Steely Dan

Steely Dan - Shuffle Diplomacy At The Acropolis, July 9, 2011, The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, 2nd Night - 2011 - A Damnjim/WombBoy Production

If Steely Dan, a group whose sardonic and cerebral word play is most closely matched by the literacy of Elvis Costello and whose jazz musicianship is worthy of a headlining slot at the Village Vanguard or Blue Note, seem an unlikely act to have a crowd grooving in the aisles, it’s just the continuation of a remarkable three-decade run in which they’ve confounded casual listeners and industry experts alike. While once considered unlikely to be rock radio stars or an in-demand touring act, the Steely Dan of today is both, and still doing it all in the band’s own inimitable way. © 2011 The Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved by & © Steve Baltin 4:38 PM PDT 7/9/2011 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/steely-dan-at-greek-theater-209442

The previous night at the Greek, Steely Dan had played the entire classic "Aja" album (which is now an official selection of the Library of Congress for its National Recording Registry) along with a few old favourites, and Steely Dan also played “You Got The Bear", which Donald introduced as a song originally written for their "Aja" album. Now if only these guys would include tracks like "The Second Arrangement" in their repertoire, it would make a lot of people very happy. This second night concert from 9/9/11 by the "Jazz-Rock Ambassadors to the Galaxy" was advertised as the first "Vox Populi" night of the Shuffle Diplomacy Twenty Eleven Tour. All but three of the tracks played are regular band numbers. Steely Dan have released some of the best jazz rock music of the last four decades, and hopefully a new studio album by Don will arrive soon. Steely Dan have only released one official live album, "Alive In America", which is full of studio enhancements. "Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz with guests Steely Dan" is a live album but regarded as a McPartland release. The three best "unoff" Steely Dan live albums are "Memphis Blues Again", and "Live At The Record Plant", both from the 1970's and "Live At The Wembley Arena" from the '90's. Outside these releases there are many other concert recordings, but most are of atrocious sound quality. This concert from the Greek, LA is of better quality than most other Dan "unoffs" but unless you are a Steely Dan afficianado, you may not be interested. [All tracks @ 160 Kbps: 2 x rar files (2 separate CD's): Combined files' size = 140 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

CD ONE

Dizzy's Bidness aka Dizzy's Business
Aja
Black Friday
Hey 19
Your Gold Teeth
FM
Time Out Of Mind
Show Biz Kids
Bodhisattva

CD TWO

Dirty Work / Wade In The Water
Babylon Sisters
Neighbor's Daughter /Band Intros
Josie
Peg
Reelin' In The Years
My Old School
Do It Again
Kid Charlemagne
Last Tango In Paris

All tracks by W.Becker & D.Fagen except "Dizzy's Bidness aka Dizzy's Business" by Ernie Wilkins, "Wade In The Water" by John Wesley Work II & Frederick J. Work, "Neighbor's Daughter" by Allen Toussaint, "Band Intros" by Walter Becker, and "Last Tango In Paris" by Gato Barbieri

MUSICIANS

The Miles High Big Band are -
Donald Fagen - Keyboards, Vocals
Walter Becker - Guitar
Jon Herington - Guitar
Freddie Washington - Bass
Jim Beard - Keyboards
Keith Carlock - Drums
Roger Rosenberg - Baritone Saxophone
Walt Weiskopf - Saxophone
Michael Leonhart - Trumpet
Jim Pugh - Trombone
The Embassy Brats: Catherine Russell, Cindy Mizelle, Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery - Backing Vocals

Chris Smither

Chris Smither - Small Revelations - 1997 - HighTone

CMJ (3/29/99, p.31) - "Chris Smither is a master at combining folk and Southwestern blues into brooding, introspective roots music. His pensive yet edgy voice, stellar finger-pick guitar plaing, and foot-tapped rhythms nearly make him a one-man acoustic band..." : JazzTimes (8/97, p.76) - "...accomplished student of American roots music, singer-songwriter Chris Smither crosses over into folky territory on SMALL REVELATIONS....this collection of upbeat originals recalls other understated troubadours....a nice change of pace."

Chris Smither's reflective, lyrical songwriting, richly textured singing voice and bluesy acoustic-guitar playing serve him well on SMALL REVELATIONS. Smither is especially adept at country-inspired, toe-tapping tunes spiked with skeptical wit and wisdom, like "Winsome Smile" ("Listen to me now, you suffer from a sad misapprehension/That if she could read your mind she'd see just how it oughta be/But she's read it all by now/And your style don't get a grip on her attention.") Equally impressive are Smither's all-out blues tracks (including an outstanding cover of Robert Johnson's "Dust My Broom"), and his brooding, poignant near-ballads, especially the leisurely, contemplative title track. Smither once again proves himself worthy of his fine reputation, especially among fellow musicians, as a plain-speaking, original and supremely talented guitarist, singer and songwriter. © 1996 - 2011 CD Universe http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1005829/a/Small+Revelations.htm

If you’ve ever caught one of Chris Smither’s live performances (he’s played more than 150 dates a year for the past few years), you know it’s hard not come away knocked out by the amount of music that comes out of one man. His guitar playing is remarkably fluid. His songs are gleaming bits of gold and performed in a wide variety of styles. When he chooses to cover tunes from other songwriters, he makes them his own, usually in a surprising way. Small Revelations, his second effort for HighTone, displays all of these qualities with a special understated grace. Although Smither performs live as a solo act, here he is joined by a few of Austin’s top session players, including Riley Osborne on keyboards and Mickey Raphael on harmonica; they expand his sound but don’t overwhelm it. The title track is the album’s centerpiece. Brooding and pensive, it stands out for its mystical feel; while guitars echo and swirl about him, Smither’s deep dark blues come to light. Small Revelations is far from a gloomy record though; “Caveman” and “Hold On” show off both his lighthearted side and his dexterous way with a guitar. As he has in the past, he demonstrates his mastery of country blues with a jaunty, swamp-inflected take of Jesse Winchester’s “Thanks To You”, and even if you’ve heard Robert Johnson’s “Dust My Broom” a hundred times, you may not recognize the howling version Smither presents here. The set ends with on a distinctive note with the rollicking “Hook, Line And Sinker”. While Osborne lays down some tasty barrelhouse piano, Smither drolly compares love to fishing, and we realize he’s not far from the truth. Ah, another small revelation. By & © Jim Caligiuri from Waxed - Record Review from Issue #7 Jan-Feb 1997 © 2009-2011 – Americana and Roots Music – No Depression http://archives.nodepression.com/1997/01/chris-smither-small-revelations/

Recorded at The Hit Shack, Austin, Texas in September 1996, "Small Revelations" is a great blues/folk album by the New Orleans born Chris Smither. Chris has a distinctive, almost baritone voice, and sings in a very laid back manner. His finger-picking guitar style is terrific, and influenced by his playing his mother's ukulele as a kid. He is also a great songwriter. Chris has been called "an unheralded master of modern acoustic blues", and it's worth listening to his superb "Live as I'll Ever Be" album. There are many more very underrated musicians like Chris Smither. Check out some of James McMurtry's great albums on this blog. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 81.7 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Thanks to You - Jesse Winchester 2:43
2 Slow Surprise - Chris Smither 2:46
3 Hold On - Chris Smither/Sarah McLachlan 4:02
4 Caveman - Chris Smither 4:36
5 Help Me Now - Chris Smither 3:23
6 Small Revelations - Chris Smither 4:00
7 Winsome Smile - Chris Smither 3:44
8 Dust My Broom - Robert Johnson 3:09
9 Sportin' Life - Walter B. McGhee/Chris Smither 3:07
10 Hook, Line and Sinker - Ronnie Bonner/Bill Haley/Edward Khoury/Chris Smither 4:00

MUSICIANS

Chris Smither - Guitar, Vocals
Stephen Bruton - Guitar, Banjo
Chris Maresh - Bass Guitar
Riley Osbourn - Piano, Keyboards
Brannen Temple - Drums, Percussion
Mickey Raphael, Hook Herrera - Harmonica
Mark Rubin - Tuba

BIO

Like John Hammond and a handful of other musicians whose careers began in the 1960s blues revival, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Chris Smither can take pride in the fact that he's been there since the beginning. Except for a few years when he was away from performing in the '70s, Smither has been a mainstay of the festival, coffeehouse, and club circuits around the U.S., Canada, and Europe since his performing career began in earnest in the coffeehouses in Boston in the spring of 1966. Smither is best known for his great songs, items like "Love You Like a Man" and "I Feel the Same," both of which have been recorded by guitarist Bonnie Raitt. Raitt and Smither got started at about the same time in Boston, though Smither was born and raised in New Orleans, the son of university professors. Smither's earliest awareness of blues and folk music came from his parents' record collection. In a 1992 interview, he recalled it included albums by Josh White, Susan Reed, and Burl Ives. After a short stint taking piano lessons, Smither switched to ukulele after discovering his mother's old instrument in a closet. The young Smither was passionately attached to the ukulele, and now, years later, it helps to explain the emotion and expertise behind his unique fingerpicking guitar style. Smither discovered blues music when he was 17 and heard a Lightnin' Hopkins album, Blues in the Bottle. The album was a major revelation to him and he subsequently spent weeks trying to figure out the intricate guitar parts. Smither moved to Boston after realizing he was a big fish in a small pond in the New Orleans folk/coffeehouse circuit of the mid-'60s. Also, acoustic blues pioneer Ric Von Schmidt had recommended Smither check out the Boston folk-blues scene. Smither recorded his first couple of albums for the Poppy label in 1970 and 1971, I'm a Stranger Too and Don't It Drag On. In 1972, Smither recorded a third album, Honeysuckle Dog, for United Artists, which finally saw release on the Heavenly label in the mid-2000s. On the sessions for that album, he was joined in the studio by his old friends Bonnie Raitt and Mac Rebennack, aka Dr. John. After a long bout with alcoholism, Smither launched his recording career again in the late '80s, although he hadn't stopped performing. His return to a proper recording career, due to a deal with Flying Fish Records, didn't happen again until 1991, when the label released Another Way to Find You, a folk-blues album. Smither recorded It Ain't Easy for the Adelphi label in 1984; the album was re-released on CD ten years later. Since then, he's more than proved his mettle as an enormously gifted songwriter, releasing albums mostly of his own compositions for the Flying Fish, Hightone, and Signature Sounds labels. Smither's albums during the '90s and into the 21st century include Happier Blue (1993, Flying Fish), Up on the Lowdown (1995, Hightone), Drive You Home Again (1999, Hightone), Live as I'll Ever Be (2000, Hightone), Train Home (2003, Hightone), Leave the Light On (2006, Signature Sounds), and Time Stands Still (2009, Signature Sounds), a career highlight. Any of Smither's releases are worthy of careful examination by guitarists and students of all schools of blues and folk music. Smither is still, to some extent, an unheralded master of modern acoustic blues. Fortunately, his recordings and festival bookings during the '90s and into the 21st century have elevated his profile to a higher level than he's ever enjoyed previously.

