Evergreen Blues – Bring It On Back
The Evergreen Blues
Listen/Download -Evergreen Blues – Bring It On Back
Greetings all.
The tune I bring you today is a little something from my ongoing horn rock obsession, crossed with the sounds of East LA.
I picked up the Evergreen Blues album while I was out digging, knowing nothing of their music, but sure (thanks to various and sundry context clues) that they were of a 1960s vintage.
When I got the record home and gave it a listen I was surprised to hear a lot of soul where I was expecting something a little psyche and decided that I ought to see what I could discover.
As it turns out, the Evergreen Blues got their start in East LA as the Two Thirds Majority, changing their name to the Evergreen Blues around the time they signed their first major label record contract (with Mercury) in 1967.
They recorded their first album that year, which included the original version of song that would become much better known in a recording by the Grass Roots, ‘Midnight Confession’.
That song was written by Lou T Josie, who would contribute a few songs to their second album (recorded for ABC) , including today’s selection ‘Bring It On Back’ (not the same song that was recorded by Dyke and the Blazers).
The Evergreen Blues sound, led by vocalist Manny Esparza, was organ and horn driven soul/rock. Unlike a lot of their contemporaries, the horn section wasn’t employed as a jazz proxy, but rather in the classic Stax/Volt style.
The Evergreen Blues were a great example of the kind of fusions going on in East LA where Chicano musicians were mixing R&B and rock in lots of interesting ways.
Following their second album, Evergreen Blues changed their name to Elijah and recorded two albums (at least one with the help of Al Kooper) during the early 70s.
I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll be back on Friday.
Peace
Larry
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Themocracy
Great find Larry.Love it!
Great song. Love that East LA R&B. How about Thee Midnighters too!
COOL little track, Larry. never heard of them . . . noodling around for the LP or single, i tuned up something pretty interesting (to me, anyway) . . . and i’m assuming the guy at the link below is sorely mistaken about sebastian having anything to do w/evergreen blues, BUT–what’s really interesting is the details about the scene seemingly contributed out of the blue by this guy who danced(!) w/them for awhile, then spent 30 yrs on wall st.
https://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/EVERgreenBLUES.htm
whoa.
i had a weakness for the grassroots back in h.s.–fascinating to learn it was a cover.
thanks mucho,
doug