Rockasteria

1966-2016 NRBQ - High Noon A 50 Year Retrospective (2016 remaster 5 disc box set)

Saturday, April 10, 2021

NRBQ - All Hopped Up (1977 us, outstanding jazzy roots 'n' roll bar rock, 2018 remaster and expanded)

The music on All Hopped Up covered a period of a few years, 1974-1976. The LP was released in the Spring of 1977 by Red Rooster Records. NRBQ has released several fine albums but this has to rank as one of their very best – a minor masterpiece. Released during the height of the new wave/punk era, it sounds like nothing else from the time.

In fact, none of these 13 songs sound alike. NRBQ cover an enormous amount of ground on this release, from rockabilly, country, folk rock, power pop, jazz, and more. Even more amazing that they make it work as well as they do. It’s pointless to list highlights as the album is strong all the way through but a few special tracks need to be singled out. Al Anderson’s Ridin’ In My Car is a timeless pop classic. It Feels Good and That’s Alright are excellent power pop tracks on par with the best from this era. Call Him Off Rogers is a weird, offbeat country rock number with a melodic guitar solo. Things to You, a Terry Adam’s original that would later resurface on NRBQ’s country outing with Skeeter Davis (a great record), is another outstanding track.

NRBQ never took themselves too serious and for this reason they are never ranked among the important bands of the classic rock era. But when one reviews their body of work and its consistency, you can definitely pose the argument for NRBQ being one of America’s great rock n roll/roots bands.

by Jason Nardelli, May 12th, 2020

Tracks

1. Ridin' In My Car (Al Anderson) - 2:55

2. It Feels Good (Terry Adams) - 2:36

3. Cecilia (Harry Ruby, Dave Dreyer) - 2:57

4. I Got A Rocket In My Pocket (Jimmy Logsdon, Vic McAlpin) - 2:40

5. Call Him Off, Rogers (Terry Adams) - 2:55

6. Doctor's Wind (Joey Spampinato) - 2:37

7. Things To You (Terry Adams) - 3:29

8. Help Me Somebody (Al Anderson) - 4:09

9. Still In School (Joey Spampinato) - 2:25

10.Honey Hush (Lou Willie Turner) - 4:30

11.Queen Talk (Terry Adams) - 2:09

12.Bonanza (Jay Livingston, Raymond Evans) - 0:43

13.That's Alright (Joey Spampinato) - 3:13

14.Chicken Hearted (Bill Justis) - 2:16

15.Do The Bump (Terry Adams) - 3:05

16.She's Got To Know (Joey Spampinato) - 2:23

17.Start It Over (Terry Adams) - 2:31

Bonus Tracks 14-17

NRBQ

*Joey Spampinato - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals

*Terry Adams - Clavinet, Harmonica, Keyboards, Hammond Organ, Piano, Trumpet, Vocals

*Tom Ardolino - Drums, Vocals

*Al Anderson - Guitar, Vocals

*Keith Spring - Bells, Tenor Saxophone

*Donn Adams - Trombone, Vocals, Percussion

1969 NRBQ - NRBQ (debut album, 2018 remaster)

1965-67 The Sorrows - Take A Heart (2006 double disc edition)

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Tuesday, April 6, 2021

The Sorrows - Old Songs New Songs (1966-80 uk, awesome mod freakbeat bluesy psych rock, 2009 double disc remaster)

Long after Fardon split, however, some of the band grabbed a last chance (for an extended holiday, at least) and relocated to Italy in 1966 to try and cash in on an Anglophilic scene. During this footnote era, they did achieve some squealing success as a placebo live draw, and hung around for years playing Family and Traffic songs, plus numbers by the ex-pat rockers who made up a bewildering, revolving cast list (two relatively major players are remembered only as “Kit” and “Rod”).

They recorded singles for a tiny Italian indie label and, eventually, an LP. Old Songs New Songs is rare, inevitably hailed as a legendary cult classic. This two-disc set contains a complete bonus demo album and various 45 sides, including the sole outstanding track Ypotron – feedbacking freakbeat recorded in ’66 for an Italian spy caper movie.

by Derek Hammond , 21 August 2009

The first-ever official reissue of this legendary Italian-only late sixties album! British freakbeat/garage R&B giants the Sorrows relocated to Italy in 1966, recording the album Old Songs New Songs a couple of years later for a small independent label based in Milan. Now extremely rare as an original pressing, the album has been shoddily bootlegged a couple of times, including a CD pressing that slowed down the recordings and also managed to chop off the final minute of the album's title track!