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - 1970 - RCA

The first outing by Brian Auger's jazz-rock ensemble the Oblivion Express, first issued in 1971, is one of the great masterpieces of jazz-rock fusion. Auger, having just disbanded his longtime band the Trinity in 1970, still had plenty of rock and roll in his system. His yearning for the open frontiers of electric jazz was certainly the driving force -- in the same way that it was for Miles Davis on A Tribute to Jack Johnson, and Lifetime was for Tony Williams -- but it was anchored in the visceral application of rock. With guitarist Jim Mullen, bassist Barry Dean, and drummer Robbie McIntosh, Auger charted into the unknown. This album fits like a glove, each tune moving ever forward into the next. From the opening knotty, rhythmic twists in "Dragon Song," to the subterranean counterpoint in "Total Eclipse," to the band's theme song that closes the album with its pumping bass and guitar interludes, and Auger's Lemmy Kilmister-like vocals, Oblivion Express is a classic in its genre. There is a rawness in passion and intent here that is balanced by wondrously imaginative arrangements for rock band instrumentation, and an aesthetic that is disciplined and visionary. © Thom Jurek © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/brian-augers-oblivion-express-r613318

Brian Auger, the "Grandfather of Acid Jazz", came out of the British Blues scene playing with artists like John Mayall. He was strongly influenced by organ players like Groove Holmes, Charles Earland, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Don Patterson, and many others. However, in his own right, Brian is equally as talented as any of these artists. In his early career, during the mid '60's in England, Brian was a "straight up jazz player". Later in his career he was accused by many music critics and fans of selling out, after he veered his music in a more R&B/jazz direction. At various times, he played with artists like Passport, Average White Band & Les McCann and Eddie Harris. "Brian Auger is one of the best B-3 artists I have ever heard in my life. His technique is awesome and the amount of energy he generates is unparalleled and relentless. He is a tremendous talent with a wonderfully warm and compassionate personality, a combination that is hard to beat. He deserves all the accolades."- Herbie Hancock: "My Favorite rock artists are Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Brian Auger and Loudon Wainwright."- Mose Allison: This s/t album is now over 40 years old but is full of great probing grooves, and still is a great example of soul jazz rock. The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 100 Mb]. Listen to Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger & The Trinity's "Streetnoise" album, Brian Auger's Oblivion Express' "Reinforcements" album, and Karma Auger's great "Blue Groove" album. Search this blog for related releases. N.B: A little note for Steely Dan fans. One of Brian Auger's favourite musicians is the late English multi-instrumentalist, Victor Feldman, who played on at least five Steely Dan albums, and one of Brian Auger's favourite albums is Steely Dan's "Aja".

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Dragon Song - John McLaughlin 4:27
2 Total Eclipse - Ball 11:35
3 The Light - Brian Auger 4:24
4 On the Road - Brian Auger, Jim Mullen 5:25
5 The Sword - Brian Auger 6:35
6 Oblivion Express - Brian Auger 7:51
7 Dragon Song (Live '72) [Bonus Track] - John McLaughlin 5:32 *

* Not on original LP issue. The track first appeared on a 2009 Japanese CD issue

BAND

Brian Auger - Keyboards, Lead Vocals
Jim Mullen - Lead Guitar, Vocal Harmony
Barry Dean - Bass Guitar, Vocal Harmony
Robbie McIntosh - Drums

BRIAN AUGER BIO

Brian Auger was raised in London, where he took up the keyboards as a child and began to hear jazz by way of the American Armed Forces Network and an older brother's record collection. By his teens, he was playing piano in clubs, and by 1962 he had formed the Brian Auger Trio with bass player Rick Laird and drummer Phil Knorra. In 1964, he won first place in the categories of "New Star" and "Jazz Piano" in a reader's poll in the Melody Maker music paper, but the same year he abandoned jazz for a more R&B-oriented approach and expanded his group to include John McLaughlin (guitar) and Glen Hughes (baritone saxophone) as the Brian Auger Trinity. This group split up at the end of 1964, and Auger moved over to Hammond B-3 organ, teaming with bass player Rick Brown and drummer Mickey Waller. After a few singles, he recorded his first LP on a session organized to spotlight blues singer Sonny Boy Williamson that featured his group, saxophonists Joe Harriott and Alan Skidmore, and guitarist Jimmy Page; it was Don't Send Me No Flowers, released in 1968. By mid-1965, Auger's band had grown to include guitarist Vic Briggs and vocalists Long John Baldry, Rod Stewart, and Julie Driscoll, and was renamed Steampacket. More a loosely organized musical revue than a group, Steampacket lasted a year before Stewart and Baldry left and the band split. Auger retained Driscoll and brought in bass player Dave Ambrose and drummer Clive Thacker to form a unit that was billed as Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity. Their first album, Open, was released in 1967 on Marmalade Records (owned by Auger's manager, Giorgio Gomelsky), but they didn't attract attention on record until the release of their single, "This Wheel's on Fire," (music and lyrics by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko) in the spring of 1968, which preceded the appearance of the song on the Band's Music from Big Pink album. The disc hit the top five in the U.K., after which Open belatedly reached the British charts. Auger and the Trinity recorded the instrumental album Definitely What! (1968) without Driscoll, then brought her back for the double-LP, Streetnoise (1968), which reached the U.S. charts on Atco Records shortly after a singles compilation, Jools & Brian, gave them their American debut on Capitol in 1969. Driscoll quit during a U.S. tour, but the Trinity stayed together long enough to record Befour (1970), which charted in the U.S. on RCA Records, before disbanding in July 1970. Auger put together a new band to play less commercial jazz-rock and facetiously called it the Oblivion Express, since he didn't think it would last; instead, it became his perennial band name. The initial unit was a quartet filled out by guitarist Jim Mullen, bass player Barry Dean, and drummer Robbie McIntosh. Their initial LP, Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, was released in 1971, followed later the same year by A Better Land, but their first U.S. chart LP was Second Wind in June 1972, the album that marked the debut of singer Alex Ligertwood with the band. Personnel changes occurred frequently, but the Oblivion Express continued to figure in the U.S. charts consistently over the next several years with Closer to It! (August 1973), Straight Ahead (March 1974), Live Oblivion, Vol. 1 (December 1974), Reinforcements (October 1975), and Live Oblivion, Vol. 2 (March 1976). Meanwhile, Auger had moved to the U.S. in 1975, eventually settling in the San Francisco Bay area. In the face of declining sales, he switched to Warner Bros. Records for Happiness Heartaches, which charted in February 1977. Encore, released in April 1978, was a live reunion with Julie Tippetts (née Driscoll) that marked the end of Auger's association with major record labels, after which he dissolved the Oblivion Express and recorded less often. In 1990, he teamed up with former Animals singer Eric Burdon, and the two toured together during the next four years, releasing Access All Areas together in 1993. In 1995, Auger put together a new Oblivion Express. As of 2000, the lineup consisted of his daughter, Savannah, on vocals, Chris Clermont on guitar, Dan Lutz on bass, and his son Karma on drums. This group issued the album Voices of Other Times on Miramar Records one week before Auger's 61st birthday. © William Ruhlmann © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fpfrxqr5ldhe~T1

Mathieson, Laboriel, Landau & Colaiuta

Mathieson, Laboriel, Landau & Colaiuta - Live At The Baked Potato 2000 - 2001 - LMNOP Music

Recorded live on June 9th, June 10th, and July 15th 2000 at The Baked Potato, North Hollywood, LA, this is a a powerful fusion statement by the supergroup known as the "Dyno-Four". The band plays entirely instrumental jazz grooves with plenty of improvised jamming. Greg Mathieson plays keyboards and is joined by the brilliant Michael Landau on guitar, Abe Laboriel on bass and the great Vinnie Colaiuta on drums. Greg has said that "There are no overdubs or fixes. The rules for this band were no rehearsals and no sound checks. Just show up to the gig and count it off! So with those rules the band played with freedom, joy and abandon, and that made for some really great moments. As a musician there have been so many great moments that have not been recorded, and that's why I'm so grateful that these were". This album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. [ All tracks @ 256 Kbps: 2 x rar files: Disc 1 = 106 Mb, & Disc 2 = 120 Mb]. Buy the Greg Mathieson Project's "Baked Potato Super Live!" album for more great fusion grooves

TRACKS

SET 1/DISC 1

1 The Sauce
2 Goyo
3 Abraham´s Prayer
4 Song For My Grandfather
5 S.S.F.2
6 Goe
7 Savada

SET 2/DISC 2

1 I Don´t Know
2 Slow Glide
3 Greg´s Groove
4 I´m Home
5 LMNOP

All tracks composed by Greg Mathieson except "S.S.F.2" by Greg Mathieson & Al Jarreau

MUSICIANS

Michael Landau - Guitar
Abraham Laboriel Sr. - Bass
Greg Mathieson - Keyboards
Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums

Jessica Williams Quartet

Jessica Williams Quartet - Jessica's Blues - 1996 - Jazz Focus

"I will say on record that I think she is the finest pianist of our time. And her records are bar none, the most consistently immaculate and for your hard-earned dollars, a Jessica Williams album is a no-brainer" © Fred Jung, All About Jazz

"Jessica Williams ought be routinely mentioned as a living giant of jazz piano." © Bob Powers

