Cold Blood

 
Cold Blood - Vintage Blood: Live! 1973 - 2001 - DIG Music

Many of the greatest groups in rock and roll history have made their home in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. While 'Frisco was at the forefront of the psychedelic music movement spinning around the intersection of Haight and Ashbury, some serious funk was springing up as well. Free-form DJs like Tom Donahue, who coined the term "underground" radio and Abe "Voco" Kesh interspersed hip soul and jazz in between the extended jams of the Dead and Quicksilver in their nightly shows. Sylvester Stewart, aka Sly Stone, was also a noted Bay Area DJ and record producer and an influence on the scene. Latin music was always in the air as well, and bands like Santana. Tower of Power, and Malo vibed to the incantory force of the extended boogaloo. One of the best bands in combining the punch of great rhythm and blues with the hippie aesthetic of brotherhood and freedom was Bay Area's legendary Cold Blood. With the backing of pioneer rock impresario Bill Graham, they won over area audiences almost immediately after their formation in 1968. The Fillmore Auditorium was the epicenter of San Francisco rock, and no better place to see a band "let it all hang out," as many shows ran all night long. The band's first two albums on Bill Graham's San Francisco Records — Cold Blood, released in 1969 and produced by David Rubinson, and Sisyphus, a 1970 release produced by Santana engineer Fred Catero, are excellent representations of a powerhouse band that could really move an audience. They were a winning combination of good songs, excellent covers and the powerful, expressive voice of Lydia Pense, their extraordinarily beautiful lead singer. The reissue of these two LPs is currently available on Collectables (Col-CD-6813). A change in management and a move to Reprise Records in 1972 would see the release of their third album First Taste Of Sin. The twenty-something members of Cold Blood had quite a few years of touring and recording under their belts by now, and while their records did not have the massive com-mercial success of some of their peers, they still had many fans around the country. There were some personnel changes in the group at this time most notably the departure of founding member guitarist. Larry Field. Lydia Pense, their lead singer was still fronting the band. While she had the burden of being compared to Janis Joplin, the preeminent female white soul singer of her day, Lydia's individual style and beauty was continuing to blossom. Another evidence of maturation in the abilities of the group was their choice of budding soul genius Donny Hathaway as producer for First Taste Of Sin. Despite his relative youth, this Chicago-born singer and a songwriter had already received kudos for his work with Curtis Mayfield, Jerry Butler and The Impressions. His reputation in the industry as the next generation's leading soul music auteur was spreading throughout the music industry. Warner Bros, and its sister label Reprise were a stronghold in the Seventies for the production of records of high artistic integrity, that were also a gas to listen to. The combo of Hathaway and Cold Blood produced a sophisticated blend of R and rock that appealed to both soul and progressive crowds.
Hathaway contributed two excellent songs to the album, the slow blues You Had To Know, a showcase for singer Lydia, and Valdez In The Country, as well as his gospel-influenced piano and jazzy organ playing. The presence also of Bay Area session veterans Coke and Pete Escovedo on congas, timbales, and percussion generated fire in the rhythm section with their Third World poly-rhythms. Also beefing up the horn section is noted jazz tenor saxophonist Pete Christieb. A longtime member of Doc Severensen's Tonight Show Band, he was an in-demand session player. A rare cover version of fellow Warner-Reprise artist James Taylor's Low And Behold is an adventurous choice of song, and Cold Blood adapts the tune to their rough and ready rockin' soul style. Cold Blood recorded three more albums in their life span before disbanding in 1976. Thriller was released in 1973 and Lydia in 1974, both also for Warner-Reprise. Their swansong was Lydia Pense and Cold Blood. produced by Stax Records stalwart and respected guitarist/songwriter Steve Cropper for ABC Records. There have been continued rumblings of activity in the Cold Blood camps , so the book may not yet be closed on the contributions of this relatively unheralded group to rock's legacy. Here then is one of Cold Blood's finest endeavors—First Taste Of Sin. - Taken from: booklet "First Taste Of Sin". by & © Al Fichera © www.old-rock.ru - 2009 http://www.old-rock.ru/paleontology_bands/cold_blood_en.html

Cold Blood was on the verge of a musical breakthrough during the early '70s, but the band's inability to write compelling original material or expand their range beyond high-octane, horn-dominated R&B relegated them to second-tier status. The band was at their best on-stage, but curiously never released a live album until this release 30 years past their heyday. Vintage Blood Live! 1973 catches the band at their funkified norm. Recorded at a studio before a small but appreciative audience, this performance emphasizes the groove. Cold Blood hits it quickly and stays there for long stretches, submerging beneath Lydia Pense's powerful R&B voice. Pense, keyboard player Raul Matute, and bassist Rod Ellicott were the only original members remaining in the band. The three-man horn session was filled with newcomers who acquit themselves well. The sound quality is outstanding, and the performances are right on the mark, except for one detour into gospel that falls flat. Cold Blood is stronger when they delve into secular treats such as "Funky on My Back." Followers of the band will enjoy this material. Listeners curious about early-'70s hard rhythm & blues will receive an informative, enjoyable lesson here. Dig Music is a small Sacramento-based label that specializes in releases by Northern California artists of the '60s and '70s, such as the Beau Brummels and Stoneground. © Casey Elston © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/vintage-blood-live-1973-r556170/review

Between 1967 and 1977 Lydia Pense was a well known vocalist in the San Francisco/Oakland area. She has been called "the female voice of San Francisco" and was one of the best rock 'n' blues singer of her day. She was produced by Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, guitarist with the legendary Booker T. & The MG's. She temporarily retired from the music scene in the '80s and early '90s, to rear a daughter, but returned with a bang to reform the great soul/jazz rock band Cold Blood, with a new line-up of some talented local Bay Area musicians. If you like BS&T, early Chicago and Tower of Power you may like this 1973 live album from one of the greatest ever Bay Area funk-rock-blues outfits. The album is full of terrific jazz and soul funk grooves, and East Bay Grease at it's best. Hornwork is brilliant and Lydia's vocals are special. Sound quality could be better but normal for a release of this type, and the album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Try and listen to Lydia Pense's 1974 "Lydia" album, and Cold Blood's 1971 "Sisyphus" album. You can find Lydia Pense & Cold Blood's "Transfusion" album and also Cold Blood's 1969 s/t album on this blog. In September of 2011 Cold Blood released a 5 song EP, "The River City Sessions". Buy it and promote real music. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 92.2 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Feel So Bad 9:25 - David Porter, Isaac Hayes, James Johnson, Leslie Temple
2 Kissin' My Love 7:27 - Bill Withers
3 I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free 7:34 - Billy Taylor, R. Lamb
4 Funky On My Back 12.21 - C. Stolte, D. Hull, L. Field, L. Pense, R. Ellicott, Raul Matute
5 You Got Me Hummin' 5:32 - David Porter, Isaac Hayes

BAND

Michael Sasaki - Guitars
Rod Ellicott - Bass
Raul Matute - Keyboards
Gaylord Birch - Drums
Skip Mesquite - Saxophone
Max Haskett, Jack Walrath - Trumpet
Lydia Pense - Vocals

BIO

Lydia Pense & Cold Blood debuted when the Fillmore was at its peak as one of the nation's musical Meccas. Owner Bill Graham was so impressed with Lydia's voice and the sound of the band that he immediately signed Cold Blood to his new record label. During the span of six original late-60's, early-70's albums, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood helped, along with Tower Of Power, forge their own specific brand of funk/soul and R&B which came to be known as East Bay Grease. That music still holds up today, proving that great music is timeless and will continue to inspire generations to come. Cold Blood is one of the original R&B horn bands from the late 60's/ early 70's that exemplified the "East Bay Grease" melding of funk & rock with blues and jazz elements. Lydia Pense has been compared to Janis Joplin, but is a true original and a pioneer in the women's rock movement. Lydia and the band debuted when the Fillmore was at its peak as one of the nation's musical Meccas. Owner Bill Graham was so impressed with Lydia's voice and the sound of the band that he immediately signed Cold Blood to his new record label. During the span of six original late-60's, early-70's albums, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood helped, along with Tower Of Power, forge their own specific brand of funk/soul and R&B which came to be known as East Bay Grease. That music still holds up today, proving that great music is timeless and will continue to inspire generations to come. Lydia Pense and Cold Blood packed the San Francisco Ballrooms in their heyday, but that was then and this is now. In the now, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood still fill halls with cheering, dancing, foot-stomping fans. Far from fading over the years, Cold Blood has flourished. The word legend certainly applies to Lydia Pense and Cold Blood…and not in some past tense-make-a-living-as-an-oldies-act sort of way either. Pense can still shout like a 60's soul diva and purr a slow blues tune with spine-tingling subtlety. Cold Blood, as a whole, features a stellar group of musicians who have been playing together for nearly 20 years including Steve Dunne on guitar, Steve Salinas on keyboards, a gritty-growling horn section comprised of Rich Armstrong and Rob Zuckerman along with a stellar rhythm section featuring Evan Palmerston on bass and Donny Baldwin on drums. The band members are all veteran Bay Area musicians who have played with many great artists including Elvin Bishop, Jefferson Starship, Boz Skaggs, Albert Collins and more. Of course there is Lydia who still has the chops with the patina of a seasoned veteran who's done and seen it all. Together she and the band continue to twist together R&B, (both Old School and New School); into something that doesn't have a label... On any given night, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood power through their historic essentials, like "You Got Me Hummin'," "I Just Want To Make Love To You," "I'm A Good Woman," and "Down to the Bone." In 2005 the band released “Transfusion” a whole new CD of future classics that draws on their heritage but is not stifled by the past. In September of 2011 the band has released “The River City Sessions”, a 5 song EP. Now able to draw from the first two new Cold Blood albums in three decades, Lydia and the band blast out a set that covers 40 years of thumping, throbbing, East Bay funk. Several of the tracks that make it on to the set list each night come from original Cold Blood alum Skip Mesquite. Another tune of particular note, "Face the Music," is written by guitar ace Steve Dunne. All this fresh music, laid down by a crisp, tight 6-piece, makes any Cold Blood show invigorating. And, of course, anything Lydia sings is sung well. She has a list of famous admirers that includes Bonnie Raitt, Michelle Shocked, David Lee Roth, even Janis Joplin back in the day. It's been a long road, over 40 years to be exact with a break somewhere in the middle. But, Lydia and the band are living proof that a little time off can be a really good thing. With their new CD, “The River City Sessions” turning heads across the country, fans are remembering just what has been missing from music in the last few decades. These songs exemplify how a performer can take great strides forward, without forgetting her roots. Cold Blood is booking dozens of shows across the country, entertaining generations of club, theatre and festival goers. Cold Blood has been blessed with the ability to reach backwards for original influences and the creativity to reach forward, working with new approaches. The music they play is ageless, and can still fill any room to the rafters. © http://www.sonicbids.com/2/EPK/?epk_id=289950#bio

