STREETNOISE

As a young man finally breaking free from the cozy but stifling nest of mom and dad's house, striking out on my own in the bohemian college town of Denton, Texas in 1970, I was ever open and eager to experience music that would expand my safe horizons and dismantle my preconceptions. Having been intrigued upon hearing their head-turning version of "Light My Fire" on FM radio, I came across this double LP in the cutout bin in the NTSU student union building's campus store and grabbed it up (the stunning Ralph Steadman cover art was worth the price alone) without hesitation. It turned out to be the perfect soundtrack for that phase of my life and I nearly wore the grooves down through the vinyl. Almost four decades later the incredible performances captured on this album still have the power to shock and awe the progressive listener. What keeps this recording from being a bonafide "masterpiece" is the fact that it would have benefited greatly from some discreet editing and been pared down to a single disc. But this was released at the end of the "anything goes" sixties and restraint was not necessarily a virtue in those heady times.

"Tropic of Capricorn" is a very jazzy tune written by Brian "Auge" Auger that demonstrates right off the bat one of the main reasons to love this band. The Hammond organ. Brian is a monster and the fire he ignites every time he takes a ride is quite evident on this number. Clive "Toli" Thacker throws in a subtle but effective drum solo, as well. Yet nothing can prepare you for the dynamic entrance of vocalist Julie "Jools" Driscoll as her unique vocal stylizations rise impressively from her eclectic "Czechoslovakia," a strange mix of David "Lobs" Ambrose's acoustic guitar and Auger's organ that defines the term "eclectic." It's hard not to be affected by their creative and sometimes unnerving symbolic presentation of the strife and tragedies that country suffered in the summer of '68. Variety is the spice of life and their refreshing take on Nina Simone's "Take Me to the Water" appears like a spiritual oasis after the darkness of the previous cut. This gospel-tinged tune starts soulfully, then breaks into an all-out rave by the end with Jools raising the roof. Her brief "A Word About Color" is next and it's just her and an acoustic guitar but there's nothing laid-back or meek about her delivery. Ever.

As I mentioned earlier, their cover of The Doors' "Light My Fire" is what got me started on Auger's work and when you hear it you'll understand why. After hearing what Jose Feliciano had done to the song they decided to make it even jazzier and expressive and the result is nothing short of genius. Julie's erotic and near-orgasmic delivery takes your breath away as she makes the tune her own and Brian's sensuous organ lead is a treat, as well. This track is the highlight of the album and singularly worth the price of admission. Richie Havens' obscure "Indian Rope Man" is a hard-charging rocker that shows their more powerful side. Not only does Jools grab you by the collar with forceful words like "Indian rope man sees the times/splitting loose the edge of minds/catching losers in his line" but Auger's solo will tear your head off. If you haven't come to admire Driscoll's artistry by now, her stunning performance on "When I Was a Young Girl" has got to be the clincher. It's a haunting vocal and organ piece that slowly builds to an amazingly emotional crescendo and I guarantee you'll never forget Julie's gut-wrenching wails that take her voice flying into the highest registers imaginable. The more contemporary sound of "The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)" from the then-controversial musical "Hair" will make you forget The Fifth Dimension's sappy "Age of Aquarius" for all time to come.

Brian's "Ellis Island" (an instrumental inspired by Don Ellis) starts with a typical 60s-styled clavinet riff but then gets hotter than Hades as the tight rhythm section of Thacker and Ambrose glide underneath Auger's jet-fueled, screaming organ ride. If you are a fan of the Hammond sound then you can't afford to overlook this album. The low point arrives in the form of "In Search of the Sun," an amateurish ditty by Dave that only serves to retard the momentum. The liner notes inform us that it was his first attempt at songwriting and it sounds like it. Brian's funky "Finally Found You Out" is next and, while it was supposed to have vocals, time restrictions kept that from happening so they left it in as an instrumental. Good thing, too, because Auger's organ lead will curl your hair and, if you stand too close to the speakers, it might set your clothes ablaze. I'm not kidding. The following song, "Looking in the Eyes of the World" is another cut that should have been left in the can. Its timely anti-war message is admirable but the rambling meandering of Brian's toneless voice and somber piano musings turns this one into a tiresome dirge to be skipped.

