Appaloosa - Appaloosa 1969

Appaloosa - Appaloosa

Formed in Cambridge Massachusetts by teenagers John Parker Compton and Robin Batteau (vocals/acoustic guitar and cello respectively) and accompanied by Harvard Alums David Reiser on bass and cellist Gene Rosov, Appaloosa's self-titled debut album from 1969 is regarded as an obscure gem among fans of that era's so-called "folk-baroque" scene.

Produced by Al Kooper (who also played keyboards and some of the guitar parts on the album) and aided by Kooper's fellow Blood, Sweat & Tears members Bob Columby on drums and Fred Lipsius on sax, Appaloosa's delicate sound and teenage angst-ridden lyrics (all eleven songs were written by Compton during the previous two years while attending a "progressive" New York boarding school) destined the album to art rock obscurity.

Compton and Batteau went on to record another album as a duo, entitled Compton and Batteau in California, then in 1971 Compton released his first solo album, To Luna, which would not be followed until 1995 when Compton released Mother of Mercy.

In 2005 Compton, Batteau and Reiser reformed Appaloosa for a concert at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre and were said to be heading into the studio to work on new material.

Track Listing

Side one

• Tulu Rogers
• Thoughts of Polly
• Feathers
• Bi-Weekly
• Glossolalia
• Rivers Run To the Sea

Side two

• Pascals Paradox
• Yesterday's Roads
• Now That I Want You
• Georgia Street
• Rosalie

Bloomfield, Kooper & Stills - Super Session 1968

Bloomfield, Kooper & Stills - Super Session

Prior to the release of his debut solo album, I Stand Alone, Al Kooper got together with Mike Bloomfield (The Electric Flag) and Stephen Stills (The Butterfield Blues Band) to record the Super Session album, one of the earliest "supergroup" collaborations, paving the way for albums from other so-called supergroups like Blind Faith and Crosby, Stills Nash & Young.

The story behind the recording of Super Session is that Al Kooper, having recently departed from Blood, Sweat & Tears after the release of their debut album, arranged a two day session in a recording studio with Mike Bloomfield, who had himself recently left his band, The Electric Flag.
Bloomfield however, failed to turn up for the second day of recording and so Kooper called upon Stephen Stills to step in rather than waste a day's worth of studio time.

The resulting record features the tracks from the first day's session with Mike Bloomfield on side one, while side two has the tracks recorded with Stephen Stills.

Following the album's release and subsequent chart success (peaking at #12 on the Billboard charts in the US) Kooper and Bloomfield patched up their differences and made a number of concert appearances together.  Many of these performances were recorded and were used to create the album The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper.

Tracklisting

Side one

• Albert's Shuffle
• Stop
• Man's Temptation
• His Holy Modal Majesty
• Really

Side two

• It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes A Train to Cry
• Season of the Witch
• You Don't Love Me
• Harvey's Tune

Al Kooper - I Stand Alone - 1968

Al Kooper - I Stand Alone

I Stand Alone, released in 1968, is Al Kooper's first solo album. Kooper had previously been a part of Blood, Sweat & Tears as well as a regular collaborator with Bob Dylan, Mike Bloomfield and New York underground favourites, The Blues Project.


Like the "Super Session" album, which featured Al Kooper along with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills, I Stand Alone includes a disparate range of cover versions of songs from original artists ranging from Harry Nilsson and Traffic all the way through to Isaac Hayes.

Tracklisting

*All tracks were written by Al Kooper except where noted otherwise.

Overture

I Stand Alone

Camille (Kooper, Tony Powers)

One (Harry Nilsson)

Coloured Rain (Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood)

Soft Landing on the Moon

I Can Love A Woman

Blue Moon of Kentucky (Bill Monroe)

Toe Hold (Isaac Hayes, David Porter)

Right Now For You

Hey, Western Union Man (Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff)

Song and Dance for the Unborn, Frightened Child