SHORT BIO

A San Francisco-based R&B band originally formed by guitarist Larry Field as the "New Invaders" in the wake of the Summer of Love, Cold Blood had the key elements of strong female vocalist, a fine guitarist, and a powerful horn section. After successful gigs at Golden Gate Park and at the Fillmore, they were signed by impresario Bill Graham to his new San Francisco Records label, on which they released their self-titled debut in 1969. Four more albums followed over the next five years -- in fact, later efforts boasted the production and musical contributions of Steve Cropper -- but all were hamstrung by Graham's underhanded distribution deals with Columbia and Atlantic. Though the debut's single "You've Got Me Humming" crawled up to number 52 on the American charts, Cold Blood seemed doomed to labor in the shadow of bands like Tower of Power, Chicago, and especially Janis Joplin. The latter comparison became endemic among critics; for although blues belter joined Field's band as its youngest member -- she had formerly been, of all things, a childhood national rollerskating champion -- her magnetic stage presence established her as the band's central force. Eventually, the band billed itself as Lydia Pense With Cold Blood, and even released an album simply titled Lydia. Joplin sensed a kindred soul; after screaming at Cold Blood for scooping her on a blistering cover of "Piece of My Heart," she warmed to Pense enough to give her a swig of Southern Comfort. After hitting increasingly lower tier venues in San Francisco by the late '70s, Cold Blood disbanded for most of the next decade; Pense focused her energies on child rearing. By the late '80s, the band slowly awoke from its long sleep, and they began regular features on California's festival and fair circuit. A 1998 return to their Fillmore stomping ground brought out the band's faithful. © Paul Collins © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cold-blood-p16571/biography

ABOUT LYDIA PENSE (WIKIPEDIA)

Lydia Pense (born Lydia Jane Pense in San Francisco, California on December 14, 1947) is an American rock-soul-jazz singer who since 1969 has performed with the band Cold Blood. Her style has been compared to powerful singers including Janis Joplin (who recommended the band to Bill Graham for their first audition), Aretha Franklin and Teena Marie. Pense's mother, the former is Miss Ramos, was born in Madrid, Spain, while her father came from Nebraska, United States. While attending Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California at the age of 16, Pense started singing with a band called The Dimensions, With Guitarist Paul C Saenz. They initially played Big Band songs, but she soon was attracted to the music of Ray Charles and Chuck Berry. Lydia joined Cold Blood in 1968. Their initial four albums, Cold Blood, Sisyphus, First Taste of Sin (produced by Donny Hathaway), and Thriller remain their best known work. The band continues to record and perform today. The band separated in the late 1970s and Pense suspended her career in the 1980s to raise her daughter before re-forming the group.

COLD BLOOD BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Cold Blood is a long-standing soul-rock-jazz band founded by Larry Field in 1968 and originally based in the San Francisco East Bay area. They have also gone by the name "Lydia Pense and Cold Blood" due to the popularity of their lead singer, Lydia Pense. The band first came to prominence in 1969 when rock impresario Bill Graham signed them after an audition and they played the Fillmore West in San Francisco. Pense has been compared to Janis Joplin, and it was Joplin who recommended the audition to Graham. The band has often been compared to another long-standing popular Northern California group, Tower of Power, and like Tower of Power they were rare in that they featured a horn section in addition to guitar, bass and drums. The Tower of Power horn players have performed with Cold Blood on a regular basis since the early 1970s. Skip Mesquite and Mic Gillette have been members of both Tower Of Power and Cold Blood. Their fan base also overlaps with the Sons of Champlin, although their musical styles are quite different. Their initial four albums, Cold Blood, Sisyphus, First Taste of Sin (produced by Donny Hathaway), and Thriller remain their best known work. The band disbanded in the late 1970s, reformed in the 1980s and stabilized with its current membership in the 1990s. Cold Blood continues to record and perform today, and some former band members such as Raul Matute (and some from Tower of Power) appear on its most recent album. Original band members were founder Larry Field (lead guitar), Lydia Pense (vocals), Danny Hull (tenor saxophone and songwriter), Larry Jonutz (trumpet), Raul Matute (Hammond organ, piano, arranger and songwriter), Jerry Jonutz (Baritone, alto and tenor saxophone), David Padron (trumpet), Rod Ellicott (bass), Paul C Saenz (Guitar), and Frank Davis, who was replaced on drums by the legendary Sandy McKee during the Sisyphus sessions. Narada Michael Walden and Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett both mention McKee on their short list of drummers most influential in their stylistic development. Over the years there have been various incarnations of the band including singer/trumpet player Max Haskett, Tower Of Power horn player Mic Gillette, Journey keyboardist Stevie "Keys" Roseman on Hammond B-3 organ, Sons Of Champlin drummer Jim Preston, guitar player Michael Sasaki, Tower Of Power guitarist Jeff Tamelier, Boz Scaggs horn player Tom Poole, Elvin Bishop sax player Bill Slais, bass player Michael White & others. Current personnel are Lydia Pense (vocals), Steve Salinas (keyboards), Steve Dunne (guitar), Mike Morgan (percussion), Evan Palmerston (bass), Rich Armstrong (trumpet, percussion), Rob Zuckerman (alto, tenor, baritone saxes) and Donny Baldwin (drums). Cold Blood is featured playing live in Fillmore, a documentary of the last concerts at The Fillmore auditorium.

Domenic Troiano

Domenic Troiano - Domenic Troiano - 1972 - Mercury

The solo debut from guitarist Domenic Troiano came at a time when he was releasing two albums with the James Gang. Charlotte Dillon's biography on the All Media Guide states that this album was initiated prior to his joining the James Gang and completed during that phase of his career. There's a definite Steely Dan feel to the proceedings, especially on "Let Me Go Back," and the first of two compositions co-written with James Gang vocalist Roy Kenner, "Try." The rhythm section for Lou Reed's classic Rock 'n' Roll Animal album, drummer Penti Glan and bassist John Prakash, appear here a year before they would cut the historic live album with guitar heroes Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner. The musicianship is superb, with a loose and funky feel, and the album looks expensive as well. A gatefold with band photos and interesting design, Mercury was no doubt serious about their artist. This was a year before that same label would release Bachman-Turner Overdrive, whose guitarist Troiano would later replace in the Guess Who. This album is distinctive, though, as it shows Troiano in an interesting light and identifies his versatility. Clichés like "The Writings on the Wall" and "Is There No Rest for the Weary" become songs, and the music is more suited to Delaney & Bonnie than the James Gang or the Guess Who. In fact, the elements here do not really show up on his work with Burton Cummings' final two '70s Guess Who LPs, Flavours and Power in the Music, which gives an indication of Troiano's ability to adapt. From the Delaney & Bonnie meets Steely Dan style so prevalent on tracks like "Let Me Go Back" and "I Just Lost a Friend," Troiano concludes the album with an about-face, nine minutes and 40 seconds of "Repossession Blues." It makes for a well-rounded debut by a journeyman who has never really gotten his due. Maybe the bands he played with wanted formula, because allowed to stretch out, the Domenic Troiano album is quite enjoyable and has lots to offer. It's also important to note the co-production work by James Gang producer Keith Olsen came at a time when Olsen was engineering Dr. John for Jerry Wexler. That seems to have had an influence on this project. © Joe Viglione © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/domenic-troiano-r51512/review

The late Canadian guitar icon, Domenic Troiano was a gifted, world-class guitarist and band leader. He formed the bands Mandala and Bush in 1970. He helped create the "Toronto Sound" in the 60′s and 70′s. In his career he replaced the Band's Robbie Robertson while Robbie was playing with Ronnie Hawkins. He also replaced the James Gang band's guitarist Joe Walsh and replaced Randy Bachman in the The Guess Who. Domenic played with many great artists including Joe Cocker, Donald Fagen, Diana Ross, David Clayton-Thomas, Etta James, and also produced albums for for other artists. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996. Domenic recorded this album in 1972, when he was still a member of the James Gang band. Unlike the James Gang albums, this album is full of relaxed, down-to-earth R&B and soul with a jazz touch. The rhythm section plays sharp and heavy, and Domenic lays down some terrific heavy guitar riffs and great solos. "I'm sure the heavenly jam sessions with Lenny Breau and Jimi Hendrix are taken to a new level, now that Dom has arrived." - Randy Bachman, guitarist, songwriter, performer and producer. Try and listen to Domenic's 1973 "Tricky" album. [All tracks @ 192 Kbps: File size = 54.8 Mb] Although SQ is adequate, maybe somebody out there could rip the original album at a higher bitrate?

