A phenomonal anthology of rare demos, studio and live recordings from late-60s, second-wave, San Francisco, Electric-Folk pioneers Marvin Gardens. All live tracks recorded by Peter Abram (Velvet Underground The Matrix Tapes) at the legendary Matrix Club in San Francisco. 1968 includes virtually every note Marvin Gardens recorded, and provides a tantalizing glimpse at a uniquely wonderful group. With a powerful female lead singer, Carol Duke, on par with Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, and a versatile and mesmerizing band that goes from playful folk to Latin-tinged jazz vamps to searing, guitar-fuelled garage rave-ups, Marvin Gardens could have been a major artist if the stars had been aligned.
“Had the Charlatans been joined by Country Joe’s keyboard player and fronted by an earthy female singer, they might’ve sounded like Marvin Gardens…”
by Mike Stax
Tracks
1. Down The Line (Bob Dylan) - 3:08
2. Titanic (Huddie Ledbetter) - 2:08
3. Close The Door Lightly (Eric Andersen) - 3:45
4. Duncan And Brady (Traditional) - 3:03
5. 97 Men (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 3:29
6. Whips And Leathers (Dave Ray Costuros, Carol Duke, Tim Hazen, Michael Lindner, Fred Waxler) - 3:29
7. Down The Line (Bob Dylan) - 3:23
8. Larry Welz Dedication- 0:32
9. Gloryland (Traditional) - 5:00
10.I Know You Rider (Traditional) - 4:32
11.Baltimore Oriole (Hoagy Carmichael, Paul Francis Webster) - 6:47
12.Titanic (Huddie Ledbetter) - 2:53
13.Richland Woman Blues (Mississippi John Hurt) - 5:17
14.Duncan And Brady (Traditional) - 3:39
15.The Whisper Song (Cliff Friend) - 2:39
16.Ananias (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 6:39
17.97 Men (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 3:55
18.Have A Drink On Me (Peter Buchanan, Lonnie Donegan, Huddie Ledbetter, Alan Lomax, John A. Lomax) - 4:22
19.Good Night Ladies (Edwin Christy) - 2:15
The Marvin Gardens
*Dave Ray Costuros - Drums, Vocals, Trumpet
*Carol Duke - Vocals, Guitar
*Tim Hazen - Farfisa, Hammond Organ, Piano, Guitars, Vocals, Mandolin
*Michael Lindner - Bass
*Fred Waxler - Guitars, Clarinet
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