A composition by Dave Tomlin for the London Youth Jazz Orchestra in 1967.

An article by Bob Houston published by the "Melody Maker" on August 5th, 1967 reveals that Dave Tomlin composed at least a score for the London Youth Jazz Orchestra, an ensemble of young people between the ages of 14 and 21 conducted by Bill Ashton, to perform.

The orchestra, dedicated to the performance of contemporary avant-garde jazz music, had in its repertoire compositions by well-known musicians in the London circles of those years: Neil Ardley, John Patrick, Brian Priestly...

 

 

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Glen Sweeney's percussion on "Air"...

January, 30th 1971: on the last issue of "Melody Maker" a fan asked a question about what percussion Glen played on  the second album...

Sweeney in a rare photo taken during the sessions for the second album.

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Mick Taylor reviewed TEB's Alchemy on Melody Maker.

 

On the monthly "The History Of Rock" ("Uncut" publication) of September 22, 2016 devoted to 1969, retrieving an old issue of MELODY MAKER (July-September 1969) documents a review by Mick Taylor, guitarist for the Stones who had recently replaced Brian Jones, in which he comments on "Alchemy." The column was the well-known “Blind Date” in which musicians were subjected to 'blind' listening...

Needless to say, even in that 1969 the ears of most rock musicians were not ready for the music of the Third Ear Band. What about today?

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A rare old interview with Lyn Dobson from "Melody Maker".

It has never been frequent to read interviews with Lyn Dobson in the past for a few reasons: first, for the fact that he has always been a session man and studio turner, having played with many bands, including Manfred Mann and the Soft Machine; also, in spite of his histrionic nature on stage, he has always preferred to respond to words with music. 

Devoted to John Coltrane's saxophone, passionate about the I King and meditation, a good draughtsman, involved in volunteer organizations (including as a bus driver for transporting the disabled), I knew him as a shy, thoughtful person, anything but egotistical - except when he took the stage, transforming himself into an outstanding performer!
In this fine interview with Richard Williams, published by "Melody Maker" on January 31, 1970, he shows all his intelligence and sensitivity as a young musician with a philosophical reflection on the power of music...

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Karl Dallas and TEB's "organic sound"...

It was probably the well-known journalist Karl Dallas who first coined the expression "organic sound" in reference to TEB. This is the article published by "Melody Maker" on December 20th, 1969, just after the tour in Holland and Belgium of the band in the new line-up with Ursula Smith.

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Chris Welch reviewed "Alchemy" in July 1969.

The day CHRIS WELCH ("Melody Maker") reviewed "Alchemy" on the issue of July 26th, 1969, other records was the wonderful Fairport Convention's "Unhalfbricking" (Island Records), Tyrannosaurus Rex's "King of the Rumbling Spires" (Regal Zonophone) and Nick Drake's masterpiece "Five Leaves Left" (Island Records). 

With his usual ironic register, that Glen loved too much, Welch writes about the mystical power of TEB's music - "simply strip to the waist on one's Earls Court pad, daub on cocoa, drop "Alchemy" on the turntable, and bingo! - one is immediatly in touch with the Spirit beings."

 

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Paul Revere's lead vocals MARL LINDASY talks about "Mosaic".

Dear TEB aficionados, here below you can read an old "Blind Date" extract from Melody Maker published on June 21th, 1969. 

Provoked by listening some tracks blindly, Paul Revere & the Raiders' co-founder and lead vocals Mark Lindsay talks about TEB's "Mosaic", just recorded for "Alchemy".

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Paul Buckmaster talks to Roy Hollingworth in 1970!

You thought Ghettoraga Archive had left the scene? Nothing could be further from the truth!
Here is an interesting interview of Charles with the great Paul Buckmaster, from an issue of Melody Maker dated December 26, 1970... with a rare photo of the four-piece line-up.
While I'm busy digging into the history of the Edgar Broughton Band for an upcoming book, finds related to the glorious Third Ear Band experience continue to emerge from the dusty archives of popular music history. 

Stay tuned to these pages - you're in for a treat!

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Avantguarde French composer Bernard Parmegiani died on last November 21th.

Avantguarde French composer Bernard Parmegiani has died on last November 21th at 86. He played on June 24th, 1970 with the Third Ear Band at the "Sun Wheel Ceremony", a concert promoted at the prestigious Royal Festival Hall of London.

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That evening the band played with Bernard Parmegiani two traks, "Fire" and the unpublished 34'56" "Freak Dance" (other title: "Pop Secret", from the Parmegiani official Web site). On "Melody Maker" (July 4th, 1970), Chris Charlesworth wrote about the event: "The hall was barely half full. Accompained at times by electronic machines making weird sounds Third Ear Band droned through two lenghty pieces which were well accepted by their fans. Their music has no title and is 90 per cent improvisation. It just starts and finishes when the band feel like it. There's a vague anonymity about their music. However violinist Richard Coff, who hate make announcements, did mention that one piece was called "Freak Dance". This contained some haunting oboe work from Paul Minns, and I rather enjoied it. Their second piece was more ambitious and, I thought, less enjoyable. At one stage I actually saw Richard tapping his foot!".

Quite different Carolyn Looker's memories of the event (April 2012): "Parmegiani concert was at Festival Hall. It didn't work too well in my opinion. TEB's music was organic, the French were music concrete, it didn't got".

You can listen some original Parmegiani's compositions (from 1965 and 1971) at http://www.ubu.com/sound/parmegiani.html or download his "De Natura Sonorum" (1984) at https://archive.org/details/agp140

 

His official Web site at http://www.parmegiani.fr/ and a very good tribute (with fabulous music excerpts!) at http://www.inagrm.com/sites/default/files/mini-sites/parmegiani/co/Bernard_Parmegiani.html
Lastly, a very good 2008 essay on Parmegiani's music by electronic sounds expert Simon Reynolds at http://reynoldsretro.blogspot.it/2008/08/bernard-parmegiani-loeuvre-musicale-en.html

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