"Sly & The Family Stone -Small Talk -1974 US":

First released in 1974, by which time the name Sly Stone had become a byword for missed shows and drug dependency, "SMALL TALK " nevertheless contains some sparks of life. The album's sound is very much in the "FRESH" mold, with tightly recorded bass and keyboards to the fore, while Stone's vocals, though increasingly wasted-sounding and bolstered by the Little Sister vocal group, still have moments of authority..
As evidenced by the cover picture, and song titles like "Mother Beautiful" and "Time For Livin'," this is one of the artist's mellowest sets, and his gift for assembling uniquely funky tracks is evident on the vintage-sounding "Loose Booty" and the sing-song "Can't Strain My Brain," which carries echoes of FRESH's "If You Want Me to Stay."

-by dj fanis: here or here

"Challenger's -S/T- 1969 Puerto Rico":

The Challenger's came from Puerto Rico.Their album is an interesting mix of psychedelic and latin rock influences . Featuring 6 original tracks, all sung in English, these psyched-out Vanilla Fudge/Santana-styled songs are full of fuzz guitar and screaming farfisa organ.

-by dj fanis: here or here

"Groundhogs - Blues Obituary - 1969 UK":

In the early 1960s Tony(TS) McPhee was working for Post Office Telephones and joined his work mate John Cruickshank's band, which was then called "The Dollarbills". Neither liking the name or the 'pop' music they played, he persuaded them to start playing Blues and R&B after he had seen Cyril Davies and the All-Stars playing at the Marquee club and suggested "Groundhogs" as a name for the band, after a track on John Lee Hooker's album "House of the Blues".

The Groundhog Tony and the band played all of the gigs on the blossoming blues circuit and then backed Hooker on the final week of his first British tour. John liked the band so much that he always asked for them to back him on British tours and preferred to travel with them in their Commer van. In an interview of the time he called them the "Number one British blues band".

At around the same time the Groundhogs also backed Champion Jack Dupree who later said in an interview with Melody Maker that they were 'the best band he'd ever played with'. In 1965 the Hogs backed Hooker on an album which was initially called John Lee Hooker, but which has also been re-released as "Hooker & the Hogs", & "The London Sessions".
The first album "Scratchin' the Surface" (1968) was a basic blues album with line up bass player Pete Cruickshank, drums Ken Pustelnik (previously with Bristol band The Deep) and Steve Rye on Harmonica. The second album "Blues Obituary" saw the departure of Steve Rye and a more 'progressive' approach.

The Groundhogs sadly seem to have been forgotten by virtually everyone. They form an integral part of the transition from 1960's 'white' Blues to the Rock styles of the late 60's to early 70's.

-by dj fanis: here or here

"Larry Coryell - Coryell -1969 US":

Still obscure and unappreciated, this sensational guitarist had a strong outing on this late-'60s release. Rhythmic, melodic, and even lyrical at times, his masterful playing is especially impressive compared to his ill-advised singing. But he's not deluding himself, and most of the tracks are instrumentals. The highlight is the fearsomely funky "The Jam With Albert." Larry Coryell later issued some wonderful acoustic albums, but this one is electric in a way many guitarists could not imagine, let alone realize.
Members:

Larry Coryell : Guitar , vocals , piano

Bernaed Purdie : Drums

Albert Stinson : Bass

Ron Carter : Bass

Chuck Rainry : Guitar , bass

Mike Mandel : Organ , piano , guitar

-by dj fanis: here or here

"The Leathercoated Minds (feat. J.J.Cale)- A Trip Down The Sunset Strip -1967 US":
In the annals of sixties West Coast exploitation album-making, "A Trip Down the Sunset Strip" by the "Leathercoated Minds" is in a class all by itself. Serving up radically rearranged, cool covers of the era, red hot guitar instros (courtesy of J.J. Cale) and authentic sound effects from the Strip, it succeeds as the perfect time capsule of Los Angeles teeming teen scene, c.1966.
Producer and entrepreneur Snuff Garrett wanted to put together an album designed to give clueless, would-be hipsters an idea of what a night on Hollywood's fabled Sunset Strip was like, he'd already chosen a snazzy cover photo and needed some session cats to throw together a half-hour of music to go along with it.
Garrett hired a then little-known musician named J.J. Cale to produce the album and play lead guitar and Cale 's fleet but laid-back picking is all over this album. Cale overdubs a handful of Roger Mcguinn -style lead lines all over "Eight Miles High" and "Mr. Tambourine Man," he throws some psychedelia into "Over Under Sideways Down", "Psychotic Reaction" and "Sunshine Superman" and contributes some enjoyable original throwaways with titles like "Sunset and Clark" and "Pot Luck."

