Al Kooper founded Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1967, but they are probably best remembered for this LP that came after his departure from the lineup a year later and the addition of David Calyton-Thomas. Released in 1968, it quickly entered the charts and beat out The Beatles’ Abbey Road for the Album Of The Year Grammy.
Not sure I agree with that.
The hit singles that came off this record include You’ve Made Me So Very Happy (one of my BS&T favs) and Spinning Wheel, which both hit #2 in the charts and stayed there for weeks. The band appeared at Woodstock, although their performance wasn’t documented on film because their manager refused to let them be filmed without compensation – probably a dumb move in hindsight.
This is a great album, and my copy is the Mobile Fidelity (MFSL) Ultradisc CD. I also had the 1996 MFSL vinyl reissue, but the CD sounds just as good so I sold the record to some guy in Hawaii for $260.
A friend of mine used to tour with a then-unknown David Clayton-Thomas in the early 1960s and told me about one run of dates they did in Michigan. "It was some little resort out in the country," my friend, who played guitar, said. "Early sixties. They gave the band a cabin to stay in. One night me and David got into one hell of a fight. I can't remember what it was all about, but I do remember being horribly hungover the next morning and having to fish a lot of David's stuff out of the lake."
Blood, Sweat & Tears recorded songs by songwriters such as Laura Nyro, Billie Holiday, James Taylor, The Band, the Rolling Stones, and - probably most famously - Erik Satie. Most notable for their fusion of rock, blues and pop with horn arrangements and jazz improvisation, the band has since seen innumerable personnel changes. Kooper left in April, 1968, and became a record producer for Columbia. He later "discovered" Lynyrd Skynyrd. Then Brecker and Weiss left and were replaced by Lew Soloff and Chuck Winfield. Before long, it was a quickly revolving door of talent.
After Kooper left, the group needed a new vocalist. Alex Chilton was briefly considered before forming Big Star, as was Stephen Stills. The band settled on Clayton-Thomas, a Canadian singer, who it is said was recommended to them by Judy Collins, who had seen him perform at a New York City club and was impressed.
This is the group's second album, and their newfound fame landed them a spot at Woodstock.
The group toured Eastern Europe, after which they released Blood, Sweat & Tears 3, in June, 1970, which was also popular but not as popular as this record, which I think is their best. They released a fourth record in 1971, but would never regain the popularity they enjoyed during this period.
Al Kooper founded Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1967, but they are probably best remembered for this LP that came after his departure from the lineup a year later and the addition of David Calyton-Thomas. Released in 1968, it quickly entered the charts and beat out The Beatles’ Abbey Road for the Album Of The Year Grammy.
Not sure I agree with that.
The hit singles that came off this record include You’ve Made Me So Very Happy (one of my BS&T favs) and Spinning Wheel, which both hit #2 in the charts and stayed there for weeks. The band appeared at Woodstock, although their performance wasn’t documented on film because their manager refused to let them be filmed without compensation – probably a dumb move in hindsight.
This is a great album, and my copy is the Mobile Fidelity (MFSL) Ultradisc CD. I also had the 1996 MFSL vinyl reissue, but the CD sounds just as good so I sold the record to some guy in Hawaii for $260.
A friend of mine used to tour with a then-unknown David Clayton-Thomas in the early 1960s and told me about one run of dates they did in Michigan. "It was some little resort out in the country," my friend, who played guitar, said. "Early sixties. They gave the band a cabin to stay in. One night me and David got into one hell of a fight. I can't remember what it was all about, but I do remember being horribly hungover the next morning and having to fish a lot of David's stuff out of the lake."
Blood, Sweat & Tears recorded songs by songwriters such as Laura Nyro, Billie Holiday, James Taylor, The Band, the Rolling Stones, and - probably most famously - Erik Satie. Most notable for their fusion of rock, blues and pop with horn arrangements and jazz improvisation, the band has since seen innumerable personnel changes. Kooper left in April, 1968, and became a record producer for Columbia. He later "discovered" Lynyrd Skynyrd. Then Brecker and Weiss left and were replaced by Lew Soloff and Chuck Winfield. Before long, it was a quickly revolving door of talent.
After Kooper left, the group needed a new vocalist. Alex Chilton was briefly considered before forming Big Star, as was Stephen Stills. The band settled on Clayton-Thomas, a Canadian singer, who it is said was recommended to them by Judy Collins, who had seen him perform at a New York City club and was impressed.
This is the group's second album, and their newfound fame landed them a spot at Woodstock.
The group toured Eastern Europe, after which they released Blood, Sweat & Tears 3, in June, 1970, which was also popular but not as popular as this record, which I think is their best. They released a fourth record in 1971, but would never regain the popularity they enjoyed during this period.
BONUS TRACK
You'd need a really big piece of paper to collect all the aurographs of everyone who played with BS&T … there really were a lot of players over the years!
ORIGINAL BS&T MEMBERS
- Al Kooper, Randy Brecker, Jerry Weiss, Fred Lipsius, Dick Halligan, Steve Katz, Jim Fielder and Bobby Colomby.
