Sage And Seer – Sage And Seer (1969)

Artist: Sage And Seer
Title: Sage And Seer
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: Stylist

Courtesy Of Faintly Blowing
Sage & Seer were a folk-pop-psych duo based in Denver, Colorado and consisted of Don Beckman (lead guitar, vocals) and David Rea (lead vocals, guitar).

Unusual item for a private press as it’s an ambitious and elaborate lite-psych effort that would have fit well on Epic or ABC. There are a few standout tracks, but all are filled with well-orchestrated string and horn sections. Influences are mainly British with obvious nods to 1967 Donovan and the Beatles.

In addition to this album, the duo also released three singles, one of them included the non-LP tracks “I Can’t Take You Home” and “Calling” All their recordings were released on the local Denver Stylist Records label. (Collectors Frenzy)

Track Listing

1. Pictures Through A Sunday Afternoon
2. She Died Again
3. Candle
4. I’ve Cried
5. Time Has Come Between Us
6. Be Still When You Cry
7. Clarissa
8. I Want You To Know
9. All Those Yesterdays
10. No
11. Blue, Blue And Blue
12. Farewell St. John
    

Pat Kilroy – Light Of Day [Stereo Vinyl] (1966)

Artist: Pat Kilroy
Title: Light Of Day
Year: 1966
Format: LP
Label: Elektra

Pat Kilroy was one of the most little-known singer/songwriters to record for Elektra Records in the 1960s, issuing just one album, 1966′s Light Of Day. It’s a strange record, with the folk-blues base common to many performers of the era just before they leapt into folk-rock, but lacking the rock instrumentation and arrangements that would have made it an early folk-rock album.

Kilroy’s vocals and material are in some ways similar to those on Tim Buckley’s weirder late-’60s folk-rock-jazz-psychedelic albums, but without the depth and power of Buckley’s singing or songwriting. Skilled musicians Stefan Grossman, Eric Kaz, and Marc Silber are among the accompanists, and there’s a world jazz flavor in the use of conga, tabla, flute, and glockenspiel.

The songs sometime seem to be attempting to conjure a mystic aura, but lack the quality content necessary to live up to those ambitions. Kilroy did not release anything other than this LP (this is the rare stereo version), which has become pretty rare. (Jimmy James)

Track Listing

The Magic Carpet
Roberta’s Blues
Cancereal
A Day At The Beach
The Pipes Of Pan
Mississippi Blues
Vibrations
Light Of Day
The Fortune Teller
Canned Heat
The River

Hollins And Starr – Sidewalks Talking (1970)

Artist: Hollins And Starr
Title: Sidewalks Talking
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Ovation

First let me warn you that Chuck Hollins and Dave Starr are folkies at heart and much of 1970′s Norm Christina produced “Sidewalks Talking” showcases those musical tendencies. I also have to admit that I’m surprised I like this album as much as I do.

The first couple of times I played the LP Dave Starr’s omni-present flute proved a major stumbling block to my ears, particularly those segments where he’s give the spotlight to cut lose (the end of ‘Hard Headed Women’ and the band’s odd decision to cover Bach’s “Vivach”).

Luckily I tend to play an album at least four times before making a decision as to whether its a keeper or not. By the fourth spin the flutes remained a source of irritation, but the album’s other charms compensated for that particular distraction.

With the pair splitting writing duties, acoustic material like “Twin City Prayer”, “John Hurt” and “Lovable” (the latter recalling something Nick Drake might have done) was pretty and quite listenable.

Hollins and Starr were both gifted with pretty voices and on tracks such as the pretty ballad “Cry Baby Cry” and “Feelin’ Good” they turned in some truly gorgeous harmonies. That said, the collection’s highlights came courtesy of their occasional discordant, psych and rock splashes – if you want to hear all three genres collide at once then check out the wild “Hard Headed Woman”.