The prog-folk leanings of Julie's "Vauxhall to Lambeth Bridge" is an intriguing adventure into uncharted territory where she and Ambrose weave a courageous free-form pattern using just expressive vocals and beautiful acoustic guitar. The group's cover of Miles Davis' "All Blues" is one of my favorite versions of that classic. Driscoll hypnotizes with her expert phrasing and Brian shows off his jazz piano skills. It's too cool for words. "I Got Life" (another song from "Hair") follows and it's a fantastic showcase for Jools' versatility as she paints the intricate but expressive lyrics all over the aural spectrum. You just gotta hear this lady sing! And there's no better way to end an album than with a Laura Nyro composition like "Save the Country." This heartfelt plea for peace and harmony is perfect for Jools' emotional voice as she soars like an eagle over the band's energetic groove.

I think you have to have a hankering for the unexpected to truly absorb and appreciate this music. If you're looking for a mix of jazz, rock, blues and folk that doesn't sound like any other group before or since then I feel certain that "Streetnoise" will be something you will enjoy. Some might find Julie Driscoll's vocals too stark and/or naked but few sing from the soul the way she does. (I daresay that the likes of the great Annie Lennox were undoubtedly inspired by her.) And NOBODY, including Emerson, Wakeman and Lord, had the ability to attack the Hammond keyboard with more intensity and blazing passion than Brian Auger. He proves it beyond any shadow of a doubt here. 4.2 stars.

With Jools Driscoll back with Trinity, Streetnoise became the definitive album sealing their musical partnership, and this double vinyl received major accolades from the press and sold very well on both sides of the Atlantic. Historically this double album is as important as Hendrix' Ladyland, The Who's Tommy and Beatles' White album, even if Streetnoise has too many covers to be a real all-time classic. But it doesn't stop this album from being a real stunner in its own right, with some of the most striking songs getting the Auger treatment, Jools' voice never being more impressive and beautifully seconded by Brian (his strongest performance in his career, IMHO) and Ambrose. Remarkably divided in four sides of four tracks, by making a bit of a selection and lengthening the side's length, they could've made a complete superstar single disc album.

Right from the first notes of the instrumental Tropic of Capricorn, where Brian's Aurgan rules, you know that Trinity is hitting their apex, taking risk: Brian sounds a bit like Emerson and Thacker offers us a tasty drum solo that for once is not overstaying its welcome. Jools is singing about the dramatic events of the previous year's crushing of Prague's revolt in Czechoslovakia. And the second part of the track, when Julie picks up her acoustic guitar is an astounding moment keep you on your toes with what you can imagine his tragic events supplied by background noises, enhanced by Jools' slow death-like vocals, and the track ending in total chaos, obviously Russian tanks coming in. Mind-boggling stuff!! After such a monster, the soul/Motown Take Me To The Water can only sound like crap, but even placed elsewhere, this cover would still be weak. Closing the side is the short solemn acoustic folk A Word About Colour (Jools is alone here, without Trinity), making you regret even further the previous stinker.

After an average cover of The Doors' Light My Fire, the group attacks a fantastic version of Ritchie Havens' classic track Indian Rope Man (now there is some real good Motown), where Brian saturates his organ and the group is in top form. The lengthy blues-derived When I Was Young provides plenty more thrill and shivers, Jools' voice chilling you spine, Brian's brooding underlying orgasn (couldn't help it, sorry ;o))) goose-bumping you all the way to your toes. And if that was not enough, they give you splendid version of the Haïr musical closer Flesh Failures (Let The Sunshine In) for more goose-bumps and near mental early ejaculation.

The second disc starts on a superb instrumental Ellis Island, with a recurring descending riff serving as chorus and plenty of inspired improvs serving as the verses. Wild stuff, but the rest of the side doesn't really follow suit. If Brian (or Dave) sings fairly well In Search For the Sun, the track is little more than average for them, sorely lacking Julie. Finally found you Out is a much interesting instrumental, where Brian jumps from the Aurgan to the piano with a disconcerting ease, but as entertaining as it is, there nothing really worth writing home about either. Eye Of The World is a slow blues-jazzy solo piano piece with Brian singing overstaying its welcome by a good two minutes.

Lambeth Bridge is probably the most surprising track, with Jools and her guitar being the star of this lengthy progressive folk song. The following jazzy-blues sung by Julie is yet another goodie but wouldn't make the cut for the afore-mentioned single disc affair. But comes another Rado/Ragni track from the Haïr musical (I just love that late 60's artefact), I Got Life. Unfortunately the album ends on the sub-par Save The Country.

Although Jools would only record three more "rock" albums (the great 1969, the fantastic 76's Sunset Glow and the deceiving revival of Encore in 78), her departure would whip our fave Ogre's troupes' pride, and enlisting future great JR/F guitarist Gary Boyle, they would go on to record their crowning achievement (with this one), Befour, calling it quits after the masterpiece. Streetnoise is a stunning album to which I wished there was one song added, their cover of Donovan's Season of The Witch, to make it almost a perfection in its proto-prog genre.

