Bluesology
Bluesology | |
---|---|
Origin | Pinner, Middlesex, England |
Genres | British blues, blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues |
Years active | 1962–1968 |
Labels | Fontana, Polydor |
Associated acts | Elton John, Long John Baldry, Major Lance, Cochise, Little Richard |
Past members | Reggie Dwight Stewart "Stu" Brown Rex Bishop Mick Inkpen Jim Wheeler Pat Higgs Dave Murphy Paul Gale Fred Gandy [AKA Freddie Creasey] Pete Gavin Neil Hubbard Elton Dean Marc Charig Alan Walker Long John Baldry Marsha Hunt Caleb Quaye Bernie Holland Jimmy Horowitz[1] Big Jim Sullivan[citation needed] |
Bluesology was a 1960s British blues group, best remembered as being the first professional band of Elton John (then known by his birth name Reginald Dwight).
History[]
From about 1960, organist Reginald Dwight – then aged 13 – and his neighbour, singer and guitarist Stewart "Stu" Brown, performed with a local group, the Corvettes, in Pinner, Middlesex, a suburb of London. After that group separated, the pair formed a new group, Bluesology, with Rex Bishop (bass), and Mick Inkpen (drums). [2][3] According to Dwight, the band's name was in homage to the Django Reinhardt album Djangology.[4] There had also been a 1956 piece named Bluesology by John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet.[5] By 1962 they had begun playing local pubs, and in 1963, they won a regular weekly slot at the Establishment Club in London, playing tunes by Muddy Waters, Jimmy Witherspoon and Memphis Slim, among others.[6] In 1965, they turned professional, and signed a contract with an agency which began hiring them out as a backing band for visiting American performers, including The Isley Brothers, Doris Troy, Billy Stewart and Patti LaBelle.[6]
After recording a demo they were signed by Fontana Records, and recorded their first single, Dwight's song "Come Back Baby", in July 1965.[3] In November 1965, they released a second single, "Mr. Frantic", again written and sung by Dwight, and again unsuccessful. After a tour of Germany, the band returned to England to work as the backing band for Major Lance with an expanded line-up of Dwight, Brown, Pat Higgs (trumpet), Dave Murphy (saxophone), Fred Gandy (bass) and Paul Gale (drums).[6]
In September 1966, the band was invited by vocalist Long John Baldry to become his regular band.[3] Only Dwight and Brown agreed, thus forming with Baldry a new version of Bluesology, along with Fred Gandy (bass), Pete Gavin (drums), Neil Hubbard (guitar), Elton Dean (saxophone), Marc Charig (cornet), and Alan Walker (vocals), and, for a brief spell, singer Marsha Hunt.[6] As Stu Brown and Bluesology, they recorded the single "Since I Found You Baby" for Polydor Records, produced by Kenny Lynch.[3][4] On 11 December 1966, there was a recording session at Abbey Road Studios with Little Richard; four songs were recorded, two were released.[citation needed]
As Baldry's music drifted more towards the cabaret market, Dwight became disenchanted with the band,[7] and so simultaneously began to develop songwriting skills in collaboration with Bernie Taupin whilst working as a session musician. Dwight, Brown and Dean all quit Bluesology in late 1967, Brown's replacement being Caleb Quaye, only for the band to separate the following year.[3]
Later activities[]
Dwight used the names of fellow band members Elton Dean and John Baldry to create his new solo stage name of Elton John.[8] Brown went on to form country rock band Cochise, playing and singing on their first two albums, Cochise and Swallow Tales, in 1970–71, before moving to the Mediterranean.[9] Dean, Hubbard and Charig all had lengthy careers as jazz and session musicians. Gavin became a member of Heads Hands & Feet and later Vinegar Joe,[10] and Gandy joined Caleb Quaye's band Hookfoot.[11]
Two Bluesology songs were featured on the compilation album, Rare Tracks, which was issued by Polydor in 1975.[1]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Allmusic ((( Bluesology > Rare Tracks > Overview )))".. Accessed 8 January 2010
- ^ Paul Maclauchlan, Cornflakes & Classics: A musical history of Elton John: 1965 Archived 23 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 8 January 2010
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Bluesology at Allmusic.com – article by Bruce Eder. Accessed 8 January 2010
- ^ Jump up to: a b Billboard, 4 October 1997, Interview with Elton John. Accessed 8 January 2010
- ^ MJQ's 1956 track "Bluesology" 1956
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Claude Bernardin and Tom Stanton, Elton John From A-Z, 1996, pp. 10–11. Accessed 8 January 2010
- ^ The Making of Elton John. BBC. Accessed 4 May 2021.
- ^ BBC page on Elton Dean. Accessed 8 January 2010
- ^ Cochise at ProculHarum.com. Accessed 8 January 2010
- ^ Pete Gavin at Allmusic.com
- ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 240. CN 5585.
External links[]
- Biography at Allmusic
- Bluesology fan site (in Italian)
- British rhythm and blues musical groups
- Musical groups disestablished in 1968
- British rhythm and blues boom musicians