Merrell Fankhauser HMS Bounty - Things (1968 us, fine tuneful slice of acid psychedelia with a pop edge, Sundazed extra tracks edition)

This was one of many Merrell Fankhauser bands throughout the mid to late 60?s and early 70?s. Things was released in 1968, sandwiched in between Fankhauser’s Fapardokly and Mu albums. Mu is agruably his masterpiece, an innovative slab of slide guitar desert psychedelia from the early 70?s. Things has more of a bona fide 60?s sound, coming across like a meeting between Buffalo Springfield, Spirit, the Byrds and Cream.

This album is much more psych minded than 1966?s folk-rock inclined Fapardokly too. A Visit With Ashiya is possibly Fankhauser at his most psychedelic, awashed with stoned vocals and walls of sitar. It’s also one of the album’s centerpieces and a raga rock killer that ends with some thick fuzztones. Things has a handful (about 4) of tuneful, melodic folk-rockers that hark back to earlier times. Ice Cube Island is one of the best of these folk-rockers, being so blissed out and eretheral. 

It’s an excellent example of acid folk-rock. Other songs like Madame Silky, What Does He See In You and Rich Man’s Fable work really well too and are characterized by paranoid vocals and liquidy fuzz guitar leads. For most listeners though, the highlight of this album is Your Painted Lives. It’s one of those incredible 60?s songs, an early foray into country psych that chugs along with echoed vocals and once again, hard fuzz guitar riffs.

Things is delicate and raunchy all at once and a great, American underground rock record. Fankhauser would go on to make better albums (Mu and his 1976 solo effort) but this record still deserves a special place among the psychedelic 60?s.

by Jason (The Rising Storm)

Tracks
1. Things (Goin' Round In My Mind) - 2:29
2. Girl (I'm Waiting For You) - 2:27
3. What Does She See In You - 2:29
4. Lost In The City - 2:04
5. Your Painted Lives - 2:11
6. Drivin' Sideways (On A One Way Street) - 2:09
7. In A Minute Not Too Soon - 1:51
8. A Visit With Ashiya - 3:20
9. The Big Gray Sky - 2:12
10. Rich Man's Fable - 2:18
11. Ice Cube Island - 3:16
12. Madame Silky - 2:37
13. I'm Flying Home - 2:47
14. Everybody's Talkin' - 2:43
15. Tampa Run - 2:43
All songs composed by Merrell Fankhauser except track#15 by Fred Neil.
Bonus Tracks from 13-15

HMS Bounty
*Merrell Fankhauser - Guitar, Sitar, Vocals
*Doctor Billy Dodd - Organ, Guitar, Vocals
*Jack Jordon - Bass, Vocals
*Larry Meyers - Drums, Tabla

Related Act
1967  Fapardokly

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Fapardokly - Fapardokly (1964-67 us, nice garage 'n' beat with Merrell Fankhauser, Sundazed issue)

The Fapardokly story goes back to the end of 1963 when I quit the surf band The Impacts in Pismo Beach and moved to the high desert area of Lancaster, California. There I met a young guitar player named Jeff Cotton and together with Jim Furguson on bass and Greg Hampton on drums we formed Merrell and The Exiles. We were discoverd by Glenn Records in nearby Palmdale and started recording in the small Glenn studio. I recorded one of my first vocals I had written back in 1961, 'Too Many Heartbreaks' and a new song 'Please Be Mine.'  It came out as our first single on the Glenn label and got airplay in the Antelope Valley and in L.A., reaching #9 on the local station KUTY April, 1964.

Glenn then released another single in 1965, 'Send Me Your Love' and 'Don't Call On Me;' in 1966, 'Sorry For Yourself' and 'I Saw Susie Cryin';' and in 1967 'Tomorrow's Girl' and 'When I Get Home.'  This was our best selling single and got national airplay and was even played on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. The Exiles lineup of members had already changed by this time, and this would be the last recording released by Merrell and The Exiles.