Great ,great Auger album with fantastic singer Julie Driscoll! There are many albums in Brian Auger discography, but only few of them include Julie Driscoll voice.

Very innovative sound ( as for 1969) combines heavy Auger Hammond with some bluesy and jazzy drumming and great cold and strong "futuristic" Julie's voice. In fact, we have there one of the earliest jazz-fusion records ever, still with strong blues and r'n'b roots. But Julie's voice is very non-jazzy. In combinations with heavy organ solos it makes very unusual atmosphere.

Not all track contain vocal, only about half of them. And instrumentals are good enough, but songs with Julie all are gem! Some are usual r'n'b, some has bluesy feel, and other are very jazzy. But all make very strange and magic atmosphere, catching you for years to come.

I believe, that some could be unhappy with strong "hippie" feeling from all the music, with domination of "Doors" style music ( "Light My Fire"cover is presented with very unusual Julie's vocal and different rhythmics). But I believe, that that album is one of greatest early jazz-fusion albums of late sixties.

This is clearly the most ambitious album Brian Auger had ever done in his career. This is also the most progressive album in his career. It's a really eclectic collection of songs, with a few surprises. Although this is the third album with The Trinity, it's the second with Julie Driscoll. As with Open (the debut with Jools), she doesn't sing on every song either, here Brian Auger or Dave Ambrose also sing on some of the songs. There are times that Auger almost goes into ELP territory in his organ playing, mind you this is before ELP, and when Emerson was in The Nice. Auger's style, unlike Emerson, always remained rooted in jazz. "Tropic of Capricorn" is pretty typical Auger & The Trinity, with his trademark organ playing, plus it's him that provides the vocals. Jools' "Czechoslovakia" is, naturally, about the Soviet invasion of said country in 1968, not too many songs at that time addressing that! The song starts off pretty typical Auger fashion, but then it goes acoustic, and calm, with a rather disturbing undercurrent, when then ends with the simulated sounds of army tanks. A cover of Nina Simone's "Take Me to the Water" is next. Well, this may not be to everyone's liking, this is very much southern gospel, and pretty straight-ahead gospel, even Brian Auger keeps his organ playing more in the church style here. While gospel has never been my music of choice, I can help but be blown away by Jools' vocals and the overall performance. Progheads won't get much out of the song, though. As much as Jools strikes me as a white soul singer, no doubt a big inspiration for Linda Hoyle of Affinity or Inga Rumpf of Frumpy and Atlantis, she seems just at home with folk music as well, her own "Word About Colour" could almost pass for Fairport Convention with those Sandy Denny-like vocals. I was also surprised she was fully capable of playing the acoustic guitar. She also takes on traditional song, "When I Was Young", which is more of a dirge, with Auger playing organ, done in a way you couldn't mistake for Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. Two songs from Hair are also included, "Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)" and "I've Got Life", as much as I usually shy away from the music from Hair, they did a great job at it. "Ellis Island" is an instrumental song, with more of a '70s feel, thanks to the clavinet, which Brian Auger puts to great use. Dave Ambrose's "In Search of the Sun" is a rather psychedelic number, but I like that proggy organ break Auger gives here. Ambrose proves he's better on the bass than singing, but doesn't bother me, despite his shortcomings. I do like that psychedelic vibe, though. "Looking in the Eye of the World" is a rather calm, piano-dominated jazz piece with Auger on vocals. Some may not take too well to the slow pace, but I like the mood, and I actually enjoy it. "Vauxhall to Lambeth Hall" is another one of those folk numbers by Jools, once again how she can make as great a folk singer as a white soul singer (or vocal jazz singer). There's also a take on Miles Davis' "All Blues" (originally from 1959's Kind of Blue), this version includes vocals from Jools herself. This version is dominated by piano, rather than wind instruments, with the addition of vocals from Jools. There's also a cover of Ritchie Havens' "Indian Rope Man", which so many other bands have covered: Frumpy (who does it similar to this version), Tomorrow's Gift, Warm Dust, and probably otheres too. There's also a wonderful take on Laura Nyro's "Save the Country". It's rather soul influenced, so it may not appeal to everyone, but then, like the gospel of "Take Me to the River", regardless if these songs are to your personal liking, make no doubt about the amazing performances. Personally, I do enjoy this take on "Save the Country" (and while I'm not a fan of Laura Nyro, I do like her original version as well). While this album is literally all over the place, there are some great proggy moments that progheads would need to take notice. Mind you, this was out before In the Court of the Crimson King, so I have to say this is a very accomplished album, combining jazz, folk, blues, soul, gospel, and prog, and all done so well I don't even have problems with the non-prog stuff (like the gospel of "Take Me to the Water"). Wonder how these bluesy/jazzy prog bands fronted by female vocalists, like Frumpy (who also did a version of "Indian Rope Man", as mentioned earlier) or Affinity got a lot of their inspiration? Look no further! I wouldn't be surprised if Jools was a main influence for Linda Hoyle or Inga Rumpf. I can't believe how much futher Auger & Co. went that extra mile to create a truly diverse album stacked with simply amazing stuff. I have a bunch of other stuff he did, with the Trinity, and with the Oblivion Express, and make no doubt about it, Streetnoise tops them all. Regardless how you may feel about the whole album, because some songs will not appeal to everyone, to me, this album simply blew me away. Really worth your time.

