Among my 1,500-some mostly mint condition, not wholly archaic, vinyl-format musical recordings - some folks still refer to them as LPs - are several by an old British blues-rock group callled Savoy Brown. They've been through umpteen personnel changes, and their prime is more than 30 years past. But they're still alive and kickin,' and still led by the Wales-born guitarist Kim Simmonds, who quite stingingly played a Gibson Flying V model, like the late great Albert King.

One of the finest Savoy Brown recordings, circa September 1971, is titled "Street Corner Talking." A partial group history, with - in the time-honored tradition of crappy rock music writing - way too much esoteric information about line-up changes, and then finally, some relevant stuff about this great LP - is here.

I've always loved the album's music. AND the cover art, seemingly channeled from Miles Davis' "On The Corner" LP, of the same vintage.

This is 60s Brit blues-rock the way it was meant to be - yet with a unique voice (vocalist Dave Walker's) and a unique feel (verging into jazz, with the long workout, including Paul Raymond's great electric piano solo, on "All I Can Do Is Cry"). You just have to hear it for yourself. It's not in any way reminiscent of the other purveyors of the genre then, great as they were - such as early (Peter Green-era) Fleetwood Mac, early LedZep, Clapton.

70s FM and "classic rock" radio listeners may recall the big hit from Street Corner Talking - still performed by discerning but overwieght bar bands to this day: "Tell Mama." There are also a bunch of fine originals - including the funky-chunky title tune, and wholly re-worked covers of Chicago bluesman Willie Dixon's classic, "Wang Dang Doodle," as well as The Temptations' bristling soul-rock gem, "Can't Get Next To You."

FYI, this is a 60s album, as the 60s didn't end until Dec. 31, 1971. I assume, perhaps blithely, that everyone knows that. If you wanna get back to your White Boy rock-blues roots, Savoy Brown's "Street Corner Talking" is a must-have. Naturally, amazon.com has it on CD, here.

The blog Rock And Roll Report has more on why Savoy Brown mattered.

TECHNORATI TAGS: SAVOY BROWN, BLUES, ROCK, 1971

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Posted by Matt Rosenberg at October 26, 2005 12:04 AM