This new, band-approved reissue features the fully restored album in sparkling sound quality and adds an extra 100 minutes of music, nearly all of which is previously unreleased. Among the highlights are the magnificent heavy psychedelia of the band's aborted early 1968 Pye single 'Which Way'/'My Way Of Thinking,' the theme song to the cult Italian spy caper Ypotron, a couple of movie collaborations with soundtrack maestro Ennio Morricone, and even an entire late 1968 demo album that, following the departure of two group members, was eventually scrapped and replaced by Old Songs New Songs!

Completed by a previously unheard live gig from 1980 that proved the Sorrows' savage garage band instincts were fully intact a decade later, this package features new, extremely detailed sleevenotes concerning their time in Italy, with fresh band quotes and some superb, previously unpublished photos. Forget what you may have read and heard elsewhere, this incredible 2CD package is the final word on the band's lengthy but previously little-documented Italian sojourn!" Includes 16-page booklet.

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Same Old Room (Chuck Fryers) - 3:13

2. Hey Mr. Policeman (Charlie Whitney, Roger Chapman, Rick Grech) - 3:28

3. Heaven Is In Your Mind (Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood) - 4:03

4. Mary J (Chuck Fryers) - 2:12

5. Hey Hey (Chuck Fryers) - 2:51

6. The Makers (Chuck Fryers) - 6:24

7. Io Amo Te Per Lei (Which Way) (Bruce Finley, Chuck Fryers) - 2:56

8. Dear Mr. Fantasy (Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood) - 5:01

9. Rollin' Over (Ronnie Lane, Steve Marriott) - 3:01

10.Per Una Donna...No! (Listen To Me) (Claudio Fontana, Tony Hazzard) - 2:47

11.6 Ft. 7½ Inch Shark Fishing Blues (Chuck Fryers) - 1:59

12.Old Songs New Songs (Charlie Whitney, Roger Chapman, Rick Grech) - 4:38

13.Per Una Donna...No! (Listen To Me) (Claudio Fontana, Tony Hazzard) - 2:40

14.Amore Limone (Each And Every Day) (Mike Hugg, Vito Pallavicini) - 2:33

15.Hey Hey (Chuck Fryers) - 2:47

16.6 Ft. 7½ Inch Shark Fishing Blues (Chuck Fryers) - 2:47

17.Which Way (Chuck Fryers) - 2:36

18.My Way Of Thinking (Chuck Fryers) - 3:00

19.Pioggia Sul Tuo Viso #1 (Carlo Nistri, Ennio Morricone, Luciano Salce) - 2:26

20.Pioggia Sul Tuo Viso #2 (Carlo Nistri, Ennio Morricone, Luciano Salce) - 2:28

21.Ypotron (Nico Fidenco) - 3:41

Disc 2

1. Hey Hey (Chuck Fryers) - 3:12

2. New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb) - 4:48

3. Answer My Questions (Chuck Fryers) - 2:57

4. Dear Mr. Fantasy (Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood) - 5:04

5. We Can Work It Out (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 4:19

6. The Makers (Chuck Fryers) - 6:41

7. Heaven Is In Your Mind (Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood) - 3:35

8. Dogs And Cats (Chuck Fryers) - 3:14

9. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell, Sol Marcus) - 5:51

10.Move Da Show (Nevada) - 3:17

11.Matchbox / Rock And Roll Music (Carl Perkins / Chuck Berry) - 5:40

12.Baby What You Want Me To Do (Jimmy Reed) - 3:04

13.Bye Bye Bird (Willie Dixon, Sony Boy Williamson) - 3:27

14.Let Me In (Miki Dallon) - 3:06

15.What'd I Say (Ray Charles) - 3:11

16.Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Larry Williams) - 3:05

17.No Reply (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:12

18.A Little Rock 'n' Roll (Pip Witcher, Roger Lomas) - 2:07

19.5-4-3-2-1 (Manfred Mann, Mike Hugg, Paul Jones) - 2:20

20.Take A Heart (Miki Dallon) - 3:28

The Sorrows

*Chuck Fryers - Vocals, Organ, Guitar

*Simon Catlin - Vocals

*Chris Smith - Keyboards, Vocals

*Mick Bradley - Drums

*Rod Davies - Guitar, Vocals

*Pip Witcher - Vocals, Harp, guitar

*Wez Price - Guitar

*Philip Packham - Bass

*Bruce Finlay - Drums

1971 Heads Hands And Feet - Heads Hands And Feet

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Heads Hands And Feet - Tracks...Plus (1972 uk, stunning classic rock with blues 'n' roll shades, 2009 remaster and xpanded)

