A 70's group you probably never heard of, but probably should have.....
Blog: Music For Old(er) Folks
December 1, 2009
I don't know why, but for some reason, in the 60's and early 70's, I managed to collect some obscure LP's. Maybe it's the fault of cut out bins, or maybe, as music director of a couple of college radio stations, the LP's passed over my desk, and when they didn't sell...thus didn't get played...ended up on my record shelf. You know, bands like Pentangle, Forthingray, Clear Light, the original Spirit
The Paupers, and the like....not to mention a whole shelf full of second rate Detroit acts. Odd little groups, sometimes haveing a unique sound that maybe didn't quite catch on.
Mark-Almond was one of those. A quirky combine of vocalist/guitar/drummer Jon Mark, who at one time worked with Mick Jagger on Marianne Faithful's records, and vocalist/woodwind player Johnny Almond, who was in one of Alan Price's bands and played with Zoot Money. The boys had met when in The Bluesbreakers together, and decided to cut a series of destinctive jazz-rock LPs in the early 70's. One of the problems with small group jazz-rock? They didn't show up well in the ballrooms that were to rock then what arenas are now. Take a gentle song like "The City"
and put it on a ballroom or arena stage, and it's subtleness would absolutely disapear.
The song is ablsolutely made by Tom Eyre's piano, and songwriter Jon Mark's stunning bass lines, all aranged by Almond. "One Way Sunday" follows the same basic theme, gently swinging along with subtle insturmentation and backing vocals, and a slightly sad theme.
If you get a chance, Rhino's "Best Of.." collection is the one to pick up. Mark-Almond's individual LP's are choppy, with some real trash mixed in with the good stuff. But boy, the good stuff is really good.
Now, you may never have heard of Mark-Almond, but you surely have heard a Jon Mark song, or at least one he has co-writing credits with some guy named Bily Joel, although on most Joel albums, Jon goes uncredited. Note the reprise at the end. From the final Mark-Almond LP in 1976.....
Real curl up by the fire stuff. Jon Mark is still out there, living in New Zealand and recording mostly new age stuff. Alas, Johnny Almond pased the middle of last month at his home in California. But all in all, a good band definately worth searching out.
Comments
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psychoteacher (Gordon Shirk) says...
A couple pieces of Spirit trivia. Their fourth album Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus was produced by David Briggs, mainly known for with work with Neil Young (he also produced Alice Cooper's second album Easy Action). A later version of Spirit (with California and Cassidy) was the opening act for Bob Seger's two night stand at Cobo when Live Bullet was recorded. And aren't there at least 3 versions of The City???
December 1, 2009 at 3:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
holmes (Abby Holmes) says...
You're right, I haven't heard of the group, but I'll sure give them a listen. Thanks for sharing. :)
December 1, 2009 at 3:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
douglas (Doug Shirk) says...
Abby.....
......in a way, one could look at the music of Mark-Almond as very sophisticated lounge rock.
Gord's right, in a way. "The City" is actually a suite called "The City: Grass and Concrete/Taxi.
December 1, 2009 at 5:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
psychoteacher (Gordon Shirk) says...
If I remember correctly, they re-recorded the song in the late 70's.
December 2, 2009 at 10:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )