Formed in Berkeley, California, USA in 1967 as Gourmet’s Delight, this individual quintet originally consisted of Terry Garthwaite (b. 11 July 1938, Berkeley, California, USA; guitar/vocals), brother David Garthwaite (bass), Toni Brown (b. 16 November 1938, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; keyboards/guitar/vocals), Ron Wilson (b. 5 February 1933, San Diego, California, USA; percussion) and Fritz Kasten (b. Des Moines, Iowa, USA; drums). David Garthwaite was replaced by Jeff Neighbor (b. 19 March 1942, Grand Coulee, Washington, USA), prior to recording.
The group’s self-titled debut album was released late in 1970 and yielded a minor hit single in ‘Brownsville’. Their easy style, which drew its inspiration from folk, blues and jazz, offered a refreshing spontaneity, although subsequent releases lacked the verve of this first collection. Joy Of Cooking’s direction was determined by Brown and Garthwaite and the group was thus a focal point for the Bay Area’s women’s movement. Toni and Terry carried this support when the group broke up in 1973. They recorded Cross Country together before embarking on separate solo careers, but despite excellent releases, were unable to make a significant breakthrough. The two singers released the widely acclaimed album The Joy in 1977, but resumed their independent work when the session failed to generate sufficient commercial interest. Toni Brown died on Aug. 8, 2022 at her home in Woodacre, CA.
AllMusic
Tracks
1. Hush (Traditional) - 2:46
2. Too Late, But Not Forgotten - 4:21
3. Down My Dream - 4:17
4. If Some God - 3:43
5. Did You Go Downtown ? (Terry Garthwaite) - 7:39
6. Dancing Couple - 0:53
7. Brownsville / Mockingbird (Furry Lewis, Toni Brown, Terry Garthwaite, Traditional) - 5:51
8. Red Wine At Noon - 3:34
9. Only Time Will Tell - 5:13
10.Children's House - 6:50
Songs written by Toni Brown excpet where indicated
Joy Of Cooking
*Terry Garthwaite - Bottleneck Guitar, 6 String, 12 String, Rhythm Guitars, Vocals
*Toni Brown - Guitar, Keyboards, Steel Guitar, Kalimba, Vocals
*Fritz Kasten - Drums, Alto Saxophone
*David Garthwaite - Bass
*Ron Wilson - Congas, Harp, Cowbell, Tambourine