We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago…..
It was her second LP of the year and Rita Coolidge delivered another pleasing set of laid back tunes backed by a crack group of cats led by guitarist Marc Benno who also released a solo record that year.
Coolidge gives us few originals written by Benno and Mike Utley(soon to join Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefers) including a fine gospel take on “Lay My Burden Down”. She also gives us a collection of interesting covers including Better Days from Graham Nash (her boyfriend at the time), Neil Young’s “Journey Through The Past”, Dylan’s “Most Likely You’ll Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine) and Dave Mason’s “Only You Know and I Know”.
She also does two tunes written by Jimmy Lewis who wrote and produced for Ray Charles . “If You Were Mine” and “I’ll Be Here” are some quality soul tunes.
Bennos’ ‘Nice Feelin” gives us some good guitar work and Utley’s electric piano.
Nothing really surprising from this. It is what you expected and that’s alright.
Marc Benno is sort of a Forrest Gump of early 70’s rock. He played with alot of different people and always seemd to deliver a clean, bluesy guitar sound.
Benno’s solo LP “Minnows” didn’t get much traction but it’s good. He had played on the Doors LA Woman earlier in the year and had released his first solo record in 1970. He also was part of Leon Russell’s loose aggregation of musicians that played on his two LPs in 1971. This album features an all-star cast which includes Jessie Ed Davis, Carl Radle, Jerry Scheff, Jim Keltner, Nick De Caro, Clarence White, Bobby Womack, Rita Coolidge and the ubquitous songbirds Clydie King and Venetta Fields.
He got to record four solo LPs in the 70’s and this one delivers a swampy, bluesy kind of guitar based tune that he sells well. As always, some of this sounds like The Band, and that’s not a bad thing.
I’m pretty sure that most of you have never heard “Minnows”. Give it a listen…it’s a nice laid back treat as well.