STEELY DAN TRIVIA: Domenic played with Donald Fagen on Diana Ross' "Ross" album and also on Eye To Eye's "Shakespeare Stole My Baby" album, both albums produced by the great Gary Katz

TRACKS

A1 The Writings On The Wall 2:41
A2 The Answer 5:56
A3 Let Me Go Back 3:46
A4 I Just Lost A Friend 3:21
A5 Try 2:39

B1 The Wear And The Tear On My Mind 2:49
B2 Is There No Rest For The Weary 2:47
B3 Hi Again 4:02
B4 356 Sammon Ave. 1:15
B5 Repossession Blues 9:40

All songs composed by Domenic Troiano except "Try" and "Hi Again" by Domenic Troiano & Roy Kenner

MUSICIANS

Domenic Troiano - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Red Rhodes - Steel Guitar
Prakash John - Bass, Backing Vocals
Hugh Sullivan - Piano, Organ
William Smith - Organ, Backing Vocals
Penti Glenn - Drums
Tessie Calderone - Percussion, Congas
Roy Kenner - Percussion, Vocals
Bunk Gardner, Jay Cantrelli - Tenor Saxophone
Lonnie Shetter - Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet
Buzz Gardner - Trumpet
Shawn Jackson - Backing Vocals

BIO

Singer, songwriter, and famed guitarist Domenic Troiano is probably best known for the time he served as a member of the famed rock group, the Guess Who. Over more than three long decades in the music world, Troiano did a lot of other work with different bands, blues style and rock, including the James Gang, the original Bush, and Mandala. He later composed tunes for both film and television. He even completed several solo albums in the '70s, earning himself a spot in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Some of the solo numbers Troiano recorded so long ago, became available on CD just before the new millennium rolled around, proving that many fans still hold interest in his music. Domenic Troiano was born in 1946 in Modugno, Italy. When he was little more than a baby, his family picked up and moved to Toronto, Canada. He was raised with a love for music, both rhythm & blues and good ol' rock & roll. When he was in his mid-teens, his desire to learn to play the guitar resulted in him teaching himself. Maybe that's why his style became so much his own and was later imitated by many other artists. One of the early influences on Troiano was a guitarist by the name of Robbie Robertson. In a twist of fate, Troiano started his professional career by replacing Robertson in a band that performed with Ronnie Hawkins, a fellow Canadian singer. Troiano worked with the band for less than a year, then moved on to other groups. One of those early bands was Five Rogues, which changed its name to Mandala. It was with Mandala in 1967 that Troiano made his first recordings and began to climb the ladder to fame. Some of that fame started from negative press, complaints from parents about the group's corrupt music style, the way the guys dressed, and even the length of their hair. Of course, the more parents complained, the more their teens loved Mandala and its music. When Mandala came to an end around 1969, Troiano and some of the other members pulled together to start a new group, Bush. ABC/Dunhill singed the band and sent it on tour with major groups at the time like Three Dog Night. After a short life, Bush met a quick end, but never one to give up, Troiano went solo. In 1972, before he could finish an album of his own, he was called in to join the James Gang, replacing Joe Walsh. For the next year, Troiano recorded with the group, but continued to work solo also, completing not one, but two solo albums, a self-titled one in 1972, and then Tricky in 1973. Both albums were released under the Mercury Records label. During that same time, he recorded two other albums with the James Gang, writing a number of the songs himself. 1974 and 1975 found Troiano serving as a member of the Guess Who. After that group folded too, he took some time working on his own again, trying his skills at a little funk and some jazz. Two years later he was under contract once more, this time with Capitol Records, where he finished a third solo album, Burning at the Stake, and then a forth offering, Jokes on Me. It was followed in 1979 by Fret Fever, Troiano's last solo album. In the early '80s, Troiano was back with a band, this one called Black Market. The group released one independent recording in 1981. When success didn't come to Black Market, Troiano walked. He soon turned his attention to composing for films and television, and doing session work for other artists in the '90s. Domenic Troiano passed away May 25, 2005 after a long battle with cancer. © Charlotte Dillon © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/domenic-troiano-p21137/biography

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Domenic (Michaele Antonio) Troiano. Guitarist, composer, singer, b Mondugno, Italy, 17 Jan 1946, d 25 May 2005 at Toronto. Troiano became a naturalized Canadian in 1955 and was raised in Toronto. He began playing guitar at 15 and became one of Canada's premier rock guitarists during the late 1960s and the 1970s. He began his career with Robbie Lane and the Disciples but moved on to replace Robbie Robertson as lead guitarist with Ronnie Hawkins. He then became a member of the popular Toronto rhythm and blues band the Five Rogues (1964-9); the band shortened their name to the Rogues, which then evolved into Mandala (1966-9). Mandala presented a more soulful style with vocalist George Olliver (replaced in 1966 by Roy Kenner), organist Josef Chirowski (replaced in 1966 by Hugh O'Sullivan), bass guitarist Don Elliott and drummer Whitey (Pentii) Glann. Mandala toured widely in the US, released Soul Crusade (1968, Atlantic) and enjoyed hits such as 'Opportunity' (1967) and 'Love-itis' (1968). In 1970, Troiano and some of the members from Mandala, including Kenner, Glann and the bass guitarist Prakash John, established Bush, a blues-influenced rock band, based in Arizona. Although Bush worked together for less than two years, they released an album (Bush, 1970) and toured extensively through the US with Steppenwolf and Three Dog Night. Troiano then replaced Joe Walsh and began playing with the US band the James Gang (1974-5); the Gang recorded the albums Straight Shooter (1972) and Passin Thru (1972). From there he joined the Guess Who (1974), co-writing and playing on the two albums Flavours (1974) and Power in the Music (1975). In the late 1970s he formed the Domenic Troiano Band 1977-9 in Toronto, once again working with Roy Kenner. In 1980 Trojano formed Black Market with Bob Wilson and Paul DeLong, and released Changing of the Guard (1981, El Mocambo Records) before turning exclusively to studio work as a composer, producer and guitarist with his independent production company Black Market. In 1984 he began writing themes and incidental music for TV, including the CBS series Night Heat, Diamonds, and Hot Shots, CBC's Airwaves, and NBC's True Blue. Troiano collaborated with many other musicians including Diana Ross, Joe Cocker, Donald Fagen, David Clayton-Thomas, Etta James, Jean-Michel Jarre, James Cotton and Long John Baldry. He also produced albums by Shawne Jackson, Moe Koffman and Kilowatt. He produced for David Gibson and John Rutledge on his own independent label. His songs, such as 'Writing on the Wall' and 'I Can Hear You Calling' from the 1970s, have been recorded by Three Dog Night, Skylark, and John Rutledge, among others. He received three Gemini award nominations for his television work, and his song "Just as Bad as You" was honoured by SOCAN. Troiano received a nomination for Producer of the Year at the Juno Awards for Fret Fever (1980) and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996. - from The Canadian Encyclopedia © 2012 http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/emc/domenic-troiano

Frankie Miller

Frankie Miller - Full House - 1977 - Chrysalis

Frankie Miller was one of the hottest young singers to emerge during the golden age of seventies' rock. There were many great pop and rock singers hitting the headlines during those happy days. Rod Stewart, Paul Rodgers and Joe Cocker were all prime examples of successful artists who had their musical roots firmly ensconced in soul and the blues. Then Frankie was discovered singing on the thriving London pub rock scene in the summer of 1971, it seemed like he would soon take pride of place among the ranks of megastars. He had all the right qualifications. A powerful, raspy voice, cheeky good looks and a feisty attitude. He was determined to get to the top with the aid of the best possible backing bands and producers. However, the music business is always a hard nut to crack and, despite his best efforts, Frankie never quite got into the big league. Even so, at the peak of his career he scored at least two palpable hits and unleashed a succession of fine albums which reflected his impeccable tastes in good-time rock and soul. © www.alexgitlin.com/index.htm

An album combined with Miller originals and choice covers, including an anguished and heartbroken version of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy", that deservedly received commercial success together with the Andy Fraser composition "Be Good to Yourself" reaching No. 27 the UK singles chart. - Wikipedia

Frankie Miller first became aware of rock and R&B through his mother’s record collection. She liked Ray Charles while his sisters listened to Little Richard and Elvis Presley. Frankie spoke of Little Richard’s music, saying "The music was alive, exciting, I loved it. I realised later that I could get my own aggression out through music. R&B and Soul Music, I just knew was what I really loved". He started composing songs at the age of nine after being given a guitar, and wrote "I Can't Change It" when he was twelve years old, which was recorded by Ray Charles. "Full House" encompasses all of Frankie's musical influences. He sings a wonderful version of Lennon's classic "Jealous Guy", but all ten tracks are terrific. A great R&B and Soul album by this marvellous and sometimes forgotten Scottish vocalist. Musicians on this album include Ray Minhinnet, Chris Spedding, Gary Brooker, John "Rabbit" Bundrick, and The Memphis Horns. VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to his "Dancing in the Rain", and "Once in a Blue Moon" albums. His great "The Rock" album can be found @ Samantha's Click tracks 01, & 02 to get links [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 76.2 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Be Good to Yourself (Andy Fraser)
2. The Doodle Song (Frankie Miller)
3. Jealous Guy (John Lennon)
4. Searching (Peter Knight, Bob Johnson)
5. Love Letters (Edward Heyman, Victor Young)
6. Take Good Care of Yourself (Doris)
7. Down the Honky Tonk (Frankie Miller)
8. This Love of Mine (Frankie Miller, Robin Trower)
9. Let the Candlelight Shine (Frankie Miller)
10. (I'll Never) Live in Vain (Frankie Miller)

MUSICIANS

Frankie Miller - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Ray Minhinnet - Lead Guitar
Chris Spedding - Guitar [Guest]
Chrissy Stewart - Bass Guitar
Jim Hall - Piano, Organ
Gary Brooker - Keyboards, Vocals [Guest]
John "Rabbit" Bundrick - Keyboards [Guest]
Graham Deacon - Drums
The Memphis Horns - Horn Section [Guest]

