guitar

*Jim Gordon - Drums

*Ringo Starr - Drums

*Bobby Keys - Saxophones

*Jim Price - Trumpet, Trombone, Horn Arrangements

*The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Backing Vocals (Tracks 4,12)

*Cornelius Grant - Electric Guitar

*Bill White - Bass Guitar,

*Melvin Brown - Drums

Friday, March 27, 2026

rep>>> The Jaggerz - We Went To Different Schools Together (1970 us, groovy rhythm 'n' blues with psych elements)

The Jaggerz, who formed in the Beaver Falls/Aliquippa Pennsylvania, around 1965, released their first single in 1968 and produced their first album on Philadelphia's Huff-Gamble label in 1969. Although they regarded themselves as a rhythm and blues act, The Jaggerz broke the charts with "The Rapper", a more pop sounding single they recorded on the Kama Sutra label in 1970. "The Rapper" reached the number one spot in the pop music charts in March of that year, and became a gold record. (Based on the success of their single, The Jaggerz toured the country and appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.

After band member Jimmie Ross left to join the Skyliners in 1975, the Jaggerz disbanded. More recently, Ross, along with three other original band members, revived the group earlier this year and released a CD of old Jaggerz favorites, as well as some new tunes.

Tracks

1. The Rapper (Dominic Ierace) - 2:47

2. I Call My Baby Candy (Dominic Ierace) - 3:02

3. Memoirs Of The Traveller (Joe Rock, Dominic Ierace, Benny Faiella) - 3:33

4. With A Little Help From My Friends (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 6:39

5. At My Window (Joe Rock, Dominic Ierace) - 4:13

6. Looking Glass (Joe Rock, Dominic Ierace, Benny Faiella) - 3:33

7. Things Gotta Get Better (Joe Rock, Thom Davies, Billy Maybray) - 3:59

8. Carousel (Joe Rock, Thom Davies, Jim Pugliano) - 5:25

9. Don't Make My Sky Cry (Joe Rock, Thom Davies, Billy Maybray) - 3:21

10.That's My World (Joe Rock, Thom Davies) - 3:44

The Jaggerz

*Dominic Ierace - Guitar, Bass, Trumpet, Vocals

*Jimmy Ross - Tube, Trombone, Bass, Vocals

*Benny Faiella - Guitar, Bass, Bacground Vocals

*Thom Davies - Organ, Piano, Trumpet

*Billy Maybray - Bass, Drumbs, Vocals

*Jim Pugliano - Drums, Background Vocals

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

rep>>> Various Artists - So Cold!!! Unearthed Mid 60's Sacramento Garage (1965-67 us, bumper bundle of classy garage)

Just an hour or so drive from Frisco proper, Sacramento was apparently a hotbed for punk thumpers. When farmboy energy stuffed itself into tight striped pants and set out to woo crowds at the local teen centers, magic often occurred. This then is a regional time capsule of some of that pre-hippy Central Valley magic, as potent (while maybe not as original) as what their peers were doing down on the Peninsula.

Some of the standouts here are the Fugitives' snotty "Blowing My Mind," the Marauders' fuzz-laden "Our Big Chance," Sel-Sync's "Dirty Books," and Plague, Ltd's melancholy folk rocker "So Cold." Also included are sides by New Generation, the Heard (their "Little Miss Sadl" is pretty tight), the Opposite Six, the Brimstones, and Pilferage Humor.

Stuffed in the jewel case is a big booklet with lots of photos and flyers, a far cry from what some of those all-smoke-and-no-fire reissue labels call a proper release these days. Take a trip back to a California before the allure of hallucinogens and free love.

by Erik Bluhm

Tracks - Artists
1. Our Big Chance - Marauders - 1:48
2. Ball Of Twice - Gear One - 2:11
3. Dirty Books - Sel-Sync - 2:25
4. Blowing My Mind - Fugitives - 2:43
5. Empty Heart - Mods - 2:00
6. Doing What I Wanna Do - Plague, Ltd. - 2:21
7. I Don’t Mind You - City Limits - 2:35
8. I Want You - Squires - 2:56
9. The One In The Middle - 2:15
10. Since I Met You - Marauders - 2:14
11. They’re No Better - Plague, Ltd. - 2:27
12. We’ll Talk About Sunshine - New Generation - 2:227
13. Woman - Mods - 1:46
14. Feel A Groove - Gear One - 2:21
15. Little Miss Sad - The Heard - 2:14
16. Why Did You Lie? - Opposite Six - 2:20
17. You Don’t Have To Bring Your Toys - Squires - 3:27
18. Come On Now - Fugitives - 2:33
19. Woke Up This Morning - Gear One - 2:28
20. I Don’t Believe You - The Heard - 2:14
21. I’m In Misery - Brimstones - 2:20
22. Little Girl - Pilferage Humor - 3:27
23. Since I Met You (2nd Version) - Marauders - 2:09
24. So Cold - Plague, Ltd.- 2:42
25. Little Richard Medley - Gear One - 8:33
26. Route 66 - Marauders - 2:10
27. Alimony - Gear One - 2:58
28. Cold Hearted Woman - Brimstones - 2:17
29. She’s A Mod - Mods - 2:14
30. For Your Love - Unknown Band - 2:49

