| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 17/07/2014 : 16:22:17
Fans of BS&T's Child I Father To The Man, Super Sessions, Nilsson, Donovan...Kooper solo and all his great collaborations...unite here and rejoice!
AL KOOPER Al KooperÕs Lost Psychedelic Album
Al KooperÕs Lost Psychedelic Album
A Mind-Altering Collection
http://crimsonrecords2003.com.ar/ecommerce/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=158
Not really Ņlost,Ó just a collection of some of Al KooperÕs unsung psychedelic tracks from over the years. The guy had his fingers in so many pies itÕs easy to forget that some of his best work was recorded during the psychedelic era. And Al did indulgeÉ often through the songs of others Š which is the reason why Al KooperÕs Lost Psychedelic Album features tunes from the likes of Nilsson, Traffic and Donovan (the bonus version of ŅSeason of the WitchÓ with Steve Stills and without horns). Those that generally avoid Kooper just might enjoy AlÕs psychedelic side. DidnÕt know Al had one? Listen for all the effects and atmospherics Kooper includes before, after and during the songs. Tracks come from Child Is Father To The Man, Super Session, I Stand Alone, You Never Know Who Your Friends Are, Easy Does It, Kooper Session & others
Overture 1 (0:35)
One (2:50)
Coloured Rain (3:01)
Soft Landing On The Moon (3:57)
Baby Please DonÕt Go (13:18)
Right Now For You (2:34)
Over And Underture (So Much Love) (2:29)
Song And Dance For The Unborn, Frightened Child (3:49)
House In The Country (3:06)
Lucille (3:22)
I CanÕt Quit Her (3:35)
Magic In My Socks (4:27)
You Never Know Who Your Friends Are (2:52)
MourninŌ Glory Story (2:12)
Season Of The Witch (2002 Remix w/o Horns) (11:05)
You DonÕt Love Me (4:09)
One Room Country Shack (3:33)
Sad, Sad Sunshine (5:11)
Overture II (1:55)
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"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music".
-Aldous Huxley |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| markk |
Posted - 02/03/2017 : 00:23:38
Al doing his own song. It will grow on you. But look away from yhe picture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZmJ0OPFz30 |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 01/03/2017 : 23:38:24
Thanks, eerie. Very interesting.
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The actual writing of a song usually comes in the form of a realisation.
I can't contrive a song. Š GENE CLARK
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| markk |
Posted - 28/02/2017 : 23:41:18
That's some interesting stuff Mr. Eerie. Al sounds awful in that live version, but I've heard Arthur sound terrible on some live cuts.
I always enjoyed Al's singing, I like it, Most people prefer Donovan's version of Seasom of the Witch, and its great, very great.
But the one on Super Session is tops for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWkMMXgQohc |
| sometimesmylifeissoeerie |
Posted - 28/02/2017 : 18:34:16
Here's the only live recording of Al Kooper singing with BS&T back then:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLenEHCRbsE
I can pretty much understand why Katz and Bobby Colomby wanted to get a new singer. They only did one short tour, and AK lost his voice toward the end. Even Clive Davis (head of Columbia at that time)wanted him out.
Contrary to popular thought, BS&T wasn't AK's idea. AK decided he wanted to go to the UK to start a career over there, and held a benefit concert for himself(!)at some club in the Village.
He used Jim fielder, Katz and Colomby.They played some of the songs AK wrote for the first BS&T album, but they didn't even make enough money to pay for AK's taxi to the airport.
Katz thought the band sounded great, and wanted to keep it together and add horns, like AK had wanted to do with the Blues Project (but got voted down).
Anyway, when Kooper quit, they tried to get Laura Nyro(!) to replace him. She came down with David Geffen, but they all decided her personality was too strong for the band.
They tried to get Stephen Stills, but he was too busy at the time.
Then they heard a very powerful Canadian singer at a club, and David Clayton Thomas was chosen.
It's hard to believe, but BS&T's second album was so popular that it beat out Abbey Road in the Grammys for best album of the year. |
| underture |
Posted - 27/02/2017 : 19:24:01
Al's voice was more than adequate for the Blues Project recordings. Not great obviously, but they fit in perfectly with his vocal offerings on Wake Me, Shake Me, Fly Away and his few from the Live at the Au-Go-Go album.