BIO

[Barrowland Ballroom - Glasgow Greats - Frankie Miller born 2 November 1949 - Bridgeton Glasgow]
Rod Stewart said of Frankie Miller, “He is the only white guy that ever brought a tear to my eye”! The widow of the late great Otis Redding reckoned: "that little ole white boy Frankie, has the the blackest voice since Otis”. Frankie is a proverbial enigma, widely regarded as one of the finest blues singers that ever lived and as a songwriter he has been covered by an impressive array of artists including, Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, Rod Stewart, Don Williams, Rush and the Everly Brothers. Frustratingly for everyone who has ever come across Frankie, he has never seemed to live up to his true potential. Frankie was born in Bridgeton in the East End of Glasgow in 1949 under the shadows of Parkhead Stadium, the home of Celtic football club and even today his affinity with Celtic is still strong. Ex-Celtic European Cup Winner Jimmy Johnston, tells the story of how Frankie scrounged a Celtic jersey from him after a Rangers game and then proceeded to wear it every single night during a rock stadium tour of America! Even at an early age Frankie was determined to be a blues singer, practicing Ray Charles and Sam Cooke songs from his mother’s scratchy R&B collection. The writer Jimmy Boyle who is Frankie’s 2nd cousin, relates how even at the age of 10, Frankie would push larger boys of 6’4” out the way, when given a hint of an opportunity to sing. By 15 Frankie had left school and begun his apprenticeship as an electrician but his heart was not in it and disillusioned, he soon returned to his first love music. By 1967 after a brief stint with the Del-Jacks, Frankie, John McGinnis (the pianist formerly of the Blues Council) and guitarist Jimmy Dewar could be found in a new band Sock 'Em JB; an exciting unit fuelled on material by Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, and Wilson Pickett. Sock 'Em JB was together for only a matter of months, ending when Miller formed a new group Westfarm Cottage , en route to The Stoics. This Glasgow-based band exhibited shades of progressivism and pop. It featured Jack Casey on drums; Jimmy Doris, guitar; Hugh McKenna (SAHB) keyboards; John Wayne on bass; and Frankie providing vocals and guitar. After the band split, Jimmy Doris concentrated on songwriting, particularly for fellow Scottish singer Lulu, but tragically he was later hit by a London bus and died. Hugh McKenna was later in the Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Dream Police. The Stoics was also short lived and Frankie set off to London, where he met Robin Trower of Procol Harum and so began the super group Jude. The ensemble was formed to play the London club circuit and consisted of the following members. Robin, ex-Stone the Crows bass player Jim Dewar and Clive Bunker (ex Jethro Tull). In a very short period the bands reputation grew and they built up a loyal following in the London club scene. Sadly for various reasons Jude never made it to the recording studio and therefore this potential was never captured on vinyl. Their creative differences apart, Frankie did at a later stage join Trower and Procol Harum on stage and a report from the gig stated, "Frankie Miller, fine Scottish singer, strode out to front the hapless Harum and with his high energy vocalising leading the way the group were obliged to wake up and attempt to stay with him. Miller swaggered around the stage in Farmer John hat and wasp-striped tee shirt bellowing the lyrics to Dylan's It Takes A Lot To Laugh, Shoorah Shoorah and (surprisingly) Jim Reeves' He'll Have To Go, and while the combination of soul singer and apocalyptic rock- group wasn't entirely happy, there were several invigorating moments. Frankie received a large ovation for his pains”. Upon the demise of Jude Frankie signed a solo contract with Chrysalis in 1972 and recorded his first album Once In A Blue Moon, supported by the then media darlings Brinsley Schwarz. Rock journalist David Hepworth fondly reflects on the early '70s as the period of “the tartan soul wars”, with many Scottish artists such as Maggie Bell from Stone the Crows, Jack Bruce of Cream and Rod Stewart leading the export of Scottish blues back to America. Although critically acclaimed the album only sold sporadically and Frankie took to touring Ireland and the UK with the band Bees Make Honey which included the Irish musicians Ed Deane Jimmy Smyth. However and fortunately for Frankie "Once in a Blue Moon" caught the attention of the New Orleans based producer/songwriter Allen Toussaint and Frankie was invited to the USA to record his soulful and brilliant follow-up, High Life. Toussaint’s legendary R&B production skills showcased what is still considered some of Miller’s finest blues vocals. Again the album received large amounts of praise in the music press but commercially it did not sell well. Further to this and to Frankie's dismay, the songs on the album provided hit singles for Three Dog Night and Betty Wright . By 1975 Miller had formed a full-time band called simply, "The Frankie Miller Band" featuring, Henry McCullough, Mick Weaver, Chrissie Stewart and Stu Perry. The Rock was recorded in sight of the prison of Alcatraz in San Francisco. Frankie commented that it was only music that had saved him that kind of fate and dedicated the album to prisoner and Jimmy Boyle. The album also and included the song "Drunken Nights in the City" written for his late night drinking buddy Jimmy Johnston. Yet another solid effort was met with middling sales and within a year Frankie went back to the drawing board, appearing with a completely new band comprising Ray Minhinnit (guitar), Charlie Harrison (bass), James Hall (keyboards) and Graham Deacon (drums) for the recording of Frankie Miller Full House. Once again the band lasted only a year. Frankie no longer had his 'Full House' and that seemed to be a good move for him as he again reverted to becoming a solo artist for the albums Double Trouble and Falling In Love (Perfect Fit). The later album providing him a surprise Top 10 UK hit when "Darlin" in October 1978, this soared up the chart to give him a number six placing and a ten week chart residency. His follow up "When I'm Away From You" was just as good, but stopped two places short of the 40. Billy Connolly gives us a wonderful view of Frankie’s character when he tells how a typically destructive Frankie rather than celebrate the songs success, bemoaned the fact that his biggest hit was not his song. Chris Mercer who played tenor & baritone sax on the album Double Trouble gives us another fascinating and amusing insight into recording industry in the 70s " This band had some heavyweight players, Chrissie, Ray Russell-noted studio gun, Paul Carrack, the late great BJ Wilson, Martin Drover and myself on horns. The album was produced by Jack Douglas from New York, which was typical of the era when Record Companies hired 'hot' producers, regardless of their feel for the music being created. A tragic exception of course was the wonderful album he made with Toussaint, which never got the recognition but was the right thing to have done. On Double Trouble the horns were pitifully under-balanced in the mix and he didn't even use the dynamite section parts we recorded on 'Goodnight sweetheart". The album has some very powerful playing and singing but is very rockish, whereas Frankie's true gift was R&B". During the next few years Miller produced a number of quality albums including, Easy Money (1980), Standing On The Edge (1982), Dancing In The Rain (1986), BBC Radio 1 in Concert (1994). He also had a major hit with the single Caledonia written by Dougie McLean which was voted a close second to the Corries “Flower of Scotland” as the greatest Scots song of all time by over 100000 Daily Record readers. Mary Saums the Nashville recording engineer and author reminisces, "I worked on Frankie's Standing On The Edge album which had the song, "Angels With Dirty Faces", recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound and produced by Barry Beckett. Frankie impressed all of us, mainly because he was as much a workaholic as the rest of the crew. Whether writing a new song or doing a guitar or vocal track, Frankie seemed to enjoy throwing himself into the thick of it - the harder the work, the better he liked it. A real professional". Guitarist Chris Spedding who worked on three of Miller's albums reflects, "His singing was always very emotional. One of the best rhythm'n'blues singers that were around in Britain at that time (70s). He never had the luck of say, Joe Cocker, which is a great shame because, unlike Joe, Frankie was also a pretty good songwriter", Chris strongest memory of Frankie is his smile and as a singer he says that Frankie is, " Definitely the equal of Joe Cocker and Rod Stewart. I'm sure Joe and Rod both would agree. They'd better!" Ever the confident performer he turned his talents to acting, gaining rave revues for his portrayal of a hard man in Scots director Peter McDougall’s 1979 BBC Scotland production “Just a Boys Game”. His music has further featured in many films and plays including the dramatic, "Sense of Freedom" and a duet of the Ry Cooder song Why Don’t You Try Me with singer Sarah Beth for the Soundtrack of the Belgian movie, "Ad Fundum". On the 26th of August 1994 Frankie and partner were in New York meeting an old friend Joe Walsh of the Eagles who was performing that night. After the show and as was often the case Annette went to bed leaving Frankie to sit writing songs on his guitar. A few hours later Annette awoke to find Frankie covered in blood and gasping for air. Annette called for an ambulance and nursing and willing him to stay alive for some 20 minutes until help arrived. Frankie had suffered a major brain haemorrhage and drifted deep into a coma from which he would not emerge for 5 months. When Frankie finally gained consciousness he and Annette began to begin the hard struggle back to health. Frankie’s fortitude was astounding shortly after the accident he was given a two percent chance of survival and Annette was told he would never walk or talk again. Defying the odds he with the support of Annette spent a further 15 months in hospital learning to walk, talk and regain his life. A major turning point in Frankie’s rehabilitation came on the day Graham Lyle from Gallagher & Lyle visited Frankie in hospital with his guitar. Graham asked Frankie to play the chord C, forming the chord with his good hand whilst Graham strummed the strings Frankie not only played C but a succession of other chords. It was on that day Annette knew the old Frankie was back. Billy Connolly when interviewed by the BBC about Frankie’s story said, “ You have either got the life force or you don’t and Frankie has it by the bucket load”. Frankie has since returned to his home in London where not only does he continue his rehabilitation by learning a new word everyday but with the help of Cormac O’Kane and the Drake Music Project, Frankie has begun to write music again. In a recent benefit concert in Edinburgh, Jools Holland Paul Carrack and Bonnie Tyler performed a new Frankie Miller/ Will Jennings composition, “The Sun Comes Up, The Sun Goes Down” to a packed audience. No one is sure what the future holds for Frankie but there are rumours of a tribute album, the start up of the Frankie Miller Song Writing Project and Frankie continues to pen the blues. In Annette’s inspiring words, “for Frankie, life just gets better every day”!!! [The information above is being used solely as a historical archive of the Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom. In all cases we have endeavored to give full credits and reciprocal links back to the original site. Where possible we have also tried to contact the originator, if however you find anything on this site which breaches copyright or presents an inaccurate representation, please email us and the article will be amended or removed. Thank you for your help] - from http://www.glasgow-barrowland.com/stories/frankie_miller.html

MORE

Blue-eyed soul singer Frankie Miller made his name on the English pub rock circuit of the early '70s, and spent around a decade and a half cutting albums of traditional R&B, rock & roll, and country-rock. In addition to his recorded legacy as an avatar of American roots music, his original material was covered by artists from the worlds of rock, blues, and country, from Bob Seger and Bonnie Tyler to Lou Ann Barton and the Bellamy Brothers. And Miller himself scored a surprise U.K. Top Ten smash in 1978 with "Darlin'," giving his likable, soulful style the popular airing many fans felt it deserved all along. Frankie Miller was born November 2, 1949, in Glasgow, Scotland; he began singing with local bands beginning in 1967, in a style influenced by American soul singers like Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Otis Redding. After a few years, he moved to the more fertile music scene in London, where he soon met ex-Procol Harum guitarist Robin Trower in the summer of 1971. Impressed with Miller's talents as a raw soul belter in the vein of a Rod Stewart or Joe Cocker, Trower offered him a job as lead vocalist of his new band Jude. It wasn't to be Miller's big break, though; internal conflicts split the group apart by the following year, and Miller returned to the London pub rock circuit. During 1972, he made frequent appearances at the Tally Ho in Kentish Town, often sitting in with Brinsley Schwarz, and signed a solo record deal with Chrysalis. Using the Brinsleys as a backing band, Miller recorded his debut album, Once in a Blue Moon, that year. Though it wasn't a hit, it was reviewed respectably; more importantly, when Miller sent a copy to New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint, he was impressed enough to produce Miller's next album. Miller traveled to New Orleans in 1973 to record High Life with an authentic Toussaint-led backing band, resulting in one of his most acclaimed and artistically satisfying albums. Upon returning to England, Miller assembled a Stax-style backing band -- dubbed simply the Frankie Miller Band -- featuring guitarist Henry McCullough, keyboardist Mick Weaver, bassist Chrissy Stewart, and drummer Stu Perry. This group traveled to San Francisco to record The Rock (named after Alcatraz), which was released in 1975. The band dissolved not long after, and Miller put together a new outfit called Full House, featuring guitarist Ray Minhinnett, keyboardist Jim Hall, bassist Charlie Harrison, and drummer Graham Deacon. They issued the aptly titled Full House in 1977, which, oddly enough, became fairly popular in Sweden. However, once again, Miller's backing band imploded, and he was back on his own for 1978's Double Trouble, which produced his first British Top 30 hit in "Be Good to Yourself." Late that year, Miller scored a runaway Top Ten hit in the U.K. with "Darlin'," a single included on his 1979 LP Falling in Love (aka Perfect Fit). (Typical of Miller's luck in the record business, his best-known song wasn't an original.) 1980's Easy Money was recorded in Nashville, and some of 1982's Standing on the Edge was recorded at Alabama's legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios. During this period, Miller also had a Scottish hit with his cover of Dougie McLean's "Caledonia." 1986's Dancing in the Rain was his final studio album. In August 1994, Miller suffered a devastating brain hemorrhage that left him in a coma for five months. Unable to walk or talk upon his emergence, Miller rehabilitated himself enough to begin writing songs again; at a late-'90s benefit concert in Edinburgh, Miller's new collaboration with Will Jennings, "The Sun Goes Up, the Sun Comes Down," was performed by Bonnie Tyler, Paul Carrack, and Jools Holland. © Steve Huey © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/frankie-miller-p199564/biography