From 1964 to 1967 The Exiles and various studio players recorded enough material for more than two albums and even did sessions in Los Angeles studios that all ended up on the shelves at Glenn Records in Palmdale. Around May of 1967 I moved back to the central California coast and formed Fapardokly and began playing at The Cove nightclub in Pismo Beach. About two months later Glenn Records called and said they would like to put out an album with some of the songs on the shelf and a few new ones. So we made the trip to Glenn's studio in Palmdale, recorded several songs and even went down to Gold Star studios in Hollywood and recorded a song and delivered it to Glenn and told him the band was now called "Fapardokly."

Glenn randomly selected songs from their archives and released the Fapardokly album on a subsidiary label UIP Records #2250 in late 1967. The confusing part is the songs were not in chronlogical order--mixing new and old together and not really saying who played on what track. It just had a list of musicians that contributed to the album. 

There were actually only three songs on the Fapardokly album by the band Fapardokly; four songs by the studio group that were never released under any band name; and five songs by Merrell and The Exiles on the album. The remainder of the Merrell and The Exiles songs that were left on the shelves at Glenn Records eventually saw the light of day in the early nineties on two limited edition LPs and CDs.  Nobody would have ever thought that the Fapardokly album would end up being one of the most valuable and highly sought after historical recordings of the 1960s!

Bill Dodd and I later went on to form HMS Bounty in 1968 and released an album titled Things on Uni Records. I later got back together with Jeff Cotton , Larry Willey and Randy Wimer and formed the band MU in 1969. 

by Merrell Fankhauser, November 2009

Tracks
1. Lila (M. Fankhauser, D. Aldridge) - 3:23
2. The Music Scene - 2:35
3. Sorry For Yourself - 2:01
4. Glass Chandlier (M. Fankhauser, D. Aldridge) - 2:11
5. Tomorrow's Girl - 2:28
6. Suzie Cryin' - 2:23
7. Mr. Clock (M. Fankhauser, D. Aldridge) - 2:26
8. Gone To Pot (M. Fankhauser, D. Aldridge) - 2:02
9. No Retreat - 1:56
10.Too Many Heartbreaks - 2:28
11.When I Get Home - 2:47
12.Super Market (M. Fankhauser, D. Aldridge) - 2:12
13.The War - 2:33
14.Yes I Love You - 2:40
15.Run Baby Run - 2:20
All tracks written by Merrell Fankhauser unless as else stated

Fapardokly
*Merrell Fankhauser - Vocals, Guitar
*Bill Dodd - Vocals And Guitar
*John Oliver - Vocals And Bass
*Dick Lee - Drums
With
*Mark Thompson - Organ
*Jody Cobb - Bass
*John Parr - Drums
*Don Aldridge - Vocals
*Gary Lotspeich - Vocals
*Larry Willey - Vocals And Guitar
*Jim Furguson - Bass
*Greg Hampton - Drums
*John Day -Organ
*Randy Wimer - Drums
*Bruce Ulch - Trumpet

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Various Artists - Doin' The Mod Volume Five / That Driving Beat (60's uk, enjoyable mod, r 'n' b)

One of the minor strains of mid-'60s U.K. pop was a re-creation of American soul. It never crossed back over to America like other British music of the time because the real thing was so good that nobody wanted to hear a whiter shade of imitation. 

The sound never really took off in the U.K. either, but a great many bands played it. Castle's Doin' the Mod series is an attempt to round up the bands that were melding soul (Northern and otherwise) with mod and pop. There are also some girl group-style songs mixed in as well as some bubblegum soul. Vol. 5 of the series, That Driving Beat, lives up to its title and features 30 uptempo dance tracks, many of them lost classics, most of them top-notch blue-eyed soul. 

Most of the groups are obscure, the biggest names being Geno Washington (an American expatriate), the Alan Bown Set (whose "Headline News" is a charging and melodic highlight of the set), and the Koobas. If those are the big names, you know you are dealing with a bunch of unknowns. Names you should know after hearing the disc are Lucas & the Mike Cotton Sound ("Step Out of Line"), Kim D (the sultry "Come on Baby"), the Exotics (the bubblegum soul of "I Don't Want Nobody [To Lead Me On]"), Timebox ("I'll Always Love You"), Young Blood (a stomping cover of the American Breed's "Green Light," which pounds the original to dust), and Ways & Means (whose reverb-drenched and super-hooky "Make the Radio a Little Louder" may be the best song here). 