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

rep>>> The Outlaw Blues Band - Breaking In (1969 us, tasteful blues rock with jazzy soul feel)

The Outlaw Blues Band And The People brought the band a certain amount of acclaim, and they would score high-profile gigs playing with artists as diverse as Canned Heat, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Spirit, Taj Mahal, the Jefferson Airplane, and others. The truth is, however, that the album didn't sell especially well. The long delay between its recording and release (over a year) had found the band evolving towards an even more eclectic sound, while rifts caused by poor management would change the band's musical chemistry as members left and new ones didn't quite fit in the same way.

Remarkably, ABC/Bluesway Records requested a second record from the OBB, the label insisting on a much more blues-oriented set of material. Recorded over a mere two days, by the time of its release a year later in 1969, Breaking In was supported by a band that included only Aleman and Whiteman from the original line-up. Still, since the band had cut its teeth on the blues, the performances on Breaking In are fresh, original, and masterful while still bringing the trademark OBB eclecticism to the material. New OBB bassist Lawrence "Slim" Dickens does a fine job of singing the Big Joe Turner soul-blues number "Plastic Man," his smoldering vocals laying smoothly atop a loping groove created by his walking bass line, Aleman's rhythmic beats, and Diaz's razor-sharp leads.

A cover of the T-Bone Walker classic "Stormy Monday Blues" is equally spot-on, Dickens' soulful vocals complimented by Whiteman's jazzy vibes and mournful sax, Aleman's shuffling drumbeats, and Diaz's elegant fretwork. Dickens' original "My Baby's Left And Gone" is a straight-arrow blues tune and fine showcase for both Rubenhold's crying harp as well as Diaz's fluid guitar lines. The Latin-tinged "Mamo Pano Shhhh" is closer in spirit to the material on the band's first disc, the song a jazzy instrumental with Aleman's timbales and Colford's Congas riding high in the mix alongside Whiteman's dancing vibraharp tones.

"You're The Only One" is a lofty R&B-styled ballad with a shuffling rhythm and slight, Latin-tinged percussion and vibes. It is easily the weakest track recorded by OBB, devoid of any real passion in Dickens' wan vocals, and only partially redeemed by the song's strong instrumental voice. On the other hand, "Deep Gully" stands as one of the band's masterworks, an instrumental jam that features one of Dickens' strongest bass performances, a mesmerizing underlying rhythm, Aleman's swaying percussive approach to the vibraharp, and Diaz's alternating sweet-and-spicy lead-and-rhythm-guitar. The song evinces a deep funky groove that seemingly rolls on forever, making it the perfect candidate for later sampling by the hip-hop legions.

The band's lively and unique blend of blues, rock, jazz, and soul music was a decade or more ahead of its time, while its multi-racial make-up and deep well of influences place it on par with contemporaries like the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Santana, Electric Flag, and the Allman Brothers Band. Sadly, these albums have been lost for decades, but are ripe for re-discovery by adventuresome blues and jazz fans.

by Keith A. Gordon

Tracks

1. Plastic Man (Len Chandler) - 5:17
2. Stormy Monday Blues (T Bone Walker) - 6:41
3. My Baby's Left And Gone - 4:22
4. Day Said (Victor Aleman, Joe Whiteman, Phillip John Diaz, Leon Rubenhold) - 3:20
5. Mamo Pano Shhhh (Victor Aleman, Joe Whiteman, Phillip John Diaz, Leon Rubenhold) - 6:13
6. You're the Only One - 2:10
7. Deep Gully - 5:47
All songs by Lawrence Dickens except where noted.

Outlaw Blues Band
*Lawrence Dickens - Bass, Organ, Vocals
*Joe Whiteman - Flute, Percussion, Soprano, Tenor Sax
*Phillip John Diaz - Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Leon Rubenhold - Harmonica, Timbales, Vocals
*Victor Aleman - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

The Outlaw Blues band 1968 (Debut album)

Just Paste

Monday, March 23, 2026

rep>>> Outlaw Blues Band - The Outlaw Blues Band (1968 us, unique blend of blues, rock, jazz, and soul, 2003 digipak release)

Chances are that you've never heard of the Outlaw Blues Band, although you may have run across the band's music a time or two. An obscure outfit with great appeal to crate-diggers and certain adventuresome club DJs, the Outlaw Blues Band's two lone 1960s-era albums have taken on a certain underground cachet since their release, and OBB songs have been sampled in tracks by such hip-hop artisans as De La Soul and Cyprus Hill, among others, and have shown up in various movie soundtracks.