"One of the greatest pianists I have ever heard..." © Dave Brubeck

Should Jessica Williams ever give up playing piano (God forbid!), she would certainly have a bright future writing about jazz. I enjoy reading her liner notes almost as much as listening to the subsequent music. Five of these selections are Williams compositions: Smoking Section, Chief Seattle Blues (in honour of the American Indians and Jessica's favourite city), Sneak Preview, Dats For Nat (Adderley) and Blues For Bill (Evans). Well aware of the roots of the blues, Jessica included a few oldies: See See Rider, St Louis Blues and a 1923 Clarence Williams blues song Baby, Won't You Please Come Home. Jeff Johnson, a long serving, formidable bassist makes his recording debut on electric bass on Dat's For Nat. Johnson works particularly well with drummer Mel Brown, swinging, playing great time and following Jessica 'through every contortion'. Jay Thomas, who has also recorded under his own name for Jazz Focus, plays tenor sax and trumpet with equal facility and authority, and on occasion plays them 'simultaneously', through double tracking. To my ears these performances demonstrate perfectly the infinite variety of the blues, sometimes in the minor tonality; everyone sounds at ease and convincing in the idiom. Smoking Section certainly comes in smoking, with whistle blasts from the piano player. Jessica, a long time Roland Kirk admirer, points out that Kirk had a whistle for every occasion, a facility which she hopes to emulate. She also explains that Kirk always disliked the expression 'get down with the blues', saying 'you get up with the blues--get up!' Well, everybody is up with the blues throughout this album. As with every Jazz Focus album, audio quality is outstanding, playing time commendable. - Pat Hawes, JAZZ JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, MAY 1999

Virtuosic pianist Jessica Williams is best heard as an unaccompanied soloist, where her imagination and wit can run wild, but she also fares quite well when playing with sympathetic musicians. This outing matches her with bassist Jeff Johnson, drummer Mel Brown and (on seven of the 11 numbers) Jay Thomas, who shows that he is equally skilled on tenor and trumpet. The emphasis is on the blues (other than "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home"), but by using different tempos, moods, and to a small extent styles, the musicians perform a surprisingly varied program. Thomas' swinging tenor solos (in the tradition of Gene Ammons) and fluent trumpet (check out the ancient sound he gets while muted on "St. Louis Blues") are major assets; he sometimes overdubbed a second horn for the ensembles. However, Jessica Williams easily emerges as the main star, whether ripping into the cooking "Raised Fourth" (a Thelonious Monk line), playing a boogaloo-ish "Sneak Preview," hinting at Red Garland and Bill Evans, or contributing a whistle to "Smoking Section" (which is dedicated to Rahsaan Roland Kirk). This date is highly recommended to straight-ahead jazz fans and is yet another strong addition to Jessica Williams' rapidly growing discography. © Scott Yanow © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/jessicas-blues-r314663/review

Listen to Jessica's "And Then, There's This" and "All Alone" albums. Listen, sometime to Horace Silver's magnificent "Song for My Father" album, and Dave Brubeck's "Time Out" album. These albums demonstrate that Jazz is not an elitist or inaccessible music genre. Read Loren Schoenberg's brilliant article about jazz and jazz improvisation @ http://www.pbs.org/jazz/lounge/101_improvisation.htm

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1.Smoking Section - Jessica Williams
2.Chief Seattle Blues - Jessica Williams
3.Sneak Preview - Jessica Williams
4.See See Rider - Trad.
5.Dat's For Nat - Jessica Williams
6.Blues For Bill - Jessica Williams
7.Baby,Won't You Please Come Home - Charles Warfield, Clarence Williams
8.Temporary Sanity - Jessica Williams, Charles Williams
9.St.Louis Blues - W.C. Handy
10.Raise Four - Thelonious Monk
11.Blue Jay - Jay Thomas

MUSICIANS

Jessica Williams - Piano
Jeff Johnson - Bass
Mel Brown - Drums
Jay Thomas - Tenor Sax, Trumpet

SHORT BIO

Due to her being based in northern California, Jessica Williams is a bit underrated, but (on evidence of her sets for Jazz Focus and Hep) she is one of the top jazz pianists of today. Williams is a powerful virtuoso whose complete control of the keyboard, wit, solid sense of swing, and the influence of Thelonious Monk have combined to make her a particularly notable player. She started taking piano lessons when she was four and was gigging as a teenager. Williams took extensive classical lessons but also gigged with Philly Joe Jones in Philadelphia before moving to San Francisco in 1977. She was the house pianist at Keystone Korner for a time and made a few interesting recordings (some as Jessica Jennifer Williams) during the period, sometimes utilizing electronics. Although she appeared on Charlie Rouse's final record and gigged steadily, Williams was largely off record (outside of her own private Quanta label) until re-emerging in the late '80s as a brilliant solo acoustic player. She is a giant whose many dates for Jazz Focus (five of its first ten releases feature Williams) and Hep are consistently brilliant. © Scott Yanow © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jessica-williams-p7827/biography

Alison Moyet

Alison Moyet - Singles/Live (Bonus CD 2) - 1996 - Columbia

Between 1984 and 1987, Alison Moyet toured the world, won two BRIT Awards, and performed at Live Aid in 1985. Her next album, Raindancing (1987), earned the singer a third BRIT Award and brought her to the U.S. for the first time as a solo per¬former. Hoodoo (1991) and Essex (1994) found Alison taking her music in an earth¬ier, less pop-friendly direction. But "It Won't Be Long,” a track from Hoodoo, received a Grammy Award nomination in the category of Best Female Rock Performance. Due to prolonged litigation with Sony Music, Alison did not record or release a new studio album for over eight years following the release of Essex. But her 1995 hits collection Singles entered the UK chart at Number One, paving the way for a sold-out British tour that included three nights at the Royal Albert Hall. Over the next few years, Alison’s unmistakeable voice appeared on recordings by Tricky, Ocean Colour Scene, The Lightning Seeds, and King Britt; she also starred on the UK leg of the Lilith Fair tour. Towards the end of 2001 Alison made her stage debut in the West End hit musical Chicago playing the role of Matron Mama Morton. London’s Evening Standard declared that the singer’s performance “stole the show…the packed auditorium saluted Ms. Moyet with a deafening cacophony.” In August 2002, Alison released her first studio album in eight years, Hometime, which catapulted her into the Top Five of best-selling female UK artists. Her next album, Voice, entered the UK chart at No. 7 when released in September 2004 and quickly achieved gold sales status. “Today, I make music as the day suggests,” declared Alison Moyet in that Guardian essay. “My day, the one I wake up to. I will write about things that move me. I will sing like it matters, because it can matter. I will be the product of my 46 imperfect years…I want to be able to laugh with abandonment at the folly of it all.” [This biography was provided by the artist or their representative] - from http://www.amazon.com/Alison-Moyet/e/B000AQ31TQ/ref=ac_dpt_sa_bio/185-7108426-3257912

Alison is still one of Britain's great soul blues singers. She is also a very underrated songwriter. These tracks were recorded on tour at the Royal Albert Hall, London and The Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow. This album was released with no overdubs, and was originally released as part of a 2 x CD set. Listen to Alison's wonderful soul blues "Hoodoo" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Getting Into Something (Live) - Alison Moyet & Pete Glenister
2 Chain Of Fools (Live) - Don Covay
3 Love Letters (Live) - Edward Heyman & Victor Young
4 All Cried Out (Live) - Alison Moyet, Philip Springer, Tony Swain, Steve Jolley
5 Dorothy (Live) - Alison Moyet & Pete Glenister
6 Falling (Live) - Alison Moyet & Pete Glenister
7 Ode To Boy (Live) - Alison Moyet
8 Is This Love? (Live) - Alison Moyet & Jean Guiot
9 Nobody's Diary (Live) - Alison Moyet
10 Whispering Your Name (Live) - Jules Shear
11 There Are Worse Things I Could Do (Live) - Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey

BAND

Alison Moyet - Vocals, Harmonica
Pete Glenister - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Phil Spalding - Bass, Backing Vocals
James Hallawell - Hammond Organ, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Tony Kiley - Drums, Percussion

BIO

Alison Moyet, a British pop singer with a remarkably bluesy voice, began her professional career with synth pop duo Yazoo (Yaz in the U.S.) in the early '80s. In 1983, Moyet began a solo career, releasing her debut album, Alf, the following year. Alf was a major success in Britain, hitting number one on the charts and launching the hit singles "Invisible," "All Cried Out," and "Love Resurrection"; it was a minor hit in the U.S., with "Invisible" cracking the Top 40. During 1985, Moyet toured with a jazz band led by John Altman; the group recorded a version of Billie Holiday's "That Ole Devil Called Love," which became her biggest British hit, even though the group received poor reviews. In 1986, Moyet had another major U.K. hit with "Is This Love?," which was released while she was recording her second solo album. Raindancing appeared in 1987 and it was another big British hit, peaking at number two and featuring the Top Ten hits "Weak in the Presence of Beauty" and "Love Letters." The record wasn't quite as successful in the U.S., peaking at number 94. In 1991, she released her third album, Hoodoo, which was her most musically ambitious collection to date. However, it didn't match the commercial success of her previous albums, failing to chart in America. Essex, her fourth album, appeared in 1994 and she released a greatest-hits collection, Singles, the following year. After a near-nine-year layoff, she returned with Hometime produced by the production team the Insects. Two years later and filled with standards, Voice arrived. In 2005, the album was reissued in America with her version of "Alfie" as a bonus track. After signing with the W14 Music label in late 2006, Moyet released The Turn in October 2007. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/alison-moyet-p108005/biography

Keb' Mo'

Keb' Mo' - Keb' Mo' - 1994 - Okeh

Rolling Stone (5/13/99, p.65) - Included in Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90's.": Rolling Stone (12/15/94, p.98) - 3.5 Stars - Good - "...it all sounds seamless...": Q (2/96, p.65) - Included in Q's 50 Best Albums of 1995.: Q (6/95, p.126) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...Like Mississippi John Hurt or Taj Mahal, Moore is rooted in songs rather than licks, although his guitar/banjo technique is sharp, hard and irresistibly sparkly....it's precisely because Moore pushes so hard that he's so compelling.": Living Blues (9-10/94, p.66) - "...a fresh take on some of the oldest blues styles...": NME (Magazine) (7/15/95, p.49) - 6 (out of 10) - "...fine versions of two [Robert] Johnson songs plus some experiments with ragtime and pop music, circa 1920. But he's got a modern nous..., some funk plus a husky, keening voice that will endear him to the Jools Holland set..."

