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Home , Alvin Lee, Mike Harrison (musician), Randy California, Spooky Tooth, Spooky Two, Ten Years After

Talent On Stage

CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG SPIRIT GREEK THEATRE, - to call it "Music From Big Ego"), "Hey, you with the spotlight - not emerged and added his steady guitar THE ROSE PALACE, LOS ANGELES of Ten Years After, his stacca yet!" and strong vocals. It was a perfect The general idea of audiences demand- bursts of guitar imitating the Those were first complement to the rich harmonies of hea the words uttered ing new and original material each beat of Al Kooper's "I Can't Keep Fri by Stephen Stills, of Crosby, Stills, the rest of the group. time they see their favorite groups Crying, Sometimes" and Lee's Nash, and Young, before switched to electric in- ov directly the perform is quickly fading into pop "Help Me". Ten Years After woi group's first major appearance before strumentation next (adding bassist oblivion. At least, this was the case seem to be one of the strongest a live Greg Reeves and inst audience, at L.A.'s Greek Thea- drummer Dallas last weekend at The Rose Palace, as mental groups going, particulary e tre last week. Stills' phrase, happily Taylor) and performed some frenzied capacity crowds were enthralled by the denced by an impressive counterpo enough, was never further from the renditions of other cuts from the musical of Ten duel Lee had with along with some somewhat tightness Spirit, Years his bassist, I truth. This is a group that should be unspectac- After, and John Mayall; all who played Lyons, as the organ faded out in the entertainment spotlight . . . to ular new material. Throughout the sets largely composed of their past drumming was confined set, there were no long solos un- to mere pu stay. or "hits", but performed with the utmost tuation midway through the upb C S, N & Y proved to be necessarily-drawn out instrumental themselves of enthusiasm and taste. "I'm Going Home". Like Spirit, i a supergroup in almost every sense of passages; it was the kind of "one for Spirit, led by virtuosity employs a lot of all, all one" the guitar of his earlier materia. the word. The single quality they for spirit that's lacking in Randy , is still probing that his sets, but the overall effect, judg lacked was the over-pretention and so many of today's groups. thin barrier that divides the idioms of by crowd reaction (they stormed ego -infested attitude that generally The set ended with Joni Mitchell, jazz and rock, essentially utilizing jazz stage en masse on hearing heralds a new "super" accumulation who opened the show with an hour to the f: techniques to slice some of the inher- familiar chords of "Spoonful") , of musicians. herself, returning to join C, S, N & Y ent rawness out of rock. It succeeds just as powerful. They opened their set performing in a highly revivalistic version of Dino quite well, particularly on such num- Through a mixup in solely with acoustic no other Valente's `Let's im- booking, Pi guitars - Get Together," bers as "Fresh Garbage" and "Mech- dor's John Mayall showed up with instruments and no overbearing ampli- mediately getting the entire crowd anical World", where drummer Ed the rest of his new group fiers. As the songs unfolded (primarily (much younger, incidentally, than and ended the Cassidy's delicate brush work mixed being backed by Ten Years Af from their first Atco LP, although one usual Greek Theatre audience) into perfectly with the weaving patterns of minus . The set was of the highlights was their version of a moving sing -along. actu, California's guitar, employing tastes of a musical regression for Mayall, a e the Beatles' "Blackbird) , C, S, N & Y Miss Mitchell's set was as enthrall- fuzztone and tapeloop echo to its best stuck exclusively to the genre of - proved themselves to be more a co-op ingly beautiful as one would have effect. Although these numbers were bar and performed than what one normally envisions as expected from listening to her record- cuts lark y remnants of the group's first Ode al- from his early . The audie e a group. Different numbers spotlighted ings. Accompanying herself on guitar bum, the enthusiasm and instrumental didn't different members; some with just and, later, piano, she spun a beautiful seem to mind, however, as t - bridgework they employed made bing heads I - Crosby and Stills, others with Crosby and poignant lyrical web; from her them and tapping feet were - well worth listening to again. manent fixtures throughout his j-- and Nash and one with just Stills. As show-stopping acappella on "The Alvin Lee still dominates formance. one of them spotlighted, the others Fiddle and the Drum" to rousing ren- the sound either provided soft accompanyment ditions of her twin hits "Both Sides (instrumentally and in scat harmonies) Now" and "Chelsea Morning." RICK NELSON or left the stage. It was, all-in -all, one of the most Then , the newest mem- listenably-entertaining concerts pre- BITTER END, N.Y. - The great rock able) to the younger generation, et ber of the group jokingly referred to sented locally in quite some time. and roll revival is upon us and the most certainly welcome. His oldie i_o as "the world's most lyrical law firm" entire business seems caught in its stir up pleasant memories of the t it, (Nash, with tongue-in-cheek, preferred p.s. web. The recent Elvis special (and but some of the material, most not the King's powerhouse Las Vegas "Travelin' Man," "My Bucket's opening); N.Y. appearances by the A Hole In It" and "Believe What Everly Brothers, , Say" stands on its own merits. RC THELMA HOUSTON Little Richard and Chuck Berry (with Meizner's free -flowing bass lines d Fats Domino coming to the Fillmore the harmonies contributed by Mei ier HINES, HINES & DAD in two weeks) ; disk revivals of those and lead guitarist Alan Kemp add at 1950 oldies; ; the Beatles' the right touch of today, without se - ROYAL BOX, NYC - Like a cigarette 1p, "Sunshower," Miss Houston re- recent work; and numerous other