"El Chicano-Celebration-1972 US":

One of the best and most successful bands to emerge from East Los Angeles is El Chicano. Chicano rock is a rock music performed by Mexican American (Chicano) groups or music with themes derived from Chicano culture.

Originally formed as the V.I.P.s. they are a Latin R&B/brown-eyed band whose influences can be found in rock, funk, soul, blues, jazz and salsa.

Original members included Bobby Espinosa, Freddie Sanchez, Mickey Lespron, Andre Baeza, and John De Luna. During the 1970s, new members Ersi Arvizu, Hector "Rudy" Regalado, Max Garduno, Danny Lamonte, Brian Magness, Joe Pereria, and Jerry and Rudy Salas joined.

They became the first Chicano band to play at the Apollo Theater. Their 1972 cover version of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" was a big hit.

This album is their 3rd, released in 1972 and has the "Brown Eyed Girl" track. Excellent, enthusiastic and upbeat. Much appreciated instrumental professionalism and experimentalism. Those guitars really scream too!!!

-by dj fanis: here

"The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band - Volume 3 - A Child's Guide To Good And Evil -1968 US":

"Volume 3- A Child's Guide To Good And Evil", the group's third album, it is widely regarded as their best.In 2005, Mojo Magazine voted it 31 in its list of the 40 Greatest Psychedelic Albums Of All Time.With their soaring psychedelia, achingly pure folk-rock and Zappa/Beefheart strangeness, these underground gem from the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band can be seen as encyclopedic primer of the late-'60s Los Angeles musical experience.

On several cuts, the band shows a mastery of jazzy and funky elements not heard before on their previous rock/folk-rock disk.

In many ways Vol. 3 stands as their most extraordinary achievement: a bizarre fusion of innocence and malice perfectly encapsulated by both its title and John Van Hamersveld's striking cover art.(The closing track, "Anniversary Of World War III," is two minutes of total silence).

Members:
Bob Markley: vocals
Shaun Harris: vocals, bass
Ron Morgan: guitar
Jim Gordon: drums

-by dj fanis: here or here

"Jess & James -S/T-1969 Belgium":

The group is formed by Antionio and Fernando Lameirinhas (alias Tony & Wando Lam). They lived with their Portuguese parents in Belgium, moved to England and caught the soul-virus after playing in a few beat-groups (e.g. Screaming Lord Sutch). In 1967 they return to Belgium and form the J.J.Band.

This is their third album and was recorded at Studio Madelein, Bruxelles, Belgium.

Titled simply "Jess & James", this third and final LP sound is really a beast, an album practically impossible to categorize and difficult to label. Prog-soul made by the Portuguese in Belgium!?

Recorded without wind section , only by a quartet of Tony, Wando, Scott Bradford and Stu Martin (bass, guitar, keys and drums respectively), is an album that shamelessly mix the emerging progressive movement with the soul, with some touches of jazz and rock with guitars and swinging hammond. A unique album that left fans misplaced with the group.

Consequently sold poorly, almost immediately becoming a real rarity in the euro-rock.

-by djkit: here

Chris Goes Rock NEW LINK:
http://chrisgoesrocksagain.blogspot.com/

"Inner Dialogue -S/T- 1969 US":

Recorded in Hollywood, a pop psyche trio with songs like Get Aboard A Dream, In Sequence, I Go To Life, The Touch, Within You and Inner Dialogue. This is a mellow, dreamy, harmony pop psych album in the style of the Free Design and Stereolab with lots of string arrangements.

-by dj fanis: here or here

"Tina & David Meltzer - Poet Song -1969 US":

Singer Tina Meltzer and her husband, poet/singer/songwriter David Meltzer, were the main creative forces in the Serpent Power, a minor late-'60s San Francisco Bay Area psychedelic band that did one album for Vanguard Records. In 1969, the duo cut a record on their own for Vanguard "Poet Song", mixing David Meltzer's spoken poems with gentle, bittersweet psychedelic-tinged folk-rock tunes, usually sung by Tina Meltzer. The album is nice enough. It's more assured and less derivative than the David Meltzer-penned psychedelic music on the Serpent Power's LP.