Keb' Mo's self-titled debut is an edgy, ambitious collection of gritty country blues. Keb' Mo' pushes into new directions, trying to incorporate some of the sensibilites of the slacker revolution without losing touch of the tradition that makes the blues the breathing, vital art form it is. His attempts aren't always successful, but his gutsy guitar playing and impassioned vocals, as well as his surprisingly accomplished songwriting, make Keb' Mo' a debut to cherish. © Thom Owens © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/keb-mo-r216090

The first solo release by contemporary blues-based artist Keb Mo' mixes a reverence for traditional country blues with more streamlined elements of commercial pop. Despite a convincing "down-home" approach of gravel-textured vocals and superior slide work and finger-picking skills, Keb Mo' avoids the pose of a hard line revivalist. Instead, he chooses to employ his fluency in the Delta tradition as a palette on which to blend a connoisseur's sampling of various musical genres. Country, funk, swing, and late 20th-Century folk balladry (Traci Chapman, James Taylor and Bob Dylan) all manage to make their way into the mix for a seamless blend of roots and radio friendliness. Keyboards, bass and drums (in addition to Keb Mo's contributions on guitar, harmonica and banjo) flesh out breezy soul-inflected pop such as "She Just Wants To Dance" and the island flavored "Tell Everybody I Know." Though gears continue to shift, from organ-drenched gospel to hillbilly lite, Keb Mo' brings things back to the source with inventive homages to the blues altar, such as in his re-casting of two Robert Johnson songs. Though blues purists may find Mo's genre blending somewhat disconcerting, others will find much to appreciate in this accessible, enjoyable, finely honed music. © 1996 - 2011 CD Universe http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1241204/a/Keb'+Mo'.htm

Keb' Mo' takes rock, jazz, funk, pop, and soul and creates a hybrid style of music all his own. Similar to the great Robert Cray, his music has constantly been criticized by blues "purists" for "deviating from the Blues mean". As stated before on this blog, adhering to this "purist" attitude in music, whether it be jazz, rock, blues, or classical would stifle creativity in an artist, and would be a giant musical step backwards. Music is constantly evolving. So it is, was, and always will be. However, the general blues audience appreciates Keb's music. Between 1997 and 2002 he He earned six W.C. Handy Awards as "Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year", so he must be doing something right. If you like artists like Robert Cray and Eric Bibb, you may enjoy this album. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 97.8 Mb]. Listen to Keb's "Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Keb' Mo'" album which has a stronger blues flavour.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Every Morning - K. Moore 3:00
2 Tell Everybody I Know - K. Moore 3:10
3 Love Blues 3:02 - Moore & Powell
4 Victims of Comfort - Kimber & Moore 3:21
5 Angelina - Graper & Moore 3:47
6 Anybody Seen My Girl? - K. Moore 2:56
7 She Just Wants to Dance - K. Moore 3:29
8 Am I Wrong? - K. Moore 2:19
9 Come on in My Kitchen - Robert Johnson 4:09
10 Dirty, Low Down and Bad - K. Moore 3:08
11 Don't Try to Explain - K. Moore 3:58
12 Kindhearted Woman Blues - Robert Johnson 3:29
13 City Boy - K. Moore 4:05

MUSICIANS

Keb' Mo'- Guitar, Harmonica, Banjo, Vocals
James "Hutch" Hutchinson - Bass
Tommy Eyre - Keyboards
Laval Belle - Drums
Quentin Dennard - Drums on "Angelina"
Tony Draunagel - Percussion on "Come on in My Kitchen"

BIO (WIKI)

Keb' Mo' (born Kevin Moore, October 3, 1951) is an American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter currently living in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. From early on he had an appreciation for the blues and gospel music. By adolescence he was already an accomplished guitarist. Keb' Mo' started his musical career playing the steel drums and upright bass in a calypso band. He moved on to play in a variety of blues and backup bands throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He first started recording in the early 1970s with Jefferson Airplane violinist Papa John Creach through an R&B group. Creach hired him when Moore was just twenty-one years old; Moore appeared on four of Creach's albums: Filthy!, Playing My Fiddle for You, I'm the Fiddle Man and Rock Father. Around that time Moore was also a staff writer for A&M Records, and arranged demos for Almo - Irving music. Keb' Mo's early debut, Rainmaker, was released on Chocolate City Records, a subsidiary of Casablanca Records, in 1980. He was further immersed in the blues with his long stint in the Whodunit Band, headed by Bobby "Blue" Bland producer Monk Higgins. Moore jammed with Albert Collins and Big Joe Turner and emerged as an inheritor of a guarded tradition and as a genuine original. In 1994, Keb' Mo' released his self-titled debut album, Keb' Mo', which featured two Robert Johnson covers, "Come On In My Kitchen" and "Kind Hearted Woman Blues". In the Martin Scorsese miniseries The Blues, Keb' Mo' states that he was greatly influenced by Johnson. In 1996 he released Just Like You, his second album, which featured twelve songs full of Delta rhythms. He won his first Grammy Award for this album, which featured guest appearances from Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. On June 10, 1997, Moore performed on the television program Sessions at West 54th. He joined musicians Laval Belle on drums, Reggie McBride playing bass, and Joellen Friedkin on keyboards to perform fourteen songs, some from each of his albums. Blues pianist Dr. John also made a guest appearance. This session (known as Sessions at West 54th: Recorded Live in New York) was shown on television, but was not released as a DVD until late 2000. Slow Down, his next album, was released in 1998 and featured twelve songs. It earned him a second Grammy Award. The album begins with the song "Muddy Water", a tribute to Muddy Waters. It also features a song entitled "Rainmaker", which had been released previously on his first album, eighteen years prior. The song was rerecorded, though there is little difference to the song itself with no lyrical changes at all. His fourth album, The Door, was released in 2000. The same year, Keb' Mo' released Big Wide Grin, a children's album featuring many songs from Moore's own childhood, along with some newer children's songs and some by Moore himself. In 2003, Martin Scorsese collaborated with many blues musicians including Keb' Mo' to put together a series of films entitled The Blues. Following its release, several albums were released in accordance, some were compilations, some new collaborations, and Keb' Mo' released an album in the series featuring a handful of existing recordings from Keb' Mo' to The Door. On February 10, 2004, he released Keep It Simple which earned him a third Grammy Award, again in the contemporary blues genre. Later that year he released his sixth studio album, Peace... Back by Popular Demand. Moore released Suitcase, on June 13, 2006. His touring band following the release included Reggie McBride on bass, Les Falconer III on drums, Jeff Paris on keyboards, and Clayton Gibb on guitar. On October 20, 2009, Keb' Mo' released the live album, Live & Mo'. In 1998 he portrayed Robert Johnson in a documentary film, Can't You Hear the Wind Howl?. In 1997 Keb' Mo' portrayed the character Isaac, the Angel of Music, in the episode "Inherit the Wind" and again in 1999 in "Then Sings My Soul" of the television series Touched By an Angel. He performed "Hand It Over" from his 1996 release Just Like You in the 1997 episode and again in the 2002 episode "Remembering Me: Part 2". He also appeared as J. D. Winslow in the 2001 episode "Shallow Water" where he performed his song "God Trying to Get Your Attention" from his album, Slow Down. In 2006, he appeared on the final episode, "Tomorrow" of The West Wing to perform "America the Beautiful" at the inauguration of President Matt Santos. In January 2007, he performed at the Sundance Film Festival. He played the role of the mischievous spirit Possum in the 2007 John Sayles movie Honeydripper. In 2004 he participated in the politically-motivated Vote for Change tour alongside Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne, with whom he originally recorded the title track from the album Just Like You. Keb' Mo' is part of the No Nukes group which was against the expansion of nuclear power. In 2007 the group recorded a music video of a new version of the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth". Keb' Mo' uses several types of guitars, including electric guitars, acoustic guitars and resonator guitars. He has a preference for red guitars, as he says on his website : "I have a history with red guitars. My first electric was a red guitar.". He mostly plays on a red custom Fender Stratocaster which has the particularity to feature two single-coil pickups, and one humbucker and was much modified from a regular Stratocaster model. On stage, he prefers a Red Hamer guitar with Gibson P-90 pickups. Two of his electric guitars were lost in the 2010 Nashville flood : an Epiphone Sheraton and a Danelectro Selectomatic. He owns a variety of acoustic and resonator guitars, including a Gibson artist model, a guitar made for him by James Goodall, a National Style N, a National Resorocket, a Gibson ES-335-shaped resonator guitar with a P-90 pickup he bought in a Nashville club and got fixed. In 2002, Moore contributed "Sonnet 35" to the compilation album, When Love Speaks (EMI Classics), which features famous actors and musicians interpreting Shakespearean sonnets and play excerpts. Two years later, he appeared on Amy Grant: Greatest Hits 1986-2004 in a duet entitled "Come Be with Me", which became a modest success on pop radio. In 2005 he appeared on Buddy Guy's version of "Ain't No Sunshine", along with Tracy Chapman. Moore composed one of the theme songs featured on the show, Martha Stewart Living. That same year, he appeared on Eric Clapton's album Back Home. In 2006, he co-wrote the song, "I Hope", with the Dixie Chicks for their album, Taking the Long Way. Moore also provided vocals to Marcus Miller's 2007 album, Free on the track entitled "Milky Way" and again on Miller's 2008 album entitled, Marcus. Moore appeared on the June 7, 2008 broadcast of Garrison Keillor's radio program A Prairie Home Companion. He performed two songs with Bonnie Raitt: "No Getting Over You" and "There Ain't Nothin' in Ramblin'". The show was archived on the A Prairie Home Companion website. Moore covered Lowen & Navarro's "If You Loved Me Like That" on Keep The Light Alive: Celebrating The Music of Lowen & Navarro. The proceeds of the album benefited The Eric Lowen Trust, ALS Association Greater Los Angeles, and Augie's Quest. Moore sings the opening theme ("I See Love", written by Moore and Josh Kelley) to the CBS television show "Mike and Molly".