Although the core personnel had been together in a variety of incarnations since the mid-'60s, most notable of which was the brilliant and criminally short-lived Poet & the One Man Band, Tracks (1972) was only the second long player from Heads Hands & Feet. The U.K. quintet of Pete Gavin (drums/vocals), Albert Lee (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Ray Smith (bass/guitar/vocals), Charles "Chas" Hodges (bass/guitar/violin/vocals), and front man Tony Colton (vocals) had gained significant notice stateside during a week-long residency at the Troubadour in Los Angeles after the release of their self-titled double-LP debut Heads Hands & Feet (1971).

For their second outing, Tracks, they continue their quest for exceptionally crafted country-flavored material. They waste precious little time, as the fiery "Let's Get This Show on the Road" is a high-energy, good-time ode to the rigors and foibles of live performing and concert touring as exemplified in the chorus "Maybe I'll see Margo/Down in Chicago/And I've got a dancer down in New Orleans." Lee's multi-tasking musicianship is particularly noteworthy as his rollicking keyboard work on both acoustic piano and Hammond organ, coupled with the catchy, if not slightly twangy lead electric guitar lines, rhythmically tie the verses to the chorus. "Roadshow" demonstrates quite a different side to the band, examining Lee's capacity for emotive singer/songwriter balladry. His temperate vocals and melodic piano runs recall that of Jackson Browne or early folksy Tom Waits.

Further demonstrating Heads Hands & Feet's wide-ranging musicality is "Hot Property." Remarkably, the combo fuses an energetic bluegrass-inspired instrumental introduction to a funk-driven melody that would not have been too out of place coming from southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd. Of equal (if not arguably greater) prowess is the downhome, organic "Jack Daniels," which returns the sound to a loose groove mirroring the Band's rural rockers "Up on Cripple Creek" or "Life Is a Carnival." Tracks...Plus (1996) reissues both the original ten-song platter with a pair of additional non-LP sides, "Silver Mine" and "Warming Up the Band."

by Lindsay Planer

Tracks

1. Let's Get This Show On The Road (Albert Lee, Chas Hodges, Pete Gavin, Ray Smith, Tony Colton) - 3:53

2. Safety In Numbers (Ray Smith, Tony Colton) - 3:36

3. Roadshow (Albert Lee) - 3:16

4. Harlequin (Ray Smith, Tony Colton) - 4:26

5. Dancer (Albert Lee, Chas Hodges, Ray Smith, Tony Colton) - 3:21

6. Hot Property (Pete Gavin, Ray Smith, Tony Colton) - 4:58

7. Jack Daniels (Albert Lee, Chas Hodges, Ray Smith, Tony Colton) - 3:30

8. Rhyme And Time (Albert Lee) - 2:41

9. Paper Chase (Ray Smith, Tony Colton) - 3:54

10.Song And Dance (Albert Lee) - 5:26

11.Silver Mine (Tony Colton, Ray Smith, Albert Lee) - 3:48

12.Warming Up The Band (Albert Lee, Chas Hodges, Pete Gavin, Ray Smith, Tony Colton) - 3:26

Heads Hands And Feet

*Tony Colton - Vocals

*Pete Gavin - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

*Chas Hodges - Bass, Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar, Vocals

*Albert Lee - Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

*Ray Smith - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals, Bass

With

*Gerry Hogan - Steel Guitar

1967 The Byrds - Younger Than Yesterday (2012 blu spec)

Sunday, March 28, 2021

The Souther Hillman Furay Band - Trouble In Paradise (1975 us, fine country classic rock, 2017 japan SHM remaster)

With producer Tom Dowd, known for his work at Atlantic Records, at the helm, the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band seemed to be distancing itself a bit from its country-rock roots with its second release, the appropriately titled Trouble in Paradise. Here the band expands on the funkier aspects of its debut album, while at the same time slipping even closer to the middle of the road. On that record it was former Poco frontman Richie Furay who was responsible for the highlights, but this time out it's J.D. Souther, who penned four of the LP's nine tracks, who leads the way, with "Prisoner in Disguise" (recorded that same year by Linda Ronstadt) and the title cut the standouts.

