The Tim Buckley Archives

Concert Reviews

January, 1971

Quintet Generates Warmth

By Bob Smith

One of the warm spots in our city's nightlife during the snowstorm is the Olde Cellar, where the heat was generated Monday night by the Tim Buckley Quintet.

And take note, older cats who stayed home from whatever entertainment was aimed at your age group, the room was full for both sets. Mostly for the young people who have those questing musical minds I always tell you about.

If they kept their ears open they got a strong head full Monday night. As the trade papers phrase it, Buckley is into a different bag. There's a bit of squirming right now, but I think it is going to fit.

And some of my perceptions of momentary unease among the group could be partly due to the wary attitude of this younger generation of players to opening nights, new room acoustics, and mike setups.

It is not a new reaction, and I wish they would forget it. Because if the various categories of North American pop music have one basic ingredient, it is straight ahead spirit.

Buckley's new mixture is as personal as the old formula. Rather than categorize it, I prefer to describe it as the natural growth of a seriously aware musician.
"The set I heard lasted an hour and included mostly selections from Tim's new Warner Brothers album. It is reminiscent of how it must feel to hop alternately, right foot then left atop warm coals -- very interesting, but challenging..."

And he has mustered a bright bunch of sidemen to assist, participate, and inspire. To a man they were adept accompanists. Interesting soloists in their brief moments, and on occasion providing shouting unison lines. They are good players.

I speak of the Gardner brothers; Buzz, on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Bunk, on both the alto and tenor saxes plus occasional flute. Part of their credits include a stint with Frank Zappa, which is a strong recommendation in itself, let alone their obvious talents,

Drummer Maury Baker worked with the late Janis Joplin, and John Balkin, bassist, has paid dues with the St. Louis Symphony and Boston's Opera Society.

The set I heard lasted an hour and included mostly selections from Tim's new Warner Brothers album. It is reminiscent of how it must feel to hop alternately, right foot then left atop warm coals -- very interesting, but challenging.

Of the four numbers played, the first was for me the most impressive. It was heavy for an opener, but its 24 minutes winged by. Tim and his group came to terms early with the crowd.

There was a dissonant, out-of-tempo guitar intro by Buckley, followed by his agonized vowel line vocal sounds, then splotches of solo and unison from the Gardner brothers, sometimes with a rhythmic pulse behind, sometimes not, but all moving to a logical climax.

I'm not sure that the best words on paper can describe this group's musical approach adequately.

But I think there's a clue to its aims in Tim's stream of consciousness singing segments, which were part of every number. My notes read: "Buckley seems determined to offer a new personal vocal style with his own perceptions of pitch, his own ideas of intervals."

For those with statistical minds, this is Buckley's second visit to this area, his first extended stay. He played here last in September '69.


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