Drew Zaunbrecher

Drew Zaunbrecher - Higher - 2008 - Grooveyard Records

Outstanding debut studio disc by this remarkable, obscure bluesy heavy guitar stratmaster from Lousiana. Featuring 10 tracks of awesome, dynamic, deep, soul-powered bluesy heavy guitar power trio magic that stands tall in a class all its own. "Higher" is an impressive guitar statement that includes all the right moves - Top-notch material, stand-out, intelligent, killer guitar playing complete with excellent, soulful vox, a superb rhythm section who nails the groove down, along with a first rate REAL production which brings the disc home where it belongs. Drew Zaunbrecher is an amazing, gifted new guitarist on the scene who speaks volumes on the instrument. HIGHLY recommended to fans of DOYLE BRAMHALL. INDIGENOUS, JOE BONAMASSA, WARREN HAYNES, HENDRIX, TROWER, SRV, CLAPTON, BUDDAHEADS and other amazing six string blues/rock guitar Gods who reign supreme. © 2008 & beyond - Grooveyard Records - All Rights Reserved http://www.grooveyardrecords.com/drewzaunbrecherhigher.html

Drew Zaunbrecher is not your average guitar slinging blues revivalist. Although his love of music is rooted in blues and rock, his passion, songwriting skills, vocals, and overall command of the guitar make him a perfect fit for today’s eclectic musical climate. The Times of Acadiana’s Herman Fusilier stated, “Zaunbrecher’s mix of rock and blues on the guitar has broad appeal. The world just needs a chance to hear it.” Joe Romagnola from Grooveyard Records says that Drew’s new cd Higher, ”is an impressive guitar statement that includes all the right moves: Top-notch material, stand-out, intelligent, killer guitar playing complete with excellent, soulful vocals, and a superb rhythm section that nails the groove down. Drew Zaunbrecher is an amazing, gifted new guitarist on the scene who speaks volumes on the instrument.” His honest lyrics and contagious stage presence captivates audiences everywhere he plays. Drew is currently working on a new record and packing clubs and festivals across the state. © https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/drewzaunbrecher#

Drew Zaunbrecher from Rayne, Louisiana, US has been a popular artist of the Lafayette, Louisiana area for a few years now. His Shades of Blue band played some great blues rock. As a solo artist, he is an excellent guitarist and songwriter. Along with bassist Tom Lyles, and drummer Jeff Hebert he plays some great electric blues, soul blues, R&B, and funk. His influences include Eric Clapton, Susan Tedeschi, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. "Higher" is an exceptional debut album, and Drew is an artist to watch. [ All tracks @ 192 Kbps: File size = 72.3 Mb]. Keep an eye out for more releases from this guy, and support real music

TRACKS
1 Higher 4:36
2 Road Less Traveled 4:56
3 Higher Ground 5:47
4 Old Times 4:33
5 Peace of Mind 6:26
6 She Ain't Coming Back 4:23
7 Crazy 4:48
8 Sweet Love 5:49
9 Good Hearted Woman 4:33
10 Dust and Bones 6:18

All songs composed by Drew Zaunbrecher except Track 3 by Drew Zaunbrecher & Donnie Broussard, and Track 7 by Drew Zaunbrecher & Jaryd Lane Hargrave

BAND

Drew Zaunbrecher - Guitars, Vocals
Tom Lyles - Bass
Jeff Hebert - Drums

Roger Chapman

Roger Chapman - Under No Obligation - 1992 - Polydor

“After a career spanning 30 years, Roger Chapman’s fiery stage presence remains undimmed. He still struts and frets, wringing every syllable from a multicoloured repertoire of rock, soul and ballads. His astounding voice rips through the lyrics, devastating the unsuspecting listener with raw emotion. The sheer power and commitment of his delivery is a revelation to audiences brought up on a diet of blandness and mediocrity. Chappo is both a legend of rock past and a pioneer of rock present, and the story is still very much unfolding…” [From Roger’s Public Relations Dept.]

Roger Chapman is a British rock legend, best known for for his spectacular stage presence and amazing powerful vibrato vocals. He was the main man in the hugely talented and original British band, Family, (who called it a day in the early 70’s). During their seven year lifespan, Family had achieved an almost unequalled standard of musical output and musicianship. Arguably, at least four of their eight albums can be regarded as rock classics.Family were regarded by critics, and by the public in general, as one of Britain's finest rock bands. John Peel, the late, great BBC Radio 1 DJ, once said that he'd travel colossal distances to see Chapman perform. Sadly, by the late seventies, Chapman had practically disappeared from the music scene.The mechanics of the music business, e.g, glam rock, the dawn of punk, new wave, and romanticism, dictated the demise of many great rock and progressive rock bands, who had dominated the music scene, (especially in Britain), for so long. That is not to say that these new genres did not produce some great bands. However, the musical scene at this time did not suit Roger Chapman's style of music, and never one to bow to commercialism, Roger went to Germany in the early eighties where he still spends most of his time, and is regarded as a cult figure there. He has also received well deserved Artist of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the German people. "Under No Obligation" is a reminder of how great a musician Roger Chapman is. Alvin Lee plays on "Love Is A Hard Thing", "King Of Cats", and "Skin & Bone". [All tracks @ 192 Kbps: File Size = 70.4 Mb]. Roger Chapman has consistently proved that there is still a big market out there for old fashioned rock, executed with passion, panache and professionalism. It is also a musical education to listen to Family's "Music in a Doll's House," "Bandstand", and "Fearless" albums. Search this blog for other Roger Chapman/Roger Chapman & The Shortlist/Family releases. This album was later reissued as a 12 track CD + Bonus 3-Track live EP, and it would be worth buying this set for the vastly improved sound quality

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Just A Child U.N.O. - Laurie Wiseman, R.M. Chapman 4:39
A2 Dance Hall Years - Andy Hill, Peter Sinfield 4:27
A3 Love Is A Hard Thing - R.M. Chapman 4:08
A4 Stand Up - R.M. Chapman 6:55
A5 King Of Cats - R.M. Chapman, Alvin Lee 5:43

B1 Magic - Laurie Wiseman 5:07
B2 Even Angels - R.M. Chapman 4:56
B3 Skin & Bone - R.M. Chapman, Laurie Wisefield 4:39
B4 Praying For Rain (Incl. Playing With Trains And Boy Scout Boogie) - R.M. Chapman 10:00

MUSICIANS

Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals - Roger Chapman
Guitar, Guitar Soloist - Geoff Whitehorn, Laurie Wisefield, Alvin Lee
Slide Guitar, Backing Vocals - Steve Simpson
Bass Guitar - Pete Stroud, Andy Brown
Keyboards, Piano - Pete Wingfield
Piano, Organ, Keyboards - Mick Weaver
Organ, Synthesizer, Brass - Ian Gibbons
Drums, Percussion - Bob Jenkins
Percussion, Tambourine - Mike Vernon
Harmonica - Mike Paice
Backing Vocals - Debbie Sharp, Gina Browne, George Chandler, Judy Cheeks, Juliette Roberts, Sonny Spider

BIO (WIKI)

Roger Chapman (born Roger Maxwell Chapman on April 8, 1942 in Leicester) is an English rock singer. Roger "Chappo" Chapman is probably best known for his participation in the English progressive band Family in the late 1960s through the early 1970s and subsequently, from 1973 to 1978, in Streetwalkers, a rock/R&B band. Prior to Family he had sung with this band's precursor, the Farinas. His idiosyncratic brand of on-stage showmanship and characteristic vibrato led to him becoming a cult figure on the British rock scene. Chapman once claimed he was trying to sing like both Little Richard and especially his idol Ray Charles.In the late 1970s Roger Chapman began a solo career and recorded his first solo album, Chappo. In 1983, Mike Oldfield recorded the album "Crises" featuring the song "Shadow On The Wall" sung by Roger Chapman. The song turned out to be a huge hit for Mike Oldfield (along with the even more popular "Moonlight Shadow"). As other musical styles, such as Punk Rock became more popular in England, Chapman began to have more success in other European countries, especially Germany, where he has spent much of his time since the early 1980s, winning Artist of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

MORE ABOUT ROGER CHAPMAN

Roger Chapman is best known for his barbed-wire voice, used to front British '70s rock acts Family and Streetwalkers. He began a long-awaited solo career in 1978 that has led to over a dozen full-length releases. Never heard of them? It's not surprising; album-wise, he's been camped out in Germany for 20 years. His first album and tour got high praise in his British homeland, but critics cut into him soon after. When the hassle-free German market beckoned, Chapman began to focus all subsequent work there, where he has become a musical hero, the "Working Class Artist." Chapman split with his longtime writing partner, Charlie Whitney, after the breakup of Streetwalkers in 1977. He surrounded himself with ace session musicians to cut a debut solo effort, Chappo. It was an album of strong rock which catered to the singer and not the musicians. An appearance on Germany's Rockpalast TV show and the ensuing hit single, "Let's Spend the Night Together," gave Chapman the shot of success he needed, so he set up operations in Germany. Live in Hamburg was a reassuring second album, demonstrating the live energy of this experienced yet stage-crazed performer. Studio albums over the next few years blended straight power rock with funk, R&B and soul, all topped with Chapman's characteristic vocal style. In the 1981 German music awards, Chapman was voted Best Singer, and his Hyenas Only Laugh For Fun won an award. Chapman and his backing band, the Shortlist, released two alter-ego albums in the early '80s as the Riff Burglars. These releases honored roots and classic rock by artists like Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon and Leiber & Stoller. A lead vocal on Mike Oldfield's 1983 hit, "Shadow on the Wall," also added to Chapman's diverse repertoire. Chapman's mid-'80s foray into polished studio sounds did not fare well with his audience. When his extended partnership with guitarist Geoff Whitehorn ran it's course, Chapman returned to pure rock form with 1989's Walking the Cat, which featured Alvin Lee and old friend, Bob Tench. Two compilations filled a silent period in the mid '90s, but 1996's Kiss My Soul was a comeback for the guy who never went away. It even got attention and a pressing in Chapman's British homeland, where he often tours but has no domestic releases. This was followed by 1998's A Turn Unstoned? and the 2-CD Anthology; the next year saw re-releases of Chappo and Mail Order Magic. Moth to a Flame was issued in early 2001. © Patrick Little, allmusic.com

Hotlegs

Hotlegs - You Didn't Like It Because You Didn't Think Of It - 1976 - Philips

The rudiments of history should be familiar to all. Fresh from the breakup of the Mindbenders, guitarist Eric Stewart and songwriter Graham Gouldman opened their own Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England. Joined by Lol Creme and Kevin Godley, but temporarily shedding Gouldman, who promptly relocated to New York, the gang were experimenting with drum sounds when a passing record company executive spotted a hit amongst the hitting -- "Neanderthal Man," the most distinctive smash of 1970, was born, and by year's end the trio was working on an entire album. The fact that only one other track, the tribal joke "Um Wah Um Woh," even glanced in the direction of "Neanderthal Man" lets you know just how seriously Hotlegs were taking their fame. Few people would care about Hotlegs today had the trio (plus the returning Gouldman) not subsequently reinvented themselves as 10cc, and it is reassuring to note that much of that band's instant charm and excitement is already present amid Thinks: School Stinks. The 12-minute "Suite F.A." actively fore- and overshadows Godley-Creme's next attempt at elongating their artform, The Original Soundtrack's similarly protracted "Une Nuit a Paris," while the aforementioned "Um Wah" packs a wildly panning guitar solo to die for. Similarly, the angelic ballads which Godley long continued prone to (the lovely "Fly Away," "Take Me Back"); the seering guitar leads which were Stewart's specialty; and the utterly skewed lyrical twists which Creme so relished are all present and correct. Unfortunately, few Hotlegs fans wanted angelic ballads, seering guitar leads, and lyrical twists, and Thinks ultimately became better regarded for its sleeve than its contents -- the school desk stuffed with an unsavory smorgasbord of cigarette butts, broken cookies, titillating pin-ups, a sneaker, odd socks, and an occupied gas mask would later be borrowed by Alice Cooper for School's Out, two years later. Hotlegs' masterpiece would be left to molder for another 24 years, until it finally reappeared on CD with adequate sound and an utterly truncated sleeve. © Dave Thompson, All Music Guide [N.B:This review refers to the 1974 bonus track version of "Thinks School Stinks" (on this blog), which is identical to "YDLIBYDTOI", the only difference being that on the '74 album Track 3 was a mono version]

