January 25, 2023 Playlist

The Jeff Beck Group "Truth" (1968)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
The Jeff Beck Group "Truth"  1968 (UK)
This is probably not the best Jeff Beck album, but it was a milestone album that paved the way for Led Zeppelin (who came along the following year) and much classic rock of the 1970's. Beck was the second (and shreddiest) of the three legendary lead guitarists from The Yardbirds (the first was Clapton, the last was Jimmy Page). Jeff's "Group" on Truth, his first album after leaving The Yardbirds, included Rod Stewart (vocals) and Ron Wood (bass) who would both quit his band in 1969 to form The Faces along with former members of The Small Faces (until Rod's solo career eclipsed that band and Ron Wood got a gig playing guitar with the Rolling Stones!) Three notable guest stars also turn up on the instrumental "Beck's Bolero" on this album: Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones (who were not Led Zeppelin yet) with The Who's Keith Moon on the drums. After a second album with the original JBG lineup, Jeff put together an entirely different "Jeff Beck Group" in the early 70's for a couple more (arguably better) albums before forming the unfortunate (but fortunately brief) supergroup "Beck, Bogert & Appice" (a Cream-like power trio with the rhythm section of the ponderous Vanilla Fudge, ugh!) After that he just started calling himself "Jeff Beck" and made instrumental jazz fusion records (the first few produced by George Martin), which is more or less where he stayed for the rest of his career. Beck was generally an interpreter of the work of others and not a writer of tunes, but as an instrumentalist I would have to rank him as the second-best guitar virtuoso of the 1960's (do I need to tell you who was #1?)
Also passing away recently: iconic hippie legend "The Croz" (David Crosby), who was a founder of The Byrds and CSN(Y). Here's a few classic album signposts from his career: Fifth Dimension (1966), Younger Than Yesterday (1967), Crosby Stills & Nash (1969), 4 Way Street (1971), and If I Could Only Remember My Name (1971).
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
The Byrds (with David Crosby)What's Happening?! (David Crosby)Fifth Dimension1966USA
The Yardbirds (with Jeff Beck)Over Under Sideways DownThe Yardbirds1966UK
CreamI'm So Glad (Skip James)Fresh Cream1966UK
The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceLove Or ConfusionAre You Experienced?1967USA/UK
Led ZeppelinRamble OnLed Zeppelin II1969UK
QueenOgre BattleQueen II1974UK
Black SabbathElectric FuneralParanoid1970UK
 
 
Atsuko Chiba So Much ForWater, It Feels Like It's Growing (N)2023 (Mothland)Canada (Quebec)
Tricot AndroidFudeki (N)  ("Bungle")
2022 (8902/Cutting Edge)Japan
Chris Forsyth Bad Moon RisenEvolution Here We Come (N)2022 (No Quarter)USA
Steakhouse Tantrum!Amer Rouge (N)2023 (self released)USA
Motihari Brigade Rock 'n' Roll ThoughtcrimeAlgorthim & Blues (N)
2023 (self released)UK/USA
   
 
The Jeff Beck Group
(with Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, John Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins)		You Shook Me (Willie Dixon)Truth
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1968UK
The Jeff Beck Group
(with Rod Stewart & Ron Wood)		I Ain't Superstitious (Willie Dixon)Truth
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1968UK
Beck, Bogert & AppiceSuperstition (Stevie Wonder)Beck, Bogert & Appice1973UK/USA
The Jeff Beck Group
(with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones & Keith Moon)		Beck's BoleroTruth
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1968UK
Donovan with The Jeff Beck Group
(with Suzi Quatro on backup vocals!)		BarabajagalBarabajagal1969UK (Scotland)
David Crosby
(with Garcia, Lesh, Kreutzmann & Hart from Grateful Dead)		Cowboy MovieIf I Could Only Remember My Name1971USA
   
 
GroundhogsCherry RedSplit1971UK
King CrimsonRedRed1974UK
Pink FloydMoneyThe Dark Side Of The Moon1973UK
Thin LizzySpirit Slips AwayFighting1975Ireland
/UK (Scotland)
/USA
Be-Bop DeluxeAxe VictimAxe Victim1974UK
Crosby Stills & NashWooden Ships (by Crosby, Stills & Paul Kantner)Crosby Stills & Nash1969USA/UK
   
 
The Byrds (with David Crosby)Lady Friend (David Crosby)A-side single1967USA
The Byrds (with David Crosby)Mind Gardens (David Crosby)Younger Than Yesterday1967USA
Crosby Stills & NashGuinnevere (David Crosby)Crosby Stills & Nash1969USA/UK
Miles DavisGuinnevere (David Crosby)The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions (box set)rec. 1969-70USA
Jeff Beck & The Jan Hammer GroupScatterbrain (live)Jeff Beck With The Jan Hammer Group Live1977UK/Czech.
   
 
The Byrds (with David Crosby)The Airport Song (David Crosby)Preflyterec. 1964, rel. 1969USA
David Crosby & Graham NashHomeward Through The Haze (David Crosby)Wind On The Water1975USA/UK
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