Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade (1978 us, energy and eclecticism, beer-stained weepers, late-night declarations of loneliness, barrelhouse rock 'n' roll, and honky tonk, 2007 remaster)

 

Ely's second-ever album, released in 1978, “Honky Tonk Masquerade”. What a superb album this is and it shows exactly why Ely is such a giant of the Texas scene. Dallas Morning News writer, Mario Tarradell, once noted that “There’s no mistaking a Joe Ely album. His stinging, road-hued voice commands lyrics about life, love and the wandering spirit. When you listen to his music, you’re enjoying the essence of Joe Ely. That’s the essence of Texas music.” I can’t sum it up any better than that. Ely’s music is all about his home state and that comes through loud and clear on this album. 

Many artists struggle with their second album because they’ve used all their good material on their debut recording, and Ely’s eponymously titled debut had been critically acclaimed and well-received by all, so many critics were braced for a dip in quality with this second album; Ely confounded all the critics and delivered a second album even stronger than the first and, when you listen to it, it’s not hard to see why it was so well received. It has Ely’s trademark musical muscularity, with his voice well to the fore and backed by a really solid band, honed from their long time on the road. It’s got that Texas sound he does so well, a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, a touch of Tejano flavouring and a lot of attitude. It’s got five Ely original songs, including the great title track and his infectious piano boogie, ‘Fingernails’, it’s got three top-drawer Butch Hancock tracks, and after Butch himself, nobody does his songs as well as Ely. There’s one song from his other Flatlanders bandmate, Jimmie Dale Gilmour, and an excellent cover of Hank Williams’ ‘Honky Tonkin”. Then, on top of all that, you’ve got the great Lloyd Maines on pedal steel and all over everything, plus Tex-Mex accordion wizard, Ponty Bone, who plays superbly throughout.

While I originally thought of featuring one of Ely’s live recordings in this article, “Honky Tonk Masquerade” reminds you why Ely and his band are so good live. They were touring solidly at the time they made this so came into the studio totally focused on their playing and many of the tracks on the album were recorded in a single take. You can hear how tight they are as a band on this recording. It’s simply one of the great country-rock recordings of the 70s and an album to die for.

In Rolling Stone magazine, Steve Pond made it number 40 on the list of their “50 Essential Albums of the 70s” and it’s also included in Robert Dimery’s excellent 2005 book, ‘1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die’. Joe Ely has made 19 studio albums and has released a further 6 live recordings. Many of them are great records, but none of them is better than “Honky Tonk Masquerade”. A true ‘Classic Americana Album’.

by Rick Bayles, July 6, 2022

Tracks

1. Cornbread Moon - 3:29

2. Because of the Wind - 4:02

3. Boxcars (Butch Hancock) - 4:03

4. Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down) (Butch Hancock) - 2:54

5. Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown (Jimmie Dale Gilmore, John Reed) - 2:12

6. Honky Tonk Masquerade - 3:46

7. I'll Be Your Fool - 2:52

8. Fingernails - 2:13

9. West Texas Waltz (Butch Hancock) - 5:03

10.Honky Tonkin' (Hank Williams) - 3:27

Music and Lyrics by Joe Ely unless as else written

Personnel

*Joe Ely - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

*Lloyd Maines - Steel Guitar, Backing Vocals

*Steve Keeton - Drums

*Gregg Wright - Bass, Backing Vocals

*Ponty Bone - Accordion, Piano

*Jesse Taylor - Acoustic, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals

*Chip Young - Acoustic, Electric Guitar

*John Goldthwaite - Electric Guitar

*Shane Keister - Moog Synthesizer, Acoustic Piano

*Farrell Morris - Percussion

*Lea Jane Berinati, Ginger Holloday, Lisa Silver - Backing Vocals

*Butch Hancock - Background Vocals (Track 9)

1977  Joe Ely - Joe Ely (2007 remaster)  

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Joe Ely - Joe Ely (1977 us, remarkable country rock, 2007 remaster)

Driving across West Texas can feel a little like piloting a Mars rover: life signs minimal save for the stray prairie dog, an endless sky suffocating overhead. The cities of Amarillo and Lubbock appear like distant waystations on the horizon, first as hazy mirage and then as reality. Even within those denser zip codes, a profound alienation hangs in the air, a truly physical awareness of how distant your existence is from the rest of the state. Yet the isolation of West Texas has served as an incubator for a distinct kind of futurism, one best symbolized by the Cadillac Ranch installation outside Amarillo: a slash of modernism cutting against a landscape that’s flatter than Hank Hill’s ass.