coming lost uw. commercial, Miss Thelma Houston has flects Webb as Dionne Warwick does in the search for tomor journeys into the past are all indica- Pat Shanahan on drums and Rick ii - "come a long way" since - she first Burt Bacharach. On stage, though, she tive of this trend. The musical validity self on rhythm guitar round out ne played New York, and that was only a is her own woman, expanding on of all these events precludes their instrumental few months ago. At that time, Thelma "Didn't We," "Everybody Gets Go sound. to being referred to as nostalgia, but it As f^t, was the new Jim Webb find; now to the and other LP for the new material in the Moon" selections is inevitable that a wave of 1950's G na she's the guest attraction who's and climbing into non -Webb Randy Newman's "I Think It's tear- material nostalgia should soon follow. (Maybe Rain Today" got r. ilii- ing up the Americana's nitery with such as "Aquarius" or "Gentle on an outstanding My re -runs of the original American Band- tion, and while we find lull Hines, Hines & Dad. Mind" to show confidently what she cannot stand show?) with )'o - The pairing of these two disparate can do with songs Rick's treatment of Dylan's more familiar to Rick Nelson is almost a step in night I'll Be With ' w" acts is rather like that which greeted the 25 years and over viewers. that Staying Here direction, he F i m Madison Gardeners who but just manages to stay or 's "Lady Came were shaken The amazement is Thelma, and Miss on the edge of iois by the teaming of Herb Alpert with Houston is the border separating Baltimore," we took exception ti a "Sunshower." validity from nostalgia. Rick bd" the Checkmates, Ltd. One is sheer en- Hines, Hines and Dad, on might use of Dylan's "I Shall Be Rele2 the other almost be called the first Monkee, a and Hardin's Balloon." bth tertainment; the other is positive - hand, are a totally different "Red act. made-to-order star through the med- these songs require a certain se Lti- power and majesty in rhythm and Judged on the same scale as their co - ium of television (we found contemporary delight. billed Royal Box mate, ourselves vity and perspective which the :last they lack the casting furtive glances around h. e) Completely relaxed in her manner, vocal electricity to compete; the has not yet attained (few artists but coffeehouse expect- A v och Miss Houston just opens her mouth, theirs is a special charm that gives minor objection, in any case, her ing to find the ever-present faces of should not overshadow the rein t of throat and her heart with emo- them the top billing. Ozzie and Harriet, cheering tional and musical tremors that are For the duo, on their son a highly enjoyable performer. stage, and Dad on) but if we did that it would be with Nanette ti the absolutely shattering. She not only drummingthrough most of the act, atal, a newcomer handles Jim Webb material with a the the kindest intentions. For like almost singer/performer ranks (she's s ºied shos the thing - and a mar- all of our peers, we grew an. dis- phrasing and expression that makes it vellous thing indeed. Comedy, audi- up with Rick to Vanguard) opened the show doubly communicative and under- ence participation, Nelson and he is still that good look- played one of the clearest, most t o- spectacular danc- ing kid from next door, hea ,at standable; but she has become an in- ing and singing in the nostalgia bag making his fessional voices we've ever strument by which way in the hard game of show busi- the club. Although we were not Webb can expand are their forte; and they've got their ness. We can't help his own ideas (as with material such own thing down so pat is but admire his come by her self -penned mat that it really spunk and cheer him on to success. Miss to be as "Cheap Lovin"') . In her Dunhill a pity it can't be captured on records. Natal has the goods What Rick Nelson is offering the an important interpreter of tc customers is not the heavy soul of sounds. Elvis or the tight harmonies of the Everly Brothers, but a form of good clean fun rarely available SALVATION, (or accept- N.Y. - Once the 'in' his tendency to emulate Eric Clapton) , disko in N.Y., Salvation has fallen the group has two outstanding vocalists prey to the whims of the jet set (as do in organist and pianist all such clubs) and is seeing hard . In fact, it's the almost times. To try and recapture its former riff -like vocal interchanges between Orpheus Plan glory, the downtown club has begun Wright and Harrison that give the experimenting with a live music policy, group its unique flavoring. Musical See and, surprisingly, the club is one of Spooky's set consisted of material In Sculpture Ga m the most comfortable rock emporiums off their first album (on Bell) and we've experienced. Built in the multi- their currently -charted "" level MGM recording 04 style of an amphi -theatre, over- LP (on A&M) , plus an unreleased flowing with soft cushions, Salvation original which us here seen at thei will be part of an elec- concert lets the listener escape into his mind, tronic LP, currently in production. sell-out SRO untroubled by the usual hustle and "Evil Woman" was Museum of Modern the highlight of City. left bustle of a night club. The new policy the set, but plaudits should also go New York seemed favorable to the patrons, for to their non -hack treatment of the Bee bassist Eric Gulliksen, Spooky Tooth drew a capacity turnout. Gees Bruce Arnold, drumm "New York Mining Disaster guitar A&M's Spooky Tooth, a five -man 1941" and their own "Sunshine Help Sandler, and Anglo-American venture, is on the Me." Spooky Tooth is loud without be- McKenes currently verge of stardom, with only the push ing obnoxious, violent without being charts wth their singt of a mild hit single needed to send tasteless, and together without being Find Thei Time." them soaring to the stratosphere. In stale. How sweet it is. addition to a fine lead guitar player in Luther Grovesenor (who's overcome a. r.

34 b Cash Box - September

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