-by dj fanis: here

"The National Gallery - Performing Musical Interpretations Of The Paintings Of Paul Klee -1968 US":

This superbly melodic and strange distillation of Pop, Folk, Psych and Jazz was inspired by the paintings of Paul Klee. A fusion of harmonious folk, pop and avant garde with some psychy touches, culminating in its most memorable track "Long Hair Soulful" with stoned vocals and acid-etched guitar.
It was a studio recording overseen by the Cleveland-based team of jazz composer Chuck Mangione and local producerarranger Roger Karshner, who called the songs 'Electronic Paintings'. The musicians themselves don't get a name-check, just a picture - three guys and a gal. Composers Roger Karshner and Charles Mangione were involved with several other Cleveland area acts and Karshner was manager of one of the city's more successful sixties bands, "The Outsiders". (by request)

-by dj fanis: here

"Jimmy Castor-Hey Leroy -1967 US":

Before he was the clown prince of novelty disco-funk with hits like 1972's "Troglodyte" and 1975's "The Bertha Butt Boogie," saxophonist Jimmy Castor had earlier chart success with 1967's Latin- and jazz-infused "Hey Leroy, Your Mama's Calling You." The Smash LP doesn't have the big funk sound Castor would aim for later, is more in the soul-jazz arena.

-by dj fanis: here

"Keith - 98.6-Ain't Gonna Lie -1967 US":

Remembered for his 1967 Top Ten smash "98.6," singer Keith was born James Barry Keefer in Philadelphia on May 7, 1949. According to legend, he earned his first record deal with Columbia after camping out on the doorstep of A&R executive Jerry Ross the resulting single, 1966's "Caravan of Lonely Men," was credited to Keith and the Admirations. When Ross moved to Mercury Records he took Keith with him, and the singer soon cracked the Top 40 with his solo debut, "98.6- Ain't Gonna Lie" reached the number seven position in the first week of 1967.

-by dj fanis:here

"Kim Fowley -Born To Be Wild-1968 US":

One of the most colorful characters in the annals of rock and roll, Kim Fowley was, over the course of his decades-long career, a true jack-of-all-trades, a singer, songwriter, producer and manager, as well as a disc jockey and published poet he was the catalyst behind much of the music to emerge from the Los Angeles area during the 1960s and 1970s, guiding his associates and proteges to fame and fortune while remaining himself a shadowy cult figure well outside the margins of the mainstream.
"Born To Be Wild" by Kim Fowley includes instrumental versions of "I Can't Stop Dancing," "Soul Limbo," "Savage in the Sun" and covers of rock classics "Sunshine Of Your love", "Born To Be Wild", " Hello I Love You"...(by request)

-by dj fanis: here

"Yesterday's Children - S/T-1969 US":

The sole album by this obscure Connecticut group who recorded this one LP and a classic psychedelic garage punk single which appears on the Psychedelic Unknowns compilation.

While the debut single was classic beat garage of the period 1966, by the 1969 album the group expanded into more hard rock and progressive styles and this album is drenched in the lead guitar blitz of Reggie Wright.

Side one is very good and side two is nothing less than remarkable. The four songs presented are solid and unfailing, featuring the powerful fat chords of Wright. The rest of the band easily falls into line with such resourceful leadership to complete the overall effects of each and every track. The group was led by brothers Denis Croce on guitar and Richard Croce on vocals, and Chuck Maher and Ralph Muscatelli on bass and drums.

-by dj fanis: here or here

"Heaven & Earth - Refuge- 1973 US":

"Refuge" is the only known album by Heaven and Earth. Psych folk funk beauty from the early 70’s featuring the gorgeous voices of Jo D. Andrews & Pat Gefell. “Feel The Spirit” and “Jenny” have been making the rounds on the UK DJ circuit and on compilations like “Folk Is Not A Four Letter Word.”