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) - PG&E - 1971 - CBS

A really strong set with great rock & soul groove in the best style of some of the other Bay Area crossover groups from the time! The line up here is augmented by some positively soaring backing chorus vocals credited to the Blackberries – a nice counterpoint to the grittier lead vocals of Charlie Allen. The tunes range from an emotive rock & soul vibe to more of a chugging rock groove. Overall it's got some heavy guitar with good wah-wah moments, rock-oriented vocals with a soulful sound! Tracks "When The Sun Shines", "See The Monkey Run", "Short Dogs & Englishmen", "Recall", "Death Row #172", and "The Time Has Come (To Make Your Piece)" and more. © 1996-2011, Dusty Groove America, Inc [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 83.8 Mb] Search this blog for more releases by this band

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Rock And Roller's Lament - Charlie Allen 3:15
A2 Recall - Charlie Allen, Frank Pettricca 4:24
A3 One More River To Cross - D.Moore 2:42
A4 Death Row #172 - Charlie Allen, F. Cook, J. Hill 5:33
A5 Short Dogs And Englishmen - Charlie Allen 6:30

B1 See The Monkey Run - S. Beckmeier 2:34
B2 The Time Has Come (To Make Your Peace) - Ron Woods 3:14
B3 Thanks God For You Baby - Charlie Allen, J.Hill 6:54
B4 When The Sun Shines - Ken Utterback 4:10

MUSICIANS

Ken Utterback - Lead Guitar
Frank Petricca - Bass
Jerry Aiello - Organ
Ron Woods - Drums
Joe Lala - Conga, Timbales
Alfred Gallegos -Tenor Sax
Virgil Gonsalves - Baritone Sax
Stanley Abernathy - Trumpet
Charlie Allen - Vocals
The Blackberries - Background Vocals

BIO (WIKI)

Pacific Gas & Electric was an American rock band, best known for the song "Are You Ready?" released in 1970. The band's history dates from 1967 in Los Angeles. Self-taught guitarist Tom Marshall met bassist Brent Block at a party thrown by Block's former art teacher and formed a band then named "Pacific Gas and Electric Blues Band". It was one of the first multiracial bands to be part of the Los Angeles music scene. An early member was Charlie Allen (May 1, 1942 - May 7, 1990), a drummer from San Francisco, whose vocal abilities were so good that he moved from drums to lead singer, and was replaced on drums by Canned Heat's former drummer, Frank Cook, who had earlier signed to manage the band. In 1968, the band name was shortened to "Pacific Gas & Electric", and included Allen, Cook, Marshall, Block, and guitarist Glenn Schwartz (also of James Gang and All Saved Freak Band). They released their first album, Get It On, that year on the Power record label (it was subsequently released on Big Orange, Kent and United Superior as well). Although it only reached #159 on the album charts, someone at Columbia Records was listening, as they signed the band to a recording contract shortly after their appearance at the Miami Pop Festival in December of 1968. The next album, and the first released by Columbia, was simply called Pacific Gas and Electric (1969). However, it was the next release, Are You Ready, that included their first mainstream hit. The title track reached #14 in the summer of 1970, and featured the backing vocals of The Blackberries. Wholesale changes were in store for the group after recording the Are You Ready album. After a serious car accident, Cook was replaced on drums by Ron Woods, and he stayed on as manager. Schwartz announced his conversion to Christianity onstage during a concert and then later joined the All Saved Freak Band. Marshall also left, and the two were replaced by Frank Petricca on bass and Ken Utterback on guitar, with Brent Block moving to rhythm guitar from bass. This is the line-up that toured in support of Are You Ready. This version of the band recorded a self-titled album in 1971 (minus Block, who had left the band in late 1970), adding Jerry Aiello on keyboards, trumpet player Stanley Abernathy, sax players Alfred Galagos and Virgil Gonsalves, and percussionist Joe LaLa. At the request of the utility company sharing the same name, the band name was shortened to "P G & E". The band did countless concerts, often appearing with other big musical acts of the era. At one P G & E show, writer and film producer Lawrence Schiller filmed his documentary, The Lexington Experience. Disagreements with the owners to the rights to the music caused the film to be shelved after only a few showings, and the only copies known to exist are in Schiller's vault. They made more movie history when they appeared in, and provided music to, the Otto Preminger film Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, starring Liza Minnelli. Their song "Staggolee" was also featured in the Quentin Tarantino film Death Proof. After 1972, the group's line-up became unstable, resembling more of an Allen solo project. One more album was forthcoming: ...Starring Charlie Allen in 1973 on the Dunhill label, featuring Allen and a host of studio musicians.

Buster Benton

Buster Benton - Spider In My Stew - 1978 - Ronn Records

Without a doubt, this album, originally released on Ronn in 1979, stands as the best place to begin an in-depth examination of Benton's legacy. "Spider in My Stew," and obviously, is here, along with the wonderful Cooke-influenced R&B outing "Lonesome for a Dime;" an irresistibly funky "Sweet 94" (Ron Scott's gurgly electric saxophone gives this cut and several others a unique feel), a driving "Funny About My Money," and the mournful minor-key blues "Sorry." Ronn has beefed the CD program up still further with three additions: the doomy, Bobby Bland-styled "Money Is the Name of the Game," a shuffling "Dangerous Woman," and Benton's happy-go-lucky cover of David Dee's "Going Fishin'." © Bill Dahl © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/spider-in-my-stew-r1723

"Spider In My Stew" is a great overlooked album of Chicago Blues. An underrated vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, the late Buster Benton from Texarkana, Arkansas solely composed nine of the songs on the original ten track album. "Spider In My Stew" composed by Willie Dixon, and Buster Benton's own "Sweet 94" is played in the traditional Chicago blues style, while the other songs are more contemporary for the time, many being in the soul/r&b mould. Buy his great "Blues and Trouble" album and keep the blues alive.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Spider In My Stew - Willie Dixon 3:25
A2 Sweet 94 - Buster Benton 5:06
A3 Born With The Blues - Buster Benton 4:47
A4 Love Like I Wanna - Buster Benton 4:57
A5 Leave Me Alone - Buster Benton 4:22

B1 Sorry - Buster Benton 4:46
B2 Funny About Money - Buster Benton 3:31
B3 Lonesome For A Dime - Buster Benton 4:53
B4 Do It In The Rain - Buster Benton 3:30
B5 Disco Blues - Buster Benton 5:04
11 Dangerous Woman - Buster Benton & Willie Dixon 3:16 [Bonus Track]
12 Going Fishing - Stanley J.Lewis 3:59 [Bonus Track]
13 Money Is The Name Of The Game - Johnny Thompson 3:47 [Bonus Track]

MUSICIANS

Buster Benton - Guitar, Vocals
Mighty Joe Young, Jimmy Johnson - Guitar
Nolan Struck, James Green, Willie Dixon - Bass
Lafayette Leake - Piano
Ray Allison, Billy Davenport - Drums
Ronnie Scott - Saxophone
Carey Bell - Harmonica

N.B: The 1994 CD reissue contains three bonus tracks included here. The album has also been released on LP in 1974 on Red Lightnin' records and later on CD as "Blues Buster" which has the same tracks as "Spider In My Stew" but excludes the three bonus tracks. Importantly, there is also an album called "Blues Buster" credited to the late Carey Bell. This album is actually the same as the original Buster Benton "Spider In My Stew" album on which Carey plays harmonica.