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You set the scene |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 26/02/2017 : 13:24:45
quote:
Originally posted by sometimesmylifeissoeerie
Actually Al Kooper had nothing to do with BS&T's cover of Tim Buckley.
That was Steve Katz singing 'Morning Glory", and Al had didn't even play most of the keyboard parts on CIFTTM, that was the genius producer John Simon.
John Simon produced "Music From Big Pink" and other albums by The Band, "Cheap Thrills" by Big Brother and the Holding Company, Leonard Cohen's first album, and many other great records.
John Simon took Kooper's sketch for "The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud" and wrote a string arrangement that is a masterpiece- just as great as George Martin's string arr. for "Eleanor Rigby".
In an interview in 2015, John Simon said that he never used a click track or a drum machine for ANY record he produced, and said that he never will.
This is why the music of today sound so mechanical- it's just garbage made by a machine with a mechanical pulse. Real music contains rhythmic nuance that a mechanical pulse negates.
Al Kooper's greatest legacy is his songwriting, and taste as a producer. His singing in the 60s was out of tune. There's a tube video of BS&T with Al Kooper singing, and it's so bad I couldn't listen to it all.
Even on CIFTTM, his singing on "House In The Country" is way out of tune. He sounds better on some of the other things, because you can fix things in the studio, and do them over and over.
His singing got better after the 60s.
Good points and info, but without Al there wouldn't have been a BS&T in their finest hour. And at least he pulled it off for the BS&T recordings without the use of today's technology that fixes out-of-tune singers...and quite well for someone who wasn't a "great singer". Thank goodness there was a budget for multiple takes...
I think I have a pretty good ear and oddly his singing on "House In The Country" has never bothered me. It works for me. Love that tune out of tune I guess.
Maybe one of the worst singers ever was Burt Bacharach but he seems to have had a modicum of success even recording and appearing online tv...his singing actually bothered me a bit.
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The actual writing of a song usually comes in the form of a realisation.
I can't contrive a song. Š GENE CLARK |
| sometimesmylifeissoeerie |
Posted - 24/02/2017 : 22:04:02
Actually Al Kooper had nothing to do with BS&T's cover of Tim Buckley.
That was Steve Katz singing 'Morning Glory", and Al had didn't even play most of the keyboard parts on CIFTTM, that was the genius producer John Simon.
John Simon produced "Music From Big Pink" and other albums by The Band, "Cheap Thrills" by Big Brother and the Holding Company, Leonard Cohen's first album, and many other great records.
John Simon took Kooper's sketch for "The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud" and wrote a string arrangement that is a masterpiece- just as great as George Martin's string arr. for "Eleanor Rigby".
In an interview in 2015, John Simon said that he never used a click track or a drum machine for ANY record he produced, and said that he never will.
This is why the music of today sound so mechanical- it's just garbage made by a machine with a mechanical pulse. Real music contains rhythmic nuance that a mechanical pulse negates.
Al Kooper's greatest legacy is his songwriting, and taste as a producer. His singing in the 60s was out of tune. There's a tube video of BS&T with Al Kooper singing, and it's so bad I couldn't listen to it all.
Even on CIFTTM, his singing on "House In The Country" is way out of tune. He sounds better on some of the other things, because you can fix things in the studio, and do them over and over.
His singing got better after the 60s. |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 23/02/2017 : 13:18:53
quote:
Originally posted by underture
I haven't had a chance to read Katz's autobio yet, but will certainly make a point to do this as the Blues Project is one of my favorites. Not surprised that he wasn't kind to AK as AK didn't hold anything back in his book. Sad that great bands end up this way.
As Mark stated in his post Al is all over the place in the greatest era in rock, and beyond. His contributions are part of the tapestry of that made it so great.
FYI Scott-Al did work on the Blonde On Blonde sessions, but the specific instance you mentioned was for the Like A Rolling Stone sessions for what ultimately became Highway 61 Revisited. Ahhhh..you are right! Got that MOJO article out again...cool story. THANKS! In the back of my mind I was thinking...hmmmm, that was Highway 61!
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You set the scene
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The actual writing of a song usually comes in the form of a realisation.
