The New York Rock Ensemble – Freedomburger (1972)

Artist: The New York Rock Ensemble
Title: Freedomburger
Year: 1972
Format: LP
Label: Columbia

The fifth and last album by The New York Rock N Roll Ensemble, who by the early seventies were now calling themselves The New York Rock Ensemble.

The album is an unremarkable collections of songs including a remake of Procal Harum’s “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”. After recording was completed on the album, the band embarked on a tour to support the release of the album, and soon after, disbanded

Group leader Michael Kamen went on to release his solo LP “New York Rock” with fellow band mate Dorian Rudnytsky and other musicians including David Sanborn, Larry Packer, Dennis Whitted and Hank DeVito. (Jack Dominilla)

Track Listing

1. More Like The Master
2. Magic Lady
3. I’m Sending A Friend To You
4. Kiss Your Future
5. A Whiter Shade Of Pale
6. Willow Tree
7. Shuffle
8. Barrell Full Of Wine
9. Carry Me Up
10. Roll Over
11. Raise Your Barriers
12. Goodnight Irene
    

The Electric Prunes – Just Good Old Rock And Roll (1969)

Artist: The Electric Prunes
Title: Just Good Old Rock And Roll
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: Reprise

The biggest mistake producer David Hassinger made on this release was retaining (actually re-using) the Electric Prunes moniker. Time and again, we have seen where major changes in personnel, coupled with drastic shifts in direction, yet still hanging on to a once glorious name, has spelled disaster for an album for so many reasons.

Most of those same reasons apply here. Neither any original band members, nor anything resembling their previous sound remain. Producer Hassinger has saddled his hastily assembled unit with something they obviously have little interest living up to.

What one needs to do, is think of this outfit as just another band, that happens to have the same name, and the same producer, and the same label, as another band, but is completely different in every other way, and you can begin to appreciate this record on it’s own merits. I find the title entirely appropriate, as there are no psych influences present at all.

Rather, we get western tinged rock, and not nearly as bad as predicted, featuring mild prog influences on some cuts, vocal duets, guitar with wah-wah, piano, but sometimes shaky and uninspired song writing. (tymeshifter RYM)

Track Listing

1. Sell
2. 14 Year Old Funk
3. Love Grows
4. So Many People To Tell
5. Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers
6. Giant Sunhorse
7. Violent Rose
8. Thorjon
9. Silver Passion Mine
10. Tracks
11. Sing To Me
12. Hey Mr. President
13. Sounds Of Pleasure
    

Mark “Moogy” Klingman – Moogy [Vinyl] (1972)

Artist: Mark “Moogy” Klingman
Title: Moogy
Year: 1972
Format: LP
Label: Capitol

Mark “Moogy” Klingman (born 7 September 1950, in New York City, New York, USA), was a founding member of Todd Rundgren’s musical team Utopia and later became a solo recording artist and songwriter.

The biography of Mark Klingman, and how he acquired his nickname of “Moogy,” were not widely known as of January 2010. Although “Moogy” rhymes with “boogie” rather than “hoagie,” he and his nickname rose to fame as Moog synthesizers dominated the market for his main instrument, electronic keyboards.

Klingman grew up in the Long Island suburb of Great Neck, New York. By age 10 he was collecting not just the usual comic books but 45rpm records, playing DJ in his basement. Through his older sister, he got an access pass to attend the 1965 Newport Folk Festival performance where Bob Dylan famously “went electric,” hanging out with Dylan before and after.

Back home, his band The Living Few recorded a demo of Dylan songs and original tunes. Then, at 16, he joined Jimmy James and the Blue Flames with Jimi Hendrix and Randy California. His jug band performance with schoolmate Andy Kaufman in a controversial civil rights concert resulted in his expulsion from high school. By then, his band Glitterhouse had made records with the star producer Bob Crewe, as well as Crewe’s soundtrack to the 1968 Roger Vadim film Barbarella with Jane Fonda.

