Brethren - Brethren (1970 us, excellent country folk psych rock, 2012 korean remaster)

After graduating from Brooklyn College with a music major in 1970, Garson was a member of rock/country/jazz band Brethren with Rick Marotta, Tom Cosgrove and Stu Woods. They recorded two hard-to-find albums on the Tiffany label, which featured guest piano and liner notes by Dr. John (and album photography by Murray Head, who scored a hit with "Say it Ain't So Joe" and later with the single "One Night In Bangkok").

Garson also earned notice when he played on the I'm the One album by early 1970s experimental artist Annette Peacock. Bowie asked Peacock to join him on a tour; she declined, but Garson began an enduring relationship with Bowie.

Garson gave the piano and keyboard backing on the later Ziggy Stardust tour and his unique contribution to Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) gave the song an avant-garde jazz feel with lengthy and sometimes atonal piano solos. Garson played also for Bowie's bandmate Mick Ronson on his first and last solo tour, and his first album (Slaughter on Tenth Avenue). 

Drummer Rick Marotta (who backed dozens of top artists, including John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Stevie Nicks, Steely Dan, etc.), lead singer/guitarist Tom Cosgrove (who played with Al Kooper and Todd Rundgren, among others), Bassist Stu Woods worked with (Jim Croce, Janis Ian, Tony Orlando, Barry Manilow, etc.) 

Tracks

1. Midnight Train (Rick Marotta, Stu Woods, Tom Cosgrove) - 2:43

2. Don’t Talk Now (James Taylor) - 3:54

3. Mississippi Freighter (Stu Woods, Tom Cosgrove, Mark Klingman) - 3:52

4. Success Brand Oil (Tom Cosgrove, Rick Marotta, Stu Woods) - 4:51

5. Hitchin’ To Memphis (Tom Cosgrove) - 2:46

6. Everybody In The Congregation (Tom Cosgrove) - 3:55

7. I've Been Provided For (Rick Marotta, Stu Woods, Tom Cosgrove, Jay Senter) - 3:03

8. Outside Love (Tom Cosgrove) - 3:25

9. Just To Be There (Mark Klingman) - 3:09

Brethren 

*Stu Woods - Bass, Vocals

*Tom Cosgrove - Guitar, Percussion, Vocals

*Rick Marotta - Drums

*Mike Garson - Keyboards

With

*Dr. John - Keyboards

*Rusty Young - Steel Guitar

*The Blossoms - Backing Vocals

1971  Brethren - Moment Of Truth (2013 korean remaster)  

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The Ivy League - Major League The Pye Piccadilly Anthology (1964-67 uk, roots 'n roll swinging baroque pop harmonies, 2006 double disc remaster)

John Carter and Ken Lewis writing songs all together in high school in Birmingham. Early 60 's they point Carter-Lewis & the Southerners, in which, among other things, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) plays lead guitar .In 1964 they form together with Perry Ford the Ivy League. The Group provides backing vocals on "I can't explain" by The Who. The second Ivy League single "Funny how love can be" in the spring of 1965 is a hit (# 8 in UK), followed by "Tossing & Turning" (# 3 in UK). After that it's success quickly waning. Beginning 1966 decision John Carter to start laying back on song writing and leaves the group. He still writes the single "My world fell down" for The Ivy League, later covered by among other things The Sagittarius and the Dutch group Vicky and the Roundhouse, well known as the brother of The Buffoons.

Carter's place in The Ivy league is occupied by Tony Burrows from The Kestrels. The trio still floundering a year, but then also likes Ken Lewis . He is replaced by Neil Landon. Along with Carter Lewis on the studio project addresses The Flowerpot Men. This produces in the summer of 1967 the hit "Let's go to San Francisco" on. Carter and Lewis, however, have no meaning more to like with The Ivy League to go on tour. There is a group of hastily assembled including Neil Landon and Tony Burrows from The Ivy League.

Perry Ford goes a number of years by with other singers under the name The Ivy League, but the mid 1970s he throws in the towel. In 1999, Ford on 58-year-old age to death. Lewis suffers diabetes for many years, he passed away on 2015 in Staffordshire England.

The Ivy League continued to perform, although none of the three members of the band, Jon Brennan (vocals and bass guitar), David Buckley (vocals and drums) and Michael Brice (vocals and lead guitar), are from the original 1960s line-up. Robert Macleod joined in 1968-69 but had immigration problems similar to those that befell the Bee Gees and had to leave the country. Buckley joined the band in the late 1960s with Perry Ford still involved in the group. Brennan then later joined Buckley, and with Ford's blessing, kept the Ivy League going through the 1970s and beyond. Having worked with the Ivy League on several occasions throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Brice joined the band permanently in 1990 replacing Les Litwinenko-Jones who had previously played with Ian Kewley in Samson.