There are great songs that show that the Brits weren't too shabby when it came to hijacking American soul and giving it a uniquely British sound. 

by Tim Sendra

Artists - Tracks
1. Lucas  And Mike Cotton Sound, The - Step Out Of Line - 2:47
2. Geno Washington And The Ram Jam Band - If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely) - 2:39
3. The Timebox - I'll Always Love You - 2:57
4. Jimmy James And The Vagabonds - Ain't No Big Thing - 2:40
5. Ways And Means - Make The Radio A Little Louder - 2:15
6. Young Blood  - Green Light - 2:09
7. Nita Rossi - Every Little Day Now - 2:14
8. John L. Watson And The Hummelflugs - Lookin' For Love - 2:52
9. The Undertakers - Think - 2:30
10.Keith Powell  And Billie Davis - When You Move You Lose - 2:40
11.The Blue Chips - Tell Her - 2:51
12.Stella Star - Say It - 2:08
13.Felder's Orioles - Backstreet - 3:03
14.The Alan Bown Set - Headline News - 2:35
15.Eddie Cave And The Fyx - Fresh Out Of Tears - 2:02
16.Kim D - Come On Baby - 2:20
17.The Exotics - I Don't Want Nobody (To Lead Me On) - 3:02
18.The Loving Kind - Ain't That Peculiar - 3:13
19.Gentle Influence - Easy To Love - 1:58
20.The Hifis - I Keep Forgettin' - 2:07
21.Val McKenna - I Can't Believe What You Say - 2:31
22.The Koobas - Take Me For A Little While - 2:06
23.Peter's Faces - (Just Like) Romeo And Juliet - 2:21
24.Tawney Reed - You Can't Take It Away - 2:43
25.The Revolution - Hallelujah - 2:12
26.The Ferris Wheel - Taking Inventory - 2:18
27.Billie Davis - Hands Off - 2:14
28.The Bystanders - (You're Gonna) Hurt Yourself - 2:25
29.Felder's Orioles - Something You Got - 2:42
30.The Band Of Angels - Cheat And Lie - 2:16

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Pantheon - Orion (1972 holland, very good progressive jazz rock, similar to canterbury sound)

Pantheon sprung forth from a high school band in 1971. The band, starting off initially with five members, won a national talent scouting in The Hague at the annual Rekreade Festival. Their first prize was a recording session with record company Phonogram

The band, by then reduced to four band members, recorded its first single, I want to know / Master Basion, in what turned out to be the definitive cast consisting of Ruud Wouterson (keyboards, vocals), Hans Boer (saxophone, flute, vocals), Albert Veldkamp (bass and electric guitar) and Rob Verhoeven (drums). Because of the suggestive nauture of the b-side title it was censored by Phonogram from Masturbation into Master Basion

With the attention this record received in the media the number of live concerts substantially increased. Concerts in Pop temple Paradiso and the other big concert halls in the progressive scene were very successful. More and more Pantheon was asked as a supporting act for Focus and Solution

Their second single, Daybreak / Anais, received a great deal of attention on radio and television. This paved the way for Tony Vos, the producer of Phonogram, to record the album Orion in 1972, released on the prestigious Vertigo label. The album was well received and through Paul Acket's booking agency concerts abroad were booked, a.o. as a supporting act for Mungo Jerry during their Switzerland tour. An absolute highlight was their concert in the Doelen in Rotterdam as the supporting act for the Steve Miller Band

A youthful, none of the band members were older than twenty one at the time, lack of financial and commercial insight coupled with a cocky attitude towards the record company and booking agencies led to a premature breaking up of the band. An attempt to regain their position with a renewed cast (a.o. ex-Focus drummer Pierre van der Linden) failed. Up to 1992 they played at various revival concerts with the original line up

Ruud Wouterson owns a busy recording studio and writes ballet music/film scores. Albert Veldkamp is a much soughtafter guitar teacher. Rob Verhoeven is the owner of an advertising agency. Hans Boer gives management courses. 

