The early 1970's was a fertile period for the fusion of jazz and rock. Stanley Clarke, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea along with "The Prince of Darkness" Miles Davis himself were making ground breaking albums. Good God certainly fits that description even though it did not get much attention at the time.
Featuring the keyboards of Cotton Kent along with Zeno Sparkles, guitar and vocals, Greg Scott, saxophones, John Ransome, bass and Hank Ransome drums, this album really cooks with a selection of tracks that still sound fresh almost forty years later.
Mainly instrumental with some vocal accents and one actual song the tight arrangements are inventive and hold your interest after repeated listening. Good God has a sound all their own. Standout tracks include "Glaorna Gavorna", featuring the British tenor man from John Mayall's band Johnny Almond, "King Kong", the Frank Zappa Classic, and a killer version of John McLaughlin's "Dragon Song"
1. A Murder Of Crows (Larry Cardarelli) - 6:24
2. Galorna Gavorna (Cotton Kent) - 5:11
3. King Kong (Frank Zappa) - 8:53
4. Dragon Song (John McLaughlin) - 4:20
5. Zaragoza (Cotton Kent) - 6:31
6. Fish Eye (Larry Cardarelli) - 8:37
The Good God
*Zeno Sparkles "Larry Cardarelli" - Guitar, Vocals
*Cotton Kent - Keyboards, Soprano Saxophone, Marimba, Vocals
*Greg Scott - Soprano, Alto, Tenor Saxophones
*John Ransome - Bass
*Hank Ransome - Drums, Vocals
With
*Johnny Almond - Tenor Saxophone
*Bruce Solomon - Trombone
*Bob Martin - French Horn
*Bob Shemenek - Trumpet
*Larry Washington - Conga
Free Text
the Free Text
Thanks a lot...
ReplyDeleteSaw these guys at a great little club called the Main Point in Bryn Mawr, PA, outside Philly. There's great bootlegs of Springsteen and Jackson Browne from the same club. Still have the vinyl, but looking forward to hearing this remastered version. Thanks! The story about their name: Apparently they sent a demo tape to Capt Beefheart who sent it back to them with a note stating simply: "Good God!"
ReplyDeleteExcellent album! Thx Marios!
ReplyDeleteThis is an incredible album! I first heard it in 1973 ... found a copy in the 80s ... and still listen to it fairly often.
ReplyDeleteTheir cover of Zappa's "King Kong" is the best non-FZ version I've heard -- it's worth buying just for that! They also do an impeccable job on McLaughlin's "Dragon Song." And their own tracks are fantastic, too! These guys sound like "musician's musicians" -- they play really, REALLY WELL together!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND purchasing this album!!!
If they made any other albums, I'd buy them straight away!!