Auger released this double album back in 1969 as a four piece. Julie sings and plays acoustic guitar while Auger is prominent with the piano and organ. Bass and drums round out the lineup although the bass player also adds acoustic guitar. There's a lot of variety on here which I don't like but that's just the start of the things that make this a 3 star record for me. I do like Brian Auger and am a big fan of his "Befour" album which at least has electric guitar on it and hey Gary Boyle is playing it, and also Brian is the singer which I prefer. A couple of covers on here which was par for the time period and the "Light My Fire" one was a disappointment but I really like the FIFTH DIMENSION cover "Let The Sunshine In". But yeah a ton of variety like Gospel, Blues, Jazz, Folk and on and on. There are so many songs that I just don't like on here but that's my tastes. Pare this down to a single record then I'm on board. Props to the first song on this recording "Tropic Of Capricorn" where Auger shows why he's one of the most talented keyboardists out there. I connect with the next one "Czechoslovakia" as well and it's the one vocal track with Julie singing that I really like. It gets a little crazy too. Very much a hit and miss affair for me over the 75 minutes or so making it a 3 star record.

The Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger Trinity collaboration comes to an end with this double album: which is a perfect testament to an amazing singer and her wonderful support crew musicians. I think it only just that this "support crew" is given their due: their own Side (Three); time to shine on their own.

LP Side One: 1. "Tropic of Capricorn" (5:32) syncopated cymbal play with matching organ, piano and bass notes leads into the establishment of a kind of ELP/"Take Five" jazzy blues-rock motif, which then smooths out with vocals into what sounds very much like something from THE SOFT MACHINE's second album. The ensuing instrumental section adds some Ray Manzarek-style organ soloing while Clive Thacker and David Ambrose keep the rhythm section very interesting yet very tight. This is really cool stuff--including a really impressive (and so well-recorded) drum solo in the fifth minute! (9.5/10)

2. "Czechoslovakia" (6:21) rockin' music that sounds like both a Sandy Denny-led JEFFERSON AIRPLANE and a pissed- off Grace Slick-led RENAISSANCE (and even Canterbury bands like EGG and The Soft Machine). This Julie Driscoll is a force! The stripped down guitar + Julie center passage is so powerful--so much like the very best of the strong-Mama female singers of the second half of the 1960s. It's important to remember the Czechoslovakian uprising of 1968 that was so brutally suppressed by the Soviet army. (9.25/10)

3. "Take Me to the Water" (4:17) the "Negro spiritual" (that must surely have influenced Al Green's "Take Me to the River") here done in a fairly standard (for the time) gospel blues style in which it opens as a dirge before shifting into gear as a wake-like celebration. Very powerfully rendered. As I said above, this Julie Driscoll is a force! (This is really my first fully-focused exposure to her singing.) (8.875/10)

4. "Word About Colour" (1:38) Julie's anguished voice, here accompanied by a lone acoustic guitar, delivers another very powerful vocal. More bluesy folk than jazz-rock but that's okay. (4.625/5)

LP Side Two: 5. "Light My Fire" (4:21) Yep, The Trinity did a cover of the Doors' monster hit. Stripped down, bluesy, with some awesome funk/R&B bass from David Ambrose and virtuosic blues organ from the band leader. Julie gives a very passionate rendering and interpretation to the Jim Morrison vocal and Clive Thacker is rock solid. (9/10)

6. "Indian Rope Man" (3:22) here The Trinity take on a rather obscure Richie Havens song and give it the SPENCER DAVIS GROUP treatment. Stevie Winwood could not have done it better. The band is so tight! And what an organ solo by Brian! (9.125/10)