This barren country gave birth to early rock pioneers like Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison, whose electrified guitars were signal conductors connecting remote listeners to the big city, like telephone wires across an empty highway. As a teenager in Lubbock in the early 1960s, singer-songwriter Joe Ely proved particularly receptive to the transmissions of rock’n’roll. Though his music might be branded Americana, Ely has always had a rockabilly soul, emphasizing the shared rhythm-and-blues roots that country and rock sprang from. In a career that stretches back more than 50 years, Ely found success as both a regional superstar and international cult favorite, even if mainstream American recognition often seemed to elude him—a songwriter’s songwriter, as they say.

Ely’s musical career formally began with the Flatlanders, a group filled out by high school pals Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. The trio would become something like the Velvet Underground of Texas music—“more a legend than a band,” as the title of a compilation would describe them years later. Their hippie-adjacent cosmic sound, all group harmonies and neo-Buddhist koans, is a far cry from the rough and rowdy ways of Ely’s solo work. Before the group reformed in the 1990s, Ely gave their songs his own interpretation; Honky Tonk Masquerade’s version of “Tonight I Think I’m Gonna Go Do Town” adds a baritone grit where Gilmore’s voice is gentler.

After the Flatlanders’ first run, Ely would live the kind of rambling life that makes for good country music, imbuing his work with both a droll absurdity and a deeper sense of yearning—the odd jobs he kept during the mid 1970s included time as a roadie for the Ringling Brothers Circus. As a solo performer, Ely would cut his teeth on the same dive-bar circuit as bluesmen like ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and that raucous energy has remained at the core of his music.

With his first solo albums, Ely became a surprising sensation in Europe, where he befriended the members of the Clash on tour. If you listen closely to the Spanish-language vocals on “Should Or Stay or Should I Go,” you can even hear Ely’s drawl doing backup duty, the first of many jam sessions between the two bands. What Glen Campbell was to the Beach Boys or Dylan to the Beatles, Ely became to the Clash, kindred souls whose mutual genre-bending sensibilities fostered an organic exchange of collaborative energies. In line with punk’s primal instincts, Ely was also returning to the origins of rhythm and blues, with a delinquent spirit and mod-leaning look not too far removed from the California cowpunk of X and the Gun Club, part ranch hand and part Lynchian highway drifter.

Ely’s 1977 self-titled LP is sparse compared to the fuller sound of subsequent records, but it demonstrates the development of his hybrid style and an ear for textured production. It’s also the most Flatlander-esque of his early solo work, with tracks like “Treat Me Like a Saturday Night” bearing the distinctive wistfulness of Jimmie Dale Gilmore. The record is still grounded in acoustic guitar, but the big-band sound Ely became known for is bubbling underneath, with a cameo from the Muscle Shoals horn section on “Johnny’s Blues.”

On the Butch Hancock-penned “She Never Spoke Spanish to Me,” Ely plays with Tex-Mex flavor more for novelty’s sake. Despite the radical transformations country music has undergone in the last 50 years, Ely has somehow weathered them all. In the ’70s.

by Nadine Smith, March 21, 2023

Tracks

1. I Had My Hopes Up High (Joe Ely) - 3:32

2. Mardi Gras Waltz (Joe Ely) - 2:50

3. She Never Spoke Spanish To Me (Butch Hancock) - 3:34

4. Gambler's Bride (Joe Ely) - 2:35

5. Suckin' A Big Bottle Of Gin (Butch Hancock) - 3:15

6. Tennessee's Not The State I'm In (Butch Hancock) - 3:04

7. If You Were A Bluebird (Butch Hancock) - 2:59

8. Treat Me Like A Saturday Night (Jimmie Gilmore) - 3:02

9. All My Love (Joe Ely) - 3:09

10.Johnny Blues (Joe Ely) - 4:10

Musicians

*Joe Ely - Vocals, Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Slide Dobro, Harmonica

*Gregg Wright - Bass 

*Steve Keeton - Drum 

*Bobby Emmons - Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinet, Organ 

*Rick Hulett - Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Dobros, Vocal Harmonies

*Jesse Taylor – Electric, Gut Guitar, 12-String Guitar, Dobros

*Chip Young – Electric, Acoustic Guitars

*Ray Edentonl- Acoustic Guitar, F-Hole Guitar

*Loyd Maines - Acoustic Guitars

*Farrell Morris - Percussion

*The Muscle Shoals Group - Horns

*Harrison Callaway - Trumpet

*Harvey Thompson - Tenor Saxophone

*Ron Eades  - Baritone Saxophone

*Charles Rose - Trombone

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The Sherwoods - Live (1968-69 us, raw texas punkadelic, collectables' release)

Chances are that unless you come from the area around Corpus Christi, Texas or got to hear one of their two singles on Smash recorded in 1969, you've never heard of the Sherwoods. They were a quintet who made some noise during 1968-69, enough to get signed by Mercury Records but not to get heard once their official records started coming out.

