Continuing on from last week's Grateful Dead uncovered to another famous name in 60s San Francisco folklore: Jefferson Airplane. 

These bands performed at dance venues and 'happenings', engulfed by a psychedelic light show. 

"While the dance floor was dark, the walls were blazing with light. The light-show artists stationed on the balconies had found ways to cover three whole walls of the dancehall with brilliant, flowing coloured lights, like abstract paintings. Alternating with the liquid projections might be kaleidoscope patterns, or slides of faces, flowers or mandalas."

Jefferson Airplane formed in 1965. Their 1967 break-out album 'Surrealistic Pillow' was one of the most significant recordings of the Summer of Love. Tracks included 'White Rabbit' and 'Somebody to Love' and this Marty Balin composition [written like other songs under the influence] called 'Comin' Back to Me' >>> 

Jerry Garcia was listed as 'spiritual advisor' on the album cover and played guitar, though on which tracks, is shrouded in suspect memories from those present at the recordings.   

✿ Available from the Psychedelic Shop on Haight Street in 1966: The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead - Timothy Leary wrote

Quote [from the book] "Whenever in doubt, turn off your mind, relax, float downstream" 

On 'Tomorrow Never Knows' - John Lennon wrote "Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream"  

Just a suggestion ... 

 

Peace & Love on the corner of Haight and Cole Street, Haight-Ashbury district, San Francisco.

Jerry Garcia mural. Photo by yours truly. © 2018 

   

Over the coming weeks I have some tracks that are loosely connected to one another. Not just because the artists have names starting with a letter 'J' (which they do, by the way). It's going to be some trip, depending on what your on ?
I've been reading a lot about San Francisco in the 60s: 'Summer of Love / Psychedelia' era. Exploring the scene and the dance venues: The Avalon Ballroom & Fillmore West, promotors Matt Helms and Bill Graham and being fascinated by all those 'unreadable' posters once again.
You think you know a lot, but the more you read the more you realise how much you don't know.
That includes the music. Bands like Big Brother & the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service and the Grateful Dead.
Jumping forward a few decades this exploring began after I watched 'Masked and Anonymous', a 2003 movie involving Bob Dylan (as Jack Fate) leading an all-star cast in a dark and unusual musical tale. The film includes naturally Dylan songs, old and new, by himself and others and Jerry Garcia singing 'Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)' was a highlight for me. So that's todays Star Track. No video I'm afraid for the Jerry Garcia Band but I do have a bit of a 'Linkathon' for a concert considered exceptional from that time in 1991, all available on YouTube. See below for that.
More of the San Francisco scene next time… for now, let's be Grateful for 'Señor' Garcia >

Linkathon: The concert footage is often dark and fuzzy but jam packed with great songs. Many tracks are 10 minutes long and the guitar playing of Jerry Garcia and some killer keyboards from Melvin Seals are not to be missed. 

More Dylan with - 'I Shall Be Released' [10:47]

Concert Part 1 - [1:07:02] 

Concert Part 2 - [1:23:02] 

Entire two and a half hour concert [not 'live' just a still video]  

There's a CD of this concert: Titled 'Pure Jerry' (Coliseum, Hampton, VA, November 9, 1991) - available to download on Amazon.  

And finally look out for a related photo from me, to be posted next week.  

   

In an attempt to feel somewhat warmer let's head off 'Down-Under' for some upbeat Antipodean sunshine in the shape of Paul Kelly.

I noticed last year that we hadn't had any 80s music in ages (only 1 track in 2021, by my reckoning). So let's put that to rights by travelling down the road with Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls 'To Her Door', from their 'Under the Sun' LP.

I would have driven around in 1988 to this track and it sure is a great driving song - don't be fooled by the acoustic guitar it flippin' rocks !

This concert video, filmed at the Empire Theatre, Toowoomba, Queensland, in August 2007 is 20 years on from it's original release. He has a new backing band and still sounds unmistakably Australian !

Let's go over 'live' to Queensland >

Warning: There's some swearing 

An alternative (and occasional) music posting highlighting something out of the ordinary. Perhaps of limited appeal, unconventional, experimental or just far-out ! Call it what you like (or switch it off, if you don't like). 

In this era of countless playlists for every mood that takes us, helping pass away the hours, it's not easy to remember what was requested when we asked Alexa to play something "relaxing, soothing classical, but not christmassy" a few weeks back. Hearing England's contemporary composer Alexis Ffrench playing 'Bluebird' from his studio album 'Evolution' certainly connected with us.

Teaming up with his daughter Savannah, this visually striking video showcases her in an impassioned dance performance, intercut with a spotlight-soaked portrait of Alexis playing the piano. He says

"There’s so much trauma around us right now and I wanted to share a moment of calm, beauty and consolation. There isn’t enough of that in the world".

And an antidote to the inevitable self-isolation of: "Stuck Inside the Flat with the Virus Blues Again" 

Chill-out some more...

Check out: The inspirational video for 'At Last' plus other tracks off 'Evolution' - 'Waiting To Breath', 'Exhale', 'Flow and Begin Again' & 'Waterfalls'.

 

Derwentwater, from Keswick in the Lake District

Not had a 'Photo of the Week' for some time - so long overdue.

PHOTO Credit: Scott Pocock  © 2021

  

A few weeks back while I was looking for videos of the song 'Different Drum', something came up in YouTube 'All Related' column for The Linda Ronstadt Experience. 

So I thought this week it would be quite interesting to do a straight comparison between the same song, initially performed by Linda Ronstadt in 1976 and then the tribute band from 2018, given how excellent and authentic the 'Experience' turned out to be.

The song is 'Willin', written by Lowell George, way back when he was still a member of The Mothers of Invention. A bit of trucker anthem about smuggling across the Mexican border. 

First up, the original by the one and only Linda Ronstadt 

Then very much keeping the music alive: The Linda Ronstadt Experience with Tristan McIntosh 

Bill Blogs 2021: Six of the Best

A linked review of the past year - involving something for all the senses !

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TV moment of the Year ! Was on 'Strictly Come Dancing' - Rose and Giovanni's Couple's Choice - to 'Symphony' by Clean Bandit > when the soundtrack was muted to give the audience a real sense of how everything must be for Rose Ayling-Ellis who is deaf. If you haven't seen this, now's your chance  [click right here] 

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Most enjoyable Film watched - 'Waking Ned' > was previously on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Here's the Trailer on YouTube

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Best Beer buy - from 'Toast' >  https://www.toastale.com/beers  - check it out.

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New Band Discovered - 'Coig' infectious music from Nova Scotia > featured on a Midweek Spotlight in February, if you missed it  [click this link]   Darren McMullen, Rachel Davis, Chrissy Crowley and Jason Roach - thank you for all the smiles 😄

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My favourite 'Friday Music Spot' Video - difficult to pick one, but I really love this > Rockin' 1000 'Learn to Fly' [with Marco Sabiu conducting]  [link]  

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Video I missed (at the time) - Remarkable hypnotic choreography by Sadeck Waff for the paralympics farewell ceremony as an introduction to Paris in 2024. A touching synchronized 'dance' with 128 performers seated in wheelchairs. Music is by Woodkid (aka: Yoann Lemoine) a piece called 'Prologue'. A-mazing  [watch it here]