I can't contrive a song. Š GENE CLARK
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| underture |
Posted - 22/02/2017 : 15:40:14
I haven't had a chance to read Katz's autobio yet, but will certainly make a point to do this as the Blues Project is one of my favorites. Not surprised that he wasn't kind to AK as AK didn't hold anything back in his book. Sad that great bands end up this way.
As Mark stated in his post Al is all over the place in the greatest era in rock, and beyond. His contributions are part of the tapestry of that made it so great.
FYI Scott-Al did work on the Blonde On Blonde sessions, but the specific instance you mentioned was for the Like A Rolling Stone sessions for what ultimately became Highway 61 Revisited.
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You set the scene |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 21/02/2017 : 13:53:22
Kooper's talent is undeniable in any event. But he had an ego to go with his great talent (most of the great ones do)--after all he goes back to the days of writing This Diamond Ring for Gary Lewis' hit. Kooper still proudly displays the gold record (on his entry way wall) of that great Gary Lewis hit.
I remember reading a Mojo article on Dylan--Kooper said he was invited to the Blonde On Blonde sessions--Kooper went in with the idea he would blow them all away with his guitar playing, and would be asked to join in. He entered the studio to the sounds of Michael Bloomfield ripping it on guitar. Blown away and humbled, Kooper didn't even pick up a guitar, but immediately sat down at the organ (which up till then was not his instrument of choice). The rest is history--as his haunting organ parts throughout attest, especially on "One Of Us Must Know" & "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands"...
Oh....and I love Kooper's wonderful vocals best of all BS&T incarnations. They had the immediate pure bluesy R&B feeling--brilliant stuff. They were never the same after Kooper left.
Who covered Tim Buckley better? BS&T's "Child Is Father To The Man" IS Al Kooper's masterwork
Writing for AllMusic, critic William Ruhlman wrote the album was "Al Kooper's finest work, an album on which he moves the folk-blues-rock amalgamation of the Blues Project into even wider pastures, taking in classical and jazz elements (including strings and horns), all without losing the pop essence that makes the hybrid work. This is one of the great albums of the eclectic post-Sgt. Pepper era of the late '60s, a time when you could borrow styles from Greenwich Village contemporary folk to San Francisco acid rock and mix them into what seemed to have the potential to become a new American musical form... This is the sound of a group of virtuosos enjoying itself in the newly open possibilities of pop music. Maybe it couldn't have lasted; anyway, it didn't."--©allmusic ©wiki
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The actual writing of a song usually comes in the form of a realisation.
I can't contrive a song. Š GENE CLARK |
| sometimesmylifeissoeerie |
Posted - 21/02/2017 : 03:00:55
I recently read Steve Katz' autobio "Love Sweat and My Rock n' Roll Years, and he mentions AK quite a bit in it, because he was in both BS&T and The Blues Project.
Unfortunately, they didn't seem to get along too well. SK said AK was condescending to the members of the BP, because he was a session musician, and they weren't pros like he was.
SK said Danny Kalb had a bad LSD trip, and tried to kill himself by jumping from a six story building. He was badly injured, but he survived.
In BS&T, things got even worse between AK and SK. He and Bobby Colomby told AK that his singing sucked, and they wanted to get a new singer , but he could still play organ and write songs. AK told them to go to hell, and quit BS&T.
Even 30 years later, when they had a reunion concert of the first BS&T band, SK and AK still hated each other, and SK got his tracks erased from the album they made of the concert due to a legal dispute.
Even today, in the Katz book, and the new edition of "Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards" (Kooper's entertaining autobio)
they still put each other down.
John Simon, the producer of "Child is Father to the Man", said that AK couldn't play a lot of the jazz chords on the record, and he had to play them for him.
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| markk |
Posted - 20/02/2017 : 17:18:51
Al is one of my faves. He'd be in the R&R Hall if it was up to me.
This is a man who seemed to be everywhere. Look at albums, look at old pictures, concerts, he was there, sometimes lurking in the background. The first concert I ever saw was The Blues Project at Cafe Au Go Go , Grenwich Vilage, NY, NY, with that maniac Danny Kalb
wailing a way on his knees right in front of me. And the tall, slim psychadellic dressed guy on the keyboard in the back, Al. Some images you never forget. |
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