Not many harmonica group topped the singles charts but so it was for The Harmonicats.

The group formed during 1944 and consisted of Jerry Murad, Bob Hadamik, Pete Pederson, and Al Fiore. THey reached into the past for their most famous recording. “Peg O My Heart” was a 1913 hit for Charles Harrison when it was the number one song in the country for 14 weeks.

THeir version of the song topped the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Singles Chart, June 21, 1947. It then fell from that position for three weeks but returned once again and spent three more weeks at the top of the charts for a total of four weeks.

It remained an easy listening favorite for years.

Jan & Dean were selected as hosts for the T.A.M.I. Show. The concert, held October 28 and 29, 1964, featured some of the biggest music acts in the world including James Brown, The Supremes, The Beach Boys, and The Rolling Stones. It was released as a film shortly afterwards.

“From All Over The World” was the concert’s theme song and played over the film’s opening credits. Released as a single March 13, 1965, it reached number 56 on the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Singles Chart.

It was a song that worked better in the movie as it introduced the acts. It remains one of their least known singles.

The Four Seasons career was on a downward spiral as the 1060s came to a close. The music landscape was changing and their brand of pure pop was not being recived as well as in the past. It would not be until the mid-1970s that they would make a comeback.

The Four Seasons began to tinker with their sound and “Saturday’s Father” was symbolic of their new style. The harmonies were still present but the songs and melodies were not as smooth.

The public re-action to their new style was poor as “Saturday’s Father” became one of their very few singles not to chart.

Elvis Is Alive, which will be released January 24, is being advertised as a documentary. A documentary film can be historical, express an opinion, carry a message, and be dramatic but at its foundation it is based on fact. Fiction, on the other hand, is imaginary and not factual. Let’s see where Mr. Gilbert’s latest release falls.

Joel Gilbert visited Graceland and became suspicious as to the validity of Elvis’ death. He made a Freedom of Information Act request for U.S. government files about Elvis Presley. Lo and behold documents arrived from the FBI revealing an address for Federal Agent Jon Burrows, which turns out to be Elvis’ alias. After a brief confrontation, Elvis agreed to an exclusive interview.

Elvis talks about how the social unrest of the late 1960s and terrorism by the Weather Underground drove him to ask President Nixon to make him a Federal Agent. His battles against the Weather Underground finally lead him to fake his death in order to go undercover. He now wants to return to his singing career, but the Obama administration is preventing it.

The production values are right out of the Ed Wood School of Cinematography but without the amusement factor. One thing that Gilbert is very good at doing is taking modern myths and legends and combining facts and fiction to create his stories. I guess a fictionalized documentary would be the best definition of his approach. Some people may find it interesting or at least amusing but at 128 minutes, either of those is a stretch.

First there was Paul McCartney and now Elvis. Can Marilyn Monroe be far behind? There may be some appeal for hardcore fans of the king or people who keep the hope alive that he really is still with us. So, if you really gotta, grab a 12 pack and have at it.

Article first published as DVD Review: Elvis Found Alive on Blogcritics.

By 1962 Roy Orbison was a star having produced a number of hit singles for the Monument Label. The number two hits “Only The Lonely” and “Crying” plus the chart topper “Running Scared” had elevated him to the top rung of rock/pop singers in the United States.

February 17, 1962 found him releasing “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream).” It was a mid-tempo rock song with a beat that differered from his usual building ballads.

“Dream Baby” reached number four on the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Singles Chart. It remains a part of one of the better catalogues of single releases of the early to mid 1960s.

Art Lund was a big band singer with such groups as Benny Goodman and Harry James. He went solo during 1946 and a year later produced the biggest hit of his career.

“Mam’selle” was a romantic ballad. It topped the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Singles Chart June 7, 1947, and remained in that position for two weeks.

After the hits ran out during the 1950s he went on to have a successful career on Brroadway.

Marty Robbins started out as a Rockabilly singer and ended up as a country superstar. His GUNFIGHTER albums during the late 1950s and early 1960s crossed over to the pop charts and were influential in expanding country music beyond its small traditional base.

During the mid-1960s he released a number of what cas best be described as pure pop songs that had success on the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Singles Chart.

He released “The Story Of My Life” November 11, 1957 and it rose to number 15 on the pop chart. It was also the first Burt Bacharach song to become a hit.