Tracks
1. Daybreak - 2:32
2. Anais - 4:58
3. Apocalyps - 10:53
4. The Madman - 1:21
5. Orion - 19:28
6. I Want To Know - 2:42
7. Masturbation - 2:36
8. Anais (Single Version) - 3:27
All compositions by Ruud Wouterson.

Pantheon
*Ruud Wouterson - Keyboards, Vocals,
*Hans Boer - Saxophone, Flute, Vocals,
*Albert Veldkamp - Bass, Electric Guitar
*Rob Verhoeven - Drums

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Notes From The Underground - Notes From The Underground (1968 us,excellent west coast psychedelic folk rock)

Berkeley, CA, psychedelic outfit Notes from the Underground formed in 1965, originally comprised of singer/multi-instrumentalist Fred Sokolow, guitarist Mark Mandell, bassist Mike O'Connor, keyboardist John Miller, and drummer Joe Luke. One of the first Bay Area rock bands of any real distinction, the group played at the first Longshoreman's Hall concert presented by the now-legendary Family Dog collective -- they also regularly headlined the local club the Jabberwock when the house band, their chief rivals Country Joe & the Fish, were taking a night off. 

With the exits of Miller and Luke, Notes from the Underground recruited keyboardist Jim Work and drummer Peter Ostwald; soon after, fledgling producer and folklorist Chris Strachwitz proposed helming the Notes' first recording session, which yielded a self-titled EP issued in 1966 on the Changes label.

The attendant publicity no doubt prompted an offer to serve as the house band at Berkeley's New Orleans House, followed by a contract with Vanguard Records -- after swapping Work for jazz-trained keyboardist Skip Rose, the Notes traveled to New York City to cut their lone LP (also self-titled), an expansive, eclectic affair highlighted by the single "Down in the Basement." However, both O'Connor and Ostwald resigned soon after the sessions wrapped, and Vanguard -- questioning the band's continued existence -- opted to cut its losses, spending no money on promotion and voiding their contract.

Sokolow and Mandell nevertheless forged ahead, assembling a patchwork lineup that included prodigal bandmate Miller as well as bassist Bing Nathan and drummer Furry Grasso. Relocating from Berkeley to Taos, NM, did little to stave off the inevitable, however, and Notes from the Underground dissolved in 1969. Sokolow and Mandell then returned to Berkeley and formed a new project, Prince Bakaradi; in 1977, the former also recorded a solo bluegrass effort titled Bluegrass Banjo Inventions. 

by Jason Ankeny

Tracks
1. Follow Me Down (Mike O'Connor, Skip Rose) - 5:40
2. I Wish I Was a Punk (Mark Mandell) - 2:33
3. Mainliner (David Gale) - 2:59
4. Down in the Basement (M. O'Connor, M. Mandell) - 2:13
5. What Am I Doing Here (Fred Sokolow) - 2:16
6. Where I'm At (Mike O'Connor, Skip Rose) - 2:58
7. Cantaloupe Island (Herbie Hancock) - 4:24
8. Why Did You Put Me On (Mark Mandell) - 2:40
9. Tristesse (M. Mandell, F. Sokolow) - 3:08
10. Who Needs Me (M. Mandell, F. Sokolow) - 5:28

Notes From The Underground
*Mike O'Connor - Bass, Vocals
*Peter Ostwald - Drums
*Skip Rose - Harpsichord, Organ, Piano
*Fred Sokolow - Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Tambourine, Vocals
*Mark Mandell - Guitar, Vocals

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The Rainbow Band - The Rainbow Band (1971 us, beautiful spiritual oriental psychedelic folk rock, Wounded Bird 2008 issue)

This first song repeats the “rama rama” theme in group with mind blank naivety and at least some song inspiration, tablas, piano, tempura, acoustic guitar which repeat the rhythmic hypnosis with a hippie minded psychedelic devotion, before the guitar in a strummed raga fashion develops the theme in an energetic way with one more return of the group marching row singers. 