Still, Furay, whose two compositions were dominated by his recent conversion to Christianity, does connect with the lovely "For Someone I Love," which interestingly enough precedes the sleazy rationalizations of Souther's "Mexico." As was the case with the previous album, Chris Hillman's trio of selections, including "Love and Satisfy," which borrows the lyrics for the majority of its first two verses from his and Gram Parsons' "Train Song," are moderately successful, if in the long run somewhat forgettable.

Before the recording of the album, original drummer Jim Gordon had left and was replaced by Ron Grinel (Souther also played drums on a couple of tracks), and what must have seemed like a great idea in 1973 was showing signs of unraveling. The band was finished by 1976 following Trouble in Paradise's poor showing, with each of its primary members recording solo records for Asylum within the year. Originally released by Asylum Records in 1975 and reissued on CD in 2002 by Wounded Bird.

by Brett Hartenbach

Tracks

1. Trouble In Paradise (John David Souther) - 5:06

2. Move Me Real Slow (Chris Hillman) - 3:03

3. For Someone I Love (Richie Furay) - 2:57

4. Mexico (John David Souther) - 3:14

5. Love And Satisfy (Chris Hillman) - 2:59

6. On The Line (Richie Furay) - 3:41

7. Prisoner In Disguise (John David Souther) - 4:52

8. Follow Me Through (Chris Hillman) - 3:50

9. Somebody Must Be Wrong (John David Souther) - 3:51

Personnel

*J.D. Souther - Vocals, Guitar, Drums On "Trouble In Paradise" And "Love And Satisfy", Bass On "Move Me Real Slow"

*Chris Hillman - Vocals, Bass, Mandolin, Guitar

*Richie Furay - Vocals, Guitar

*Al Perkins - Lead Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, Dobro

*Paul Harris - Keyboards, Flute

*Joe Lala - Percussion

*Ron Grinel - Drums

*James William Guercio - Guitar

*Glenn Frey - Background Vocals

*Don Henley - Background Vocals

1968 The Byrds - Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (Double Disc Set)

1969 The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace Of Sin (2017 SACD)

1973 Byrds - Byrds (2004 issue)
1976 Chris Hillman - Slippin' Away (2002 reissue)

1971-73 Manassas - Pieces (2009 release)

1979 McGuinn, Clark And Hillman (2014 Japan SHM Remaster)
1979-80 McGuinn Clark Hillman - The Capitol Collection (2007 double disc set)

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Doctor K's Blues Band - Doctor K's Blues Band (1968 uk, fabulous electric psych blues rock, japan 2007 remaster)

Electric urban blues, particularly of the hard-hitting Chicago variety, became big news in Britain in the middle of the 1960's, not so much as performed by its American originators, but rather like the beat music and R&B which preceded it - via home grown interpretation by enthusiasts who began as fans and developed their enthusiasm as musicians.

Among the initiates on this post-R&B scene were Dr K's Blues Band, formed in Muswell Hill, North London (Kinks country!) by Ashley Hutchings, who was destined to find his folkier roots and considerably more success a couple of years later with Fairport Convention. When Hutchings moved on, the line up eventually stabilised as Mick Haase on vocals and harmonica, the enigmatic Dr. K. on piano, Geoff Krivit on lead guitar, Roger Rolt on slide and rhythm guitar, Harold Vickers on bass and Eric Peachy on drums.

Dr. K's Blues Band played the London/home counties circuit initially, but soon started to move around the country as the blues circuit spread and eventually even found himself playing gigs abroad in Italy and Denmark. Their original forte was the small club and music-featuring pub - the natural homes as it were, of an electric blues quintet in their transatlantic equivalents (honky tonk/dive). After a couple of years, however some of these smaller venues were supplanted by the university and college circuits which became very much their spiritual home.