-by dj fanis: here or here

"J.K. & Co. – Suddenly One Summer -1968 US":

In 1968, 15-year-old guitarist/singer Jay Kaye trekked from Las Vegas to Vancouver, British Columbia. There, with a top notch team of session musicians, he recorded "Suddenly One Summer", a dark masterpiece of orchestral psychedelia, intended to musically represent the life and death of a man.

The legend is that 15-year-old Jay Kaye (son of American 50s performer Mary Kaye) was visiting Vancouver Canada with his mom, where he met up with local band "Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck" and made this great record with their musical backing.

Although the lyrics are blatantly hippie-ish, the music itself sets a dignified, almost stately mood with its intimacy and tasteful restraint. "Fly" and "Nobody" are genuine lost treasures of low-key late '60s psychedelia and alone make the album worth investigating.

-by dj fanis: here or here

"The Tangerine Zoo -S/T- 1968 US":

The Boston psychedelic band " Tangerine Zoo" formed in 1967 in nearby Swansea, MA.

Guitarist Robert "Benny" Benevides, bassist Tony Taveira, and drummer Donald Smith first collaborated in the Ebb Tides, which the previous year issued "My Baby's Gone" on the Arco label. With the additions of singer/guitarist Wayne Gagnon and keyboardist Ronald Medeiros, the group renamed itself "The Flower Pot", abandoning the Ebb Tides' garage rock sound in favor of a more psychedelic approach.

In addition to serving as the house band at the local Venus de Milo restaurant, the band also opened for the likes of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Van Morrison and Deep Purple. Their growing popularity was buoyed by a large fan base in Boston, and in late 1967 signed with the New York City-based Mainstream label.

While recording their debut LP, label execs demanded another name change, fearing backlash from the obvious marijuana reference in the Flower Pot moniker after setting on the Tangerine Zoo, the group released its self-titled debut in early 1968.

Their first album contains some impressive swirling organ work and occasional fuzztone guitar.

Taveira exited the lineup prior to recording the follow-up, "Outside Looking In". In mid-1969, "The Tangerine Zoo" was invited to play the Woodstock festival, but were forced to decline due to prior commitments. The band dissolved in 1970.

-by dj fanis: here or here

• Their second album:

"The Tangerine Zoo - Outside Looking In -1968 US":

here or here

"Al Kooper - Kooper Session -1970 US":
Al Kooper instinctively creates the setting to allow Shuggie Otis to perform at his most amazing best. At only 15 years of age, Otis (guitar) is as potent a performer as Kooper(keyboards/guitars). The duo are able to manifest an aggregate of material whose success leans as much on Kooper's experience as it does on Otis' sheer inspired youthful energy.
Each track shows off Shuggie's comfort level with various types of blues and soul genres. Kooper and Otis lead a house band which includes: Stu Woods (bass), Wells Kelly (drums) and Mark Klingman (piano).

-by dj fanis: here or here

"Bill ''Ravi'' Harris & the Prophets-Funky Sitar Man - 1970 US":

Bill "Ravi" Harris is the funky sitar man. The main voice on these instrumentals is sitar. Although this is not as funky as it could be, it is still a descent groover. Ravi attempts to add sitar to some classic funky monsters (James Brown,Manu Dibango, The Meters) and does a nice job. Solid bass, syncopated drums, chicken-scratch guitar, and economical organ fills form the backdrop, and the funky sitar rides at the front. "Funky Sitar Man" is lots of fun and recommended to fans of late '60s style funk with open ears.

-by dj fanis: here or here

"The Head Shop-S/T -1969 US":

The Head Shop was a band from New York that released one eponymous album on Epic in 1969.The group’s style is heavy rock, but it is driven by mind-melting fuzztone guitar rather than the more smoothly distorted guitar sound generally featured in heavy rock of the era (see Blue Cheer and Frijid Pink).Thus, the Head Shop have created a demented fusion of ’69 era heavy psych and ’66 era garage punk. This makes for some very interesting original songs and cover tunes.

The group’s version of “Sunny” is, appropriately enough, totally dark and creepy, driven by funeral-style organ work. Likewise, if you thought the Beatles original version of “Revolution” was heavy, wait till you hear the over-the-top fuzztone version by the Head Shop.

The originals are perhaps even more interesting, including the aforementioned “Head Shop”, “Heaven Here We Come”, and the killer “Infinity”. Another of their songs, “Opera in the Year 4000” is a bizarre medly of an uncharacteristically “straight” original tune “Where Have All the People Gone” melded with another Beatles song, “Yesterday.”

This is a most excellent and unusual album of heavy psychedelic rock.

get it here or here

-by dj fanis:

"Jorge Ben - Jazz Potatoes- 1973 Brazil":

This lost Jorge Ben stormer has a rawer sound and harder rock edge to it than usual during this, his greatest period. Relegated to an obscure soundtrack LP, it stomps all over the place at a slower, heavier and more menacing tempo than anything on "Ben" or "A Tabua De Esmeralda." The beat is anchored by that famous acoustic guitar sound, heavy bass and a loud cowbell, as Jorge yells out improvised nonsense in a hilarious mix of Spanish and English!

