Numbero Presents Lows In the Mid Sixties Volume 54: Kosmic City Part 2 2015

Numbero Presents Lows In the Mid Sixties Volume 54: Kosmic City Part 2 2015 Numero CAT #NBR004

This was released on Record Store Day 2015 by Numero/Numbero. It may be somewhat limited, but there wasn't a huge buzz about so it's still readily available. If you can't find it in a record store among the rest of the RSD leftovers, it can still be purchased online .

I was pretty jazzed on the disc, I was concerned I may not be able to grab a copy due to the local success of things like The Bulbous Creation LP and the Cavern Sound comp also released by Numero. Early research showed that a few local stores didn't even bother to order it. Apparently, so obscure and undocumented that even local stores weren't aware of it.

The backside has an introduction by Johnny Dolan proclaiming Kansas City as a hotbed of unheard garage and claiming the town could have been much hipper had local radio given these obscure singles a chance. And, there is some truth there, despite being covers of your basic Nuggets garage tracks, all things were recorded in the Cavern in Independence, Missouri. It's quality and the tracks could have had much more local appeal especially considering the hits of the era. Even has as solid cover of Hays' Blue Things, "La Do Da Da", as done by the Changing Times out of Platte City.

However, to say KC could have been Hipsville if radio gave this all a chance, though,. I don't know. The real punk stuff featured on numerous other garage rock comps didn't bring much excessive fame or fortune to the countless teen bands that sprang up in every home town, USA. Sure, some towns like Chicago got teen bands charted, but KC didn't have the same market, we've always been a Cowtown first, rock hotbed 2nd or maybe 5th. That said, it's a good garage rock comp featuring a solid, and surprising song selection. The 1st side goes the punk, teen rock, route. The 2nd side is still filled with fuzz, but gets a bit more soulful and folk orientated.

Basically, if someone wants an introduction to teenage punk and garage ravers form the late 60s, they should skip this for the Nuggets or Pebbles series. If garage rock is your thing, you probably already know about this, it's got the deep cuts. It's for those types and the only reason I'd recommend it is because I'm a huge KC-Homer.

Pete Eye Trio S/T Cavern Custom Recordings 1976

Pete Eye Trio S/T Cavern Custom Recordings 1976 CAT# 41287

First, this is sought after, namely for the first track, Pete Eye's workout of "Sissy Strut."  While $50 may seem like a lot for something so obscure and unassuming, the guys forking over money for it are spot on with this this tune.  It's epic, challenges even the Meters.  Eye's work on the keyboard is funky and light, the stand up bass keeps the song rooted in jazz, and the drums are tight, no huge breaks, but tight and well done.

From that track, the album does what Pete Eye was known for.  He was a well studied piano player, showcasing most his skills surrounded by jazz arrangements.  While the rest of the LP isn't as awesome as "Sissy Strut", it does show that Eye is a great piano player. Many tracks see Eye just showing off in almost a classical sense.  Then there are more funk driven moments.  He throws down on the organ, "Good Bait," gets bluesy on "Back at the Chicken Shack."  The final three tracks "Sumthin You Got" is soulful, with vocals who I assume are Eye's.  He's not an amazing singer, but gets his point across.  The band does a workout of "Them Changes" which was made famous by Buddy Miles, the vocals lessen the tune, but still an enjoyable rendition.  The Trio dips into rock n' roll on "Pete Eye's Boogie" which sounds a bit hooky, but the organ riffs are spectacular.  Finally, all the tracks, show off the skills of his supporting artists, John Hatton on bass and Barry Gould on drums.

Eye was actually born Byron Floyd Eye in Indianapolis, Indiana.  His family would move to Kansas City and Eye graduated from Central High School in KCMO.  He served overseas in Korea as part of the US Navy, but after his service returned home to Kansas City to live and play in the historic jazz scene.  He was well known player around town, but was sought after just as much as technician and tuner of the instrument.  He sadly passed away in 2010.

Sissy Strut

The Royalaires Accordionly Yours Cavern Custom Recordings 1971

The Royalaires Accordionly Yours Cavern Custom Recordings 1971 CAT# USR 3854

The Royalaires were a 22 piece teen orchestra from Belton, Missouri.  That's not strange, except that most these kids play the accordion.  It's pretty much an accordion orchestra, which I didn't know could exist until I found this at a Goodwill.  Props to them, though, because in a moment of absolute brilliance, the album is titled Accordionly Yours...seriously, I giggle every time I look at it.

The Royalaires were led by a Carl A. Jesse, who must have been the best accordion instructor in all of Missouri as he was able to convince kids to play the instrument, convince people that putting out an album was worth while, and he does an amazing job of adapting standards for orchestra and pop hits of the day for the accordion.  The pop hits include, "Close to You", "The Immpossible Dream", "Music to Watch Girls By", and in a stunning display of bravado, the "Overture" from the Who's Tommy; on accordion.  The back liners were written by Jesse and he admits the following, "We do not pretend that this recording is the ultimate in musical perfection."  So needles to say, as novel and as fun as the idea may seem at first, it's tough to get through the entire thing in one sitting, it's kids playing a bunch of accordions.  I'm not sure people ever wanted to hear more than 10 professional adult accordion players simultaneously, let alone an army of children.  It was recorded in Independence's Cavern music studio, so the numerous accordions sound great and have natural echo...but, again, it's a lot of accordions.

So, that's kind of where I'm at with this LP.  This was put out in 1971 in Belton which is right outside of the Kansas City.  How did all these teenagers get hooked on accordion and not guitars?  It's not an instrument played in school bands, or at church, or anywhere but Oktoberfest.  I mean, the guy who ran the local Belton music store must have had a banner year when 20 or so kids decided to force their parents to buy an accordion.  And, Jesse, had to be the only guy teaching accordion in town, he likely cleaned up as well.

As no logical explanation can exist, I started to think that maybe this band is owed to a short-lived Belton religious cult.  For family fun, the cult played accordion or something.  Having little or no access to the outside world, the kids thought accordion was "cool."  But, that can't be as there are no religious tunes on the LP and they cover the Who; the kids were hearing rock and roll.  Then I thought, maybe there's a large German population in Belton, MO., Germany is down with the accordion, right?  Nothing verifies any sort German culture in Belton.  No little German Town, no famous Oktoberfest, nothing.  Besides, cultural based neighborhoods were a thing of the past by 1971.  So yeah, I'm stumped.  But, props to this Jesse guy for pulling this off, I bet he's the guy that owned the music store in town.