Klingman’s association with Todd Rundgren commenced in 1969. Moogy was the original keyboardist for Todd Rundgren and Utopia. In his Manhattan loft, he and Rundgren constructed the “Secret Sound” recording studio where Rundgren produced his A Wizard, A True Star, Todd, and other albums. He played on 10 Todd Rundgren albums, as well as several Utopia albums.

Klingman played keyboards and produced a record for Bob Dylan – “Buckets Of Rain” – a duet Dylan did with Bette Midler. Through Rundgren, Klingman became the executive producer and musical director of the Music From Free Creek “supersession” project, which featured the participation of such internationally renowned artists as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Keith Emerson, Mitch Mitchell, Harvey Mandel and Linda Ronstadt.

He has also played live for Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, Buzzy Linhart and in the 90′s – with members of the Allman Brothers/Gov’t Mule and a summer tour with blues legend, Bo Diddley. Klingman has performed at many legendary venues with various groups. From Carnegie Hall to Radio City Music hall from NYC’s Bottom line to Live radio concerts on WBAI FM and K-ROCK.

Klingman is the co-founder of the band The Peaceniks, along with Barry Gruber.
Klingman has had solo albums out on Capitol and EMI records, as well as on his own label. Klingman has released several solo albums containing songs that went on to be recorded by people like Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton, Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, Todd Rundgren and others.

He wrote the song “Dust in the Wind” (not to be confused with the hit song of the same name by Kansas), which Todd Rundgren recorded on his Something/Anything? album and Guns N’ Roses have occasionally performed live in concert.

Klingman collaborated with William “Buzzy” Linhart on the authorship and composition of the selection (You Got To Have) Friends, which soon became Bette Midler’s de facto theme song. He produced and played keyboards for Midler on her “Songs for the New Depression”.

Klingman has played, recorded and/or had his songs covered by many rock legends, including Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Luther Vandross, Bob Dylan, Bo Diddley, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Allan Woody and Warren Haynes from the Allman Brothers & Gov’t Mule. Klingman has also worked with great female rockers like Carly Simon, Cindy Lauper, Shawn Colvin, Irene Cara, and Thelma Houston.

Klingman also played in the “Moogy/Woody Band” with Allman Brothers alumni Allan Woody, and Warren Haynes. A recent benefit concert (Feb 2011) for Klingman’s medical expenses due to cancer saw the original Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, featuring Ralph Schuckett, Kevin Ellman, John Siegler and Klingman, reunite on stage for the first time in well over thirty years. (Wikipedia)

Track Listing

1. I Can Love
2. Liz, When You Waltz
3. Kindness
4. Crying In The Sunshine
5. Kilpatrik’s Defeat
6. Just A Sinner
7. Making The Rounds At Midnight
8. On Your Own
9. Tonight I Want To Love Me A Stranger
10. The Sun And The Moon
11. Me And Richard
12. The Man At Ease
    

Elijah – Elijah Fanfares (1973)

Artist: Elijah
Title: Elijah Fanfares
Year: 1973
Format: LP
Label: MCA Sounds Of The South

Here’s the second album by the southern U.S. funky Brass-rockin’ congregation Elijah with a nice mix of rock and blues with soulful vocal harmonies that was released in 1973 and produced by Al Kooper.

Please reference their first album, Elijah post (April 6, 2011) and the Ever-Green Blues “7 Do Eleven” post (August 4, 2010) and The Evergreen Blues “Comin’ On” post (December 2, 2010) for more info. (Howard Hales Broom)

Track Listing

1. It’s Easy
2. Get Your Run Out
3. You’ll Never Keep The Woman Satisfied
4. L.A. Nites
5. Come On In
6. My Baby OOOO
7. You Don’t Know Nothin’ About Love
8. Wishful Thinking
9. A Good Thing (I’m On Fire)
10. Baby Workout