The Sherwoods were Michael Claxton (lead and backing vocals), Johnny Clary (drums, lead and backing vocals), David Franklin (lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Jim Frye (lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals), and Kenny Blanchet (bass). Essentially a psychedelic punk outfit, not too far removed from the likes of the Moving Sidewalks (featuring Billy Gibbons) and the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, their music featured lots of extended jams on guitar and alternately spaced-out, languid vocals and intense, R&B-inspired pieces. 

Their live shows were evidently very impressive, because it was one such performance in Austin that got them signed by Mercury, but only two of the three singles they cut were ever released, to no success. After two years together, the group broke up in early 1970 amid personal difficulties and members' problems with the Vietnam-era draft. Three members of the band remain active in music in the 1990s, Franklin and Frye in Feo Y Loco, and Blanchet in the Houston-based group the Hightailers.

by Bruce Eder

Tracks

1. The Move - 4:10

2. I Know You Cried (Mike Claxton) - 2:21

3. Ride Baby, Ride (Mike Claxton) - 4:27

4. Wishes - 9:08

5. If You Could See As I See (Mike Claxton) - 2:13

6. The Wait - 5:30

7. I'll Be Gone - 3:49

8. Martha's Song - 5:37

9. The Game - 6:56

10.Mama Said - 4:08

The Sherwoods

*Michael Claxton - Lead Vocals

*Johnny Clary - Drums, Vocals

*David Franklin - Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals

*Jim Frye - Lead, Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals

*Kenny Blanchet - Bass

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Hackensack - Up the Hard Way (1974 uk, solid hard blues rock, 2002 remaster)

In the dim but not so distant past, at a time when legends were forming, some rare monsters could be seen stomping through the undergrowth. One was unearthed in Hackensack—not the New Jersey backwater derived from the Algonquians’ stony ground but four English rockers, hairy and larger than life, who named themselves after a much-liked Thelonious Monk song. The surprises start here. First glimpsed in 1969 its origins and ancestry are obscure, but by ’71 founder Nicky Moore felt he had the right chemistry fixed and the critter stomped through the jungle of gigland to the astonishment of unsuspecting natives.

By 1972 they were playing well over 250 concerts a year non-stop across the land of the Mini Minor and Continental tundra. That year, Island released their first and only single, the non-album Moving On / River Boat. The vocalist says it tickled the European charts, and a German picture sleeve exists. The A-side was written by Mick Ralphs, who also contributed lap steel guitar, after ’Sack supported label-mates Mott The Hoople on their Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus tour a few months earlier. It was produced by Muff Winwood, older brother of Steve (both ex-Spencer Davis Group), who later produced Dire Straits’ debut (’78) and the first hits of Sparks. He was also working as A & R at Island, but it seems he was less than helpful with the next logical step of an album for Hackensack.

Like other very popular live acts in that era it was wondered if their incredible energy could be captured in the studio as evidence. The same problem beset many name-bands as different as Medicine Head, Strife, Quintessence and Groundhogs; some adapted their styles between concert and vinyl, like T. Rex and Pink Fairies, others (the most famous?) just reproduced the same sound in both environments without a second thought. Hackensack hoped their debut platter would be live, which wasn’t to be. The result would herald their demise. 

Initially scheduled by Island, who had the demos, Polydor eventually released the first and only album in 1974: Up The Hardway. Its striking red-sky cover of a knight pointing to a distant cliff-city, agreed by the band and award-winning the vocalist recalls, might first suggest prog or metal, but the LP is a tasteful mix of straight heavy boogie and ballads with quality vocals and guitar. The uninitiated listener today might imagine they have stumbled on a lost classic by hair-rockers who notched up millions thanks to their predominantly female audience. The line-up was Nicky Moore (lead vocals, guitar, electric piano), Ray Smith (lead guitar, vocals), Paul Martinez (bass), and Simon Fox (drums, percussion). Smith was soon better-known as Ray Majors, changing his name to avoid confusion with the guitarist of another Island band, Albert Lee’s Heads, Hands & Feet.       