Their successful career on the live circuit did not translate automatically into a recording deal for the band until 1968. Espying a growing musical boom. Spark Records decided to board the bandwagon by signing up some of the non-contracted groups on the blues circuit and approached Dr. K's manager, Roger Simpson. But Spark Records lacked the experience and expertise in promotion and distribution to ensure widespread press coverage, media exposure or high street stocking of their albums.

Eventually and inevitably, the original band started to break up as the decade drew to a close. Eric the drummer was the first to leave, being replaced by Jeff Alien. By the middle of the 1970's, only Mick Haase and Roger Rolt remained of the original members. The whole team decided to call it a day and split up.

Tracks

1. I Can't Lose (Geoff Krivit) - 2:50

2. Walking (Geoff Krivit, Mick Hasse) - 3:26

3. Key To The Highway (Eric Peachey, Richard Kay, Geoff Krivit, Mick Hasse, Roger Rolt) - 6:26

4. Crippled Clarence (Richard Kay) - 2:45

5. Pet Cream Man (Roger Rolt) - 2:09

6. Messin' With Kid (Richard Kay, Geoff Krivit, Mick Hasse, Roger Rolt) - 2:02

7. Don't Quit The Man You Love, For Me (Mick Hasse, Richard Kay) - 2:24

8. Rolty's Banjo Shuffle (Geoff Krivit, Richard Kay, Roger Rolt) - 2:10

9. Strobe Lemming's Lament (Richard Kay) - 1:46

10.Long Distance Call (Richard Kay) - 4:30

11.I Feel So Bad (Richard Kay) - 2:49

Dr K's Blues Band
*Mick Hasse - Harmonica, Vocals
*Geoff Krivit - Bass, Guitar
*Eric Peachey - Drums
*Roger Rolt - Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Slide Guitar, National Steel Guitar
*Harold Vickers - Bass
*Richard Kay - Piano

1971 Mike Vernon - Bring It Back Home (2019 korean remaster)

Sunday, March 21, 2021

Mike Vernon - Moment Of Madness (1973 uk, fascinating funky groovy bluesy rock, 2018 korean remaster)

Second solo album for Mike Vernon, released for Sire records and not by his own label. "Moment Of Madness" was recorded in Oxfordshire in England during the spring in 1973, and revealed on record stores later the same year.

Slightly different from his previous release, more hard funky sounds (sometimes reminds me "Gold Plated", by Climax which came out couple years later and was also produced by Mike Vernon). There are some Bluesy tones and of course a cast of prime musicians. Alls songs were written by Mike and Vie Vernon.

Tracks

1. Day In Day Out - 4:29

2. No Idea - 3:13

3. Third Hand - 2:55

4. She Put Her Shoes Outdoors - 3:29

5. That's The Best That I Can Do - 2:58

6. Don't Bullfrog Me - 3:32

7. Stoney Ground - 3:11

8. Night Owl - 2:57

9. Talking 'Bout Me - 4:00

10.No Time To Lose - 3:25

11.All You Can Do - 3:11

12.Moment Of Madness - 3:10

All song by Mike Vernon, Vie Vernon

Personnel

*Mike Vernon - Harmonica, Percussion, Vocals

*Vie Vernon - Vocals

*Colin Allen - Drums

*Paul Butler - Guitar

*Howie Casey - Saxophone

*John Donnelly - Trumpet

*Laurence Garman - Harmonica

*Billy Graham - Trombone

*Derek Griffiths - Guitar

*Joe Jammer - Guitar

*Ric Lee - Drums

*Leo Lyons - Bass

*Mitch Mitchell - Drums

*Cecil Moss - Trumpet

*Bruce Rowland - Drums

*Fuzzy Samuels - Bass

*Andy Silvester - Bass

*Nick South - Bass

*Pete Wingfield - Keyboards

Friday, March 12, 2021

Mike Vernon - Bring It Back Home (1971 uk, fantastic blues jazz rock, 2019 korean remaster)

As a producer and label owner, Mike Vernon has probably contributed more than anyone to the recording of early British Blues and presenting American original Blues players to the British public. By combining the keen young talent he found in London with the wealth of experience he brought from America, he created a heady mixture that took The Blues a big step forward.