Whatever your musical taste, psych-folk, funk, soft rock… this LP seems to fit perfectly. Should appeal to fans of BJ Ward, Wendy & Bonnie, Linda Perhacs, Christine Harwood, Sunforest, Margo Guryan, Lyn Christopher, Barbara & Ernie, etc.

Members:

Drums - Don Simmons

Flute - Arthur Lauer

Guitar - Charles Chittenden , Pat Gefell , Phil Upchurch, Ron Steele

Percussion - Bobby Christian

Piano - Jorge Dalto

Strings - Fred Spector, Jerry Sabransky, Joseph Sciacchitano, Samuel Magad, William Schoen Violin - Joseph Golan

Vocals - Jo D. Andrews ,Pat Gefell

-by dj fanis: here

"TnT Boys- Sex Symbols -1969 US":

Moving from the boogaloo-playing TnT Band to the Latin-inflected go-go of the TnT Boys, "Sex Symbols" offers a slightly different perspective, a slightly different flavor.

Much of the writing has merit and even the musical ideas hinted at in the arranging process are clever and interesting. The tunes that come together most effectively are the salsa selections. "Caliente" grooves effortlessly and Tony Rojas, the Spanish-language vocal lead, has a much more cohesive, confident style. Their rarest LP incl. "Musica de Alma" and "Jala Jala" with a great trombone solo.

A really great latin soul album!!!

-by dj fanis: here

"Dana Gillespie-Foolish Seasons-1967 UK (US only release)":

Vocalist Dana Gillespie's first album was released when she was only 15. In 1964 Dana Gillespie recorded her first single for Pye, with Donovan on guitar and became a regular on the folk circuit along with friends Donovan and David Bowie.

She recalls: "I was doing folk because I couldn't afford a band and I hadn't found my musical niche".Over the next four decades, as a strong presence in the world of music, she was part of the recording of around 40 albums. Dana started off singing folk before moving to rock and blues. "Foolish Seasons", which was oddly issued in the U.S. but not in the U.K., despite the heavily British-European cast to the production and arrangements.This 1967 LP features Jimmy Page on the Donovan-penned "You Just Gotta Know My Mind" plus "Tears in My Eyes", "Life Is Short" and more beautifully produced hybrids of psych-pop and folk-rock.

-by dj fanis: here

"Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers-Jungle Fire-1969 US":
One of the greatest albums by this funky Latin combo! The record differs from some of their earlier Prestige albums in that the tracks are longer, more instrumental, and have a hard fuzzy electric groove. The band jams hard in a way that's more like some of the funk combos of the early 70s, than the Latin groups from which they came and that's no problem by us, because the results are wonderful!

Includes two funky numbers written by Sonny Phillips "The Spokerman" and "Jamilah" plus a great extended cover of "Cloud Nine". Great horn work from the funky Pazant Brothers, plus Seldon Powell, who also plays flute and tenor on the album and other jazz funk stars on the album include Bernard Purdie, Billy Butler, and Neal Creque, Pucho's right hand man!

-by dj fanis: here or here (new link)

"Dennis Coffey-Hair and Thangs-1969 US":
Dennis Coffey (born November 1940, Detroit, Michigan) is an American guitarist. He was a studio musician for many soul and R&B recordings. As a member of the Funk Brothers studio band, Coffey played on dozens of recordings for Motown Records, and introduced the wah-wah guitar sound to Motown record producer Norman Whitfield's recordings, the most notable of which is Cloud Nine by Temptations.

He also played on Edwin Starr's "S.O.S. (Stop Her on Sight)," The Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing", and Freda Payne's "Band of Gold". In addition, Coffey scored the blaxploitation film, Black Belt Jones.

This is the rare first Dennis Coffey album.The record has Coffey playing his trademark fuzzy guitar, along with his early group that included the legendary Lyman Woodard on organ and Melvin Davis on drums.

As the title implies, some tracks are versions of cuts from "Hair" with great Galt MacDermot grooves like "Let The Sunshine In", "Sodomy", and "Aquarius" plus other excellent covers and originals, like "Hair & Grits","Do Your Thang", "It's Your Thang", and "Electric Thang".
Clearly, it's a very thang-heavy LP, with all the funkiness that might imply. There's some excellent drum breaks, and more than a boatload full of fuzzy guitar riffs to groove you away. Probably his best album!!!