The album opens with probably their signature tune, Up The Hardway, co-written by Moore and Majors, a grinding heavy slab of stoner rock, with a time-change solo mid-way in the 5.40. Nice guitar with effects also graces the seven-minute ballad A Long Way To Go, bravely followed by another slow number (Goodbye World), both exemplifying Moore’s soul-influenced voice. A driving rock ‘n’ roll cover of Lazy Cow, with female backing vocals, highlights the singer’s taste for jiving. Angels Theme/Goodboy Badboy (not Goodbye as on the CD, another Moore / Majors co-write) is pure Mountain without being derivative at all. Popular live, it’s delivered in a restrained but nevertheless thumping style here. Guitarist and singer swap roles for a more English sound on Blindman, Northern Girl is a bubbling slow rocker, done a little heavier live when extended into jam length round a borrowed famous lick. Hot Damn Home-Made Wine, a mixer in Brinsley Schwarz-like style, closes a fine set.

The eight songs aren’t adapted for 45s but explore ideas within their framework. The quirk in the mixture is that the only two covers, Lazy Cow and Hot Damn Home-Made Wine, are by Charles Hodges of Chas & Dave fame (or infamy depending on the colour of your gib). Hot Damn is on their collaboration with the novelty jazz singer Theresa Brewer’s 1973 LP, and Cow was later a 45 B-side of the duo’s in ’75. This oddity partly points to Moore covering songs he likes, continued to the present day, but also that Hackensack’s producer, Derek Lawrence, oversaw the chirpy pubsters including the Cow song. He is more famous for Deep Purple’s first albums and Jethro Tull’s debut single (as Jethro Toe) after working with Joe Meek. Perhaps it was Lawrence’s influence, as early Purple also did their fair share of covers too. "Up the Hard Way" is still one of those rarities that, once heard, is unforgettable.

by Brian R. Banks

Tracks

1. Up The Hardway (Nicky Moore, Ray Smith) - 5:40

2. Long Way To Go (Nicky Moore) - 7:05

3. Goodbye World (Nicky Moore) - 6:16

4. Lazy Cow (Chas Hodges) - 3:50

5. Angels Theme / Goodboy Badboy (Nicky Moore, Ray Smith) - 6:19

6. Blindman (Nicky Moore, Ray Smith) - 5:21

7. Northern Girl (Nicky Moore) - 7:11

8. Hot Damn Home-Made Wine (Chas Hodges) - 3:50

Hackensack

*Nicky Moore - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Electric Piano

*Paul Martinez - Bass

*Ray Smith - Lead Guitar, Vocals

*Simon Fox - Drums, Percussion

With

*Sue Lynch - Vocals

*Joy Yates - Vocals

*Jacky Sullivan - Vocals

1969-72  Hackensack - Give It Some  

Related Acts

1971  Heads Hands And Feet - Heads Hands And Feet  

1972  Heads Hands And Feet - Tracks...Plus (2009 remaster)  

1976  Tiger - Tiger (2007 japan)  

1975-78  Stretch - The Best Of Stretch Why Did You Do It (2007 release)  

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Goddo - Who Cares ? (1978 canada, hard rock with glam shades, 2000 remaster and expanded)

Frustrated with the direction Fludd was going, Scarborough, Ont native and local bass wiz Greg Godovitz formed Godo, a makeshift group with studio musicians that released a 45 on A & M that featured a cover of The Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie” in 1975. When the song started gaining some momentum, he recruited ex Brutus guitarist Gino Scarpelli and drummer Marty Morin (ex of Truck) and made their way around the Toronto bar circuit.

As their act developed and an extra ‘D’ was added to the band’s name, they outgrew the surroundings and quickly made the rest of Ontario, and then central Canada part of their rounds, also dipping into the States occasionally while honing their chops. After Morin left and was replaced on drums by Doug Inglis, they were signed to a deal with Polydor, and released their self-titled debut in ’77. The only single was the ominous musical oddysey “Under My Hat.” Along with tracks like “Bus Driver Blues” (about Morin’s choice of preferred occupations instead of that of a rock star), “Let It Slide,” and “Let That Lizard Loose” let the world know they were a talented power trio with a fresh, straight-forward approach to recording, utilizing few overdubs which helped create the ‘raw sound’ they would later become known for in a near-unprecendented fashion.