BIO

Despite the amputation of parts of both his legs during the course of his career, Chicago guitarist Buster Benton never gave up playing his music -- an infectious hybrid of blues and soul that he dubbed at one point "disco blues" (an unfortunate appellation in retrospect, but useful in describing its danceability). In the late '70s, when blues was at low ebb, Benton's waxings for Ronn Records were a breath of fresh air. Inspired by the music of Sam Cooke and B.B. King, the gospel-bred Benton began playing the blues during the mid-'50s while living in Toledo, OH. By 1959, he was leading his own band in Chicago. During the '60s, he cut a series of soul-slanted singles for local concerns (Melloway, Alteen, Sonic, Twinight) before hooking up with the great Willie Dixon in 1971. Benton was a member of Dixon's Blues All-Stars for a while, and Dixon is credited as songwriter of Benton's best-known song, the agonized slow blues "Spider in My Stew." Its release on Stan Lewis's Shreveport-based Jewel Records gave Benton a taste of fame; its follow-up, "Money Is the Name of the Game," solidified his reputation. A 1979 LP for Jewel's Ronn subsidiary (logically titled Spider in My Stew) stands as one of the most engaging Chicago blues LPs of its era, its contemporary grooves abetting Benton's tasty guitar work and soulful vocals. Benton cut three albums later on for Ichiban, but compared to his Ronn output, they were disappointing. On the Chicago circuit, Benton's extreme courage in the face of physical adversity will long be cited. He was on kidney dialysis for the last few years of his life as a result of diabetes, and a portion of his right leg was amputated in 1993 due to poor circulation (he had already lost part of the other a decade earlier). Still, he continued to play his brand of uplifting blues until the end. © Bill Dahl © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/buster-benton-p10126/biography



BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Buster Benton (Arley Benton) from Texarkana, Arkansas (July 19, 1932 – January 20, 1996, was an American blues guitarist and singer, who played guitar in Willie Dixon's Blues All-Stars, and is best known for his solo rendition of the Dixon-penned song "Spider in My Stew." He was tenacious and in the latter part of his lengthy career, despite the amputation of parts of both his legs, Benton never stopped playing his own version of Chicago blues. Whilst residing in Toledo, Ohio, during the mid 1950s, and having been influenced by Sam Cooke and B.B. King, Benton began playing blues music. By 1959, he was leading his own band in Chicago. During the 1960s, local record labels, such as Melloway, Alteen, Sonic, and Twinight Records released several Benton singles, before in 1971 he joined Willie Dixon. Indeed, a lack of opportunity in the early 1960s meant that Benton gave up playing professionally for several years, and he worked as an auto mechanic. Benton's earlier work was an amalgam of blues and soul, which he confusingly dubbed 'disco blues'. However, according to Music journalist, Bill Dahl, "in the late 1970s, when the popularity of blues music was at low ebb, Benton's recordings, particularly for Ronn Records, were a breath of fresh air." Benton became a fixture in Dixon's Blues All-Stars for some time. A 1973 album by Dixon's Blues All-Stars, featuring Benton, The All Star Blues World Of Maestro Willie Dixon and his Chicago Blues Band, was issued on Spivey. Dixon was credited as the songwriter of Benton's best known song, "Spider in My Stew." Released on the Shreveport-based Jewel Records label, it gave Benton a modicum of fame, and his 1974 follow-up, "Money Is the Name of the Game", helped to cement his standing. Benton's 1978 effort for Jewel's Ronn Records subsidiary (also titled Spider in My Stew) became recognised as one of the more engaging Chicago blues albums of its time. Benton recorded three further albums on the Ichiban label, but in comparison to his work on the Ronn label, they were uncommercial. One such LP offering was 1989's, Money's The Name of The Game, produced by Gary B.B. Coleman. Benton also issued a record on the Blue Phoenix label. Benton's fortitude did not go unnoticed. He suffered from the effects of diabetes and received dialysis for the final years of his life. In addition, in 1993, part of his right leg was amputated due to poor circulation, having already lost a portion of the other some ten years previously. He soldiered on, playing his brand of the blues up to his death. However, as journalist, Tony Russell, stated in his book The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray, Benton "never found another money spider". Benton died in January 1996, in Chicago, from the effects of diabetes, at age 63. His work has appeared on a number of compilation albums, including Chicago Blues Festival: 1969-1986 (2001).

Them

Them - Shut Your Mouth - 1979 - Strand/Teldec

Bassist Alan Henderson had been using the name,Them in the USA with moderate success but, in 1977, three of the original members of the Irish 60's soul/R&B band Them (Keyboardist, Eric Wrixon, bassist Alan Henderson, and guitarist Bill Harrison), reunited briefly in Hamburg, joined by vocalist, Mel Austin, and Billy Bell (as a late replacement for John Wilson). Eric Wrixon had brief spells in some good Irish '60s bands, and initiated "Shut Your Mouth" while living in Hamburg. The album was produced by Frank Dostal, and recorded for the Strand/Teldec company. "Street walkin Lady" was released as a single, and got some good reviews, and a lot of airplay. However, while the band were warming up for a a promotional tour, Billy Harrison decided to pursue a solo career as a singer songwriter, and was replaced by guitarist Jim Armstrong for the short German tour. Allegedly, Eric Wrixon was fired before the tour. Them were known for their sometimes eccentric behaviour, and recording line-ups in the studio. (Read more in Wikipedia). N.B: this album was reissued in 1996, and 2000, entitled "Reunion Concert", which gives the impression of being a live album. However, both albums are the same and contain studio tracks, only. Eric Wrixon still occasionally tours, using the band name Them- Belfast Blues Band. However, promoters usually just bill the band as the original name, Them. "Shut Your Mouth" is not a great album, but the band on this album can really play well, and Mel Austin's vocals are great. At times there are shades of the original R&B early Them sound. Listen to Billy Harrison & Eric Wrixon playing an excerpt of "Baby Please Don't Go" on You Tube @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QOH_xbneGU Try and listen to the British edition of Them's first album,"The Angry Young Them". Van Morrison had a major input into this album, penning six of the tracks. However, Van The Man's career is a separate story

SIDE A

Hamburg connection - Campbell, Harrison
I'm a lover not a worker - Harrison
Shut your mouth - Harrison
Needed on the farm - Harrison
Street walking lady - Campbell, Harrison
Firewater - Harrison

SIDE B

Child of the sixties - Harrison
Slow down - Harrison
Losing you - Campbell, Harrison
Weekend entertainer - Campbell, Harrison
Holy roller - Campbell, Harrison
Cincinnati dice man - Campbell, Harrison

BAND

Mel Austin - vocals
Bill Harrison - guitars
Alan Henderson - bass
Eric Wrixon - keyboards
Billy Bell - drums

SHORT BIO

Not strictly a British group, but packaged as part of the British Invasion, Them forged their hard-nosed R&B sound in Belfast, Ireland, moving to England in 1964 after landing a deal with Decca Records. The band's simmering sound was dominated by boiling organ riffs, lean guitars, and the tough vocals of lead singer Van Morrison, whose recordings with Them rank among the very best performances of the British Invasion. Morrison also wrote top-notch original material for the outfit, whose lineup changed numerous times over the course of their brief existence. As a hit-making act, their résumé was brief -- "Here Comes the Night" and "Baby Please Don't Go" were Top Ten hits in England, "Mystic Eyes" and "Here Comes the Night" made the Top 40 in the U.S. -- but their influence was considerable, reaching bands like the Doors, whom Them played with during a residency in Los Angeles just before Van Morrison quit the band in 1966. Their most influential song of all, the classic three-chord stormer "Gloria," was actually a B-side, although the Shadows of Knight had a hit in the U.S. with a faithful, tamer cover version. Morrison recalled his days with Them with some bitterness, noting that the heart of the original group was torn out by image-conscious record company politics, and that sessionmen (including Jimmy Page) often played on recordings. In addition to hits, Them released a couple of fine albums and several flop singles that mixed Morrison compositions with R&B and soul covers, as well as a few songs written for them by producers like Bert Berns (who penned "Here Comes the Night"). After Morrison left the group, Them splintered into the Belfast Gypsies, who released an album that (except for the vocals) approximated Them's early records, and a psychedelic outfit that kept the name Them, releasing four LPs with little resemblance to the tough sounds of their mid-'60s heyday. © Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide © 2010 Answers Corporation http://www.answers.com/topic/them-band

BIO (WIKI)

