The Blues Project — Al Kooper, Roy Blumenfeld, Danny Kalb, Tommy Flanders, Steve Katz, Andy Kulberg of The Blues Project
Another new one (to me), and another one that challenges alphabetization. This was another splendid find from Siren Records in Doylestown from earlier this year (2020) when I raided their blues bins (thinking I was overdoing it, and not realizing I’d be spending months in lockdown with these records).
The fun and confusing thing about this beauty is that it’s by The Blues Project. Its title is “Al Kooper, Roy Blumenfeld, Danny Kalb, Tommy Flanders, Steve Katz, Andy Kulberg of The Blues Project.” That is, if you go by the cover.
If you go by the spine, it’s “Blumenfeld / Flanders / Kalb / Katz/ Kooper / Kulberg of The Blues Project.” Very alphabetical of them.
If you go by the bulk of the Discogs entries, it’s yet another different order, with Tommy Flanders up top, perhaps because he was the original singer, though he only appears on two tracks. That order appears on the label, too.
Me, I’m storing this under “Blues Project” and moving on.
All of these tracks were on previous Blues Project records, but, coming late to the Al Kooper universe, I have none of those. Though Kooper’s name is closely associated with the group, it in fact was centered around a folk/acoustic blues group from Greenwich Village called the Danny Kalb Quartet. Kooper was brought in as a session musician on the band’s audition for Columbia; instead they were signed to Verve. The band existed for about a year and a half, late 1965 to early 1967. By the time they appeared at the Monterey International Pop Festival, Kooper was gone and the band was in a state of collapse. Kooper and Katz went on to form Blood, Sweat & Tears (which Kooper also quickly left). By coincidence, on this same day I picked up “Grape Jam,” an album ostensibly by Moby Grape but also featuring Al Kooper (and Mike Bloomfield). Told ya I invaded those blues bins at Siren!
I got this included in a huge haul – the entire box of blues records was $20. The copy of this album is in mint condition – not sure it’s ever been player before. I’m halfway thru my 1st listen, and I’m struggling to have any connection to this. Maybe it’ll take a while – but this sounds like a very generic and bland blues record.
I’ll admit, I haven’t played this a lot since picking it up . . . and while I’m in the midst of a haul of the Alligator Living Chicago Blues series, I’m unlikely to veer off into The Blues Project.
I think the players in this band warrant me to stick to it – to give it a chance. Steve Katz was in this group – didn’t know he did anything before Blood, Sweat and Tears. I’ll listen periodically over the next few weeks. Maybe it’ll start to jump out at me. Al Kooper sings on the second to last song on side #2 (he also wrote it), “Fly Away”. That one was not bad.
It turns out I know a guy who took guitar lessons from Danny Kalb, which is about as random a fact as I could imagine. He said it one night at an open mic, prefacing it with “somebody you’ve probably never heard of,” and I practically shrieked!
Wow, that is random! Looks like Danny K. lived a good, long life. Died in November, 2022 at 80 years old.
Since i know nothing about him (Danny K.), I looked up some stuff. This VERY short read seems to sum him up pretty well. Love the youtube clips of him playing. That second second youtube link is just an instrumental, but it is slamming good! Now I’m glad I found your blog. What a great way to start the weekend – getting “tight” with some good blues. https://folkworks.org/milestone/rip-danny-kalb/
Nice! So glad I could inspire something!