It was a story song that contained a smooth vocal vocal. While his country work would over shadow this ealy hit, it remains one of his best performances.

For years it was thought that no live footage of the early Deep Purple existed. It turned out that one 1968 concert in Inglewood, California, where they opened for Cream, was recorded on a primitive open reel recorder. The tape was lost for years but ended up in the hands of the Deep Purple Appreciation Society. The music was finally issued on CD for the first time during 2002. Inglewood: Live In California contained some of the very few live Mark I recordings that have survived.

The sound leaves a lot to be desired due to the primitive and haphazard recording process. They probably cleaned it up as well as modern technology allowed but the result was average bootleg quality, at best.

Rod Evans was a good vocalist in the studio but on stage he paled next to his future replacement Ian Gillan. Still, it’s nice to hear him interpret the band’s early material. Bassist Nick Simper comes across as an excellent bassist as he and drummer Paice formed a very competent rhythm section. Blackmore was a presence on some of the tunes but it was Jon Lord on the keyboards that provided the dominating instrumental sound.

The set list is very different from every other Deep Purple live recording. Their two early hits “Hush” and “Kentucky Woman” are psychedelic rock and hard rock respectively. “Mandrake Root” and “Wring That Neck” enabled Blackmore and particularly Lord to jam together and separately.

They couldn’t translate their brilliant cover of The Beatles’ “Help” from the studio to the stage. They just didn’t get the textures and tempos right. They finished with an almost 10-minute rendition of “River Deep Mountain High” and the old Leaves psychedelic classic “Hey Joe.” The Phil Spector/Ike &Tina Turner tune was turned into a psychedelic/hard rock hybrid. “Hey Joe” was a raw and gritty performance that would look ahead to some of their future work.

This early live material is not for the Deep Purple neophyte. It is for fans who want to explore their history and in that regard it is a valuable addition to their catalogue of music.

Article first published as Music Review: Deep Purple – Inglewood – Live In California on Blogcritics.

The duo wrote a concerto in three movements and recorded it with theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Arnold, at Royal Albert Hall on September 24, 1969. The album had limited commercial success in the United States but was a hit in their home country of Great Britain.

This is one release where I advocate tracking down the 2002 two-CD edition. The sound on the original vinyl release was poor and not much better on the first CD reissue of the album. The 2002 CD release has a significantly cleaned up sound. In addition, more music was presented, which included a set by Deep Purple that was not included on the original release.

The actual concert began with a performance by Malcolm Arnold and the orchestra of his own, “Symphony Number 6,” in three movements. The music is available but is oddly out of place within the context of the album.

The 2002 CD release began with a three-song set by Deep Purple which stretched out to about 30 minutes. This was the first recording of the famous Mark II Deep Purple line-up. It is interesting to hear the band perform the pre-Mark II hit “Hush,” as it was a sound the band would quickly leave behind in the years ahead. Ritchie Blackmore was on fire for the 13-minute instrumental version of “Wring That Neck,” and if you are a fan of his style then this track is an essential listening experience. The classic Deep Purple track, “Child In Time,” was unreleased at the time but it served as a vehicle for Gillan’s amazing vocal range, which was at the height of its power back then.

The actual Concerto For Group And Orchestra was really the Jon Lord show. While Gillian did write some lyrics, Lord was responsible for the music, which was the concert’s centerpiece. The band and orchestra tended to trade the spotlight more than they actually played together in a traditional sense. While both seem to jam a little, in reality they do so within the structure of the music. Blackmore’s solo within the first movement and Paice’s thunderous drum solo during the third movement are highlights. The second movement was the least successful as it was more calm and peaceful as it veered toward a Moody Blues sound.

Concerto For Group And Orchestra was a unique stop for Deep Purple. It remains an album of “What ifs” for the band, as it would have been interesting if it had explored this direction a little more.

Article first published as Music Review: Deep Purple – Concerto For Group And Orchestra on Blogcritics.

The Mamas & The Papas are members of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They were a pure pop group with excusite vocal harmonies. John Phillips was one of the better producers who combined the four voices into a virtual choir.

“Monday Monday” was the follow-up release to their first big hit, “California Dreamin.’” Released April 9, 1966, it was their only number one hit as it topped the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Singles Chart for three weeks.

Very early releases of the single came with a rare black and white picture sleeve and a different B side. The sleeve is worth in the $500 neighborhood.