Bartel – Bartel (1972)

Artist: Bartel
Title: Bartel
Year: 1972
Format: LP
Label: Perception

Raised in Pennsylvania, Jon Bartel was bitten by the rock and roll bug while a kid. By the mid-1960s he was playing keyboards and fronting Johnny Bartel and the Soul Masters (Jeff Martin, Larry O’Brien and Lou Stellute).

1968 found Bartel and company living in Southern California where they released a highly collectable single for the small Solid Smoke label: If This Isn’t Love” b/w ‘I Waited Too Long’ (Solid State catalog number SD 2514). Shortly thereafter he formed the Jon Bartel Thing, which released a self-titled album for Capitol Records in 1969 (see August 31, 2011 post). 

In the early seventies Bartel signed with Jimmy Curtiss’ newly formed Perception label and released this his second LP “Bartel” with the same line-up of his first album: Jon Bartel (keyboards), Lou Stellute (reeds), Larry O’Brien (guitar) and Abe Blasingame (percussion).

The album is a fusion of rock, jazz and blues featuring a balance of instrumentals and vocal tracks including a funky treatment of the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In The City”  (tymshifter/RDTEN1 RYM)

Track Listing

1. Naturally Good
2. On The Road
3. Green Back
4. Summer In The City
5. Meat Cleaver
6. Boogie
7. You’ve Just Been Bitten

The Loading Zone – One For All (1967)

Artist: The Loading Zone
Title: One For All
Year: 1967
Format: LP
Label: Umbrella

Brought To You Courtesy Of The BIG “N”

The Loading Zone’s first incarnation featured bassist Bob Kridle, drummer George Newcom, and guitarists Pete Shapiro and Steve Dowler, who had both left Berkeley’s early psychedelic rock band the Marbles. The group would later make several personnel changes adding vocalist Linda Tillery while releasing an album for RCA Victor in 1968 (see March 29, 2010 post.)

The Loading Zone was playing a form of jazz rock funk free fusion and was unfortunately greatly overlooked by the generally unsophisticated audiences at that time. This album was recorded in 1967 before fusion got fused and the word had a completely different meaning.

The audiences were mostly very stoned (I know because I was there) and the music of The Airplane was closer to their hearts. Not that the Airplane was bad, just unsophisticated. But listening to this album now is very interesting in that it doesn’t sound so strange at all. (styxheelder RYM)

Track Listing

1. Think
2. Time Stops
3. Help Me
4. Think Alone
5. One For All
6. You Got Me Hummin’
7. Enter
   

Madura – Madura III (1973)

Artist: Madura
Title: Madura III (Unreleased, Live)
Year: 1973
Format: LP
Label: N/A

Here’s the “unofficial” third album by Madura, the source of these recordings are from the tapes of David Wolinski himself, They are from a “Live” performance in 1973. For more info on Madura please see the previous posts from March 20 2010 and July 31, 2009. (Max Collodie)

Track Listing

1.If You Got The Dime
2.SynthHigh (Dr. Honoris Causa)
3.Stagger Lee
4.My Favorite Things
5.Funky Broadway
6.Organize
7.Save The Miracle
8.Walkin’ The dog
9.My My What A World
10.Last Jam

The Jerry Hahn Brotherhood – The Jerry Hahn Brotherhood (1970)

Artist: The Jerry Hahn Brotherhood
Title: The Jerry Hahn Brotherhood
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Columbia

A lesser-known but talented guitarist, Jerry Hahn attended Wichita State University and played in Kansas before moving to San Francisco in 1962. He gained some recognition for his work with John Handy’s adventurous band (1964-1966) which was the hit of the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival. Hahn led an album in 1967, toured with the Fifth Dimension the following year, and was one of many great guitarists to be part of Gary Burton’s group (1968-1969). He led the Jerry Hahn Brotherhood in the early ’70s and then became a teacher at Wichita State University. Hahn maintained a low profile until 1986, when he moved to Portland and began playing full-time again. In 1993, Jerry Hahn relocated to Colorado, recording his first album in 20 years for Enja. (Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Track Listing

1. Martha’s Madman
2. Early Bird Cafe
3. One Man Woman
4. Ramblin’
5. Dippin’ Snuff
6. Time’s Caught Up With You
7. Thursday Thing
8. What I Gave Away
9. Comin’ Down
10. Captain Bobby Stout
    

Little John – Up And Down (1970)

Artist: Little John
Title: Up And Down
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Epic

Little John was from the San Francisco Bay area and were most likely signed by Epic after the success of groups like B, S & T and Chicago.

Aside from some lovely horn arrangements, there’s some fine keyboard and guitar playing as well. The first album covers the blueprint of the aforementioned bands, while the second lp includes a couple of extended progressive tracks, “We” and “Gremlin’s Lullabye”. Both albums are highly recommended for fans of horn rock. (Jack Dominilla)

Track Listing

1. Lonely Years
2. Grey-Blue
3. Up and Down
4. Wood Grain Alcohol
5. Bombay Calling
6. Whirled Piece
7. New Day / Appears To Be