Them were a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career. The group was marketed in the United States as part of the British Invasion. The band featured Van Morrison on vocals and harmonica, Billy Harrison on guitar (born William Harrison, 14 October 1942, in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland), Eric Wrixon on piano and keyboards (Wrixon named the band, but never played on any published albums or toured the States), Alan Henderson on bass (born 26 November 1944, in Belfast), Raymond Sweetman on bass (born Dermot Robert Sweetman, 1 January 1948, in Holyhead, Anglesey, North Wales) and Ronnie Millings on drums (born c 1937, in Belfast), with other musicians replacing or contributing during the life of the band. Henderson was the only constant member of the band from inception through their 1972 breakup and 1979 reunion. When Van Morrison formed an R&B club with the entrepreneurs Jimmy Conlon, Jerry McKernan and Jerry McCurvey (known as the "3Js") at the Maritime Hotel in April 1964, he gave notice to the Golden Eagles, the group with which he performed at the time. This left him without a group. With an anticipated opening night for the new R&B club approaching, he embarked on a mission to find his ideal line-up. He had recently been introduced to The Gamblers, a Belfast East group formed by Ronnie Millings, Billy Harrison, and Alan Henderson in 1962. Still a schoolboy, Eric Wrixon had been recruited as piano player and keyboardist. Morrison soon joined up with this group playing saxophone and harmonica and sharing vocals with Billy Harrison. The group rehearsed together in a room over a bicycle shop in preparation for their debut at the Maritime. Deciding the group now needed a new name, they followed Eric Wrixon's suggestion, and The Gamblers morphed into Them after the 1954 sci-fi horror film. In an enigmatic manner, the very first announcement of the band Them transpired on 14 April 1964 with an ad in a Belfast newspaper asking: Who Are? What Are? THEM followed with similarly curious ads and building interest, until the Friday ad before the gig announced that Them would be performing at the Maritime Hotel (Club Rado) that evening. Their initial club attendance in the two hundred capacity venue grew very quickly; within a week, people could be seen queuing well down the street hours before the show. Them performed without a routine, and the act absorbed their fuel from the crowd's energy. Morrison ad libbed, creating his songs live as he performed. Their debut of Morrison's "Gloria" took place on stage here. Sometimes, depending on his mood, the song could last up to twenty minutes. Morrison has stated that "Them lived and died on the stage at the Maritime Hotel." The records and tours never adequately captured the true spirit of Them, as they fed off one another and the energy of the audience. Only the most rudimentary of recordings of the performances survive. One of the fan's recordings of "Turn On Your Love Light" made its way to Dick Rowe with Decca Records. He was notoriously known for having turned down signing The Beatles after listening to a badly recorded demo. Not anxious to repeat this type of mistake, Rowe rushed over to the Maritime to hear Them and then rushed them into the Decca studios to sign away their rights on a standard two year contract. The minors had to have their parents' signatures and when Eric Wrixon's parents refused to sign, he was replaced with Patrick McAuley. The first recording session took place in London England in Decca Records' recording studios in West Hampstead on 5 July 1964. Dick Rowe brought in session musicians Arthur Greenslade on organ and Bobby Graham on drums. Six songs were recorded during this session: "Groovin'", "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover", "Turn on Your Love Light", "Don't Start Crying Now", "One Two Brown Eyes", "Philosophy" and "Gloria". This session was remarkable in its employment of two drums tracks, which can be clearly heard in the stereo mixes of "Gloria" and "One Two Brown Eyes". The group released its first single "Don't Start Crying Now" b/w "One Two Brown Eyes", in August, which did not prove to be successful. Phil Solomon, the band's manager, and Dick Rowe then hired session musicians Jimmy Page, Peter Bardens and Bobby Graham to back Morrison on a cover of Big Joe Williams's "Baby Please Don't Go"(though Page contributed rhythm guitar, the lead guitar playing was the work of Billy Harrison). It was released in November, and in December, Them made their television debut on Ready Steady Go!, joining The Rolling Stones on the same bill. Solomon used his connections to have "Baby Please Don't Go" played as the weekly signature tune for the television show and within two weeks it was #26 on the charts. The single, which featured the now-legendary "Gloria" as its B-side, turned into a smash hit in the UK, finally peaking in the Top Ten on the UK Singles Chart. In January 1965, Them toured England for a second time, staying at the Royal Hotel, which disc jockey Jimmy Savile used as his London base. As with many other groups of the time, Savile helped to promote the band with write-ups in his column for The People. At this point, Them needed a dose of positive publicity as they soon had earned a reputation for bad manners and sarcasm in their interviews. Billy Harrison said the attitude problem may have been caused by anti-Irish sentiments on the continent at the time. But, when they were interviewed by a reporter from the Irish Independent, the reporter remarked, "They were the most boorish bunch of youngsters I'd come across in my short career". They even treated an attractive female reporter with arrogance, causing Phil Coulter who witnessed this interview to remark, "They would just sit and mutter monosyllabic grunts to themselves and give her off-the-wall answers". (Van Morrison as a solo artist later raised these tedious and combative interviews to a "negative art form".) Their record label Decca released an EP with a recording of "Philosophy" from an earlier session. They next released Them's biggest hit in the UK, "Here Comes the Night" b/w "All for Myself". Phil Solomon had brought in Bert Berns, an American, who had co-written the hit "Twist and Shout". Berns hired session musicians Phil Coulter on keyboards and Andy White on drums to play on this song, which was one of his own compositions. Three weeks after it was released it charted at #2 in March 1965 in the UK and it went to #24 in the U.S. that same May. Their management promoted Them by scheduling appearances on Ready Steady Go! and Top Of The Pops where rather than performing live, they were expected to mime and lip snyc. Morrison said of this appearance, "It was ridiculous. We were totally anti that type of thing... and we had to get into suits and have make-up put on and all that...". He also revealed how the band had until that time considered the programme a complete joke, and, then, Them had to appear on it. On 11 April 1965 Them made a guest appearance at the NME Pollwinners Concert at Wembley Empire Pool. Jimmy Savile was MC for this event and perhaps was responsible for their appearance, as their newfound fame was too recent to have figured into that year's readers' polls. The 1965 concert remains the finest gathering ever of British pop acts, with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Animals, The Searchers, The Moody Blues, Dusty Springfield et al. The bands had been expected to keep to their current hits but Them audaciously segued from "Here Comes the Night" into a seven minute version of "Turn on Your Lovelight".[11] At the time, Derek Johnson with NME characterized Them's lead singer as generating "more genuine soul than any of his British contemporaries". Them released their next single, "One More Time", chosen by Phil Solomon, in June 1965. This single bombed according to Billy Harrison because it never constituted single material. The band released two albums: The Angry Young Them released by Decca in June 1965 (UK) and by Parrot Records (US) in July 1965, and Them Again released in January 1966 (UK) and April 1966 (US). Later that year "Mystic Eyes" released as a single in the US reached #33. Them Again had charted in the US, and so they began a tour in May 1966. In June of this two-month tour, Them had a three-week run at the famous Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. For the final week, The Doors (with lead singer Jim Morrison) opened for Them (which was the first time the Doors played at the Whisky). On the last night, the two bands and the two Morrisons jammed together on a twenty-minute version of "Gloria". Them went on to headline at the The Fillmore in San Francisco, California, and then in Hawaii where things went awry, with disputes erupting among band members and with management over financial arrangements. The band broke apart, with Van Morrison and Alan Henderson returning to Belfast, while Ray Elliot and David Harvey decided to stay in America. Van Morrison has placed the Them break-up in context: "There was no motive behind anything you did [back then]. You just did it because you wanted to do it and you enjoyed doing it. That's the way the thing started, but it got twisted somewhere along the way and everybody involved in it got twisted as well, including me." (1967) "You can't take something like that, put it in a box and place a neat little name on it, then try to sell it. That's what they tried to do. That's what killed Them." (1973). After a brief band break-up in August 1965, Billy Harrison and Pat McAuley (who had both left the group one month previously) formed a rival Them, competing with the Morrison/Henderson line-up and leading to legal action between the two groups. The latter won the rights to the name in March 1966, while the former, now without Harrison, were only allowed to use 'Other Them' in the U.K. The McAuley brothers became, unofficially, The Belfast Gypsies (or Gipsies), who recorded two singles on Island Records (one released under the name Freaks of Nature) and one Swedish-only album, all produced by Kim Fowley. During this time they toured Europe billed as Them, and released a French E.P. under that name; the band never actually performed billed as the Belfast Gypsies. In mid-1966, after Van Morrison left Them, he pursued a highly-successful solo career. The rest of the band regrouped back in Belfast and recruited Kenny McDowell (ex-Mad Lads) as singer. They continued touring and recording steadily after relocating to the USA in early 1967 at the invitation of producer Ray Ruff. Two of these post-Morrison albums, Now and Them and Time Out! Time In for Them, found the band experimenting with psychedelia. This line-up then disbanded with Jim Armstrong and Kenny McDowell returning to Belfast and performing as Sk'boo, after which Armstrong, McDowell and Ray Elliot re-united in Chicago in 1969 as Truth and recorded a number of demos and soundtrack songs later released as Of Them And Other Tales. Henderson meanwhile hired session musicians for two later, and much more considered efforts for Ray Ruff's Happy Tiger Records, where Them settled into a hard rock vein not too dissimilar from Uriah Heep: Them (1969) featured Jerry Cole (a session musician who appeared on numerous records including Beach Boys releases); Them In Reality (1970) featured lead guitarist Jim Parker and drummer John Stark (both formerly with the Kitchen Cinq and Armageddon). Sadly for the group, these efforts met with consumer indifference, and by 1972 the band had dissolved. Henderson went on to contribute to the Truth Of Truths rock opera, produced by Ray Ruff in 1971. Them reunited briefly in 1979, without Morrison, and recorded another album, 'Shut Your Mouth', and undertook a short tour of Germany. Van Morrison went on to great success and fame as a solo artist, but Them's combination of garage rock and blues proved a major influence on the next generation of rock musicians, and the group's best-known singles have become staples of rock and roll. Alan Henderson settled outside Minneapolis and runs his own business applying "stucco" plaster to houses. Eric Wrixon had brief spells in seemingly every important Irish '60s band, and initiated the '79 LP while living in Hamburg; he returned to Northern Ireland and played with the Belfast Blues Band which included John Wilson. Wilson gained some fame as drummer for Rory Gallagher's Taste and then for Stud in the late '60s. He later went on to become an in-demand drummer on Belfast studio and radio sessions in all genres of music, even reuniting with Jim Armstrong (and Kenny McDowell) several times in the '70s, '80s and '90s. Billy Harrison works as a maritime electrician outside Belfast, turning up at the occasional gig in town. Jackie McAuley formed The Cult in Dublin with Paul Brady before forming folk duo Trader Horne with Judy Dyble (ex-Fairport Convention), wrote songs (one a hit for Status Quo!), spent four years touring with Lonnie Donegan and later issued a CD by Jackie's "Celtic R&B" band The Poormouth in 1992 - one that included ex-Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker. Jackie's brother John "Pat" McAuley met an unfortunate and premature death while on holiday in the Irish Republic on the June 25th, 1984. Peter Bardens alternated between solo career and Camel gigs, plus recorded and toured with Van Morrison in 1978/79. Drummer David "Harvey" Tufrey - who in fact gave way on most of the sessions for the second 'Tower' LP to sessionman (and future Byrd) John Guerin - settled down in California, though recent accounts have him back home in London. Ray Elliot eventually went to Canada and is rumoured to have played in bar bands in the Toronto area. Jim Armstrong joined the Civil Service and became a part-time musician, playing with (and at times without) Kenny McDowell in a series of Belfast bands such as Spike, Bronco and Sk'boo. In 1977 Jim split with Kenny to lead Light, which released a progressive LP on the local 'Mint' label. After Jim did the brief '79 Them reunion tour in Germany, Jim and Kenny eventually came together for another stint as Sk'boo. They released an EP in '81 on the local 'Cuecomber' label. By the end of the '80s Jim and Kenny parted musical ways again, and since then Jim has led The Jim Armstrong Band fronted by singer Jim Gilchrist, and Kenny McDowell went on to front Hensteeth in Belfast. In January 2007, "Gloria" by Them was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. "Gloria" by Them was rated at #69 on Dave Marsh's 1989 book, The Heart of Rock and Soul, The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever and "Mystic Eyes" was rated at #458. "Gloria" by Them was #208 on the 2004 Rolling Stone magazine's feature, The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Elvin Bishop

Elvin Bishop - Feel It! - 1970 - Fillmore

The Elvin Bishop Group's second album saw the band tilt the balance more away from blues-rock, and toward soul-rock and R&B-influenced rock, than had been the case on their debut. The result was more consistent than the patchy The Elvin Bishop Group, but still not an optimum distillation of Bishop's talents. Jo Baker took over much of the lead vocal duties, and while that was a plus inasmuch as Bishop himself didn't have many singing chops to speak of, Baker was only an adequate soul singer. Again the program was split between blues-R&B-soul covers and originals, but the covers weren't remarkable interpretations, and the group-generated compositions were just so-so. Bishop's guitar prowess is rather subdued on much of the material, a highlight being the Santana-like instrumental "Hogbottom," which indeed features Chepito Areas and Mike Carabello of Santana on percussion. The 2002 CD reissue on Sundazed adds a bonus track from an Epic 45, "Stealin' Watermelons." © Richie Unterberger, allmusic.com

Feel It! is a good R&B/Soul recording. Rolling stone described this album as ""A fat pack of San Francisco-ballroom R&B", and if you like that music genre, you may enjoy this album. Elvin Bishop's guitar skills are not apparent on the album, except for the "Hogbottom" track which is a good instrumental. To hear more of the blues rock side of Elvin Bishop, give his great "Let It Flow" album a listen

