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Plain and Fancy

Music gives soul to universe, wings to mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, and life to everything.

Plato

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Alan Ross - Are You Free On Saturday? (1977 uk, good groovy guitar rock with prog tinges, 2021 korean remaster)



"Are You Free On Saturday? " is the 1977 solo-album by British guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Alan Ross, this time for a small British label, Ebony Records. 

Ross is no mean guitarist and had previously knocked out two albums with his cryptically named band Ross along with a couple of others namely Ro-Ro and Stars. Like Duncan Browne he re-emerged after a quiet spell with two albums that caused little stir at the time but to my mind merit a listen. This is the first and is again one found quite cheaply still. 

On offer is melodic rock with fine guitar work and good instrumentation from a well oiled band including Ed Spevock on drums. I particularly like Ross’s work on the slower Mystified but there is much to be enjoyed with the title track and a version of Peter Gabriel’s Get The Guns also noteable. It’s a harder edged rock album again demonstrating Ross’s guitar prowess and again worthy of a listen. 

In 1980, he appeared on an album by Wilson-Gale called "Gift Wrapped Set". In 1983, he played on Alexis Korner's album "Juvenile Delinquent". 


Tracks
1. Are You Free On Saturday ? - 5:27
2. What You Gonna Do About It ? - 3:56
3. Man With The White Glove - 6:29
4. Mystified - 4:49
5. Get The Guns (Martin Hall, Peter Gabriel) - 3:28
6. Nothing Gets In My Way - 4:29
7. Baby Please (Dave Mason) - 2:56
8. Punishment Park (Mike Finesilver, Peter Ker) - 4:42
9. Love Is Love - 6:25
All songs by Alan Ross except where stated

Personnel
*Alan Ross - Guitar, Vocals
*John Cooke - Clavinet, Mini Moog, Moog Synthesizer, Percussion, Piano, Vocals
*Frank Wilson - Keyboards, Vocals, 
*Pete Dennis - Bass, Vocals
*Chris Fletcher - Percussion, Vocals
*Ed Spevock - Drums, Percussion
*Tom Compton - Drums