Tag Archives: 1970

Ornette Coleman: The Art of the Improvisers

On November 2, 1970, “Atlantic” label released “The Art of the Improvisers”, the ninth Ornette Coleman album. It was recorded May – October 1959, July 1960, January – March 1961, and was produced by Nesuhi Ertegun.

Personnel:

  • Ornette Coleman — alto and tenor saxophone
  • Don Cherry — pocket trumpet; cornet
  • Charlie Haden — bass
  • Scott LaFaro — bass
  • Jimmy Garrison — bass
  • Billy Higgins — drums
  • Ed Blackwell — drums 

All tracks by Ornette Coleman.

  1. The Circle with a Hole in the Middle
  2. Just for You
  3. The Fifth of Beethoven
  4. The Alchemy of Scott LaFaro
  5. Moon Inhabitants
  6. The Legends of Bebop
  7. Harlem’s Manhattan

Syd Barrett: Opel

On October 17, 1988, “Harvest” label released “Opel”, and album compiled from Syd Barrett’s recordings made between 1968 and 1970. It features unreleased material and alternate takes of recordings from sessions for Barrett’s solo albums, “The Madcap Laughs”,  and “Barrett”. It was recorded at “Abbey Road Studios” in London and was produced by Syd Barrett, Peter Jenner, Malcolm Jones, Roger Waters, and David Gilmour.

Personnel:

  • Syd Barrett – vocals, guitar
  • Mike Ratledge – organ
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Robert Wyatt – drums
  • Gareth Cousins – mixing

Track listing”

All tracks by Syd Barrett, except where noted.

  1. Opel
  2. Clown and Jugglers
  3. Rats
  4. Golden Hair – lyrics based on a poem by James Joyce
  5. Dolly Rocker
  6. Word Song
  7. Wined and Dined
  8. Swan Lee (Silas Lang)
  9. Birdie Hop
  10. Let’s Split
  11. Lanky (Party One)
  12. Wouldn’t You Miss Me (Dark Globe)
  13. Milky Way
  14. Golden Hair (instrumental version)

Jefferson Starship: Jefferson’s Tree of Liberty

On September 2, 2008, “The Lab” label released “Jefferson’s Tree of Liberty”, the tenth Jefferson Starship album. It was recorded in October 1970 at “Wally Heider Studios”, in San Francisco, in 1998 at “Coast Recorders” in San Francisco, in March and May 2008 at “Renegade Studios” in San Rafael, California, and was produced by Michael Gaiman, David Freiberg, and Paul Kantner.

Personnel:

  • Paul Kantner– vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar, ‘George Harrison’ lead guitar, 12-string electric guitar, banjo, glass harmonica, mixing, liner notes
  • David Freiberg– vocals, acoustic and washboard guitar, mixing, additional recording, liner notes
  • Cathy Richardson– vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar
  • Chris Smith – piano, bass, squeezebox, drone, pennywhistle, string synthesizer
  • Slick Aguilar– tremolo and ‘Soldano’ electric guitar, lead guitar
  • Prairie Prince– drums, snare, kick, bodhran
  • Donny Baldwin– drums
  • Darby Gould– vocals
  • Diana Mangano – vocals
  • Marty Balin– vocals, acoustic guitar
  • David Grisman– mandolin
  • Grace Slick– vocals
  • David LaFlamme– violin
  • Michael Gaiman – flat-picked acoustic guitar
  • Michael Eisenstein – acoustic guitar
  • Barry Sless– pedal steel guitar
  • The Wailin’ Cowgirls (Cathy Richardson, Linda Imperial) – vocals
  • Jack Casady– bass
  • T Lavitz– keyboards
  • The I-Jays (Paul Kantner, David Freiberg, Darby Gould) – vocals
  • Alexander Kantner – electric bass guitar
  • Paul Lamb – French horn
  • Jack Traylor – vocals
  • Michael Gaiman – mixing, art and booklet design, layout and direction, liner notes
  • Paul Lamb – engineer, mixing
  • Cathy Richardson – additional recording
  • John Ovnik – additional recording
  • Paul Stubblebine – mastering
  • Rebecca Baltutis, Jesse Obstbaum – art and booklet design, layout and direction
  • Mike Thut – photography

Track listing:

  1. Wasn’t That a Time – Lee Hays, William Lowenfels, additional lyrics by Paul Kantner
  2. Follow the Drinking Gourd – traditional
  3. Santy Anno – traditional, arranged by Paul Kantner
  4. Cowboy on the Run – Dino Valenti
  5. I Ain’t Marching Anymore – Phil Ochs, additional lyrics by Cathy Richardson
  6. Chimes of Freedom – Bob Dylan
  7. Genesis Hall – Richard Thompson
  8. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine – Paul Campbell, Huddie Ledbetter
  9. Royal Canal (The Auld Triangle) – Brendan Behan
  10. Rising of the Moon – K. Casey, Turlough O’Carolan
  11. Frenario – traditional
  12. In a Crisis – World Entertainment War
  13. Maybe for You (from Windows of Heaven) – Terry Terrell
  14. Commandante Carlos Fonseca – Carlos Mejia-Godoy, Tomás Borge
  15. Pastures of Plenty – Woody Guthrie
  16. Imagine Redemption (arrangement of Imagine and Redemption Song) – John Lennon, Bob Marley, idea by Michael Gaiman
  17. On the Threshold of Fire – Paul Kantner
  18. The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood – traditional, words by Richard Fariña
  19. Surprise Surprise (hidden track) – Jack Traylor, Grace Slick, Paul Kantner

Robert Moog

On August 21, 2005, Robert Arthur Moog died aged 71. He was an engineer and pioneer of electronic music, founder of “Moog Music”. In 1964, he promoted “Moog synthesizer”, the first commercial synthesizer. In 1970, he invented the “Minimoog”, portable model, regarded as the most famous and influential synthesizer in history.

