The original 4 piece Youngbloods

I thought I had absorbed most of the minutiae in Sebastian's career, but I had no idea of his relationship with Dylan until I got Douglas Gilbert's 'Forever Young'. So there has to be a million stories of paths crossing in that time period.

 

I think that may have been that same circus show, I recall it also. It seemed like Jesse was slicked-back longer than the Righteous Brothers.
Thanks for firing that synapse!

 

After Corbett left the group, I remember several times when at or near the beginning of a show, someone would shout "Grizzly Bear"! Jesse would point to his side and say, "There used to be a guy that stood right there. When he left, Grizzly Bear went with him".

Quite an eclectic group actually. Lowell "Banana" Levinger was, I believe, a classically trained pianist, who also played very decent finger-picked guitar. Joe Bauer, who really unfortunately died many years before his time, was a jazz drummer. Jerry was obviously the rocker of the group with his edgy guitar riffs. And Jesse (Perry Miller) was the folk/blues guy. I have always thought Jesse was one of the best bass players I have ever heard... right up there Paul McCartney, & Duck Dunn to name two.

 

Ironic that Jesse's solo album is titled Soul Of A City Boy, since he (Perry Miller) grew up in affluent Solebury Township, Bucks County, PA (as did Michael Hurley and Steve Weber, two other bohemian refugees; also the talented Robin Remaily, who wrote "Euphoria").

 

Jesse's bass is never less than superb and Joe Baur was an outstanding drummer. Does anyone know why Jerry left?

 

I agree that those first two lps were unique and special due to Jerry's presence, but have to say i love all of them, including all of the Warners lps. For years you could only get those as OOP expensive Line or Japan imports (which i did), but was really happy when Sundazed issued them. Not to mention the unreleased live show they released on cd. Love the Youngbloods, love Sundazed. Fortunately, i picked up the Edsel cd of Jesse's early recordings when it first came out.

 

There used to be a tape floating about of a Berkeley Free Clinic benefit that was broadcast on FM, which featured sets by the (3-piece) Youngbloods, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, and Boz Scaggs. The SQ wasn't so great, but most of the performances were.

 

There's a ten-part interview of Jesse on YouTube that starts here...but unfortunately, while he talks about the Youngbloods days, he doesn't address Jerry's departure.

He does, however, say that he remained very "tight" with him down through the years...more so than with Banana and Joe Bauer.

 

Grizzly Bear is far more of a favorite for me than Get Together. And then Jesse's solo stuff.

 

in 1985 the three surviving members did a number of shows. i was lucky enough to see them in ny at the old lone star cafe. what a treat!

 

So anyway ... "Darkness, Darkness"
I have seen the violin credited to both Charlie Daniels and David Lindley.
I've always leaned towards Lindley.
Anybody know for sure?

 

Well, it turns out that it wasn't quite as dramatic as this. Whoever originally wrote this account (I believe it was from a fanzine I read in the early 1970s) was obviously going by embellished memory, as there would have been no opportunity to actually view the clip.

But now, thanks to this swell modern age we live in, we can.

Here is Dick Clark's interview that immediately followed the performance of "Tears Are Falling" that was posted earlier. Then comes the lip-synching of the "Grizzly Bear" single.

One more thing, speaking of that. Something else I read years ago springs to mind, and that was that The Youngbloods were one of a very small number of performers who insisted upon playing live rather than lip-synching on American Bandstand. Unless they appeared again at a later date, that is obviously the stuff of urban legend judging from these clips.

 

You guys seem knowledgeable, has there ever been a compilation CD (or individual albums on CD) of his very early blues recordings Soul Of A City Boy up to Song For Juli?
Thanks, Trevor.
P.S. I have the Raven Youngbloods compilation and solo albums Song For Juli onwards on CD already.

 

The Youngbloods [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)] [Blu-spec CD2] [Limited Release] (7/23)

"Cardboard sleeve reissue from The Youngbloods features Blu-spec CD2 format and 2014 DSD remastering. Includes a single-edited version of "Get Together" and a song not included in the original album, "Merry-Go-Round" in addition to the original album tracks (mono & stereo)."

1 [Original Album Mono Version] Grizzly Bear
2 [Original Album Mono Version] All Over the World (La-La)
3 [Original Album Mono Version] Statesboro Blues
4 [Original Album Mono Version] Get Together
5 [Original Album Mono Version] One Note Man
6 [Original Album Mono Version] The Other Side of This Life
7 [Original Album Mono Version] Tears Are Falling
8 [Original Album Mono Version] Four in the Morning
9 [Original Album Mono Version] Foolin' Around (The Waltz)
10 [Original Album Mono Version] Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby
11 [Original Album Mono Version] C.C. Rider
12 [Original Album Stereo Version] Grizzly Bear
13 [Original Album Stereo Version] All Over the World (La-La)
14 [Original Album Stereo Version] Statesboro Blues
15 [Original Album Stereo Version] Get Together
16 [Original Album Stereo Version] One Note Man
17 [Original Album Stereo Version] The Other Side of This Life
18 [Original Album Stereo Version] Tears Are Falling
19 [Original Album Stereo Version] Four in the Morning
20 [Original Album Stereo Version] Foolin' Around (The Waltz)
21 [Original Album Stereo Version] Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby
22 [Original Album Stereo Version] C.C. Rider
23 [Bonus Tracks] Get Together (Single Version)
24 [Bonus Tracks] Merry-Go-Round (Not included in the original album)

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/SICP-30554

Earth Music [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)] [Blu-spec CD2] [Limited Release] (7/23)

"Cardboard sleeve reissue from The Youngbloods features Blu-spec CD2 format and 2014 DSD remastering. Includes mono & stereo tracks."