They released WHO CARES? in ’78 and picked up where the debut record left off, but was a little heavier, and a lot bolder. Produced by Thomas Morley-Turner at Sounds Interchange in Toronto, clean cut riffs mixed with delicate harmonies showed Goddo was not a one-dimensional act, but took on a brasher approach than its predecessor. The lead single “Sweet Thing,” and tracks like “Oh Carole” – the ode to Rough Trade‘s Carole Pope, “Cock On” – his spin on the controversial Fludd album of the same name and “Drop Dead (That’s Who)” all made Goddo one of the most original groups of the time.

Canadian Bands with notes from Greg Godovitz

Tracks

1. Tough Times - 2:18

2. Cock On - 4:02

3. You Can Never Go Back Anymore - 3:42

4. Drop Dead (Thats Who) (Gino Scarpelli, Greg Godovitz) - 2:44

5. Sweet Thing - 3:45

6. People In The News - 0:31

7. There Goes My Baby (Gino Scarpelli, Greg Godovitz, Doug Inglis) - 4:33

8. Oh Carole (Kiss My Whip) - 3:17

9. Once Again - 4:08

10.Too Much Carousing - 4:44

11.Injun Song - 0:19

12.Tough Times - 2:28

13.Greg Discusses 'Who Cares' - 3:00

14.Once Again - 4:50

15.Sweet Thing - 3:52

16.Tough Times - 2:04

17.There Goes My Baby (Gino Scarpelli, Greg Godovitz, Doug Inglis) - 3:47

18.Drop Dead (Thats Who) (Gino Scarpelli, Greg Godovitz) - 2:51

19.Too Much Carousin' - 4:28

20.Greensleeves (Traditional) - 1:06

21.Hitchcockian Outtake - 1:33

22.Zombat Greeting - 0:25

23.Thank You's - 0:48

All songs by Greg Godovitz except where stated

Bonus Tracks 12-23

Goddo

*Doug Inglis - Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals

*Gino Scarpelli - Guitar, Percussion

*Greg Godovitz - Vocals, Bass

With

*Peter Schenkman - Cello

*Paul Irvine - Tenor Saxophone

*Martin Melhuish - Guitar

*Dr. John Bjarnason - Harmonica

Related Act

1971  Fludd - Fludd (2010 reissue)  

1972  Fludd - C@ck On! 

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Complex - Complex (1970 uk, fine beat psych)

Complex is a super-rare and long-out-of-print holy grail private press classic. Revered by the almighty Acid Archives (they’ve got trophy photos of it staged next to bottles of fine Scotch!), as “one of the ‘Holy Trinity’ items of rare British psychedelia (the other two being Dark and Forever Amber),” Complex somehow sounds distinctly like mid-60s American garage rock – so much so that I find its 1970 record date quite hard to believe.

They tear open the album with a fire-breathing combo organ lead;  Funny Feeling is a 3-part tune revealing two factors of the Complex sound – intelligent and endearing compositions filtered through fuzzy, raw energy. Green Eyed Lucy’s vibrating bass guitar groove helps strike the balance between blues, soul, and unbridled teenage garage. Gratuitous guitar shredding on Witch’s Spell and “sensitive” boppers like Norwegian Butterfly, seemingly written to get the lead singer, whose confident voice is a sweet surprise, some groupie action.  Self Declaration features an epic Iron Butterfly-esque prog-organ solo and throughout the album a distinct and drastically lo-fi sound is present from start to finish.

Then there’s my favorite track – the unexpected, wildly out-of-place but somehow perfect Josie. It’s a surprise that this group of white suburban kids could pull off a convincing reggae dancehall number, but a joy to hear the squeaky combo organ bouncing along with the ragtag orchestra backing this weird little number.

Complex is a scary kind of record, the rarity and grungy sound are sure to dissuade casual listeners, but seekers will find the sounds much more accessible than the ghastly psychedelic cover implies. It’s really just an oldies garage record with soul; you can play it for friends without clearing the room! Begging for a reissue.

by Brendan McGrath

Tracks

1. Funny Feeling - 2:51

2. Message From The Year 2000 (Steve Coe) - 2:43

3. Green-Eyed Lucy - 3:48

4. Josie - 2:34

5. Witch's Spell - 3:38

6. Norwegian Butterfly - 2:51

7. Self Declaration (Steve Coe) - 6:03

8. Images Blue - 2:55

9. Storm On Way - 3:59

10.Madamoiselle Jackie - 3:56

11.Live For The Minute (Steve Coe, Tony Shakespeare) - 4:01

12.Hush (Joe South) - 4:28

13.Images Blue - 4:27

14.Green-Eyed Lucy - 3:50

15.Norwegian Butterfly - 3:02

All tracks written by Steve Coe, Bob Mitchell except where noted

Bonus Tracks 12-15

Complex

*Steve Coe - Organ

*Brian Lee - Guitars, Backing Vocals

*Lance Fogg - Bass, Backing Vocals

*Tony Shakespeare - Lead Vocals, Drums

1971 Complex - The Way We Feel   

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Kate Taylor - Sister Kate (1971 us, beautiful warm folk soft rock, 2008 remaster)