Equally impressive were the surprising fuzz guitar propelled ‘Home?’ and ”. A real charmer that rewards repeated visits … okay, okay you might want to skip “Digress”. (Bad Cat)

Track Listing

1. Talking To Myself
2. Krishna Boy
3. Cry, Baby Cry
4. Twin City Prayer
5. John Hurt
6. Hard Headed Woman
7. Home?
8. Vivace (2nd Movement Flute Sonata In A Minor)
9. Lovable
10. Digress
11. Stayin’ High
12. Sidewalks Talkin’
13. Feelin’ Good
    

Leonda – Woman In The Sun [Vinyl] (1968)

Artist: Leonda
Title: Woman In The Sun
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: Epic

Though it was released on a major label (Columbia’s Epic subsidiary) in the late ’60s, Leonda’s sole album, Woman in the Sun, is extremely rare, and little known even among fans of singer/songwriters of the era. Because Leonda is Native American, and sometimes uses prominent vibrato in her vocal phrasing, she might generate comparisons to the most well-known Native American singer/songwriter of that era, Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Actually, however, she’s almost as similar to Annisette of Savage Rose or (more distantly) Melanie, or perhaps some of the gutsier woman singers from late-’60s West Coast rock bands. While Leonda has an appealing, somewhat raspy voice, her folk-bluesy material (with backup help from members Adam Mitchell and Skip Prokop of the Canadian rock band the Paupers) is less impressive.

The songs are fairly meandering and not all that tuneful, if good-natured with a vaguely hippie uplifting vibe. Things are better when she moves away from a blues base to a folkier one, as she does with the orchestrated “When I Lived in My Grandmother’s House” and the acoustic “Zono My Bird.” (Howard Hales Broom)

“Featuring superb backing from Skip Prokop, Adam Mitchell and Brad Campbell of The Paupers (see their posts from January 24, 2010 and the Pozo-Seco “Shades Of Time” August 3, 2010 post), as well as long-time Muddy Waters sideman Sammy Lawhorn, Ted Irwin (renowned for his early collaborations with Jake Holmes) and Brad Cambell (The Paupers, Janis Joplin), it features haunting acoustic tunes and Native American-themed lyrics that are sure to appeal to fans of female hippie rock.

Sad-tinged folk from Leonda, an artist who appears to have some Native American affiliations, at least from the themes of the songs — and who’s working here with backings that are well-done, but never too professionally polished!

The Paupers help out with a good deal of the instrumentation, and backings are usually gentle, but with some slightly complicated phrasings in ways that almost remind us a bit of Tim Hardin at times, but which come off quite differently given Leonda’s slightly bluesy vocal approach.

Also this is singer-songwriter related but with a somewhat bluesier and still soulful vibe. For many songs she keeps this bluesy style alive, with a mostly rather gently soft-rock moodily vibe. But there also a few more folkier, or calmer blues-of-heart personal songs, like “When I Lived In My Grandmother’s House”, with a more sad bluesy folk flavour, with a gifted voice for showing emotions in the song, or “come take a waltz through my heart”.

A musically more unique and distinctive track is “Peace And Pipes” a song with several musical references to native Indians, in the singing improvisations, with an open tuned guitar that adds more psychedelic parts, and a drum arrangement that clearly refers to a powwow drumming. Also “Zozo My Bird” continues just slightly this reference..before definitely returning to more direct bluesy folk associations.” (Acid Visions)

Track Listing

1. Mist In The Sky
2. Somebody’s Gonna Ask Me Who I Was
3. When I Lived In My Grandmother’s House
4. Blue Diamond In A Platinum Setting
5. Mother In Love
6. Come Take A Waltz Through My Heart
7. Peace And Pipes
8. Zono My Bird
9. Head Country (To The Lost City Of ZooZoo)
10. Make It All Right
    

Bob Brown – Willoughby’s Lament (1971)

Artist: Bob Brown
Title: Willoughby’s Lament
Year: 1971
Format: LP
Label: Stormy Forest

Bob Brown’s second album Willoughby’s Lament, is much rarer and lesser known than his debut. The album was recorded once again with the help of Richie Havens who produced, sang background vocals and also designed the cover.

After recording album, Brown would go on to tour with Havens briefly and then would be an opening act for such artists as Neil Young, James Taylor, Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt and Emmy Lou Harris.