Michael William Hugh Vernon was born in 1944 and brought up in London. As a teenager he played in a band called The Mojo Men (no connection with the US band by the same name), and in 1963 he went to work for Decca records. He cut his producing teeth on the album ‘In London’ by veteran Texan pianist Curtis Jones, and the results led to him producing albums by Champion Jack Dupree and Otis Spann. Keen to have more control of the process, Mike started his own mail-order label called Purdah, pressing short runs of four 7” singles, one of which was by future Blues-rockers Savoy Brown. In tune with the groovy sixties he changed the name to Outasite, and then to Blue Horizon in 1965, still operating by mail-order until he arranged a distribution deal. Blue Horizon’s first release was ‘Flying Eagle’ by Dr. Ross, and records by JB Lenoir, Hubert Sumlin and Driftin’ Slim showed Mike was serious about the Blues. Still working for Decca, Mike produced John Mayall‘s breakthrough ‘Beano’ album ‘Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton‘ and the follow-up ‘Hard Road’ with Peter Green.

'Bring It Back Home' is his 1st recording debut album presents blues rock, country and jazzy tracks. It's the only album for his label, he is singing and playing various guitars and percussion on mostly original songs plus blues by Dr Ross, Willie Lofton and Jimmy Reed. Accompanying musicians include Rory Gallagher (lead guitar on "Come Back Baby"), Paul Kossoff (lead guitar on "My Say Blues"), Paul Butler, Rick Hayward, Pete Wingfield, &c.

Tracks

1. Let's Try It Again - 4:24

2. Move Away - 4:16

3. Mississippi Joe - 3:59

4. Brown Alligator (Mike Vernon, Rick Hayward, Kenny Lamb, Dick Parry) - 11:47

5. Come Back Baby (Doctor Ross) - 2:06

6. War Pains - 3:48

7. Dark Road Blues (Willie Lofton) - 3:26

8. (She Said) She Didn't Have Time - 5:56

9. Ain't That Lovin' You Baby (Jimmy Reed) - 3:12

10.My Say Blues - 5:43

Amm songs by Mike Vernon except where noted

Musicians

*Mike Vernon - Vocals, Bass, Rhythm, Lead Guitar, Tambourine, Flesh Claps, Guiro, Triangle, Nylon-Bristle Hand Brush, Maraccas

*Rick Hayward - Led, Rhythm, Slide, Wah Wah Pedal Guitars, Mandolin

*Peter Wingfield - Piano

*Kenny Lamb - Drums, Congas

*Dick Parry - Tenor Sax

*Rory Gallagher - Lead Guitar (Track 5)

*Laurie Garmon - Harmonica

*Paul Butler - Lead Guitar (Track 9)

*Paul Kossoff - Lead Guitar (Track 10)

Saturday, March 6, 2021

God's Children - Music Is The Answer The Complete Collection (1971 us, fascinating jazzy latino rock 'n 'soul, feat Little Willie G. backing by the Wrecking Crew, 2017 remaster)

The memories are rich, often as sun-splashed as one might expect, and I wish I had more of them. Seeing Santana at a Day on the Green in 1976, War at Winterland around the same time, Malo in the mix there somewhere as well. Growing up – and into a music obsessive – in late 60’s/early 70’s suburban California meant hearing the legacy of Latino rock’n’roll develop before my very ears, and regardless of my relatively cloistered existence in then-predominantly white East Bay outpost Concord, I’m convinced that being exposed to that ethnic strata helped both seed my imminent escape to the urban wilds of San Francisco and smooth the transition. I only know now, with the release of this long overdue collection, that my incidental education would have been all that much richer had it included seeing God’s Children, preferably prior to MCA subsidiary Uni getting their corporate claws in.

Now, on the surface, that stipulation is an odd one considering said interference involved landing the burgeoning hotshot band – whose pedigree, in the persons of Little Willie G (Garcia) and Lil’ Ray (Jimenez), reached back to genre pioneers Thee Midniters – in the studio with the legendary Wrecking Crew. But as the separation of tracks on Music Is The Answer makes lucently clear, even Carol Kaye and company, in this instance anyway, can’t help but be the applicators of some slickly competent lipstick on the pig of big label intentions. Yes, ruinous industry intrusion (especially back then) is a tale so common as to be the rule not the exception, but, listening to the evidence here, the dispiriting effect of that meddling, so often cited, could hardly be more accurately applied than in this case.