The only sister of James, Livingstone, Hugh, and Alex, Kate Taylor’s 1971 debut album ‘Sister Kate’ was not just a great listen, it was also a significant recording in the development of the ‘70s LA sound epitomised by the production work of UK producer Peter Asher. It was only the second record to include the now legendary LA crew of musicians that included the likes of Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and Danny Kortchmar. Despite being in at the ground level of what was then a new and exciting sound, Kate Taylor didn’t release another album until 1978 before dropping out of the music industry for over twenty years in 1979 after the release of her third album which was recorded in Muscle Shoals. She has released infrequent albums in the 21st Century culminating in 2021’s ‘Why Wait’ which is a reunion with producer Peter Asher and the LA musicians of the ‘70s and is also a celebration of that time and sound. 

Serendipity played a part in Kate Taylor getting to know Scottish musician and bassist Alan Thomson, who has his own impressive CV and provides backing for Kate Taylor’s US and European Tour. Alan Thomson’s cousin was John Martyn and he played bass with Martyn for the final thirty years of his career, he has also played with a whole host of musicians including The Hellecasters, Robert Palmer, Phil Collins, Hank Marvin, Bert Jansch, Dick Gaughan, Jethro Tull’s Martin Barre, Rick Wakeman, Amos Garrett, and many, many more. 

by Martin Johnson, September 29, 2022

Tracks

1. Home Again (Carole King) - 2:18

2. Ballad Of A Well Known Gun (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) - 4:42

3. Be That Way (Livingston Taylor) - 2:51

4. Handbags And Gladrags (Mike D'Abo) - 3:25

5. You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor) - 2:34

6. Look At Granny Run, Run (Jerry Ragovoy, Mort Shuman) - 2:49

7. Where You Lead (Carole King, Toni Stern) - 2:27

8. White Lightning (Jape Richardson) - 2:40

9. Country Comfort (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) - 3:39

10.Lo And Behold/Jesus Is Just All Right (James Taylor, A. Reid Reynolds) - 2:22

11.Do I Still Figure In Your Life (Pete Dello) - 2:19

12.Sweet Honesty (Beverley Martyn) - 6:31

Personnel

*Kate Taylor - Vocals, Clapping

*Peter Asher - Vocals, Backing Vocals, Clapping

*John Beland - Guitar

*Merry Clayton - Vocals, Backing Vocals, Background Music

*Sandra Crouch - Percussion, Tambourine

*Oma Drake - Vocals, Backing Vocals, Background Music

*Abigale Haness - Vocals

*Gail Haness - Backing Vocals, Background Music

*John Hartford - Banjo

*Carole King - Piano, Vocals, Backing Vocals, String Arrangements, Background Music

*Danny Kortchmar - Guitar, Percussion, Conga, Backing Vocals

*Russ Kunkel - Drums

*Charles Larkey - Bass

*Bernie Leadon - Guitar

*The Memphis Horns - Horn, Horn Arrangements

*Wayne Jackson - Horn, Horn Arrangements

*Andrew Love - Horn, Horn Arrangements

*Joel O'brian - Drums

*Donna Prater - Vocals, Backing Vocals

*Linda Ronstadt - Vocals, Backing Vocals, Background Music

*Ralph Schuckett - Organ, Piano, Accordion, Keyboards

*Leland Sklar - Bass

*J.D. Souther - Guitar, Vocals, Clapping

*John Tartaglia - Strings, String Arrangements

*James Taylor - Guitar

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Jumble Lane - Jumble Lane (1970-71 uk, weird canva of folk jazz psych hard blues rock)

Although the album Jumble Lane [Holyground Records, 1971] is officially credited to Jumble Lane, no such band ever existed: the name describes a constellation of 23 musicians with diverse interests and directions, who had Bretton Hall College as their common denominator. The record was pressed in just 99 copies, with the original covers by Mal Williamson falling victim to an accident. Biff Byford does play the flute and participates in the composition of 4 tracks out of a total of 17 sessions at the time, of which 12 made it onto the original vinyl version (which is extremely rare and is rumored to have changed hands for up to 1,900 euros), while the rest remained unreleased until the 1993 CD reissue.