After this tuning in, the right atmosphere has been made. “Lotus” has a stoned rhythm and beautiful male / female harmony vocals in the song, with melancholic pickings with rhythmic and sound accents on drums, percussion, congas and electric guitar. 

The track calms down to a total free open space with pickings and sweet flute improvisation, for a last part to a “I am who I am” mushroom-effect of a last devotional song part. “Sweater song”, led by the female singer is accompanied by acoustic guitar and electric jazz guitar, is another sweet hippie song. “Simple Song” is an improvisation with all the hippies singing and with lots of percussion including hand claps and glockenspiel, piano, a somewhat naive song with high tones in the female voice reminding me a bit of Incredible String Band during their performances on “U”. 

“Midnite Song” is more electric (with slide effects) and with more drums, rocking a bit with an American country-rock flavour. “Song Of The Navajo” is a songwriter song, a lament with acoustic guitar. The last track, “Now Is The time” with tampura drones is an improvisation with Indian styled associations on the guitar unfolding like a raga as the instrumental foundation, with a dual vocal sad song on top. The song increases in rhythm towards a psychedelic raga orgasm, unfolding its speeding up rhythm with electrified raga guitar, drums and some bass. A very nice psychedelic conclusion.

from Psych-Folk

Tracks
1. Rama Rama - 05:20
2. Lutus - 05:31
3. Sweater Song - 02:24
4. Simple Song - 04:07
5. Midnite Sun - 03:14
6. Song Of The Navajo - 04:09
7. Now Is The Time - 09:06
All compositions by Mahesh and Pavarthi

Musicians
*Mahesh
*Pavarthi
*Muruga Booker - Drumset
*Nithyan Gefron
*Scotty Avedisian
*Phil Catanzaro
*Ragunath Mancini
*Trevor Young
*Gary Olerich
*Darius Brubeck
*Collin Walcott - Sitar, Tabla
*Nirmala
*Sharon Simon
*Lalitha
*Janiki Tenny
*Priscilla
*Victoria
*Felix
*Anandi
*Shiva

identical artists
1970  Oriental Sunshine - Dedicated To The Bird We Love
1971  Magic Carpet - Magic Carpet

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N.S.U. - Turn On, Or Turn Me Down (1969 uk, heavy blues tinged acid psych)

This gritty quartet came from Scotland, and taped their sole album of acid-fried blues-rock in February 1969. Featuring a raw, crude production, fine psychedelic guitar leads and hoarse vocals, it is now regarded as a lost hard rock classic, but sank without trace on release that summer, and they split soon afterwards. 

Tracks
1. Turn on, Or Turn Me Down - 4:00
2. His Town - 3:59
3. You Can't Take It from My Heart - 2:48
4. Love Talk - 5:00
5. All Aboard - 4:05
6. The Game - 3:09
7. Stoned - 4:49
8. Pettsie's Blues - 3:46
9. On the Road - 8:12

N.S.U.
*William Hugh Alexander Brown - Drums
*Ernest Rea - Guitar
*John Graham Pettigrew - Vocals
*Peter Grant Nagle - Bass, Harp

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Valhalla - Valhalla (1969 us, terrific heavy psych with blues and prog flashes)

Valhalla a symphonic rock band who recorded one record for United Artists. The album's cover is a sinking burning Viking ship. The drawing is pretty good. The name Valhalla is the 'paradise' of all the Vikings who died fighting honorably.

American "acid" hard rock - the concept is not typical, but it provides the most complete picture of music VALHALLA, team late 60s. Their only album, which appeared in the 1969, was crowded with "violent" organ and soulful melodies. The last general should be attributed to the apparent advantages of the group as well as things like the Ladies in waiting or Conceit could easily be a hit, they get the proper promotion. Best of what was needed - a memorable tune and expressive performance - was over. After all, if childish innocence in ballads and "militants" to give a very special charm, here the picture spoiled thorough. In any case, their album - a good example of the late 60s, which failed to fully realize their potential, but deserves a better fate than the total obliteration.

