If you're not familiar with this band, they are most famous for having Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder as members before they got famous. Their style of electrified folk blues was ahead of its time in the short period they were together, from 1964 to 1966. They recorded a bunch of songs in the studio, but only one single was released while they stayed a band. However, an excellent archival release came out in 1992.
None of the band's live performances have ever been officially released. However, I have two bootlegs, one from 1965 and the other from 1966. Both are from the Ash Grove, a folk club in Los Angeles. The Rising Sons were ahead of their time in that they had a mix of black and white band members. Apparently, this meant that many clubs were afraid to book them, so they didn't get the kind of exposure they needed to break through. But the Ash Grove liked them, and let them play there quite a lot. Thus, both of these bootlegs are from that club.
Unfortunately, these bootlegs both sound great and terrible at the same time. They're great in that they're pristine soundboards, which certainly is unusual for the time. But they're terrible in that only part of the band was properly recorded. The lead vocals (all by Taj Mahal) and some of the instruments come in clearly, but other instruments are barely heard at all. That's why I've never posted either bootleg here. However, today, it occurred to me that now I'm using the sound editing program Spleeter, I could drastically improve the mix. So that's what I did for this 1966 concert.
There's good news and bad news. The good news is that the mix is much improved. In particular, I was able to boost the guitar to make this sound very listenable. The bad news is that the harmonica playing in particular was so faint to begin with that I didn't have much to work with, and it's still very faint. One can tell the harmonica should be quite prominent, with some solos here and there, but it sounds like it's coming from two rooms away... or maybe two planets away!
Anyway, if you can tolerate that, I think the rest sounds great for a 1966 recording. Minus the harmonica problem, and maybe the bass being rather low, this could easily be worthy of an official release. It's a bummer that there's only 30 minutes of music here, but that's 30 minutes more than you probably ever expected to hear of this band live (if you've been aware of them at all).
By the way, an interesting fact is that Taj Mahal mentioned between song that blues legends Lightnin' Hopkins and Son House were in the audience. That's almost certainly true. There are many more bootlegs from the Ash Grove in the 1960s (unfortunately the vast majority having the same mixing problems). There's one of Lightnin' Hopkins from this same date, and others on different dates of Son House. The Rising Sons must have been in awe playing in front of some of their musical heroes.
Anyway, if people like this, I can try to fix the 1965 Rising Sons bootleg I have too. That one will be harder, both because I think it has an even worse mix, plus it's over an hour long. I also have Taj Mahal solo bootlegs from 1966 and 1967 that were recorded at the Ash Grove and so have the exact same problems.
01 Hi-Heel Sneakers (Rising Sons)
02 talk (Rising Sons)
03 Who Do You Think You Is (Rising Sons)
04 talk (Rising Sons)
05 I Got My Mojo Working (Rising Sons)
06 talk (Rising Sons)
07 Walking Down the Line (Rising Sons)
08 talk (Rising Sons)
09 Walking the Dog (Rising Sons)
10 Little Red Rooster (Rising Sons)
11 talk (Rising Sons)
12 Statesboro Blues (Rising Sons)
13 Hambone (Rising Sons)
https://www.imagenetz.de/gvoxr
There are very, very few color photos of the Rising Sons. I couldn't find any of them in concert. I did find a nice one of them which I've used here. But there was a problem: it's a rectangular shot, with Ry Cooder way far from the from the rest of the band. So, using Photoshop, I moved him so he's sitting on his butt in front of the others. (Taj Mahal, with hat, is now standing directly above his head.)
I also found a playbill advertising the Rising Sons playing at the Ash Grove, though for a different date. I used the exact font from that for the text. Finally, just for fun, I added the stereo and record company logos to make it look like a released album from the 1960s.
Many thanks for this live recording of The Rising Sons. What a gem!
ReplyDeleteWow, wow, wow!!! I never expected a Rising Sons live show to appear. Thank you so much. Saw Taj at a show in '66 and became an instant fan.
ReplyDeleteAll of your reworkings (such as the acoustic Neil Young) have been very enjoyable and well worth the efforts you have expended. So again, THANK YOU.
Now that you have posted and early Ry Cooder (and I'm looking forward to the next Rising Sons show), how about early David Lindley? I'd love to hear live Dry City Scat Band or any Lindley.
You're welcome. I'm glad to see someone is psyched to hear this.
DeleteAs for early Lindley, there are lots of Ash Grove 1960s recordings available through Wolfgang's Vault. I don't have access to any of those. I only got a few a while back through a different source. But I see they have four Dry City Scat Band shows from 1964. So maybe you can hear that there.
Here's the link to one, and you can find the links to the others at the bottom:
https://www.wolfgangs.com/music/dry-city-scat-band/audio/20053738-38446.html?tid=4877218
Fantastic! Just a question: is Ed Cassidy or Kevin Kelley on drums in this performance?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be Kelley, since he was the drummer for most of 1966.