In the early seventies Brown studied at the University Of Maryland graduating with a BA in English in 1974 and is currently President of Bob Brown Service Solutions in Washington D.C. (Jack Dominilla)

Track Listing

1. If I’d Live Alone
2. Interlude
3. Baby Child
4. Of Breath And Skin
5. Willoughby’s Lament (Part I)
6. In These Flames
7. Kindly Leave My Heart
8. Death In Dreams
9. For Pamela
10. Light Of Children Come
11. Willoughby’s Lament (Part II)
    

Bob Brown – The Wall I Built Myself (1970)

Artist: Bob Brown
Title: The Wall I Built Myself
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Stormy Forest

Bob Brown’s first LP was not completely overlooked the first time around. As a protege to Richie Havens during the peak of his career, he was able to connect with an audience eager for the dreamy, open-hearted melancholia he perfected on The Wall I Built Myself.

The album sold well, but not well enough to permanently fix it in the memories of Brown’s own generation. On the other hand, it isn’t nearly rare enough to attract the fetishism of the collector’s culture

Slowly this is changing, as music lovers identify with his potent voice which calls to mind Tim Hardin, and the discipline and vision which calls to mind Tim Buckley. (Waxidermy)

Track Listing

1. It Takes The World To Make A Feather Fall
2. Quiet Waterfall
3. Monday Virus
4. First Light
5. Winds Of Change
6. Selina
7. Seek The Sun
8. Icarus
   

Dino Valente – Dino Valente (1968)

Artist: Dino Valente
Title: Dino
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: Epic

Dino Valente ain’t everybody’s cup of tea, some complain his voice was a nasal whine, but being a huge fan of both Sky Saxon and Sonny Bono I like it just fine. Dino’s real name was Chester Powers and was born in Danbury, Connecticut (about 25 miles from my home turf of Bridgeport, Connecticut) he sadly died in the mid 90′s after a long illness.

Chester underwent a name change in the mid 60′s and became Dino Valente (sometimes spelled Valenti). Dino hit the New York folk scene in the mid 60′s and became fast friends with Richie Havens among others like The Youngbloods, in fact he wrote The Youngbloods classic peace anthem “Get Together” which the “bloods” recorded for their splendid 1967 debut album (“Get Together” became a worldwide hit in 1969 when re-issued to tie in with a UNICEF campaign.)

Dino had a restless spirit and he also had a talent for telling “tall tales”, one of his best known stories was that his parents ran carnivals and that he grew up traveling with the circus, which may just be a story, who knows?. Somehow Dino made it to the West Coast by the mid 60′s and wound up in the San Francisco bay area.

He took his lone folkie act onto the coffee house circuit along with others hopefuls like David Crosby, Paul Kantner, and David Freiberg. Around this time (1966) many West Coast groups began playing a song called “Hey Joe” which many like Love credited to Dino Valente, whether he wrote it or not is unknown but it did help to build Dino’s reputation as an ace songwriter.

Dino’s frienship with David Freiberg led to the duo forming the original Quicksilver Messenger Service. Yet just before Quicksilver were to get into action Dino was busted on a dope charge and went to jail, he was replaced briefly by Jim Murray.

Quicksilver had an agreement with Dino that he could re-join the group as soon as he got out of jail and as a show of strength they recorded Valente’s “Dino’s Song” for their debut album in 1968.

Dino did hit the streets again in 1968 but instead of joining Quicksilver he signed to Epic as a solo act and recorded this spectacular album which quickly faded into obscurity. This album really justifies the tag of “unsung” and is a winner from beginning to end. It remains Dino’s finest ever work.

Dino would later rejoin Quicksilver in 1970 after a failed attempt to get together a group called The Outlaws with QMS guitarist Gary Duncan. Oddly enough due to a contractual problems Dino’s new songs with QMS would be credited to Jesse Oris Farrow! Whew!

Anyway now to the record Dino Valente opens with a spacey acoustic ballad called “Time” which features just harpsichord and light percussion, Dino’s guitar and his eerie multi-tracked voice, in fact much of this album follows this formula with smashing results. “Something New” is a longish jazzy piece that looks forward to QMS numbers like “Gone Again” it’s well played and well sung, a knockout.

“My Friend” adds some tasteful flute and piano and trumpets, Dino plays some icy solos on guitar and as usual his vocal is out of sight!. “Listen To Me” is a truly spooky mellowed back Death Valley acoustic ballad that brings to mind Tim Buckley’s “Lorca” album.