It was a whirlwind record, combining Rich Freeman's interests in Johann Sebastian Bach and John Dowland ("Prelude In D Minor/Allemande"), British folk ("Lyke Wake Dirge"), the echo of Joni Mitchell pre-Ladies Of The Canyon (covering "Gallery" by Marcia and Linda King) and the era's electric concerns around blues, American folk rock and guitars: we hear e.g. both an adaptation of the well-known one by B.B. King "Rock Me Baby" featuring Ric Jerrom, as well as original efforts like "Blues For Joanne" and "Frustration/Ends Away!", where we meet Byford again. A special touch is also "Girl From Gothenburg", presented as an instrumental composition by pianist Martin Snell, but in essence it is a renegotiation of the melody of the Swedish traditional song "Visa Från Utanmyra". 

The overall feeling is that it shows a wide variety of playing skills that are difficult to categorize.

Tracks

1. Prelude In D Minor / Allemande (Johann Sebastian Bach, John Dowland) - 3:15

2. Girl From Gothenburg (Martin Snell) - 3:55

3. Flutelode (Biff Byford) - 1:56

4. Blues For Joanne (Ric Jerrom) - 2:05

5. Five In A Van (Chris Garfield, Martin Snell) - 4:14

6. Red Hot Daddy (Reprise) (Ian Ball) - 0:20

7. Frustration / Ends Away (Biff Byford, Chris Garfield, Liam Arthurs, Martin Snell, Nick Dew, Nick Mann) - 5:00

8. Little Frederique (Biff Byford, Rich Keys, Steve Channing) - 1:38

9. The Shipper / Rock Me Babe (Dave Holland, Melvin Jackson, Joe Josea, B.B. King) - 4:35

10.Organics / Red Hot Daddy (Liam Arthurs, Martin Snell, Nick Dew, Ian Ball) - 3:19

11.The Gallery (Joni Mitchell) - 3:37

12.Preserve (Biff Byford, Liam Arthurs, Martin Snell, Nick Dew, Rich Keys, Steve Channing) - 4:43

13.A Train Ago Last Saturday (Ric Jerrom) - 3:48

Musicians

*Biff Byford - Flute

*Ric Jerrom - Vocals, Guitar 

*Steve Channing - Silent Slide Guitar, Guitar 

*Chris Garfield Lead Guitar,

*Liam Arthurs [Leom Arthurs] - Bass, Vocals

*Martin Snell - Piano, Organ, Glockenspiel

*Nick Dew - Drums

*Rich Freeman - Guitar

*Rich Keys - Mouth Harp

*Dave Holland - Piano

*John Millington - Lead Guitar, 

*Rob Clark - Bass

*Howard Wriggley - Piano, 

*Mike Brownrigg - Lead Guitar 

*Rob Rutherford - Jaws Harp

*Ian Ball - Vocal Kazoo Mouth Trumpet Ukelele

*John Davidson - Banjo,

*Graham Heaney - Jug Tea Chest Bass

*Pete Tidball - Guitar

*Tina Barnes - Washboard

*Marcia Phillips - Vocals, Guitar

*Linda King - Vocals

Related Acts

1965-73  Various Artists – Loose Routes 1, Music From Holyground (2001 release)  

1970-71  Thundermother / Lightyears Away - Astral Navigations 

1970-71  Thundermother - No Red Rowan  

1971  Chris Coombs And The Lightyears Away / Thundermother - Gagalactyca (2000 reissue)  

1973-74  Gygafo - Legend Of The Kingfisher  

1974-75  Blue Epitaph - Ode By Blue Epitaph (2003 edition)

1975  Chick Shannon And The Last Exit Band - Tears On The Console  

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Kala - After Quintessence: The Complete Kala Recordings (1973 uk, fine post psych prog classic rock, 2010 remaster)

"During the period spanning 1969-1972, Quintessence were one of Britain's most powerful and most popular live acts. Immediately after leaving Quintessence, vocalist Phil 'Shiva' Jones and guitarist Dave 'Maha Dev' Coddling had formed Kala. Beset by bizarre personnel issues, and in the hands of a record label which somehow found defeat in the jaws of what should have been a victory for all concerned, Kala nevertheless managed to release one overlooked gem of an album and a couple of blistering live tracks during its brief existence. 