Members:

Dennis Coffey (guitar)

Lyman Woodard (organ)

Melvin Davis (drums )

-by dj fanis: here

"Live In Kittaro-ΖΩΝΤΑΝΟΙ ΣΤΟ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΟ -1971 Greece":

A rare and historic live recordings from 1971 at the "KITTARO CLUB" in Athens.The sound and the groups of that season like: Exadaxtylos feat. Dimitris Poulikakos, Socrates Drank The Conium, Damon & Fidias feat. Pavlos Sidiropoulos , Despina Glezou...Underground hearings , effort for freedom, dynamic scene of 70's rock in Greece. (by request)
-by dj fanis: here and here is the covers

"Joe Bataan-Saint Latin's Day Massacre-1972 US":
A real turning point for Joe Bataan and the beginning of his funky Latin sound of the 70s! The album was one of the first in Joe's "Salsoul" style, a sweet blend of Latin rhythms, late 60s Latin soul influences, and some of the hipper styles bubbling through the NuYorican scene. A few cuts are in the sweet soul ballad mode of Joe's earlier years but there's others that pick up the groove nicely, and add in some guitar and vibes for a sweet electrified groove. Includes a great remake of "Theme From Shaft", plus the two-part "I Wish You Love", "If I Were A King", "Coco E", "El Regreso" and "Charangaringa".

-by dj fanis: here

"Jet Harris- Besame Mucho-1962 UK single"
Jet Harris (born Terence Harris, 6 July 1939, Honeypot Lane, Kingsbury, North London, England) was the bass guitarist of The Shadows until April 1962, and had subsequent success as a soloist and as a duo with the drummer, Tony Meehan.
In 1962, he left the Shadows following disagreements. He released solo instrumental and vocal work with some success and, as part of a duo with former Shadows drummer Tony Meehan, topped the UK Singles Chart with "Besame Mucho" in May 1962 (UK #22).
A great bass solo!!!

-by dj fanis: here

"Billy Stewart-Summertime-1966 US single":
Pianist and singer Billy Stewart was a distinctive and influential R&B vocalist whose stuttering delivery and word-repetition technique borrowed liberally from the jazz practice of scat singing. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1937, Stewart started singing publicly with his mother's group, the Stewart Gospel Singers, as a teenager. Stewart was first discovered as a pianist, not a singer while passing through on a tour, Bo Diddley heard him playing backstage and offered him a job as a backing musician.
Thanks to his connection with Diddley, Stewart cut his first solo single, "Billy's Blues," for Chess in 1956. He moved to Okeh in 1957 and recorded "Billy's Heartache" backed by the Marquees, another D.C.area group featuring Gaye.
Stewart's unique vocal stylings were in full flower, earning him the new nickname "Motormouth," and his revisitation of "Summertime" in 1966 landed in the Top Ten on both the pop and R&B charts.
In 1969, he suffered minor injuries in a motorcycle accident, but the real tragedy struck on January 17, 1970, when the car Stewart was driving went off the road and plunged into the Neuse River in North Carolina, killing Stewart and the three bandmembers riding with him. He was not quite 33.

-by dj fanis: here

"Julius Brockington - Sophisticated Funk -1972 US":
Funky keyboard tracks from Julius Brockington, a mad early 70s figure who not only cut some wild funk, but who also ended up doing a fair bit of gospel work in later years. This set's a good bit of stoner funk tracks in the wilder mode of the Perception/Today label and it's got production by Boo Frazier and Patrick Adams that is very "hands off" when it comes to Brockington's keys.
The track list includes covers of some soul stuff like "Rock Steady" and "Do Your Thing", plus a good original called "Cold Water".
Members:
Willie Bear -Bass
Anthony Blunt-Drums
Don Mitchell-Guitar
Julius Brockington-Keyboards
Bobby Morton Jr.-Percussion

-by dj fanis: here

"Coven-Witchcraft Destroys Minds And Reaps Souls- 1969 US":
"Witchcraft Destroys Minds And Reaps Souls" is the first album by the psychedelic rock band Coven composed of vocalist Jinx Dawson, bassist Oz Osborne (not to be confused with Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath), Chris Neilsen on guitar, Rick Durrett and later John Hobbs on keyboards, and drummer Steve Ross.

