Formed in Oklahoma City when trumpeter Mark Underwood and saxophonist Bob Beasley teamed with guitarist/bassist Hadley Hockensmith, organist Harlan Rogers, and drummer Bill Maxwell. Underwood played in The Serfs, a jazz-rock/psych band that released one album, The Early Bird Cafe, in 1969.
Singer Harold Jones completed the Third Avenue Blues Band, which signed to MCA-subsidiary Revue. In 1968, they released their first single, “It’s Got to Be Love” b/w “If You Don’t Love Me”, both written by Rogers. It was followed in 1969 by the Jones-composed “Don’t Make Me Laugh”b/w Hockensmith’s “Pipedream”, released as 3rd Avenue Blues Band. Their third single, a funky cover of Joe South’s “Rose Garden” b/w Rogers’ “Come On and Get It”, appeared later that year.
Their album, Fantastic, appeared on Revue in 1970. It features 11 songs, including all the aforementioned single sidesexcept “Pipedream”. Other tracks include Rogers’ “I Know About Love,” Hockensmith’s “Hawk’s Blues,” and covers of the Isley Brothers “It’s Your Thing” and Eddie Harris“Mean Greens”. The album was produced by Charlie Carey.
Maxwell became a fixture of Texas faith-based label Light Music and joined its flagship act Andraé Crouch & The Disciples. In 1973, he reunited with Hockensmith and Rogers in the jazz-funk/psych combo Sonlight, which also served as the instrumental nucleus on three albums by Light Rec. gospel singer Danniebelle Hall. During the 1980s, the team recorded four albums as part of the jazz-rock ensemble Koinonia.
Underwood later appeared on albums by the Cate Bros., Van Morrison, Bette Midler, Jules & the Polar Bears, and Michael Vlatkovich.Beasley re-linked with Rogers and Hockensmith on soul-faith albums by the Don DeGrate Delegation and Sherman Andrus.
Tracks
1. Rose Garden (Joe South) - 3:16
2. It's Got To Be Love (Harlan Rogers) - 2:26
3. I Know About Love (Harlan Rogers) - 4:15
4. Put A Little Love (Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, Randy Meyers) - 4:00
5. Hawk's Blues (Hadley "Hawk" Hockensmith) - 5:09
6. Don't Make Me Laugh (Harold Jones) - 2:53
7. Come On And Get It (Harlan Rogers) - 3:19
8. It's Your Thing (Marvin Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley) - 5:12
9. If You Don't Want Me (Harlan Rogers) - 3:07
10.Bad Moon Rising (John Fogerty) - 5:06
11.Mean Greens (Eddie Harris) - 5:09
3rd Avenue Blues Band
*Harold Jones - Vocals, Rhythm Instruments
*Harlan Rogers - Vocals, Organ Bass, Piano
*Hadley "Hawk" Hockensmith - Guitar, Bass
*Bob Beasley - Saxophone
*Mark Underwood - Trumpet
*Bill Maxwell – Drums
Marcus, I'm afraid to be considered stuffy once again, but this album has not been released on CD.
ReplyDeleteBut thanks a lot for lossless))
ReplyDeleteMarios, sorry.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marios! I am not familiar with this. I have some later albums with Hockensmith, Maxwell and Rogers so looking forward to checking it out.
ReplyDelete