One of the finest archive products of the pre-CD age, You Didn't Like It was released in the U.K. in 1975, at the height of 10cc's success, as a reminder that there was more, so much more, to the members' past incarnation as Hotlegs than the hit "Neanderthal Man." Rounding up every track that the ultimately ill-starred combo cut -- that is, the entire Thinks: School Stinks album, plus four additional performances -- You Didn't Like It not only took the edge off an increasingly desperate collectors market (copies of that original album were impossible to come by), it also reminded listeners just how much of Hotlegs' legacy had been bequeathed to the members' next project. "Fly Away," itself re-recorded from a Godley-Creme contribution to a 1969 Marmalade label sampler, offers the prototype for any number of subsequent ballads -- innocent vocal, innocent song, but a deceptive beast of a lyric. "How Many Times" (the doomed U.S. follow-up to the hit "Neanderthal Man"), "Take Me Back," and "All God's Children" each had a close relation lurking within the 10cc catalog, while "You Didn't Like It" itself had already been pressed back into surface, as the first 10cc album's closing "Fresh Air for My Mama." "You Didn't Like It" is one of four songs appended to the original Thinks album. Of the remainder, "Lady Sadie" was released as a single in 1971 and went absolutely nowhere, while "Today" and "The Loser" saw service on the "second" Hotlegs album, Songs. Despite such generosity, however, You Didn't Like It fared no better than either of its predecessors, and, bitterly, one remembers why. 10cc at the time were universally regarded among the most creative bands on the planet. Hotlegs, on the other hand, were good for one thing and one thing only. "I'm a Neanderthal man -- CRASH; you're a Neanderthal girl -- CRASH...." And collectors notwithstanding, that was never going to change. © Dave Thompson © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/you-didnt-like-it-because-you-didnt-think-of-it-r40935/review

"Hotlegs" are regarded as a "one hit wonder" due to the huge success of the band's 1970 "Neanderthal Man" hit. However the band contained the nucleus of the great pop/art rock band, 10 cc. Hotlegs' members were Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme and Kevin Godley, all of whom had achieved success in the '60's as songwriters and members of other bands. Many of the songs on this compilation are top notch compositions. The opening lines and percussive rhythm of "Run Baby Run" were later reworked to become the basis for "Art For Art's Sake" on the 10cc album "How Dare You!" Sound quality on this compilation should have better sound quality. At times the sound lacks clarity and depth. [All tracks are @ 320 Kbps: File size = 135 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Um Wah, Um Woh - Godley, Creme, Stewart *
2 Today - Godley, Creme **
3 You Didn't Like It Because You Didn't Think Of It - Godley, Creme, Stewart ***
4 Fly Away - Godley, Creme *
5 Run Baby Run - Godley, Creme, Stewart *
6 The Loser - Godley, Creme, Stewart **
7 Neanderthal Man - Godley, Creme, Stewart *
8 How Many Times - Godley, Creme, Stewart *
9 Desperate Dan - Godley, Creme, Stewart *
10 Take Me Back - Godley, Creme *
11 Lady Sadie - Godley, Creme, Stewart ****
12 All God's Children - Godley, Creme, Stewart *
13 Suite F.A: First Movement - On My Way; Second Movement - Indecision; Third Movement - The Return - Godley, Creme *

* Tracks appeared on Hotlegs' 1970 album, "Thinks: School Stinks": ** Tracks from Hotlegs' 1971 album, "Song": *** Originally the B-Side of Hotlegs' 1970 "Neanderthal Man" single: **** 1971 UK single

MUSICIANS

Lol Creme - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
Eric Stewart - Guitar, Bass, Moog, Vocals
Graham Gouldman - Bass on "Today"
Mike Timoney - Organ on "Take Me Back", & "Today"
Peter Tattersall - Left-handed boogey Piano on "Desperate Dan"
Kevin Godley - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Rod Morton - On-beat Tambourine on "Desperate Dan"
Mike Bell - Saxophone
Ian Brookes - Trumpet
Baz Barker - First Violin on "How Many Times"
Tony Harrison - String Arrangements on "Today"
Cheadle Hulme High School Choir - Choir on "Suite F.A"

BIO

In 1970, Kevin Godley, Lol Crème, and Eric Stewart were, alongside songwriter Graham Gouldman, the house band at the Strawberry Studios setup in Stockport, England. Gouldman was spending much of his time in New York, working as a contract songwriter for the Kasenatz/Katz bubblegum team -- his partners remained at home, equipping the studio and testing the new equipment. It was during one of these tests, playing around with a drum kit and a new four-track recorder, that Philips label rep Dick Leahy happened by, heard what they were doing, and pronounced it an instant hit single. "It" was a percussive experiment which evolved around a chant of "I'm a Neanderthal man/you're a Neanderthal girl/let's make Neanderthal love" and Leahy's instincts were correct. Restructured and released (under the name Hotlegs) in the summer of 1970, "Neanderthal Man" reached number 22 in the U.S., number two in Britain, number one in Italy, and ultimately sold over two million worldwide. The record was enormous. The Idle Race, heading towards the end of their brief but glorious career, wrested one final hit when they covered the song for German and Argentine consumption. Bandleader James Last included a version on his latest album; even Elton John, eking out a pre-fame career as a jobbing sessioneer, recorded his own distinctive version for a budget-priced collection of sound-alike hits. Stunned by the success, Hotlegs immediately set to work out an album; Thinks: School Stinks included both the hit single and a reworking of "To Fly Away," a Godley/Crème song previously recorded by their Frabjoy and the Runcible Spoon project. It was not, however, a particularly successful release. With the exception of one track, the tribal "Um Wah Um Woh," little on the album bore any semblance to the hit; rather, Hotlegs revealed themselves to be a very melodic, very gentle musical concern, a far cry from the proto-industrial crashing of "Neanderthal Man." Certainly Capitol, Hotlegs' U.S. label, was so distressed that when it came to a follow-up, they went for a track which had not even been recorded for the Hotlegs project; a second, vastly superior version of "There Ain't No Umbopo," which the trio released in the U.K. under the name Doctor Father in August 1970. It was not a hit, a fate which also attended Hotlegs' final American single, "How Many Times." Undeterred, the trio (augmented by Gouldman) undertook a short British tour supporting the Moody Blues towards the end of 1970, but little more was heard from Hotlegs for another year. Then, in September 1971, they released a new single, "Lady Sadie," while Philips repackaged Thinks: School Stinks as Songs, omitting "Neanderthal Man" in favor of two more new songs, "The Loser" (the flip of "Lady Sadie") and "Today" (a reworking of another Frabjoy-era song). Issued only in Britain, Germany, and, oddly, Venezuela, Songs did no better than its predecessor, and Hotlegs was abandoned -- less than a year later, of course, the three members plus, again, Gouldman, would resurface as 10cc and, this time, enjoy considerably more success. It was at the height of this fame that the Hotlegs material resurfaced once more, as 1974's You Didn't Like It Cos You Didn't Think of It compilation brought together all the previously available Hotlegs material. © Dave Thompson © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hotlegs-p18329/biography

Affinity

Affinity - Live Instrumentals 1969 - 2003 - Angel Air Records

A magnificent piece of archive scouring, Live Instrumentals 1969 was recorded during the month or so that Affinity vocalist Linda Hoyle spent recuperating from an operation on her vocal chords, leaving bandmates Mo Foster, Mike Jupp, Lynton Naiff, and Grant Serpell to fill their time with a month-long residency at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London. Nine of the tracks here, including tumultuous jazz-rock versions of the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" (a staple of the like-minded Brian Auger's repertoire around the same time), and "Fever" were recorded there; four more were taken from a period-radio broadcast, and the disc wraps up with the instrumental rampage "On Green Dolphin Street," recorded by the University of Sussex Jazz Trio, from which the original Affinity ultimately arose. A great-sounding album, Live Instrumentals is further distinguished by a sleeve that hangs perfectly alongside the band's own debut album. © Dave Thompson © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-instrumentals-1969-r619635

...Nine live tracks recorded in January 1969 and at a time when long sideburns and frizzy hair was de rigueur ... and that was just the women! Some jazz standards expertly played and some less familiar, this is a real archive find. The music hasn't dated at all. There is some great Hammonding from Lynton Naiff and authoritative jazz rock chops from Mike Jopp. Bassist Mo Foster went on to work with Ray Fenwick in Fancy and Jeff Beck amongst others but this release captures a superb band and drips with cool soul jazz that is perhaps now best enjoyed with a good wine, and with the headphones on. Nice. - James Rutherford, Get ready to ROCK! (January 2003)

While Mo Foster and Grant Serpell kept the rhythm section nailed it allowed guitarist Mike Jopp and organist Lynton Naiff to play melody or go off at a tangent as they desired. Given how powerful their arrangements are it is probably of little surprise to see that Lynton later worked as an arranger for bands as diverse as Gene, Gay Dad and Page/Plant! Good sleeve notes and photos as well as powerful jazz make this an album that can easily be enjoyed. -
Feedback, (February 2003)

…everything's intelligently arranged and tastefully played… John Sturdy, Record Collector (March 2003)

They are polished and classy and the sound qualiy is very good. I found it surprisingly accessible…Any aficionado of the Hammond/guitar relationship should add this CD to their collection. - Alan Taylor, Pipeline (Spring 2003)

...Serves as a reminder that the band were damn good. - Modern Dance, Issue 43 (March 2003)