It was unusual in that it dealt with overtly occult and satanic themes, and was removed from the market soon after its release due to controversy.
However, it remains a classic of its genre, and in some ways set groundbreaking trends for later rock bands. In this album appeared for the first time things which today are ubiquitous in occult and heavy metal rock music, such as the sign of the horns, inverted crosses, and the phrase Hail Satan. This album also shows a subtle influence on the first album, appearing only a few months later, of the much more successful group Black Sabbath (the album also called Black Sabbath), with one of the members being, not Oz Osborne (as in Coven), but Ozzy Osbourne.
-by dj fanis: here

"Chicano Power! -Latin Rock in the USA 1968-1976 ":
This excellent compilation contain 17 tracks by Latin bands throughout the U.S. who fused rock, jazz and Latin music in the late 1960s and 1970s. The title is a trifle misleading, although Mexican-American bands from Los Angeles and San Francisco are well represented on the set, it also includes Puerto Rican-American artists and groups from New York and Miami. There are also a couple cuts from the Peruvian band Black Sugar, included to illustrate the influence of U.S. Latin rock in Latin America itself. (by request)
-by dj fanis: here

"Sugarloaf -S/T-1970 US":
Best known for their 1970 AM pop classic "Green-Eyed Lady," Sugarloaf was formed in 1969 in Denver out of the ashes of the Moonrakers, which had released an album in 1968. Singer/keyboardist Jerry Corbetta and guitarist Bob Webber founded the group, adding Moonraker mates Bob MacVittie on drums and Veeder Van Dorn on rhythm guitar, plus bassist Bob Raymond.
Originally dubbed Chocolate Hair, the band lost Van Dorn after just a few months when he joined Mescalero Space Kit. On the strength of their demos, the band was signed to Liberty, and changed their name to Sugarloaf, after a Colorado mountain popular with skiers (the record company was concerned about the possible racial overtones of Chocolate Hair).
Sugarloaf recorded their self-titled debut album in 1970, and the single "Green-Eyed Lady" co-written by Corbetta and based on a piece of a scale exercise in a practice book,slowly became a nationwide hit, catching on in more and more markets until it finally peaked at number #3 on the Billboard chart.
-by dj fanis: here

"Soulful Dynamics - Jungle People-single -1976 Germany":
The Soulful Dynamics was a Liberian group who relocated to Germany at the end of the 60s, and recorded in English with a mad mix of styles! Their approach here is a blend of South and West African pop modes of the 70s.

-by dj fanis: here

"Salamander-The Ten Commandments-1971 UK":
This is a band whose concept album is based on the Ten Commandments. Each track deals with a different commandment. The album, which was produced by Miki Dallon, was dominated by Bob Leaper's orchestral arrangements, but there are also some good melodies, strong vocals and organ work and powerful drumming.
The best tracks are those where the orchestral arrangements are more discreet: "He Is My God", on which the melody sounds like King Crimson in places "Images", which features strong vocals, good drumming and organ work; the mellow and melodic "People" and "False Witness", a good progressive piece with some fine guitar leads and powerful organ.
Members:
A.B. Benson - Organ, Vocals
Dave Chriss - Bass
John Cook - Drums
Dave Titley - Guitar, Lead Vocals

-by dj fanis: here

"Dee Dee (McNeil), Barry & The Movements - Soul Hour - 1968 Switzerland":

Legendary (holy grail) German Funk record that was recorded in Switzerland. Outstanding MPS Recording with some superb funky dancefloor-bombs featured on: "Soultime, Get out of my Life woman and Hold on, I'm comin' .Dee Dee McNeil and Barry Window on vocals, Joel Vandroogenbroeck (of Brainticket fame) on flute plus Hammond organ, Barney Wilen on tenor and soprano saxophone, Ronald Bryer on guitar, Peter Giske on bass and Wolfgang Paap on drums.Heavy heavy Soul and Funk tracks throughout. Superb singing and wild organ and flute solos. The drums are totally raw.