The verve, the vivacity, the inner soul/rock naturalism reflected on the collection’s first eight tracks, recorded, with one exception, with an outfit of local musicians simply referred to as the East LA Band, speaks in that type of single dynamic voice that was one of the era’s most enduring signal traits. In Garcia and Jimenez God’s Children had a pop-savvy duo with the chops and experience to not only compose their own Chicano soul classics but the confidence to pull them off on any hold-their-own stage you’d care to imagine, while in Lydia Amescua they had a spark plug vocal foil that could bring a combined light and fire to her roles as backing and lead singer (check her head-turning out-front performance on Lil’ Ray’s “If You Ever Go Away,” a pure force of intuitive phrasing at the mic). For an all-too-brief moment, the world was theirs, surely.

“It Don’t Make No Difference,” the harmonies divine, percolates along on a riverbed of B-3 organ and a rhythm section brimming like a very finely tuned V-8, the piano-based ballad “I Just Wish” situates somewhere between Frankie Lymon and Carole King, “Brown Baby” could very well be the tune that drew Berry Gordy west to LA, the yearning romanticism of “Lonely Lullaby” poignant enough to soundtrack every lover’s warm night dream of Southern California no matter where they live. And lest it be thought that God’s Children simply couldn’t deal with a larger studio contingent, skip to “Hey, Does Somebody Care.” Recorded at a session with a 40-piece orchestra booked by local entrepreneur Eddie Davis, the band nailed the track on a single take, at which point every hired musician stood and applauded as the conductor Arthur Freeman, in disbelief, said “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

A make-or-break opportunity, it would ultimately do both. Davis played some insider cards and the track became the theme song for Ben Casey star Vince Edwards’ new series Matt Lincoln. Though the show didn’t last past one season, the placement of their triumphant slice of symphonic soul brought God’s Children to the attention of Uni and the quiet tragedy of unforeseen consequences was set in motion. While the vocals on those Wrecking Crew sessions tend to retain their native zest (Lydia’s especially), the backdrops in to which they are plugged feel generic and paint-by-number, rendering what had been innately vital rather anodyne and bloodless. A waste of talent on multiple levels, it nonetheless cannot diminish God’s Children’s moment in the sun. A blink-and-you-miss-it ascendancy it may have been but, in retrospect, due to the talent and drive and dedication the trio brought to the project, what that short-lived burst produced was enough to maintain one’s faith in the concept of timelessness. [find Music Is

by Dave Cantrell

Tracks

1. Music Is The Answer (William Anthony Garcia) - 4:07

2. It Don't Make No Difference (Raymond Titi Jimenez) - 3:24

3. If You Ever Go Away (Raymond Titi Jimenez) - 3:17

4. I Just Wish (Raymond Titi Jimenez) - 3:17

5. Dream (Raymond Titi Jimenez, William Anthony Garcia) - 3:08

6. Brown Baby (Wilbert Wade) - 3:12

7. Hey, Does Somebody Care (Linda Perhaps, Oliver Nelson) - 3:03

8. Lonely Lullaby (Mario Paniagua) - 2:24

9. Music Is The Answer (William Anthony Garcia) - 3:29

10.Music Is The Answer (William Anthony Garcia) - 3:35

11.Little Willie G. - Put Your Head On My Shoulder (Paul Anka) - 2:59

12.That's The Way God Planned It (Billy Preston) - 2:40

13.If You Ever Go Away (Raymond Titi Jimenez) - 3:17

14.If You Ever Go Away (Raymond Titi Jimenez) - 3:17

Tracks 1, 5 - 9, 12 featuring Little Willie G.

Tracks 2, 4, 7 featuring Little Ray

Tracks 3, 11, 13 featuring Lydia Amesqua

God's Children

*Little Willie G. - Vocals

*Little Ray - Vocals

*Lydia Amesqua - Vocals

*Fawn Rymal - Vocals

*Stacy Rymal - Vocals

*Steve Gutierrez - Drums

*Alan D. Flores - Bass

*Anthony "Beaver" Carroll - Bass

*Ray Montisanto - B3 Organ

The Wrecking Crew

*Hal Blaine - Drums

*Paul Humphrey - Drums

*Leon Russell - Piano

*David T. Walker - Guitar

*Carol Kaye - Bass