Affinity was an exceptionally talented UK jazz rock band signed by Vertigo Records in the early '70's. Amazingly, the band recorded only one official album in 1970. "Live Instrumentals 1969" is an extraordinary album of jazzy progressive psychedelic rock with fusion, blues and soul elements. The album is full of brilliant arrangements and complex tempo changes. It's hard to believe that these tracks date from 1965 to 1969. This is timeless music and VHR by A.O.O.F.C. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: Album split into 2 rar files: Combined files' size = 168.4 Mb]. Listen to Affinity's s/t album and "If You Live" album, and Linda Hoyle's "Pieces Of Me" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Jive Samba - N.Adderley 4:50
2 Dis Here - B.Timmons 5:48
3 Comin' Home Baby - B.Tucker, B.Dorough 3:48
4 Out Of The Storm - E.Thigpen 7:25
5 Fever - E.J.Cooley, J.Davenport 3:15
6 13 Death March - McFarland 5:42
7 All Blues - M.Davis 4:17
8 81- R.Carter 4:01
9 A Day In The Life - Lennon & McCartney 6:48
10 All Blues 4:25
11 81 4:36
12 Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - J.Zawinul 4:47
13 Jive Samba - N.Adderley 3:45
14 On Green Dolphin Street - B.Kaper, N.Washington 4:28

Tracks 1-9 recorded at Ronnie Scott's Club in January 1969: Tracks 10-13 were recorded at Maida Vale Studios, London, England in August 1968 for an FM radio broadcast: Track 14 was recorded by the University of Sussex Jazz Trio, (an early incarnation of Affinity) at The Refectory, Falmer House, University of Sussex, England on 27th February 1965 during the semi-finals of the 1965 Inter University Jazz Federation competition.

MUSICIANS

Mike Jopp - Electric Guitar
Mo Foster - Bass Guitar
Nick Nicholas - Double Bass on Track 14
Lynton Naiff - Hammond M102 Organ, Piano
Grant Serpell-Rogers - Drums

SHORT BIO

Signed by Vertigo in 1970 on the crest of the jazz-rock wave, the short-lived Affinity released only one single and album before splitting. Comprised of young singer Linda Hoyle, bassist Mo Foster, guitarist Mike Jupp, keyboardist Lynton Naiff, and drummer Grant Serpell, a musical maturity was displayed, blending folk, jazz, soul, blues, and elements of contemporary psychedelia and progressive rock. Highly regarded by critics, who praised the young Hoyle's powerful vocals and Naiff's inherent organ skills, it looked as if the band were to have a healthy career. Derek Jewell of The Sunday Times wrote, "Naiff is already a virtuso, soul-style, and the whole group is probably the best new thing heard in the jazz-pop area this year." But although the seven-track album was well received, the band split soon after. To label their work under any one genre is a hard task, and the jazz-rock/blues-rock classification they are usually squeezed into is far from fitting. As with many other late-'60s progressive acts, Affinity was just getting their footing when they split. © Jon "Mojo" Mills © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/affinity-p381019/biography

MORE

Affinity had its origins in the mid-60s at the University Of Sussex when three science students - pianist Lynton Naiff, drummer Grant Serpell and double-bass player Nick Nicholas - formed the US Jazz Trio. One year later another science student, Mo Foster, who had originally played bass guitar in his school band, adapted to playing drums for the trio when Grant Serpell graduated. After University, and incorporating members gathered from other University bands, Lynton and Grant formed the pop-group "Ice" and achieved moderate commercial success. Sadly within a year they had disbanded. Still keen to pursue a career in music, Lynton and Grant invited Mo to revert to bass guitar in a proposed new jazz-influenced pop band. The guys held auditions for a guitarist and were delighted to find ex-Tridents guitarist Mike Jopp who had both jazz and blues chops. (More importantly he also had his own amplifier and a car!). They also held auditions for singers but finally realised that the only person for the job was Linda Hoyle, a qualified English teacher who they had earlier met through a friend at University. With a loan guaranteed by Mike Jopp's father the band bought some Impact amplifiers, a Hammond M102 organ, a Gibson EBO bass guitar, some microphones, and, eventually, a grey Ford Transit van. They spent the summer of 1968 "getting it together" - writing and rehearsing - in a rented bungalow on the edge of Brighton. The name "Affinity" was taken from the title of an Oscar Peterson LP. At the end of the 60's an exciting new hybrid music form, "Jazz/Rock", was evolving. Musicians such as Miles Davis, Brian Auger, Jimi Hendix, and bands such as Blood Sweat and Tears, Cream, Chicago, Lifetime and Colosseum were all experimenting with this blending of jazz improvisation with the power of rock rhythms. This liberating and exciting approach suited Affinity perfectly since it separated the band from other contemporary new outfits such as Yes, genesis, Led Zeppelin, Family and Humble Pie. Affinity's first-ever London gig took place on 5 October 1968 at the Revolution Club in Bruton Place, just off Berkeley Square. As a result of hearing a tape of a broadcast on BBC Radio Jazz Club the late Ronnie Scott agreed to manage them and to book them into his club where they played alongside countless world-class players including Elvin Jones, Gary Burton, Les McCann, Stan Getz and Charles Mingus. (They may not have been earning much at this point, but they did get to see these incredible artists for free - every night). Live work was plentiful: there was a thriving discotheque and club scene in London, the college circuit paid well, there were European and Scandinavian tours (which didn't pay well!), festivals, the occasional TV show (two sings were recorded for "Disco 2", the predecessor of "The Old Grey Whistle Test"), and even the occasional jingle session (Linda, Mike and Mo recorded an advert for Shredded Wheat - "There are two men in my life"...) Things were looking good. The band was able to buy the ultimate instrument, the 'split' Hammond B3 that had once belonged to Brian Auger. Affinity recorded a critically-acclaimed first album for the Vertigo label and DJ Anne Nightingale who proclaimed that Linda was "the girl most likely to succeed in 1970." Lynton and Mo started to write for a second album (see "Yes Man") and the band was lined up for a USA tour, but in January 1971 Linda announced she had decided to leave the business. It was a sad, but inevitable, decision: the band had worked hard for two and a half years and yet had little to show for it. The fun had gone. The remaining contracted gigs were honoured and the guys went their separate ways. Linda Hoyle recorded a solo album "Pieces Of me" co-written with Karl Jenkins, and backed by Soft Machine members Chris Spedding, John Marshall, Jeff Clyne and Karl. Linda renounced live performances and now teaches Art Therapy at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. She still sings and occasionally works with Juno nominee guitarist Oliver Whitehead. Lynton Naiff niched himself into the field of orchestral arrangement on pop records leading to various projects with artists such as Queen, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Mike Joop joined the Mike D'Abo Band together with Mo and Grant. This particular line-up recorded a couple of albums and toured America. Mike quit playing professionally in 1973, became a guitar-dealer, and, after many years as a specialist audio consultant for Sony and Fairlight, now has a successful career in broadcast television with his own company, Hyperactive Broadcast. He still plays and has a collection of interesting guitars. Mo Foster met ex-Manfred singer Mike D'Abo - an encounter which led to his career as a studio player. He has since recorded and toured with artists as varied as Jeff Beck, Phil Collins, Gil Evans, Gerry Rafferty, Joan Armatrading, Hank Marvin, Maggie Bell, Van Morrison and the London Symphony Orchestra. Mo has produced three solo albums, and his first book "17 Watts?", an anecdotal history of British rock guitar, is published by Sanctuary. Grant Serpell played with Geno Washington and then Mike D'Abo before becoming a founder member of SAILOR, a band which achieved recording success - "Girls Girls Girls" - in the mid 70's in most countries except the States. When SAILOR temporarily disbanded (for 11 years!) he pleased his mother by getting a "proper job" as a Chemistry teacher. The rebirth of SAILOR in 1989 surprisingly resulted in hits all over Europe, so for eight years he juggled two careers, eventually quitting teaching in 1997. [Taken from the 2002 reissue of "Affinity"]

Michael Fennelly

Michael Fennelly - Stranger's Bed - 1975 - Mercury

A complete flop, but a good mid '70's rockin' album from Crabby Appleton's Michael Fennelly, who was an excellent songwriter and guitarist. [All tracks @ 256 Kbps: File size = 75.7 Mb]. Sorry about the "snap, crackle, and pop" on the vinyl, but the album is not available on remastered CD. There is a "digitized from vinyl" CD available, but these recordings are not as good as original versions. Check out Michael's "Lane Changer" album @ MICHFENN/LACH
N.B: Trivia for Steely Dan disciples - Michael sings background vocals on "The Boston Rag" on Steely Dan's classic "Countdown to Ecstasy" album.

TRACKS

A1 Pretty Face/Hard Bargain Driver 5:46
A2 Tomorrow's Star 2:10
A3 Only a Child 3:41
A4 Stranger's Bed 3:20
A5 Dreamer 6:02

B1 Turn to Me 2:58
B2 Sweet Pain 8:35
B3 Sad Dream of Louise 4:39
B4 The Day of the Fire 5:14

All songs composed by Michael Fennelly

MUSICIANS

Michael Fennelly - Guitars, Synthesizers, Vocals
Brian Page - Guitars
Dave Catron - Bass
Dana Green - Drums, Percussion

BIO

Michael Fennelly was born in 1949, in New Jersey, but moved to L.A. where he became involved in California's pop/protest movement. By 1967, Fennelly had secured a publishing deal with songwriter/producer Curt Boettcher's Mee Moo Music and became a member of Boettcher's studio-based collective of musicians, including the two main groups, Sagittarius, and the Millennium. Fennelly -- one of five singer/guitarist/songwriters in the latter group, who were actually intended to be a proper live act -- provided fabulous falsetto vocals in addition to co-writing much of the group's material, often with guitarist/vocalist Joey Stec, another member of the Sagittarius/Millennium collective. In 1969, Fennelly was looking to form a group of his own to showcase his lead vocal talents and songwriting when met the members of a band called Stonehenge, a blues-oriented group who were being scouted by Elektra's David Anderle, a friend of their manager's. The band -- with Fennelly now taking over lead vocals and songwriting duties -- changed their name to Crabby Appleton and signed to Elektra Records. Their first album, Crabby Appleton, was produced by Don Gallucci (from Don & the Good Times) and released in 1970. It enjoyed reasonable success with a catchy Top 40 hit, "Go Back," which peaked at number 36 in July 1970 after five weeks on the charts. Crabby Appleton's second album, Rotten to the Core, was released in October 1971. Despite complimentary reviews, the group's two albums proved ultimately unsuccessful and the band broke up. Fennelly later traveled to England, where he began focusing on a solo career, recording two solo albums. The first, Lane Changer, was recorded in London with the support of ex-Zombies bassist/producer Chris White and Rod Argent on synthesizer. A second solo album, Stranger's Bed, was recorded in L.A., produced by Denny Bruce and engineered by Keith Olsen (incidentally, Fennelly's album was Olsen's last as a engineer -- he was, at the same time, producing Fleetwood Mac's first album with two new members, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks). Released by Mercury in 1975, Stranger's Bed failed to chart. Fennelly is still involved in the music business.. © Bryan Thomas, © 2010 Answers Corporation http://www.answers.com/topic/michael-fennelly-1

