Papa John Creach and the Midnight Sun – Joyce (Tom Moulton Mix)

By , May 20, 2018 10:23 am

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Papa John Creach

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Listen/Download – Papa John Creach and the Midnight Sun – Joyce (Tom Moulton Mix) MP3

Greetings all.

Today’s selection is one of the all-time great weird intersections of artist and record.

I picked this 45 up about six years ago, mainly on the strength of the Tom Moulton credit on the label.

I knew of Papa John Creach, but solely as the fiddle player with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. I never expected that he had anything like this in him.

When I got the record home and slipped it under the needle I was shocked to discover five and a half minutes of stylish, fast moving disco!

John Henry Creach was born in 1917 (?!?) and spend his musically formative years learning to become something of a musical chameleon, playing everything from pop and jazz, to ethnic music, mainly adjusting so that he could continue to make a living.

He crossed paths with Joey Covington in the late 60s, which led to his being asked (simultaneously) to join the Jefferson Airplane and its offshoot Hot Tuna. He remained with the Airplane through its metamorphosis into the Jefferson Starship, leaving the band right after the ‘Red Octopus’ LP.

Creach went on to form his own band, Midnight Sun, with which he would record his next few albums.

‘Joyce’ first appeared on hs 1975 LP ‘I’m the Fiddle Man’, and while it can almost certainly be ascribed to bandwagon jumping, it’s a fantastic example of how the right musician latching on to the right trend can result in great music.

The original album version of ‘Joyce’ clocks in at just under five minutes. I don’t know how it made its way into Tom Moulton’s hands, but it’s a good thing it did.

Moulton, one of dance music’s greatest movers, as one of the first remixers and a pioneers of the 12” disco single, was still in the early days of his career, having only done the epic remix of BT Express’s ‘Do It’ the year before.

‘Joyce’ features hard charging bass, washes of strings and horns, tangy wah-wah guitar, and of course Papa John’s fiddle soloing.

Interesting, the 12” single of ‘Joyce’ can go for more than $50, but the mix on the much cheaper and easier to find Buddah 45 is exactly the same.

Creach eventually rejoined one of the later versions of Jefferson Starship, touring with the band until his death in 1994.

I hope you dig the track, and I’ll see you all next week.

Also, make sure to follow Funky16Corners on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Keep the faith

Larry

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