7. "When I Was a Young Girl" (7:03) droning organ softly cushions and floats Julie's plaintive vocals on their version of this 1952 Tex Galdden song that had been made famous by Feist and, more recently, Nina Simone. Tom's and gentle arpeggiated bass chords are added as the song goes on. Man! I find it hard to imagine anyone recording/performing this song better than Julie does here. Incredible! Makes Grace Slick's most impassioned vocals pale in comparison. Still, these amazingly emotional vocal performances do not help make either Jazz-Rock Fusion or Progressive Rock music launch. (14/15)

8. "Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)" (3:04) a version of this song far more attuned to the stage performance from Hair than any of the pop versions that had been made by the likes of The Fifth Dimension and The Spencer Davis Group in the first years of its existence. Great performance from Julie but also from Brian's loud organ. (8.875/10) (Hair premiered on Broadway on April 11, 1968. It had premiered the year before [on October 17] Off Broadway [at Joseph Papp's Public Theater] but was such an immediate hit that it was moved to Broadway within six months. Its first soundtrack recording was released on May 6, 1968, as performed by the original Broadway cast. Within the first two years of its existence, the song was covered by other artists on vinyl recordings no less than 20 times. Hair was, by the way, the first rock musical to play on Broadway.)

LP Side Three (the "no Julie" side): 9. "Ellis Island" (4:10) a flat-out crazy display of solo organ play over a tight blues-rock motif. And the organ is recorded so cleanly! I have to reward the band, and especially Brian, for this one. (9.125/10) 10. "In Search of the Sun" (4:22) gentle-yet-insistent psychedelic blues-rock with Brian singing the lead vocal. He's really good! Not unlike Spurogyra's Martin Cockerham. Solid if unspectacular song. It's just so solid, so mature and well-polished that I have to reward it. (9/10)

11. "Finally Found You Out" (4:12) more great blues-rock with great organ play--not as up-front in-your-face as his work on "Ellis Island" but definitely more dynamic and passionate. The guy is massively good! Piano and a more laid back background motif provided by the "cool" rhythm section. Song fades out. Apparently, there "wasn't time" to add the vocal/singing track before the song/album had to go to press. (9.25/10)

12. "Looking in the Eye of the World" (5:02) a real "old"feeling blues piano-and-voice tune that sounds like something right out of Mark Isham and Charlélie Couture's music from the 1988 film, The Moderns. (One of my all-time favorite soundtracks.) (9/10)

LP Side Four: 13. "Vauxhall to Lambeth Bridge" (6:31) Julie is back with a more blues-folk-Americana-like performance that rivals anything Sandy Denny, Maddie Prior, Laura Nyro, Grace Slick, Karen Dalton, or even Nina Simone were doing at the time. The instrumental accompaniment is solely Dave Ambrose's MASON WILLIAMS-like acoustic guitar. Wonderful song with a vocal performance that stands out, for me, as one of the greats. (9.75/10)

14. "All Blues Davis" (5:41) piano, bass, and drums launch into a unified march through a MILES DAVIS song with Julie Driscoll providing a true blues vocal over the top (something that is not present in Miles' original version from the 1959 masterpiece, Kind of Blue). Julie's performance sounds very much like the kind of highly-individualistic take Nina Simone would put on a classic song like this. Brian's piano work is great though the way the piano's sound is rendered on the record leaves a lot to be desired. (9/10)

15. "I've Got Life" (4:28) the weirdest and weakest song on the album, sounding far too much like an aberrant white Baptist corruption of a Negro Spiritual. The organ and other instrumental performances are awesome; it's just Julie's misfitted performance that grates. Too bad. I hate to see this amazing album with so many incredible Julie performances maligned and diminished. (8.375/10)

16. "Save the Country" (3:58) Julie's cover of Laura Nyro's peacenik anthem. The blues-jazz bent that Dave and Brian give the song is awesome. Julie's vocal seems a little loose and haphazard--not as well versed or invested as her other performances. Plus, it's poorly recorded. Then there's the unfortunate circumstance of giving little room or for the voices of the instrumentalists--other than David's excellent electric bass. Brian and Clive seem relegated to orchestra pit musicians for a rock musical. (8.5/10)

Total Time: 74:02

Though this album is by no means a straight up jazz-rock fusion, prog, or even jazz-rock album, it has many elements throughout the album that would make strong representation to all three of the newly-emerging musical genres. Where the album's music clearly stands out is in the stunningly powerful performances by singer Julie Driscoll, the dynamic organ play of Brian Auger (both in support and in lead capacities) as well as the near-virtuosic performances of the rhythm section performers, Clive Thacker and David Ambrose. Too bad about the album's final two songs.

A-/five stars; a masterpiece of folk- and psychedelic-tinged jazzy blues rock that happens to present some of the finest female vocal performances of the 1960s.