"Hard Times", the opener, is a fusion of strong guitar riffs and keyboards. If you dont like this song you wont like the album, because the followers are pretty much all in the same style. the guitar and keys are the basis of the sound. "Conceit", again this song is full of guitar solos while Hulling is singing, but when its only the guitar playing the solo turns into a monochordic dead sound, the chorus is quite good though. 

The strenght of the previous songs disappear in "Ladies In Waiting", im not saying its bad, it is actually one of the best songs in the album, a Keyboard/Drums only song. "I'm Not Askin" has alot of Blues influences. It also features a 4-minute guitar solo and Hulling's yelling vocals. "Heads Are Free" is almost Doors-like, the vocals, the keyboard, the rhythm, its almost like hearing them. "UBT" is even calmer than "Ladies in Waiting" using the same instruments. It's to long in my opinion, 5 minutes are too long for a song like this. The first time we can listen to the Bass clearly is on this song. The screams ar the end of "Overseas Symphony" are really delicious, to song could have some of its minutes cut-off. Enjoy it!

by Adamus67

Tracks
1. Hard Times - 4:24
2. Conceit (Don Krantz, Mark Mangold) - 4:38
3. Ladies In Waiting - 3:57
4. I'm Not Askin' (Rick Ambrose, Don Krantz, Mark Mangold) - 6:10
5. Deacon - 4:16
6. Heads Are Free (Rick Ambrose) - 3:45
7. Rooftop Man - 4:04
8. JBT (Rick Ambrose, Mark Mangold) - 5:33
9. Conversation - 3:21
10. Overseas Symphony - 6:14
All tracks by Mark Mangold except where indicated.

Valhalla
*Rick Ambrose - Bass, Vocals
*Bob Huling - Percussion, Vocals
*Don Krantz - Guitar
*Eddie Livingston - Drums
*Mark Mangold - Keyboards, Vocals

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Arcadium - Breathe Awhile (1969 uk, excellent progressive rock, Repertoire digi pack issue)

Arcadium was another list of obscure British psychedelic bands. They had their start playing at such clubs as The Middle Earth (where every act you can imagine from well known, like Pink Floyd, to little known acts like Writing on the Wall, Wooden O, and Tam White were seen performing there). A small label called Middle Earth, who released only five albums, (one being a compilation called Earthed, another by Writing on the Wall called The Power of the Picts which I have reviewed here) released Breathe Awhile their one and only LP.

The band consisted of (presumably) brothers Allan Ellwood (organ, vocals) and Robert Ellwood (lead guitar, vocals), as well as John Albert Parker (drums), Graham Best (bass, vocals), and Miguel Sergides (12-string guitar, vocals). The music is late '60s British psychedelia with some early prog leanings, where guitar and Hammond organ dominates.

The vocals are a bit sloppy, but nothing that I find particularly bothersome. The album opens up with the 11:50 minute "I'm On My Way". Starts off slowly, with some psychedelic vocals, eventually the band starts jamming and it gets more intense as it goes on.

"Poor Lady" is a short piece, but it's such a cool piece, very catchy piece as well. The 7:34 "Walk on the Bad Side" starts off more in the psychedelic pop side, but don't let that deceive you, as the music keeps getting better and better and more intense, and the pop style was pretty much thrown out the window after a couple minutes!

 "Woman of a Thousand Years", not to be confused with the Fleetwood Mac song found off their album Future Games (1971), it's a totally different song. This piece bears passing resemblance to Van der Graaf Generator (although the only album VdGG had released at the time was The Aerosol Grey Machine), especially in the organ and almost Peter Hammill-like vocals. But of course, the music is nowhere as complex as VdGG is known for.

 The next two cuts, "Change Me" and "It Takes a Woman" might not be as catchy as say, "Poor Lady", but they're still excellent cuts. The album closes with the 10:17 epic, "Birth, Life and Death" where the bands gets in to more killer jams, with some more great psychedelic vocal passages.