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

Don't Fight It (Feel It) (Cropper / Pickett)
I Just Can't Go On (Baker)
So Good (Bishop / Miller)
Crazy 'Bout You Baby (Williamson)
So Fine (Otis)
Party Till the Cows Come Home (Bishop / Miller)
Hogbottom (Bishop / Miller)
Be With Me (Bishop / Miller)
As the Years Go Passing By (Malone)

MUSICIANS

Elvin Bishop - guitar, vocals
Kip Maercklein - bass
Stephen Miller - piano, organ, vocals
John Chambers - drums
Mike Carabello, José Chepitó Areas - percussion
Jo Baker - percussion, vocals
Perry Walsh - harmonica, vocals
The Pointer Sisters - vocals

BIO

A veteran guitarist who fused the blues with gospel, R&B, and country traditions, Elvin Bishop was born in Glendale, CA, on October 21, 1942. He grew up on a farm in Iowa with no electricity or running water, and eventually moved to Oklahoma with his family when he was ten. Raised in an all-White community, his only exposure to African-American traditions was the radio, which introduced him to the sounds of blues stations in Shreveport, LA. The piercing sound of Jimmy Reed's harmonica won his attention; Bishop would later liken it to a crossword puzzle that he had to figure out. What was this music? Who made it? What was it all about? Inspired, he began to put the pieces together. However, it was not until he won a National Merit Scholarship to the University of Chicago in 1959 that Bishop found the real answers to his questions. He found himself in the middle of the Chicago blues scene and immersed himself in the genre. After two years of college, Bishop dropped out and pursued music full time, eventually meeting Howlin' Wolf's guitarist Smokey Smothers and learning the basics of blues guitar from him. In the early '60s, Bishop teamed up with Paul Butterfield helped form the core of the Butterfield Blues Band. Although he had only played guitar for a few years, he practiced frequently and played with Butterfield in just about every place possible, including campuses, houses, parks, and — in the venue that helped launch the band — Big John's on Chicago's North Side. Bishop also helped shape the sound of several Butterfield albums, including The Pigboy Crabshaw, whose title refers to Bishop's countrified persona. In 1968, Elvin Bishop left Butterfield's band following the release of In My Own Dream. He launched a solo career and relocated to the San Francisco area, where he made frequent appearances at the Filmore with artists like Eric Clapton, B. B. King, Jimi Hendrix, and the Allman Brothers Band. Bishop recorded for four albums for Epic Records and later signed with Capricorn in 1974. His recording of "Traveling Shoes" (from the album Let It Flow) made a dent on the charts, but the single "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" (from Struttin' My Stuff) made a bigger splash in 1976 when it peaked at number 3 on the Billboard charts. Over the next few years, the Elvin Bishop Group dissolved. He released his album Best Of in 1979 and lay low for several years, eventually resurfacing when he signed with the Alligator label in 1988. Bishop then released Big Fun in 1988 and Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down in 1991, both of which were well received. He also participated in Alligator's 1992 20th Anniversary cross-country tour; three years later, he toured with veteran bluesman B.B. King and released an album entitled Ace in the Hole. The Skin I'm In followed in 1998, and 2000's That's My Partner saw him teaming up with Smokey Smothers, the same musician who had originally taught him guitar. After a five-year hiatus, Bishop released Gettin' My Groove Back in 2005 via Blind Pig Records; he then jumped to the Delta Groove Music label for 2008's The Blues Rolls On, which featured guest spots by B.B. King, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, and others. © Michael Erlewine, allmusic.com

Renée Geyer

Renée Geyer - Blues License - 1978 - Mushroom

During the 1980's and 1990's, Renee Geyer, the great Australian soul/blues/jazz/R&B singer spent a great deal of time between Australia and America performing with artists like Sting, Chaka Kan, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Brown. She also toured Europe with Joe Cocker and Chaka Khan. She really needs to be more widely heard outside the Australasian area. This album is a good starter if you need a demonstration of Renée's talents. It's a great blues/soul album with backing by the Kevin Borich Express on most tracks. In fact, all the musicians featured here are "top notch." Blues License may be the least recognised Renee Geyer album, but is her most stylish and consistent album. This is a more bluesy album than most of her normal R&B/soul releases, and there quite a few blues standards on this album, which are brilliantly sung in Renée's easily recognisable voice. Renee has the great "knack" of adopting and adapting tunes to make them her own. Buy her 1975 "Ready To Deal" or her 1986 "Renee Live at the Basement" albums.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

"The Thrill Is Gone" – 6.55 (Rick Darnell, Roy Hawkins)
"That Did It Babe" – 5.15 (Pearl Woods)
"Set Me Free" – 4.08 (Deadric Malone)
"Bellhop Blues" – 3.23 (Kevin Borich)
"Won't Be Long" – 3.48 (J. Leslie McFarland)
"Stormy Monday" – 6.43 (Aaron "T-Bone" Walker)
"Dust My Blues" – 3.03 (Elmore James)
"Feeling Is Believing" – 7.01 (Willie Henderson, Richard Parker)

MUSICIANS

Renee Geyer - Vocals
Kevin Borich (LA De Das), Tim Piper, Mark Punch - Guitars
Mal Logan - Keyboards
Tim Partridge - Bass guitar
John Annas, Steve Hopes - Drums
Ron King - Harmonica
Kerri Bidell - Background Vocals

BIO (Wikipedia)

Renee Geyer (born September 11, 1953 in Melbourne, Australia) is a singer most often identified with jazz and blues music, who also achieved several hit singles as a mainsteam pop singer. Geyer's singing career began in the early 1970s as a vocalist with the jazz band Dry Red and Sun. The band released one album before Geyer departed in 1972. After working for the next few years with various groups, she released her first solo album It's A Man's Man's World in 1974. The title track, a James Brown cover version became her first hit single. Heading In The Right Direction also reached the top twenty in 1976. During this time, Geyer also participated in the 1975 Election Campaign of the Liberal Party, singing the party's campaign theme Turn On The Lights, the second most known Australian political song behind the 1972 Labor Campaign theme, It's Time. Her album Moving Along released in late 1976 provided her with her biggest hit to date with the single Stares and Whispers, and also attracted considerable attention in the United States when radio stations began playing several of the albums tracks. Geyer's record company RCA Records were aware that her vocal style had led many listeners to incorrectly assume that she was black, and they urged her to keep a low profile until her popularity had grown, even suggesting that the American release of the album should not include her photograph. Known for her uncompromising and direct personal manner, Geyer refused to allow this deception and insisted on marketing the album complete with a cover photograph of what she later referred to as "my big pink face". With the album's release, interest in Geyer subsided in the United States, an event that Geyer would later blame on her headstrong decision in regards to her marketing. She did earn respect within the recording industry and for several years worked in Los Angeles as a session vocalist. In 1980 she signed with Mushroom Records and released the album So Lucky. The album took her away from the blues and jazz she had so closely identified with and added a salsa and reggae style. The single Say I Love You became the biggest hit of her career when it reached number 5 on the Australian singles charts. She continued to record and perform as a solo artist over the next decade. She also performed as a session vocalist most notably on Sting's We'll Be Together. In 1999 she made a comeback with the album Sweet Life, and in 2003 received her first ARIA Award nomination for her album Tenderland.

MORE ABOUT RENEE GEYER

Renée Geyer is Australia's most respected and successful soul singer, with a recording career of nearly 30 years. Her career began around 1971 in Sydney, when a girlfriend took her along to the rehearsal of friends who were forming a band. Geyer was encouraged to get up and have a sing and was instantly invited to join as singer. Although she was so shy in the beginning she couldn't face the audience, musicians noticed her, and Geyer was invited to join one more experienced band after another until 1971, when she became part of an ambitious jazz fusion group called Sun. Geyer was still just 19. After one album (Sun '72), Sun and Geyer parted company; Geyer eventually found herself part of a group called Mother Earth, still with jazz leanings but also incorporating the soul and R&B Geyer loved and excelled at. With Mother Earth, she started touring and was offered a solo recording contract. She insisted that Mother Earth provide the backings on her first album. For her second album, the cream of Melbourne musicians were assembled for the sessions. Geyer formed such a strong bond with these musicians, but by the time the It's a Man's World album was released and her powerfully provocative version of the James Brown title song was a big hit, Geyer was ready to throw her lot in with those musicians rather than be a solo performer. Her two solo albums so far had been cover versions or sourced songs, apart from the single "Heading in the Right Direction." The Renée Geyer Band wrote the songs for 1975's Ready to Deal album in the studio and toured extensively. A live album, Really.. Really Love You, followed, based on Geyer's building reputation as a powerfully voiced, raunchy performer. That reputation found its way to America and led to an invitation to record an album in Los Angeles with famed Motown producer Frank Wilson. While the Movin' Along album provided another hit at home, in America Stares and Whispers created confusion. R&B stations loved the record, but didn't know what to do when they discovered Geyer was a white Jewish girl from Australia. For the next few years, Geyer bounced between Australia and America, working in Australia and recording two more albums in America. When 1981's So Lucky album presented her with a huge hit with "Say I Love You" both in Australia and New Zealand, it became necessary to put the American dream aside for two years. In 1983, Geyer returned to base herself in America permanently, still keeping in touch with her Australasian fans with tours. While in America, Geyer became part of a group called Easy Pieces with former members of the Average White Band. But the album took so long to record, by the time it was finished, the group had never performed and were going their separate ways. Geyer spent several years in America doing session work for Sting (the fade vocal on "We'll Be Together"), Neil Diamond, Jackson Browne, and others, touring with Joe Cocker and Chaka Khan and others, and writing songs. During one foray back to Australia, Geyer was invited to sing the Paul Kelly song "Foggy Highway" for the soundtrack of a TV series based on the seven deadly sins. Kelly was so impressed by Geyer's version, he offered to produce an album and wrote some of the songs, including the title track, which (alongside "It's a Man's Man's World" has become Geyer's signature song, Difficult Woman). The working relationship with Paul Kelly was such a happy and satisfying one, Geyer decided to base herself back in Australia. With Paul Kelly and Joe Camilleri (Jo Jo Zep, Black Sorrows) producing, she recorded 1999's Sweet Life album. At the end of 1999, Geyer released her frank life story, Confessions of a Difficult Woman through Harper Collins. © Ed Nimmervoll, All Music Guide