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Michael Fennelly (b. 4 April 1949) is an American musician known for his work as a singer and songwriter in the 1960s and 1970s, notably in The Millennium and Crabby Appleton. Fennelly was born in New York, the second of three children. He grew up in Pennsylvania and Westfield, New Jersey, and attended high school there. He began taking guitar lessons when he was nine years old. At the age of 17 he hitchhiked to Los Angeles and began performing in clubs there. By 1967 he had become a member of songwriter/producer Curt Boettcher's studio-based collective of musicians. He contributed electric sitar and vocals to the album Present Tense by Sagittarius, and then became one of the five singer/guitarist/songwriters included in The Millennium, the sunshine pop group assembled by Boettcher. In 1969 he joined an existing band, Stonehenge, as lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, changing their name to Crabby Appleton. The band were signed to Elektra Records, and released two albums, with Fennelly's writing becoming influenced by such emerging musicians as Neil Young and Stephen Stills. Their single "Go Back", written and sung by Fennelly, produced by Don Gallucci and taken from the band's first album, reached # 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid 1970. After the band broke up, Fennelly embarked upon a solo career, recording two albums, Lane Changer (1973) and Stranger's Bed (1975). However, neither was successful. Fennelly also recorded with Steely Dan; he sings the high harmony on "The Boston Rag" from Countdown to Ecstasy, their second album. Fennelly remained in the music business thereafter, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

Steve Harley

Steve Harley - Stranger Comes To Town - 2010 - Absolute

Some really talented and genuine bands and artists were caught up in the notorious "Glam Rock" net in Britain in the mid seventies. Many of these bands were overnight sensations, or one hit wonders, and many were studio manufactured. Some of these bands were also hugely successful, due to clever management and by recording songs written by top class songwriters. It is well known that many of these artists couldn't play, or sing, (the perfect recipe for success in the glitzy seventies, and now it seems in the 2000's!). However, some of these artists had predated the "Glam Rock" era, and were hugely talented. Just to name a few - T.Rex, David Bowie, Mott The Hoople, Abba, Elton John, Roy Wood & Wizzard, and Roxy Music. All these artists could sing, play, write brilliant songs, and they would have made the grade regardless of the ridiculous studio trickery that went into other "Glam Rock" bands that eventually fell by the wayside..... "You can fool some of the people, etc, etc....". Anyway, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel were one of THE great "Glam Rock" bands, and without a doubt, one of the most talented bands to emerge in the seventies. You may not like Rod Stewart's later music, but some of his 70's work with the Faces was terrific rock 'n' roll. He penned some great songs, and he remains a very respected artist. Rod said that Steve Harley was "one of the finest lyricists the UK has ever produced". Very true, but Steve is also a great musical composer, and his music included some of the best pop rock songs ever to come out of the UK. His songs included "Make Me Smile", "Judy Teen", "Mr. Raffles", "Mr. Soft", "The Best Years Of Our Lives", and "Psychomodo". Steve confesses the effects of his childhood polio still haunt him. “As you know, I’m never going to run the marathon. I can’t walk very far these days and have to go at my own pace. Joni Mitchell won’t fly anywhere and that’s because she too had polio. One of her legs was affected. She said ten years ago that there’s something called ‘secondary polio’ and that kind of depressed me. As I’m getting older I don’t feel any worse but I can’t walk as well as I did ten years ago. It doesn’t stop me going on stage but when the weather is bad I just can’t walk in the snow and ice because I’m afraid of slipping. What I most enjoy is going on the road and performing with the band which has my old Cockney Rebel pal Stuart Elliott on drums. It’s just like the old days.” "Stranger Comes To Town" is a great album with a unique folk-pop/soul sound from the legendary Cockney Rebel main man, and is one of his best albums. The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Steve Harley was, and still is a superb songwriter, singer, and showman who retains a loyal and enthusiastic international following. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 111 Mb]. Listen to CR's brilliant "The Psychomodo", and "The Human Menagerie" albums, and Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's "Love's a Prima Donna" album. Search this blog for related releases. Read a detailed history of SH & CR @ SHARL/COCREB

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Faith And Virtue - Words: Harley Music:Harley, Wickens
2. Take The Men And The Horses Away - Words: Harley Music: Harley/Wickens/
Lascelles/Anderson/Elliott
3. For Sale Baby Shoes Never Worn - Words & Music Steve Harley
4. Stranger Comes To Town - Words & Music: Steve Harley
5. This Old Man - Words & Music: Steve Harley
6. True Love Will Find You In The End - Daniel Johnson
7. No Bleeding Hearts - Words & Music: Steve Harley
8. Blinded With Tears - Words: Harley, Music: Harley/Cregan
9. Before They Crash The Universe - Words & Music: Steve Harley
10. 2000 Years From Now - Words: Harley, Music: Harley/Gladwell

MUSICIANS

Stuart Elliott - Percussion, Drums, Hand Drums
Steve Harley - Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Robbie Gladwell - Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Vocals (Background)
Barry Wickens - Guitar (Acoustic), Violin, Guitar (Electric), Vocals (Background), Viola
Lincoln Anderson - Bass, Double Bass
James Lascelles - Piano, Synthesizer, Percussion, Keyboards, Hammond B3, Synthesizer Strings, Mini Moog, Dulcimer (Hammer), Melodica, Drums
Kerr Nice - Piano
Katie Brine - Vocals (Background)
Marcus Greenwood, Sam Hewitson, Maisie Colquhoun, Grace Nickalls, Maya Hodgson, Joe Dobson - Choir, Chorus [From Spooner Row Primary School]

SHORT BIO

British rocker Steve Harley was born Steven Nice in London on February 27, 1951; the son of a jazz singer, he was stricken with polio at age two and spent the better part of his adolescence in and out of hospitals. After trying his hand at journalism, by the early '70s Harley was busking throughout London, forming the band Cockney Rebel in 1973 with guitarist Jean Paul Crocker, bassist Paul Jeffreys, keyboardist Milton Reame James, and drummer Stuart Elliott. Signing to EMI, the group debuted with The Human Menagerie; the single "Judy Teen" followed in early in 1974, becoming Cockney Rebel's first hit. Psychomodo was also a success, but as Harley's combative relationship with the press worsened he dissolved the group soon after. A Harley solo single, "Big Big Deal, " preceded the formation of a new Cockney Rebel lineup, which again featured drummer Stuart Elliott in addition to new guitarist Jim Cregan, bassist George Ford and keyboardist Duncan McKay. 1975's The Best Years of Our Lives generated Harley's first U.K. chart-topper, "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me), " on its way to selling over a million copies; the follow-up Love's a Prima Donna also launched a Top Ten hit with its cover of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun." But in the wake of 1977's Face to Face -- A Live Recording, Harley again disbanded Cockney Rebel and relocated to the U.S., recording the better part of Hobo With a Grin in Los Angeles before returning to Britain. 1979's The Candidate failed to restore his commercial lustre, and with the exception of a minor 1983 hit "Ballerina (Prima Donna)" he spent the better part of the '80s removed from the pop scene. When his recording of "Mr. Soft" experienced a rebirth thanks to its use in a television commercial, Harley assembled a hits collection of the same name. Soon after he formed a new incarnation of Cockney Rebel and regularly toured into the following decade. 1999's Stripped to Bare Bones documents an acoustic set recorded the year previous. Yes You Can was issued in summer 2000. © Jason Ankeny © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-harley-p84327/biography

MORE ABOUT STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL (WIKIPEDIA)

Steve Harley (born Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice, 27 February 1951,Deptford, London, England) is a English singer and songwriter, best known for his work with the 1970s rock group Cockney Rebel, with whom he still occasionally tours (albeit with many personnel changes through the years). As a child, Harley suffered from polio, spending four years in hospital up to the age of 16. It was in hospital that he first heard Bob Dylan, inspiring him to a career of words and music. At the age of 10, he received a guitar from his parents, and he played violin with the school orchestra. He left the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College with no O levels. In 1968, at the age of 17, Harley began work as an accountant with the Daily Express, from which he progressed to become a reporter in a number of local Essex newspapers for a duration of three years. Later, he returned to London to work for the East London Advertiser. Harley first started out playing in bars and clubs in the early 1970s, mainly at folk venues on open-mike nights. He also busked around London on the Underground and in Portobello Road. While auditioning for folk band Odin in 1971, he met violinist John Crocker, with whom he formed Cockney Rebel in late 1972. Cockney Rebel went on to release The Human Menagerie and The Psychomodo before splitting up in 1974. However, Harley carried on with drummer Stuart Elliot, renaming the band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, with whom he had more success. From the next album, The Best Years of Our Lives, came the number one and million selling single, "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)". Harley had two more hits during the mid 1970s with "Mr Raffles" and "Here Comes the Sun" which were both Top 20 hits, but he did not have any further major successes, and in the 1980s he all but faded from the public eye, relocating to the United States. He was set to star as the Phantom in the London premiere of The Phantom of the Opera, and recorded the promotional single of the title song, but was surprised to be replaced close to rehearsals by Michael Crawford. In the early 1990s, Harley released several solo albums. His songs "Sebastian", "Tumbling Down", and "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" were included in the Todd Haynes 1998 rock musical Velvet Goldmine. The soundtrack album included "Make Me Smile", but omitted "Sebastian", yet included a cover version of "Tumbling Down" with vocals by Jonathan Rhys Myers. "Make Me Smile" was also included in the 1997 film, The Full Monty. In 1999, Harley began presenting a BBC Radio programme The Sounds of the Seventies, of which the last programme aired on 27 March 2008. In 2005, The Quality of Mercy was released under the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel name, and Harley began touring more frequently, although mainstream success remained elusive. Harley lives in Suffolk with his wife, Dorothy. They have two children, Kerr and Greta