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/SICP-30555

Elephant Mountain [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)] [Blu-spec CD2] [Limited Release] (7/23)

"Cardboard sleeve reissue from The Youngbloods features Blu-spec CD2 format and 2014 DSD remastering. Includes alternate takes and two unreleased tracks in addition to the original album tracks (stereo).”

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/SICP-30556

 

My Blu-spec copies of "The Youngbloods", "Earth Music", and "Elephant Mountain" arrived today. Just gave a cursory spot check of "The Youngbloods", and it sounds a helluva lot better than my Edsel CD. Still some distortion but less than I've ever heard on any prior release. Vocal range is a bit harsh sounding. Great stereo separation. Bonus tracks of "Get Together" and "Grizzely Bear" in Italian mono are interesting.

 

I really wanted to leap on these, but have held back due to concern of remastering approach. Of the handful of Blue spec cds i've owned, the remasterings have all been too loud (juiced and/or goosed) for my perferences. Will be curious to hear any further feedback after you've heard them all. Harsh vocal range vs. great stereo separation and cool bonus tracks. Hmmmm, a tough one already.

 

I'm already tweaking for my own listening pleasure. On "Grizzely Bear" I made the following subtle adjustments - narrowed the stereo, decrackled to remove distortion, raised the center image to bring out the vocals, EQ'd to reduce vocal harshness, and balanced levels. Noticeable slight improvement to my ears. As a mastering engineer, I can't help myself. And these albums, especially by the 4 man Youngbloods, are some of my all time favorite songs from the late 60's.

On to the other tracks...

 

A Soul Of A City Boy CD is available from JCY's site. I am tempted and wonder if it comes with original artwork? I would really like a compilation of all the early work.
Decade after decade the Youngbloods do not get the respect they deserve, it is almost as though they are jinxed.

 

Went carefully through the entire first album, "The Youngbloods". Generally speaking, those tracks that originally sounded edgy and harsh with distortion on the LP still are the inferior tracks on this remastered CD. Those tracks do sound much better here, however. I'm referring primarily to "Grizzely Bear" and "Tears Are Falling". Most of the remaining tracks sound excellent. "Get Together", in particular, has never sounded so crystal clear.A true fan of the Youngbloods would want to own at least these CDs of their first two albums - which were poorly mastered for vinyl originally (and everything else until now), and when the group included Jerry Corbitt.

 

On CDJapan website I see that the "Corbitt" solo album from 1972 is also available in LP sleeve. A bit of a surprise, as there is no Jesse Colin Young title available at all, even though there are already CD masterings available. I don't believe "Corbitt" was ever previously released on CD, nor ever reissued even on LP.

On the day I bought my vinyl copy in June 1972 (which I still have in nearly pristine condition), I was congratulated for being the only known individual to have purchased that album. The only other time I had been told that was when I bought Alexander Spence "Oar" a couple of years earlier. But Christgau gave "Corbitt" a B+, for whatever that's worth.

You may be able to hear some clips on You Tube before deciding to purchase, but at $22 US plus shipping, it may be worth a dip, especially these days.

 

For the first two LPs, I think the fact that they have both mono and stereo mixes of all tracks makes them worth a dip as well. With Blu Spec2 and 2014 DSD mastering (if true), this is likely as good as it will ever get for these two titles.

As for "Elephant Mountain", I already have the early MFSL aluminum, which our host raves about ("flat transfer", "crankable") as well as the Sundazed, which sonically isn't exactly chopped liver either, with one alternate take and one unreleased bonus track to boot, and much easier and cheaper to come by than the MFSL. The Blu-Spec version is 2014 DSD, but I can't say how it would compare sonically with the MFSL and/or Sundazed unless I buy it. For others, the Sundazed is probably just as easy to get at this point. But with "alternate takes and two unreleased tracks" the Blu Spec2 may have more and/or different bonus tracks than the Sundazed. Unfortunately no track list is shown for comparison. It does come in a mini LP sleeve. It may come down to how important one considers this album. And I'm tempted. If I really like the 2014 DSD mastering of the first two, especially "Earth Music", which was better recorded, I may be tempted even more.

 

BTW, maybe this is just me, but I invite others to listen to the following tracks and see if you don't hear more than just a bit of Jesse Colin Young in the vocals:

1) Fogelberg/Weisberg "Twin Sons of Different Mothers", especially on the track "Tell Me to My Face";

2) Sting "Dream of the Blue Turtles": "If You Love Somebody Set them Free" (listen all the way through); not only that, but to me the backing vocals sound for all the world like Moby Grape backing Jesse up!

Or maybe just mentally substituting Jesse's voice into those tracks isn't much of a stretch. Anybody else notice this? Then again, when I first heard Journey's "Who's Crying Now" on the car radio, I thought "sounds like Firefall has a new album out"...(well, it DOES sound like Rick Roberts wrote it, doesn't it?).