DANNY KALB: Master Guitarist RIP

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The Blues Project

   I don’t remember the exact time of year, probably early 1967 when my Dad’s friend got a few records that “fell off the truck” as he said. He listened to each and said they weren’t his cup of tea so he gifted the small stack to me, a young 15 year old record collector. There I found a Phil Ochs album, one by Buffy St. Marie, a Dave Van Ronk collection, and two BLUES PROJECT albums, “Projections” and “Live at Cafe Au Go Go”. While none made a heavy rotation on my turntable at that moment in time the “Projections” collection did garner some interest, especially a few months later while listening to TEN YEARS AFTER doing the traditional gospel number “I Can’t Keep From Cryin’, Sometimes” which AL KOOPER arranged for THE BLUES PROJECT. Then, The BLUES PROJECT spun more frequently and were heard more often during the evening hours on WNEW_FM radio.Later on I found there was a connection between PHIL OCHS, DAVE VAN RONK and DANNY KALB co-founder of THE BLUES PROJECT.

   Over the many decades of collecting music and going to concerts I must admit that I never saw THE BLUES PROJECT live and never purchased one of their albums as the first two albums were gifted to me and my buddy gave me two cds, an “Anthology”(1997) of “the BLUES PROJECT”. After reading of the death of DANNY KALB at age 80 (November 19, 2022) I did a bit of research while tossing the double cds on for a go.In retrospect I found his guitar playing to be amazing stuff, especially when the songs are listened to in a chronological sequence. So, today I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of DANNY KALB and regret in hindsight not having listened to this master guitarist over these many years. REST IN PEACE, Godspeed, DANNY KALB.

ON THE SHELF: SMALL TOWN TALK- BOB DYLAN,THE BAND, VAN MORRISON, JANIS JOPLIN, JIMI HENDRIX AND FRIENDS IN THE WILD YEARS OF WOODSTOCK by Barney Hoskyns, DaCapo Press

ON THE SHELF: SMALL TOWN TALK- BOB DYLAN,THE BAND, VAN MORRISON, JANIS JOPLIN, JIMI HENDRIX AND FRIENDS IN THE WILD YEARS OF WOODSTOCK by Barney Hoskyns, DaCapo Press

Yesterday’s post was JUDAS! so I thought this a decent follow up to the exploits of one, Robert Zimmerman.

“There’s a veil of secrecy around all this stuff,” the folk singer Artie Traum told me when I first visited Woodstock in the summer of 1991. “And for no particular reason, because there’s really nothing to hide. I don’t think there are any skeletons that aren’t already public. But one of the whole things that Dylan started was ‘Don’t talk to anybody.” (preface)

This book is small town name dropping at its best. ALBERT GROSSMAN being the star attraction, arriving as his way to escape the hustle and bustle that he brought upon himself,a way to escape those that despised him, he settles on a spread in upstate New York, BEARSVILLE, and consequently an entire army of like minded folks (pun intended) arrive a few years later, BOB DYLAN being the most famous.

They are all here in and around WOODSTOCK , the small town as the title suggest, some only visited, while others settled or “escaped” from drugs, money, spouses, or just for the serenity of what the surrounding had to offer.

MY LITTLE KNOWN FUN FACT THAT I LOVE: Gate Of Horn co-owner LES BROWN who with ALBERT GROOMSMAN opened that Chicago club in 1956:“Les Brown loathed him so much that, after Grossman’s death, he made a special trip to urinate on his grave” (p32)

ON THE SHELF: FOLLOW THE MUSIC: THE LIFE AND HIGH TIMES OF ELECTRA RECORDS IN THE GREAT YEARS OF AMERICAN POP CULTURE by Jac Holzman and Gavan Daws (First Media 2014)

ON THE SHELF: FOLLOW THE MUSIC: THE LIFE AND HIGH TIMES OF  ELECTRA RECORDS IN THE GREAT YEARS OF AMERICAN POP CULTURE by Jac Holzman and Gavan Daws (First Media 2014) This book is written in oral history style following topics while basically remaining in a chronological fashion. It starts off in Greenwich Village  1950’s as most folk rock tales do. JAC speaks about his love for early folk music, and jazz, and how by age 19 he was thrust head first in the recording business. This was a time for him, as an independent, he was only concerned with the long player (lp) as opposed to the singles market, totally unique in the business. Through out the book we meet folks who were involved with THE DOORS, LOVE, JUDY COLLINS, CARLY SIMON, PHIL OCHS,TIM BUCKLEY and others who help develop the artists on ELEKTRA RECORDS and how this small independent company became a giant in the business.

MY LITTLE KNOWN FUN FACT THAT I LOVE: While not being able to get The Lovin’ Spoonful for $10,000, JAC HOLZMAN went to LA, found LOVE and signed the band the next day for $5000 CASH, which Arthur Lee demanded. The next day Arthur Lee arrives with a gold Mercedes 300 which he paid $4500.00, he also bought a harmonica, he gave the other band members $100.00 each. What a sport.