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"Turn into stone," I knelt to the hobo.This incarnation of Blood, Sweat & Tears (1967-68) is probably the least known, but in my opinion it is by far the best-ever lineup. The band's sound is highly recognizable and unified from track to track, but every composition shows off a different facet of the ensemble's talents, not to mention Al Kooper's arranging genius. In addition to Kooper's original compositions, they covered tunes by Nilsson, Randy Newman, and Goffin and King.
Wikipedia and everyone else categorize BS&T as a jazz-rock combo, but that descriptor is much too narrow for the original lineup. The Kooper BS&T album, "Child is Father to the Man," begins with a formal overture that functions exactly as a classical overture is intended to, with much verve and wit. And near the end of side 2, "The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud" pairs Kooper's intense psycho-philosophical lyrics with an orchestration that might be described as outre avant-garde pop.
"Morning Glory" is one impressive stop on this vinyl tour de force. The song was originally composed and performed in a folk style by Tim Buckley, with allegorical psychedelic lyrics by his partner Larry Beckett. You can hear Buckley's ethereal, elegiac treatment of "Morning Glory" here on YouTube. Buckley's style of music mostly has never appealed to me, and therefore I never would have heard this song if not for Kooper and his treatment of it. There's both a majesty and a foolishness to the arrangement that captures the psychonaut's innocent, earnest, and completely deluded expectation that enlightenment will be delivered on his desired schedule to the front door by a magic guru. As a teenager I would not have been able to extract any meaning from Buckley's languid performance of Beckett's creakily worded parable. Kooper and BS&T turned it into something a pimply suburban delinquent could relate to even before he discovered railroad-striped bell bottoms and incense.
Morning Glory, Blood, Sweat & Tears (1968, from "Child is Father to the Man," Columbia Records), via YouTube.
Also in the chase (for a short time):
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST7EwGSyiSk&feature=related
Anon: thanks for the flash! I've been meaning to hunt down one of Chase's hits for Saturday night for awhile. I had their first two albums but got bored with most of the tracks pretty quickly --- not sure if it was the material or my teenage desire for hot licks and echoplex trumpet cascades. Both of their big Top 40 hits sound great today --- peerless horn band stuff. Watch the Fifty50 front page for more.
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