OTHER PLAYERS
David Clayton-Thomas, Lew Soloff, Chuck Winfield, Jerry Hyman, Dave Bargeron, Bobby Doyle, Joe Henderson, Lou Marini Jr., Larry Willis, Georg Wadenius, Jerry Fisher, Tom Malone, John Madrid, Jerry LaCroix, Ron McClure, Tony Klatka, Bill Tillman, Luther Kent, Joe Giorgianni, Jaco Pastorius, Steve Khan, Mike Stern, Keith Jones, Danny Trifan, Forrest Buchtel, Don Alias, Roy McCurdy, Jeff Richman, Randy Bernsen, Barry Finnerty, Neil Stubenhaus, Gregory Herbert, Michael Lawrence, Chris Albert, Bobby Economou, Kenny Marco, David Piltch, Joe Sealy, Bruce Cassidy, Earl Seymour, Steve Kennedy, Sally Chappis, Harvey Kogan, Jack Scarangella, Vernon Dorge, Robert Piltch, Richard Martinez, Wayne Pedzwater, Peter Harris, Lou Pomanti, Vic Gillette, James Kidwell, Jeff Andrews, Taras Kovayl, Tim Ouimette, Mario Cruz, Ricky Sebastian, Steve Guttman, Dave Gellis, Ray Peterson, Scott Kreitzer, Teddy Mulet, Barry Danielian, Richard Sussman, Randy Andos, Tom Timko, Tom DeFaria, John Conte, Steve Conte, Jeff Gellis, Charley Gordon, Dave Panichi, Glenn McClelland, Dave Riekenberg, Jerry Sokolov, Graham Hawthorne, Van Romaine, Nick Saya, Neil Capolongo, Peter Abbott, Wayne Schuster, Larry DeBari, Gary Foote, Jack Bashcow, Tim Ries, Matt King, Mike Mancini, Henry Hey, Cliff Korman, Mike DuClos, Jonathan Peretz, Craig Johnson, Matt Milmerstadt, Tom Guarna, Jon Owens, Charles Pillow, Brian Delaney, Dave Stahl, Winston Byrd, Dave Pietro, Dale Kirkland, Pat Hallaran, James Fox, Dan Zank, Zach Danziger, Joe Mosello, Gil Parris, Gregg Sullivan, Phil Magallanes, Andrea Valentini, Darcy Hepner, John Samorian, Nick Marchione, Eric Cortright, Leo Huppert, Steve Jankowski, Rob Paparozzi, Scottie Wallace, Thomas Connor, Tommy Mitchell, Jens Wendelboe, Chris Tedesco, Brian Steel, Bill Churchville, Ken Gioffre, Jon Pruitt, Ralph Bowen, Dave Anderson, Jason Paige, Bernard Purdie, Tom Bowes and David Aldo.
Hope I haven't forgotten anyone!
You'd need a really big piece of paper to collect all the aurographs of everyone who played with BS&T … there really were a lot of players over the years!
ORIGINAL BS&T MEMBERS
- Al Kooper, Randy Brecker, Jerry Weiss, Fred Lipsius, Dick Halligan, Steve Katz, Jim Fielder and Bobby Colomby.
OTHER PLAYERS
David Clayton-Thomas, Lew Soloff, Chuck Winfield, Jerry Hyman, Dave Bargeron, Bobby Doyle, Joe Henderson, Lou Marini Jr., Larry Willis, Georg Wadenius, Jerry Fisher, Tom Malone, John Madrid, Jerry LaCroix, Ron McClure, Tony Klatka, Bill Tillman, Luther Kent, Joe Giorgianni, Jaco Pastorius, Steve Khan, Mike Stern, Keith Jones, Danny Trifan, Forrest Buchtel, Don Alias, Roy McCurdy, Jeff Richman, Randy Bernsen, Barry Finnerty, Neil Stubenhaus, Gregory Herbert, Michael Lawrence, Chris Albert, Bobby Economou, Kenny Marco, David Piltch, Joe Sealy, Bruce Cassidy, Earl Seymour, Steve Kennedy, Sally Chappis, Harvey Kogan, Jack Scarangella, Vernon Dorge, Robert Piltch, Richard Martinez, Wayne Pedzwater, Peter Harris, Lou Pomanti, Vic Gillette, James Kidwell, Jeff Andrews, Taras Kovayl, Tim Ouimette, Mario Cruz, Ricky Sebastian, Steve Guttman, Dave Gellis, Ray Peterson, Scott Kreitzer, Teddy Mulet, Barry Danielian, Richard Sussman, Randy Andos, Tom Timko, Tom DeFaria, John Conte, Steve Conte, Jeff Gellis, Charley Gordon, Dave Panichi, Glenn McClelland, Dave Riekenberg, Jerry Sokolov, Graham Hawthorne, Van Romaine, Nick Saya, Neil Capolongo, Peter Abbott, Wayne Schuster, Larry DeBari, Gary Foote, Jack Bashcow, Tim Ries, Matt King, Mike Mancini, Henry Hey, Cliff Korman, Mike DuClos, Jonathan Peretz, Craig Johnson, Matt Milmerstadt, Tom Guarna, Jon Owens, Charles Pillow, Brian Delaney, Dave Stahl, Winston Byrd, Dave Pietro, Dale Kirkland, Pat Hallaran, James Fox, Dan Zank, Zach Danziger, Joe Mosello, Gil Parris, Gregg Sullivan, Phil Magallanes, Andrea Valentini, Darcy Hepner, John Samorian, Nick Marchione, Eric Cortright, Leo Huppert, Steve Jankowski, Rob Paparozzi, Scottie Wallace, Thomas Connor, Tommy Mitchell, Jens Wendelboe, Chris Tedesco, Brian Steel, Bill Churchville, Ken Gioffre, Jon Pruitt, Ralph Bowen, Dave Anderson, Jason Paige, Bernard Purdie, Tom Bowes and David Aldo.
Hope I haven't forgotten anyone!
