Jackson Heights 1 (King Progress, 1970 - The Fifth Avenue Bus, 1972)

 

Profile:

English rock band founded in 1970 by Lee Jackson after The Nice split-up, and disbanded in 1973, when he joined drummer Brian "Blinky" Davison to form Refugee (2) with Patrick Moraz.

For those well versed in prog rock, esp. the British variety, this band reminds me of Capability Brown - Voices (with the super-lush barbershop vocals turned down though) or perhaps the later Pretty Things, with their wide mix of psych, prog, songwriting, ordinary pop, and elaborate vocals.  Most of the material is relatively ordinary songwriting if you understand what I mean, but I love that here and there they throw in some wildly creative harmonies or ideas.  In that way, similar to Pretty Things, or early Manfred Mann maybe, or Fleetwood Mac in its more basic early 1970s days, before they got overly commercial.

In case you haven't noticed I have to point out the unbelievable Hipgnosis (1968 to 1982) cover art of King Progress, a design group we all know well and love from their Pink Floyd covers.  I have to say that artwork on its own would probably make the LP worth purchasing for me, it's so utterly bizarre, and the colors so compelling.

The title track of that first work has a lovely string quartet arrangement (think of how many albums, songs, artists, were influenced by George Martin's brilliant arrangements for the Beatles, cf. Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby):

It's not clear to me from the different releases and their credits who was responsible for those lovely arrangements, which appear throughout their works in different guises.

I felt the second album from 1972 was a little underwhelming.  I'll borrow the review on discogs that to me overstates the case a bit:

Melodic rock with a hint of pop appeal that balances on the edge of the acceptable, but fortunately mostly succeeds through quite some unexpected twists that season the music. The keyboards are generally lovely, which is a rare thing to encounter within this style. Multi-part vocals are a bonus and give the music at times even a west-coast flavour. Almost all of side A convinces, except a tedious pianosolo on Sweet hill tunnel. This song has the advantage of a blood-curdling harmonic twist at the end that will send your hair a-flying, though. Pity that side B cannot maintain this level. The songs sound like weaker versions of those on side A. Mostly this side sounds over-polished and routine. The last track, a biting satire on living life as a pastor, makes up for the lost opportunity. This again is rich and variable music.

The best track I think is House in the Country, it's too bad it's so short:

For me, this is a totally unknown band that doesn't deserve it at all, like so many other artists here on this blog.  I'll be back in a couple of days with part 2 from their oeuvre.

For those who live in the new world, by the way, Jackson Heights:

Jackson Heights is a diverse neighborhood in Queens, New York City, known for its rich multicultural population and vibrant food scene. It is home to large South Asian and South American communities, as well as a significant LGBTQ+ population. The area is recognized for its unique cultural enclaves, like "Little India," and offers a wide variety of international cuisines.  

John Robinson's 1974 Pity for the Victim

 

I saw this artist in connection with the earlier posted Beramiada, by Jackie Orszaczky, which was undoubtedly brilliant.  There, John Robinson was the guitarist, and you can see his relatively short discography here.  He was an Aussie who earlier was in a band called Blackfeather, basic blues rock so far as I can tell.  No resemblance to Jackie's chef d'oeuvre.

This solo album, presumably his only one, is a pretty good mix of hard rock guitar and as expected, given the times, fusion, maybe a little similar to the Jeff Beck masterwork, or perhaps Big Jim Sullivan's work posted here.  If you're looking for a mixture type of release, then this is the right album for you, but for me it's a bit too mixed to be as good as all the other aforementioned works, specifically that is there are bluesy numbers, silly numbers, spoken parts, etc.  When the compositions are strong, they're really interesting, but a little marred by confused arrangements.

The opener (with the lovely title of A God Called Free) gives you a really good idea of the kind of frantic production is exhibited:

While the AM Mail to M. instrumental track highlights the creativity:

Snafu Part 2 (All Funked Up 1975, Live recorded in 1976)

 

I liked the third album from 1975, which shows no diminishment in quality at all, consider Deep Water:

Or, Dancing Feet:

However the live one was disappointing, as live albums usually are for me.  Note that it was recorded in 1976, released in 2018. Notes from inside:

Recorded live on 23rd January 1976, Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham

Sound on the night, John Moon, John Aarnold and Geoff Woodward.

SNAFU were at the peak of their creative and live capabilities when they performed at the Refectory

at Trent Polytechnic in 1976 with three ground breaking albums already released and their stock high

amongst both fans and fellow musicians. However at the end of this tour a very young MICKY MOODY

accepted David Coverdale’s offer to join his new band WHITESNAKE and his departure effectively bought

about the end of SNAFU.

BOBBY HARRISON bought in Clem Clempson to fill the gap but says “It didn’t really work out. This

concert is us at our best. I am very proud of the albums we released and how fondly today we are

remembered”.

Snafu Part 1 (1973, and Situation Normal 1974)

 

Profile:

British rhythm and blues / rock band formed in January 1973 shortly after Bobby Harrison had completed his first solo album. He used Micky Moody on sessions for the album and they decided to start a band. Mick got in touch with Colin Gibson, who was doing sessions at the time and they were later joined by Peter Solley and Terry Popple.

Definitely in the basic blues rock category, with good compositions here and there and little progressiveness.  Enjoyable on the basis of the energy and high level of musical competence.

From the first album, the song called Drowning in the sea of love sounds like it should have been a huge radio hit back in the day-- not now of course:

Goodbye USA is surely and sadly an apt song title for these troubled times:

From the second album, Jessie Lee:

Bobby Harrison's Funkist from 1975

 

Bio:

English singer/songwriter and drummer, born June 22, 1939 in London, died on January 10, 2022. Bobby Harrison’s history can be traced back to the late fifties and the legendary Brentwood, UK group The Rockefellas. Subsequently, during the early part of the sixties, he was in Golden Apples Of The Sun, who signed to Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate label and released one single, Monkey Time, in 1965. Following that, Harrison formed the CBS-signed Powerpack, who put out two singles in 1966 and 1967. Backed by famous jazzman Ronnie Scott, Bobby also released his first record in his own name for CBS in the mid-sixties, a version of the song Sonny. Harrison then became one of the original members of Procol Harum during the spring of 1967, when the group recorded their famous No 1 single, A Whiter Shade Of Pale. However, at the same time as the record was at the top of the charts all over the world, Harrison and the band’s guitarist left the group to form their own outfit, Freedom. His solo album Funkist has material written for Freedom and is considered to be the "missing link" in Bobby Harrison’s career between Freedom and Snafu, which he formed early 1973. The band lasted until the mid 1970s. In the early eighties, Harrison decided to move to Iceland. There he got involved with many musical activities and also recorded one album with local supergroup Mezzoforte in 1987.

This is his only output from the magical decade of the 1970s and of course it's pure funky rock.  Highly enjoyable nonetheless, or rather, as a result.

Spotlight:

I'll post the Snafu stuff next.