-by dj fanis: here

"Damn Sam the Miracle Man and the Soul Congregation-S/T- 1970 US":

An ultra rare psychedelic soul album, out of Detroit. Damn Sam is actually a group spearheaded by vocalist OC Wright, a man with a roaring voice and righteous delivery that could tear through brick and producer Jack Taylor.The group is a real killer, with absolutely pummeling funky drums and snapping electric congas & bongo work on just about every track plus soaring trumpet and sax work that counterbalance the fury of Wright's vocals nicely.

"Give Me Another Joint" and "L.A. 26000" recalls me the party-psychedelic-funky-time of Parliament and Family Stone :

"I just want to get you higher baby, so give me another joint baby".

-by djkit: here

"Fifth Flight - Into Smoke Tree Village - 1970 US":

Century Records was a California custom record label which pressed tens of thousands of small-run records for schools, church groups and obscure local bands and Fifth Flight's "Into Smoke Tree Village", with its rustic mill whee cover, was a garage psych album consisting mostly of covers, delivered with lashing of fuzz guitar and heavy, spooky organ.

The stand out track is surely the band's jawdroppingly awesome version o Neil Young's "Sugar Mountain" which over the years has gained a deseved reputation as a psych masterpiece.One of those delightful garage/psych jewels that this label is famous for.

-by dj fanis: here

"Christopher - S/T- 1970 US":

Another one of Texas' wealth of interesting late '60s psychedelic bands, Christopher came together in 1968 in the Houston area. Doug Tull (drums), Doug Walden (bass, vocals), and Richard Avitts (guitar, vocals) were the original members of the band, which was originally known as United Gas. United Gas moved to Las Vegas for a brief time and then to Los Angeles after L.A. record label Metromedia offered them a two-year contract. At the behest of Metromedia, the band changed their name to Christopher so that they wouldn't be confused with similarly monikered California band Pacific Gas & Electric.

Walden and Avitts felt Christopher to be a religious band-the name is derived from Saint Christopher-and wanted to convey this through the music. Recording of their first album started in early 1969 however, it was hampered by Tull's drug use and his failed suicide attempt. He was fired (later returning to Houston and joining Josephus) and the sessioins were completed with drummers John Simpson and Terrence Hand. The result was Christopher's self-titled debut album, released in a single 1970 pressing of a thousand LPs by Metromedia. Walden and Avitts remained in Los Angeles playing as Christopher until Avitts returned to Houston later in the year. Christopher is one of the finer albums to have fallen completely through the cracks of the '60s and Christopher one of the era's best forgotten bands.

-by dj fanis: here

" Brian Auger and The Trinity-Befour- 1970 UK":

Brian Auger (born8 July 1939, London, England) is a jazz and rock keyboardist, who has specialized in playing the Hammond organ.
A jazz pianist, bandleader, session musician and Hammond B3 player, Auger has played or toured with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon and others. He has incorporated jazz, early British pop, R&B, soul music and rock, and he has been nominated for a Grammy.

In 1965 Auger formed the group The Steampacket, along with Long John Baldry, Julie Driscoll, Vic Briggs and Rod Stewart. With Driscoll and the band, Trinity, he went on to record several hit singles and albums.
"Befour" was the last Brian Auger and the Trinity album.In 1970 he formed Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, shortly after abandoning the abortive "Wassenaar Arrangement" jazz-fusion commune in a small suburb of The Hague. The Oblivion Express served to cultivate several musicians, including future The Average White Band drummers Robbie McIntosh and Steve Ferrone, as well as guitarist Jim Mullen.

HAPPY 2010 TO ALL!!!

-by dj fanis: here