Up next is “Me and My Uncle” written by John Phillips and also recorded by The Fortunate Sons and The Grateful Dead. Dino’s version knocks the spots off The Grateful Dead version, Dino really brings the song to life with a passionate vocal and some dazzling guitar work. “Tomorrow” could have been selected as a possible single it has hit written all over it, it’s a beautiful romantic song which is aided by some lovely strings.

“Children Of The Sun” is a tripped out psychedelic trance ballad where Dino sounds a lot like Marty Balin circa “Comin’ Back To Me”. The next track “New Wind Blowing” follows suit and is also superb. “Everything Is Gonna Be OK” is absolutely killer!, Dino’s voice has loads of echo on it which makes it sounds like 5 people are singing with him, and he plays aggressive guitar lines similar to “Me and My Uncle”.

The final song is a total psychedelic freakout called “Test” this one has a bizarre Skip Spence ring to it, it features flute guitar and a really way out vocal, it’s a great way to end the album it just leaves you hanging there. (Dave Furgess)

Track Listing

1. Time
2. Something New
3. My Friend
4. Listen To Me
5. Me And My Uncle
6. Tomorrow
7. Children Of The Sun
8. New Wind Blowing
9. Everything Is Gonna Be Ok
10. Test
    

Click – Click (1969)

Artist: Click
Title: Click
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: ABC

Everyone seems to remember producer Tom Wilson’s involvement at ABC Records, setting up Rasputin Productions and producing many albums for that label in the late sixties including Fire, Purpose, Fraternity Of Man, Ill Wind (please see posts of June 11,16, & 27 of 2010 for info on these albums) but this one somehow slipped through the cracks.

Click Horning’s self-titled album will remind you at times of Donovan, and also of a group that arrived much later on the scene, Prefab Sprout. A nice mixture of folk and pop all in the singer-songwriter context. Click Horning is still performing, check his site at http://www.clickhorning.com/

“Click’s breathy vocal delivery and sharp songwriting are quite enjoyable. It’s a nice production with bits of orchestration. It’s an interesting, distinct sound that’s accomplished throughout the lp, as it is thoroughly ‘alternative’, and seems ahead of its time. A few moments are a little too quirky for their own good, but overall it’s a terrific listen.” (latenight RYM)

Track Listing

1. Never Said She Was
2. Many Times Jimbo
3. My Precious
4. Crazy Hannah
5. My Pet
6. Theme Too
7. Find It For Yourself
8. For Judith
9. Girl On My Mind
10. To Paris (Handle With Care)
11. See That My Children Got Warm Clothes
    

Hedge & Donna – 2 (1968)

Artist: Hedge & Donna
Title: 2
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: Capitol

Hedge & Donna Capers second album released in 1968 and produced by Nick Venet. A beautiful folk LP with touches of psychedelia that is at times reminiscent of early Tim Buckley, Free Band, Pearls Before Swine etc. For more info, check their “Evolution Revolution” July 1, 2010 post. (James Olgethorp)

Track Listing

1. He Who Must Die
2. Four Women
3. From Silverlake
4. Josea
5. Little Child
6. Is It Love Lady
7. Always And Endless
8. Please Understand Me
9. The Sparrow And The Tree
   

Rob Carr & Bill Kahl – Communication 1 (1971)

Artist: Rob Carr & Bill Kahl
Title: Communication 1
Year: 1971
Format: LP
Label: Grotesque

Very rare and excellent private LP by two fine acoustic guitarists, this has a feel similar to Davy Graham’s Decca-era work to my ears, and Jorma Kaukonen is referenced as well with a fine instrumental version of “Today” (credited to Carr-Kahl… oops!). Vocals are scarce on this LP but one track has a stunning multi-tracked wordless female lead. This LP is quite a gem, and very rarely offered. (Popsike)

Track Listing

1. Skipper
2. Daphne
3. Johnny’s So Long At The Fair
4. Melanie
5. Chocolate Kchilp
6. Joy
7. RNB
8. Teddy Bear’s Jig
9. Sweet Willie Jean
10. Runny Nose Blues
11. The Great Wall Of China
12. Potato Salad King
13. Today