Formed in Los Angeles in the early 1960s by drummer Victor Aleman, bassist Joe Francis Gonzalez, and guitarist Phillip John Diaz, the Outlaw Blues Band was as equally influenced by blues and R&B artists like Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke, and Johnny "Guitar" Watson as they were by British Invasion acts like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. After building a strong reputation on the basis of their dynamic live shows, the Outlaw Blues Band was signed to ABC/Bluesway Records by legendary producer Bob Thiele, releasing The Outlaw Blues Band And The People album in 1968, and Breaking In a year later.

The Outlaw Blues Band kicks off its debut disc with a particularly funky take on the old John D. Loudermilk greasy-blues treasure "Tobacco Road." While the rhythm section cranks out a deep groove, a blaring horn riff pushes the song forward. Guitarist Diaz's solos are vibrant, rich in tone, and loud enough to joust with Joe Whiteman's tenor sax. Diaz's scattershot vocals, the band's backing harmonies, and the song's circular soundtrack blend together, making for a hypnotic listening experience.

The band sinks deep into the blues with its original "Tried To Be A Good Boy," the song a musical dichotomy that sets Whiteman's jazzy sax and flute notes against Diaz's emotional vocals and wiry leads, the band's unique arrangement taking the song into an entirely different direction.The up-tempo "How Bad Love Can Be" is a rollicking soul-blues rave-up with Diaz's raucous vocals matched by his scrappy rhythm guitar, Whiteman's icy blasts of sax, and a fluid rhythm section that brings a slippery feel to every beat. Again, Diaz's leads are dynamic, jumping right out of your speakers and demanding your attention, the energy crackling like ball lightning around your ears. Drummer Aleman smacks the cans with a fierce percussive attitude.

The blistering emotion of "Lost In The Blues" is bolstered by Diaz's tortured vocals and scorching guitarplay, while Whiteman's use of a vibraharp is interesting for the textures it brings to the otherwise period-perfect blues-rock jam. The album's highlight is "Death Dog Of Doom," a chaotic eight-minute instrumental showcase that masterfully blends blues, rock, jazz, funk, and soul with a heavy Latin influence that reminds of Santana but with a wilder edge.

While Gonzalez's throbbing bass and Aleman's subtle drumming builds a rhythmic foundation, Diaz stirs in swirling layers of psychedelic-blues guitar, Whiteman throws in scraps of flute and vibes, and several band members bang out various percussive rhythms behind Jimmy Colford's dominant Congas. The song is a welcome reminder of the kind of musical experimentation that a band could get away with during the swinging 1960s, a free-spirited jam that blows away preconceptions and breaks down barriers, opening the door for future musical ideas.

The Outlaw Blues Band comes back to earth with a smoldering cover of B.B. King's classic "Sweet Sixteen." Diaz sounds more like a traditional blues vocalist here, all silky and smoky while Leon Rubenhold's harmonica playing finally has a chance to rise and shine. Often lost in the mix of other songs, Rubenhold's harp style evokes that of Little Walter, and provides a fine counterpoint to Diaz's imaginative fretboard runs.

Larry Gentile's organ provides a bit of warmth to the performance, and Aleman's nuanced drumming reminds of the great Sam Lay. The album closes out with the cacophonic "Two 'Tranes Running," a free-form instrumental jam inspired by John Coltrane and Miles Davis, and a little too improv for my tastes, tho' jazzheads might dig it.

by Keith A. Gordon

Tracks
1. Tobacco Road (John Loudermilk) - 5:03
2. Tried to Be a Good Boy (But I'm Worse Than a Nazi) - 6:19
3. How Bad Love Can Be - 4:02
4. I've Got to Have Peace on MyMind - 3:34
5. Lost in the Blues - 3:06
6. Death Dog of Doom - 8:10
7. Sweet Sixteen (Joe Josea, B.B. King) - 4:31
8. Two 'Tranes Running - 2:14
All songs by Victor Aleman, Joe Francis Gonzalez, Leon Rubenhold except where indicated.

Outlaw Blues Band
*Joe Francis Gonzalez - Bass, Vocals
*Joe Whiteman - Flute, Percussion, Soprano, Tenor Sax
*Phillip John Diaz - Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Leon Rubenhold - Harmonica, Timbales, Vocals
*Victor Aleman - Drums, Percussion, Vocals