The album features some titles which were in a similiar vein to Quintessence, with others nodding towards the popular boogie and country-rock of contemporaries like the Faces. Now exquisitely remastered by Ron Geesin, with two previously unreleased live tracks and two brand new vocal takes, this CD debut of Kala's complete works has been compiled with the full cooperation of Phil and Dave. The accompanying 16-page full-color booklet includes extensive liner notes by Colin Harper, an interview with the band, and recollections on each track by Shiva Jones."

Tracks

1. Travelling Home (Dave Codling) - 3:19

2. Sun (Tony Hill) - 4:20

3. Thirsty Generation (Dave Codling) - 4:57

4. Pearl - 6:31

5. Meditations - 7:15

6. Still Got Time - 5:55

7. Hallelujah - 2:54

8. Honey Of Love - 5:24

9. Come On Around To My House - 4:42

10.Before You Leave (Mick Cox) - 9:46

11.Going Down Slow (Chester Burnett) - 3:56

12.Honey Of Love - 5:40

13.Meditations - 7:17

14.Still Got Time - 5:58

All songs by Phil ‘Shiva’ Jones except where noted

Tracks 1-8 from the 1973 LP Kala

Tracks 9-10 from the 1973 LP Bradley's Roadsbow: Live At The Marquee

Tracks 11-12 Live in 1973 (previously unreleased)

Tracks 13-14 feature new vocals from Phil 'Shiva' Jones (previously unreleased)

Kala

*Dave Codling - Guitar

*Sid Gardner - Bass, Vocal Harmony

*Phil Jones - Guitar, Vocals

*Johnnie Miles - Drums, Vocal Harmony

*Les Nicol - Guitar, Vocal Harmony

*Perry Sinclair - Guitar, Vocal Harmony

With

*Peter Arneson - Piano

*John Barham - Brass Arrangement, Cello Arrangement

*Paul Bennett - Vocals

*Chris Brown - Guitar

*Glen Charles - Drums

*Carol Grimes - Vocals

*Gary Roberly - Keyboards

*Dave Skinner - Piano

*Jack Stevenson - Percussion

*O.C. - Bass

Related Act

1969-71  Quintessence - Spirits From Another Time (2016 double disc set)  

1969-71  Quintessence - Move Into The Light The Complete Island Recordings (2017 double disc)  

1972  Quintessence - Indweller (2008 remaster)  

1972  Quintessence - Self (2008 bonus tracks remaster)

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Davy Graham - Midnight Man (1966 uk, fantastic rockin' folk blues, 2005 remaster)

Graham went into a somewhat harder-rocking bluesy groove on this record, though a strong jazz feel was always present in the rhythm especially. More than any other Graham LP, this offers proof that the guitarist would have established himself as a major star on the folk circuit in the '60s -- if only his singing was better. As a guitarist, he's simply wonderful, combining folk, jazz, and blues styles into an invigorating, idiosyncratic style that can both swing and attain a delicate sadness. 

As an interpreter, he's relentlessly imaginative, breathing new vigor into overdone R&B standards, or devising fresh folk arrangements for Beatles and Paul Simon tunes. But as a vocalist, he's adequate at best; if he had even possessed the modest expressiveness of a Bert Jansch, the material would be that much more striking. Almost none of these tracks are available on Graham compilations, and this rare LP is definitely worth seeking by those who are familiar with some of his other '60s work. Especially excellent are the jazzy "Hummingbird" and the instrumental cover of Lalo Schifrin's "The Fakir," which blends the rhythmic drive of Charles Mingus with hypnotic raga-esque riffs. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks

1. No Preacher Blues (Davy Graham) - 2:13

2. The Fakir (Lalo Schifrin) - 4:10

3. I'm Looking Thru' You (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) -2:01

4. Hummingbird (Davy Graham) -2:37

5. Watermelon Man (Herbie Hancock) -2:57

6. Stormy Monday (Traditional) -3:37

7. Money Honey (Jesse Stone) -2:23

8. Walkin' The Dog (Rufus Thomas) -2:36

9. Fire In My Soul (Blind Willie Johnson) -1:50

10.Lost Lover Blues (Traditional) -2:03

11.Neighbour Neighbour (Alton Joseph Valier) -2:33

12.Jubilation (Junior Mance) -1:46

13.Rags And Old Iron (King Curtis, Oscar Brown Jr.) - 3:20

14.Jelly Roll Baker (Lonnie Johnson) -2:43

Musicians

*Davy Graham - Vocals, Guitar

*Tony Reeves - Bass

*Barry Morgan - Percussion

1969  Davy Graham - Hat (2005 edition)   

1969  Davy Graham - Large As Life And Twice As Natural (2005 remaster)  

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