-by dj fanis: here or here

"The Four Levels of Existence -Τα 4 Επίπεδα Της Ύπαρξης -1976 Greece":

"The Four Levels of Existence" recorded the homonymous and one of the greatest psychedelic albums in the history of the Greek rock scene. The band formed in 1973 in Ilion Athens and took its name from a philosophical dictionary. Three years later the group dared to record his music in one exciting album that where dominated by the hard rock forms, the melodic soles and the experiments in the Greek town roots.

This is an album that many people consider to be the best Greek psychedelic album ever recorded, a belief that would mean that" The Four Levels of Existence" LP would supercede albums by artists like Axis, Aphrodite's Child, Socrates and George Romanos.

We'll let you decide the argument, for of one thing there is no doubt that this is tremendous hard edged psychedelic/progressive material, originally released in a very small quantity by the private Venus label from 1976.

As band leader Athanasios Alatas said: Through Nick's musical quest, Marinos sensitivity, Christos's madness, and my thoughts, we create many songs, all characterized by a psychedelic music sound, Greek lyrics and monumental guitar solos.

Underground fuzzy hard psychedelia, the only recordings they ever made.

Members:
Athanasios Alatas 1973-1976

Nikos Grapsas 1975-1976

Marinos Giamalakis 1974-1976

Christos Vlachakis 1973-1976

Nikos Dounavis 1974-1975

-by dj fanis: here or here

"The Steampacket-The First Supergroup -1962-66 UK":

"The Steampacket" was a British blues band of the 1960s, notable mainly for the fact that so many of its members subsequently became famous.The group was formed by Long John Baldry after the break-up of his previous group "The Hoochie Coochie Men".

It included "Hoochie Coochie Men" vocalist Rod Stewart, female vocalist Julie Driscoll, organist Brian Auger and guitarist Vic Briggs. They were managed by Giorgio Gomelsky, who had previously been involved with "The Rolling Stones" and "The Yardbirds".

"Steampacket" played at various clubs, theatres and student unions around the country, including supporting "The Rolling Stones" on their 1965 British tour.

Because of contractual difficulties, however, they never formally recorded a studio or live album. Tracks from tapes made at a rehearsal in the Marquee Club in London were released after the band split as an album, "The First Supergroup".

Stewart left in 1966 and the group disbanded soon after. Long John Baldry pursued a solo career, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and Vic Briggs formed "Trinity". (by request)

Members:

Long John Baldry - vocals

Rod Stewart - vocals

Julie Driscoll - vocals

Brian Auger - Organ

Vic Briggs - guitar

Richard Brown - bass

Micky Waller - drums

-by dj fanis: here or here

"George Romanos-Two Small Blue Horses-In concert and in the studio-1968/70 Greece":

George Romanos is a Greek artist who recorded several albums in the sixties and seventies. His music ranges from Greek pop to psychedelic rock. "Two Small Blue Horses" released in 1970.Nowadays it is considered as one of the best Greek rock albums of all times.

In 1968 George worked with "Vangelis and his Orchestra" on several songs that appeared on his album "In concert and in the studio".
"In the studio" the members of Vangelis' "orchestra" were in fact the same musicians that would later form the group "Aphrodite's Child", after the group travelled to France in search of a more international audience."In Concert", there are songs composed both by Manos Hadjidakis and George Romanos.

(1-10 "Two Small Blue Horses") (11-17 "in concert") (18-23 "in the studio")

-by dj fanis: here or here

"The Electric Banana- Blows Your Mind-1967-68 UK":

A bunch of tunes recorded by the Pretty Things circa 1967-68 under the guise of the Electric Banana, a soundtrack albums the group did in the late '60s for De Wolfe. The tracks from the Electric Banana LP kinda sound like the Pretty's "Emotions" album but more upbeat. The remainder sounds like a stripped down S.F. Sorrow.

-by dj fanis: here or here

"Dr.Z - Three Parts To My Soul -1970 UK":

"Dr. Z" is an obscure early 70's English trio whose LP version of their only album now fetches in the 3-digit price range (only 80 copies were sold at the time).The dominant mood of the album is set by a percussive harpsichord that is alternately majestic and militaristic .This was a band fronted by a University of North Wales professor named Keith Keyes, who handles vocals and keyboards (harpsichord, piano, organ). Backing him up in this band were Bob Watkins on drums and Rob Watson on bass.
"Dr. Z" was discovered by Nirvana UK frontman Patrick Campbell Lyons, who is also credited as executive producer on the album.
"Three Parts to my Soul" is a fine example of early 70's prog at its darkest. It has simple rhythms and the music is peculiarly obsessive, with very long piano/organ solos and baroque melodies. Recommended!

-by dj fanis: here or here