Tracks

Disc 1 

1. What More Do You Want - 2:43

2. Wait A Minute - 2:26

3. Funny How Love Can Be (John Carter, Ken Lewis) - 2:10

4. Lonely Room - 2:01

5. That's Why I'm Crying - 2:38

6. A Girl Like You (Perry Ford) - 2:04

7. Tossing And Turning - 2:29

8. Graduation Day - 2:19

9. Our Love Is Slipping Away - 2:53

10.I Could Make You Fall In Love - 2:13

11.Running Round In Circles - 2:13

12.Rain Rain Go Away - 2:21

13.Willow Tree - 2:33

14.One Day - 2:07

15.My World Fell Down (Geoff Stephens, John Carter) - 2:52

16.When You're Young (John Carter, Ken Lewis) - 2:19

17.Four And Twenty Hours (John Carter, Perry Ford) - 2:36

18.Arrivederci Baby - 2:44

19.Suddenly Things (Perry Ford) - 3:16

20.Tomorrow Is Another Day (Perry Ford) - 2:53

21.Thank You For Loving Me (John Carter, Ken Lewis) - 2:00

22.In The Not Too Distant Future (Perry Ford) - 2:43

All songs by John Carter, Ken Lewis, Perry Ford except where indicated

Disc 2

1. Almost Grown (Chuck Berry) - 2:25

2. Floral Dance (Katie Moss) - 2:51

3. Lulu's Back in Town (Al Dubin, Harry Warren) - 1:26

4. We're Having A Party (Sam Cooke) - 2:03

5. Don't Worry Baby (Brian Wilson, Roger Christian) - 3:09

6. Make Love (John Carter, Ken Lewis, Perry Ford) - 2:53

7. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Bob Dylan) - 2:39

8. My Old Dutch (Albert Chevalier, Anthony Lowry) - 1:28

9. Dance To The Locomotion (Billy Barberis, Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein) - 2:32

10.My Baby (Perry Ford) - 3:28

11.Nancy (With The Laughing Face) (Jimmy Van Heusen, Phil Silvers) - 2:46

12.Lonely City (Perry Ford) - 2:56

13.Mr. Ford's Boogie (Perry Ford) - 3:00

14.Friday (Perry Ford) - 2:37

15.Busy Doing Nothing (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) - 2:35

16.Rock and Roll Medley - 2:54

.a.Giddy-Up-A-Ding-Dong-Lipstick (Freddie Bell, Peppino Lattanzi)

.b.Lipstick, Powder And Paint (Jesse Stone)

.c.Shake, Rattle 'n' Roll (Jesse Stone)

.d.Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Dave Williams, Myriam S. Davidson)

17.Humpty Dumpty (John Carter, Perry Ford) - 2:30

18.The Holly And The Ivy League (John Carter, Ken Lewis, Perry Ford) - 2:35

19.Once In Royal David's City (John Carter, Ken Lewis, Perry Ford) - 1:59

20.Good King Wenceslas (John Carter, Ken Lewis, Perry Ford) - 2:16

21.Silent Night (Traditional) - 2:30

The Ivy League

*John Carter - Vocals

*Perry Ford - Vocals

*Ken Lewis - Vocals, Guitar

With

*Mick O'Nell - Organ

*Mickey Keene - Lead Guitar

*Dave Winter - Bass

*Clem Cattini - Drums

1965-67  The Ivy League - This Is The Ivy League (2007 japan remaster with extra tracks)  

Related Acts

1966/68  Ministry Of Sound - Men From The Ministry / Midsummer Nights Dreaming (2005 double disc set)  

1967  Flower Pot Men - Let's Go To San Francisco  

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Peter Kelley - Dealin’ Blues (1971 us, fantastic folk blues psych rock, 2020 korean remaster)

East Coast singer-songwriter Peter Kelley made two superb albums. His second effort "Dealin' Blues" is an acoustic blues with an outlaw vibe and some surprising and effective use of moog., An atmospheric blend of bluesy downer folk and psychedelia.

Quietude and an unvarnished approach sistinguish this set of twelve blues oriented songs. Kelly writes all of his material and sings in a very straight forward fashion which is effective. Presence of moog synthesizers on several cuts does much to enhance the proceedings and "Death Is Not A Sad Word" and "I Been Told" are among the highlights of the album.

Tracks

1. Dealin’ Blues - 3:47

2. Inspiration - 2:36

3. Time In Between - 2:13

4. He Could Never Feel - 2:16

5. Death Is Not A Sad Word - 2:18

6. I Been Told - 2:38

7. Circle Of Her Magic - 2:43

8. The Ultimate Game - 2:35

9. Turning Gold - 3:06

10.Don’t Turn Around - 2:22

11.Heather - 4:08

12.Brand New Man - 2:20

Lyrics and Music by Peter Kelley

Personnel

*Peter Kelley - Guitar, Vocals 

*Peter Brittain - Guitar

*Malcolm Cecil - Moog Synthesizer 

*George Devens - Congas, Percussion, Vibraphone 

*John Lehr - Guitar

*Lynas - Harp

*Robert Margouleff - Moog Synthesizer

*Jack Nailon - Bass, Background Vocals

*Mark Pines - Guitar 

1968  Peter Kelley - Path Of The Wave  

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Illusion - Illusion (1974 us, fantastic folk soft rock, 2012 korean remaster)

Wendell Ing was raised as a classical pianist, then began playing in bands in the early 70's, notably Small Time Leroy, a blues band out of Brooklyn,  Illusion, a folk rock group in Honolulu which made famous his environmental protest song "The Lake", and Hawaiian pop group Cecilio & Kapono (who recorded Ing's "Easy On My Mind").

Illusion recorded only one selftitled album, released through Sinergia record label. A pretty mix of soft country and folk rock with jazz and clasical elements and beautiful harmony. Ing currently teaches music at Hilo High School in Hilo, Hawaii where he directs the Ambassadors, singing group of Hilo High, teaches music classes and waves a baton around for the yearly musicals by PALC, the Hawaii Performing Arts Learning Center. 

Tracks

1. The Lake (Wendell Ing) - 6:33

2. Travelin` Bones (Wendell Ing) - 4:04

3. Let Them Be (Hank Leandro) - 3:32

4. Not Yet (Hank Leandro) - 5:30

5. Drafted (Hank Leandro) - 5:32

6. Gone, Gone, Gone (Wendell Ing) - 4:43

7. Unknown Faces (Hank Leandro) - 5:19

8. Two Faced Boogie (Wendell Ing) - 4:20

Illusion

*Wendell Ing - Piano, Clavinet 

*Hank Leandro - Acoustic Guitar 

*Denny Maeda - Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar 

*Butch O'Sullivan - Bass 

*Gregg Nutt - Drums

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