Wayene Shorter: Moto Gross Feio

In August 1974, “Blue Note” label released “Moto Gross Feio”, the thirteenth Wayne Shorter album. It was recorded April – August 1970, at “A & R Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Duke Pearson.

Personnel:

  • Wayne Shorter— soprano and tenor saxophone
  • John McLaughlin— 12 string guitar
  • Chick Corea— marimba, drums, percussion
  • Ron Carter— bass, cello
  • Dave Holland— acoustic guitar, bass
  • Miroslav Vitouš— bass
  • Michelin Prell (Micheline Pelzer) — drums, percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Wayne Shorter except where noted.

  1. Moto Grosso Feio
  2. Montezuma
  3. Antigua
  4. Vera Cruz – Milton Nascimento
  5. Iska

Curtis Ousley

On August 13, 1971, Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery) aka King Curtis died aged 37. He was music director, record producer, and musician (soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, trumpet), worked in various music genres, rhythm, and blues, rock and roll, soul, blues, funk, and soul-jazz. He performed and recorded with numerous musicians and bands including Aretha Franklin, Nat Adderley, Wynton Kelly, ]Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Andy Williams, The Coasters, LaVern Baker, Joe South, John Lennon, the Rimshots, Champion Jack Dupree, Jerry Jemmott, Oliver Jackson, King Pins, Bernard Purdie, The Shirelles, The Noble Band, Cornell Dupree, and  Duane Allman. At the 1970 “Grammy Awards”, Curtis won the “Best R&B Instrumental Performance Grammy” for “Games People Play”. In March 2000, he was posthumously inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.

Pete Drake

On July 29, 1988, Roddis Franklin Drake aka Pete Drake, died aged 55. He was a record producer and musician (pedal steel guitar). He worked with Lynn Anderson, Charlie Rich, Bob Dylan, Tammy Wynette, Jerry Reed, Doug Kershaw, Roger Miller, Jack Greene, Joe South, Don Gibson, Marty Robbins. Bill Anderson, Joan Baez, and George Harrison. Drake founded “Stop Records” and “First Generation Records. In 1970 he was inducted into the “Country Music Hall of Fame’s Walkway of Stars”, in 1987 in the “Steel Guitar Hall of Fame”, in 1987 into the “Georgia Music Hall of Fame”.

Peter Green

On July 25, 2020, Peter Allen Greenbaum aka Peter Green died aged 73. He was singer, songwriter, and musician (guitar), member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, member of Katmandu, and founder of Peter Green Splinter Group. Green was one of the most important figures of the British blues movement, praised by famous guitarists like B.B. King and Eric Clapton. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him at number 58 in its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. Magazine “Guitar Player” rated his tone on “The Super-Natural” as one of the “50 Greatest of All Time. Magazine “Mojo” rated Green In June 1996, Green was voted the third-best guitarist of all time. In 1998, as a member of Fleetwood Mac he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”. As leader, Green recorded six albums:

Roy Harper: Flat Baroque and Berserk

On June 15, 1970, “Harvest” label released “Flat Baroque and Berserk”, the fourth Roy Harper album. It was recorded August – September 1969, at “Les Cousins” and “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Peter Jenner.

Personnel:

  • Roy Harper – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
  • David Bedford– arrangements
  • Skaila Kanga– harp
  • Tony Visconti– recorder
  • Keith Emerson– keyboards
  • Lee Jackson– bass guitar
  • Brian Davison– drums
  • Phil McDonald, Neil Richmond – engineer
  • Lon Goddard – design
  • John McKenzie – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Roy Harper.

  1. Don’t You Grieve
  2. I Hate the White Man
  3. Feeing All the Saturday
  4. How Does It Feel
  5. Goodbye
  6. Another Day
  7. Davey
  8. East of the Sun
  9. Tom Tiddler’s Ground
  10. Francesca
  11. Song of the Ages
  12. Hell’s Angels

Long John Baldry: It Ain’t Easy

In June 1971, “Warner Music” label released “It Ain’t Easy”, the fifth Long John Baldry album. It was recorded December 1970 – February 1971, at “Morgan Studios” and “IBC Studios” in London, and was produced by Elton John and Rod Stewart.

Personnel:

  • Long John Baldry – vocals, 12-string guitar
  • Maggie Bell– vocals
  • Ron Wood– guitar, 12-string guitar
  • Caleb Quaye– guitar
  • Joshua M’Bopo – guitar
  • Sam Mitchell – dobro, guitar, slide guitar
  • Ray Jackson– mandolin
  • Madelene Bell – tambourine
  • Elton John– organ, piano
  • Ian Armitt – piano
  • Ricky Brown – bass guitar
  • Dave Glover – bass guitar
  • Mick Waller– drums
  • Roger Pope – drums
  • Alan Skidmore– tenor saxophone
  • Lesley Duncan, Tony Hazzard, Doris Troy, Tony Burrows, Kay Garner, Liza Strike – backing vocals
  • Lesley Duncan – chorus caster
  • Ed Thrasher– art director
  • Judith Sims – liner notes
  • Jimi Horowitz – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Intro: Conditional Discharge – Long John Baldry, Ian Armitt
  2. Don’t Try to Lay No Boogie-Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll – Jeff Thomas
  3. Black Girl – traditional, Lead Belly
  4. It Ain’t Easy – Ron Davies
  5. Morning, Morning – Tuli Kupferberg
  6. I’m Ready – Willie Dixon
  7. Let’s Burn Down the Cornfield – Randy Newman
  8. Rubin – Lesley Duncan
  9. Rock Me When He’s Gone – Elton John, Bernie Taupin
  10. Flying – Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Lane