DeleteWolfgang's Vault has this recording and the Rising Sons' 1965 live recordings, though their version doesn't have the sound mix fixed like mine does. (They do offer an excuse why the mix is so bad though.) They don't have a write up for the 1966 one, but they do for one of the 1965 ones. Here's what that says, which touches on the drummer issue. Keep in mind this is for a 1965 show:
Ry Cooder - vocals, lead guitar; Taj Mahal - vocals, harmonica, guitar, piano; Jesse Lee Kincaid - vocals and rhythm guitar; Gary "Magic" Marker - bass ; Ed Cassidy - drums
The Ash Grove will long be remembered as the West Coast epicenter of the traditional folk and blues revival of the late 1950s and early 1960s. As such, the Los Angeles venue was a critical component, not only in the careers of many important folk and blues artists, but as an educational environment to many younger musicians and songwriters, providing them with firsthand exposure to the best of the best in an intimate setting. Also a focal point for progressive thought, the Ash Grove would have an equally strong impact on the cultural and political perspective of these young emerging artists, laying the groundwork for what would become the rock music revolution of the 1960s. The Ash Grove's high musical standards and owner Ed Pearl's vision of facilitating interaction between young and old musicians made the venue a hotbed of creativity. Many important careers were launched on the Ash Grove stage and the recording presented here is one of the many fine examples.
The Rising Sons literally formed within the walls of the Ash Grove. All five of the musicians were young regulars, who had spent countless hours studying the music and performances of the older folk and blues artists. Ry Cooder, then 18 years old, had been frequenting the Ash Grove for several years, partnering up with the likes of Jackie DeShannon and Pamela Polland as a frequent opening act at the venue. Taj Mahal, who had just turned 23, had journeyed from Massachusetts with his friend, Jesse Lee Kincaid, a few years prior and had also become Ash Grove regulars. Needing a rhythm section, Cooder and Mahal recruited two additional regulars, bassist Gary Marker and the significantly older jazz drummer, Ed Cassidy, who had worked with Cannonball Adderly, Thelonious Monk, and Roland Kirk, among others. (With his stepson, Randy California, Cassidy would later form the band Spirit.) Then going by the stage name, Cass StrangeDrums, Cassidy would leave the group following a hand injury, being replaced by future drummer for the Byrds, Kevin Kelly. By the time the group recorded their 1966 sessions for Columbia Records, Kelly had already replaced Cassidy, so the original Rising Sons were thought to have never been recorded—that is until now!
DeleteAlthough the group's repertoire primarily consisted of cover material by the older artists they admired, their eclectic mix of blues, folk, and anything else that tickled their collective fancy clearly anticipated the development of psychedelic rock music. The following year, new groups like the Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service, who were also young folk, blues, and traditional music fans, would mine similar territory, creating the so-called "San Francisco Sound," that would fuel dance halls like the Fillmore Auditorium and the Avalon Ballroom.
To say the Rising Sons were ahead of their time is a major understatement, as few knew what to make of the band at this time. Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder were young scholars of traditional blues and folk music, but now they were embracing electric guitars! This recording was still two months prior to Bob Dylan's electric debut at Newport, and the Rising Sons were already heading in a similar direction. This, along with the fact that the Sons were an integrated group, pretty much sealed their fate. Racial prejudice was undoubtedly a factor that prevented the group from becoming more successful. Fearing trouble, few booking agents or club owners would hire bands of mixed ethnicity in 1965. So, the Rising Sons never strayed far from home and became what could be considered the "house band" at the Ash Grove.
DeleteRecorded on May 29, 1965 on the final night of a run opening for Lightnin' Hopkins, this primitive yet remarkable live recording captures the original lineup of the legendary Rising Sons in action. It should be noted that the Ash Grove was not set up to facilitate the recording of electric music. Drums and amplified guitars were easily heard in the club without the need for sound reinforcement. As such, this recording is far from perfectly balanced. Despite this, everyone can be heard on the recording as the drums and electric instruments are captured by the vocal microphones.
This set, the first of two performances that evening, kicks off with a raucous reading of Rufus Thomas' "Walking The Dog." What is immediately apparent is Taj Mahal's terrific stage presence. Through much of this set, Taj Mahal clearly comes across as the charismatic front man, exuding charm and relaxed ease with the audience. They follow with a take on Jimmy Reed's classic "Baby, What You Want Me To Do," with Cooder playing tasteful lead and Mahal blowing mouth harp to good effect. Things get more interesting on the next number, an engaging take on "High Heeled Sneakers." If one pays attention during the instrumental break here, an embryonic form of psychadelic rock music can be heard, and Cooder's jagged lead lines anticipate the guitar stylings he would later pursue with Captain Beefheart's Magic Band.
Next up is delightful take on an early Bob Dylan obscurity, "Walkin' Down The Line," which predates most country-rock by several years, followed by Willie Dixon's "Little Red Rooster," featuring early examples of Ry Cooder's trademark slide work and a loose but infectious vocal from Taj Mahal. At this point, Mahal switches to piano and the Sons romp their way through Sonny Boy Williamson's "Fannie Mae," before winding things to a close with "Hambone," which is essentially an outro vamp on the classic Bo Diddley beat, while Ash Grove owner, Ed Pearl, introduces the bandmembers.
In terms of young, up-and-coming musicians that got their start on the Ash Grove stage, this recording is certainly one of the most astonishing finds.
I would like to hear more Rising Sons too. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFor anyone who has listened to this yet, I'd be curious to hear what you think about the sound mix. I know the harmonica can't be heard, but other than that, does it sound listenable? I had to make a lot of tweaks on each song.
ReplyDeleteGeez, who woulda thunk? Sounds good to me, an admitted audio snob, with a bit of Needles And Pins in the Walking Down The Line guitar intro. Many many thanks for unearthing this and tweaking the mix.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear it. Thanks for the feedback. :)
DeleteYes the harmonica is too much t the back but wtf..... this is absolute FANTASTIC! Thx!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Please post other enhanced bootleg. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to hear the other bootleg if you get around to it! Great work!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks
ReplyDelete