While the original LP is very hard to come by, Repertoire Records in Germany had reissed this on CD with two bonus cuts, "Sing My Song" and "Riding Alone", both originally appearing on a single the band put out the same time as Breathe Awhile, which compliments the album very nicely (as the music pretty much in the same vein). Another totally obscure gem worth looking in to! 

by Ben Miler

Tracks
1. I'm On My Way - 11:51
2. Poor Lady - 3:59
3. Walk On The Bad Side - 7:35
4. Woman Of A Thousand Years - 3:39
5. Change Me - 4:47
6. It Takes A Woman - 3:53
7. Birth, Life And Death - 10:19
8. Sing My Song - 4:18
9. Riding Alone - 2:48
All compositions by Miguel Sergides

Arcadium 
*Graham Best - Bass, Vocals
*Allan Ellwood - Organ, Vocals
*John Albert Parker - Drums
*Robert Ellwood - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Miguel Sergides - 12-String Guitar, Vocals

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Jo Ann Kelly - Jo-Ann Kelly (1969 uk, spectacular delta blues rock)

The rock era saw a few white female singers, like Janis Joplin, show they could sing the blues. But one who could outshine them all -- Jo Ann Kelly -- seemed to slip through the cracks, mostly because she favored the acoustic, Delta style rather than rocking out with a heavy band behind her. But with a huge voice, and a strong guitar style influenced by Memphis Minnie and Charley Patton, she was the queen. 

Born January 5, 1944, Kelly and her older brother Dave were both taken by the blues, and born at the right time to take advantage of a young British blues scene in the early '60s. By 1964 she was playing in clubs, including the Star in Croydon, and had made her first limited-edition record with future Groundhogs guitarist Tony McPhee. She expanded to play folk and blues clubs all over Britain, generally solo, but occasionally with other artists, bringing together artists like Bessie Smith and Sister Rosetta Tharpe into her own music. 

After the first National Blues Federation Convention in 1968 her career seemed ready to take flight. She began playing the more lucrative college circuit, followed by her well-received debut album in 1969. At the second National Blues Convention, she jammed with Canned Heat, who invited her to join them on a permanent basis. She declined, not wanting to be a part of a band -- and made the same decision when Johnny Winter offered to help her. 

Throughout the '70s, Kelly continued to work and record solo, while also gigging for fun in bands run by friends, outfits like Tramp and Chilli Willi -- essentially pub rock, as the scene was called, and in 1979 she helped found the Blues Band, along with brother Dave, and original Fleetwood Mac bassist Bob Brunning. The band backed her on an ambitious show she staged during the early '80s, Ladies and the Blues, in which she paid tribute to her female heros. In 1988, Kelly began to suffer pain. 

A brain tumor was diagnosed and removed, and she seemed to have recovered, even touring again in 1990 with her brother before collapsing and dying on October 21. Posthumously, she's become a revered blues figure, one who helped clear the path for artists like Bonnie Raitt and Rory Block. But more than a figurehead, her recorded material -- and unreleased sides have appeared often since her death -- show that Kelly truly was a remarkable blueswoman. 

by Chris Nickson

Tracks
1. Louisiana Blues (McKinley Morganfield) - 3:32
2. Fingerprints Blues (Joe McCoy) - 3:27
3. Driftin' and Driftin' (Oscar Brown, Jr.  Warren "Pete" Moore) - 2:40
4. Look Here Partner (Jo Ann Kelly) - 2:36
5. Moon Going Down (Charley Patton) - 4:04
6. Yellow Bee Blues (Joe McCoy) - 3:48
7. Whiskey Head Woman (Tommy McClennan) - 1:52
8. Sit Down on My Knee (Jo Ann Kelly) - 2:43
9. Man I'm Lovin' (Hooker, Josea) - 2:44
10.Jinx Blues (Son House) - 2:31
11.Come on in My Kitchen (Robert Johnson) - 2:49

*Jo Ann Kelly - Guitar, Vocals

Related acts
1969  Tramp

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