Keef Hartley Band

Limited seven CD set. Features 67 tracks including the albums Halfbreed, The Battle Of North West Six, The Time Is Near, Overdog, Little Big Band, Seventy Second Brave and Lancashire Hustler plus 15 bonus tracks drawn from rare live recordings and singles. Includes an illustrated book with essay. Keef Hartley first came to prominence as a member of the British R&B group The Artwoods before joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967 before leaving to form the first line-up of his own band.

Seventy Second Brave is the fifth album by the Keef Hartley Band. Featuring the last incarnation of his band, Keef would record his final album for Deram the following year under his own name. Keef Hartley came to prominence as a member of the British R&B group the Art woods before joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967. He contributed to the album Crusade before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. He recorded a series of classic albums for Decca's Deram label.

This reissue of Overdog features the bonus single edits of Roundabout, one of their best loved and most powerful works. Along with a reissue of The Time is Near, this release sees the beginning of a reissue campaign by Esoteric Recordings of the classic Keef Hartley Band albums.
After the subtleties and suppleness of 1970's The Time Is Near…, the Keef Hartley Band's third full-length, the group returned the following year with Overdog, a set that kicks them into overdrive. Opening with a dramatic flourish of wah-wah guitar, the anthemic "You Can Choose" instantly wipes all memories of the intricate design of the preceding album off the board…

Keef Hartley came to prominence as a member of the british R&B group the artwoods before joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967. He contributed to the album crusade before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. He recorded his first album, "Halfbreed" for Decca's Deram label in March 1969. Regarded as a classic of the fusion of rock, jazz and blues, Hartley went one better later in the year by changing the lineup of his band to include gifted guitarist, vocalist and writer Miller Anderson. This new band recorded the wonderful "The Battle Of North West Six" for decca later that year, around the same time they performed at the legendary Woodstock Festival. Unavailable for many years, Esoteric Recordings are pleased to reissue the album with liner notes by Keef Hartley.

Keef Hartley came to prominence as a member of the British R&B group The Artwoods before joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967. He contributed to the album "Crusade" before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. With Gary Thain (bass), Peter Dines (keyboards), Spit James (guitar) and horn section that was a whos who of British jazz (Henry Lowther, Chris Mercer, Lyn Dobson and Harry Beckett), Hartley recorded his first album for Decca's Deram label in March 1969. Now regarded as a classic of the genre, "Halfbreed" is a fine example of the fusion of rock, jazz and blues.

Keef Hartley came to prominence as a member of the British R&B group The Artwoods before joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967. He contributed to the album "Crusade" before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. With Gary Thain (bass), Peter Dines (keyboards), Spit James (guitar) and horn section that was a whos who of British jazz (Henry Lowther, Chris Mercer, Lyn Dobson and Harry Beckett), Hartley recorded his first album for Decca's Deram label in March 1969. Now regarded as a classic of the genre, "Halfbreed" is a fine example of the fusion of rock, jazz and blues.

Keef Hartley Band - Live at Aachen Open Air Festival 1970 (2014) {Sireena Records SIR 2124}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 518 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 163 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 16 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1970, 2014 Sireena Records | SIR 2124
Rock / Blues Rock / Jazz Rock / British Blues

Considering this is based on a 40 year old bootleg from an open-air festival, it's amazing that the end product is so good. Yes, there are obvious limitations in the sound quality, with a fair amount of distortion on vocals and brass, but the performance itself is simply stunning. The KHB line-up at the time featured Dave Caswell and Lyle Jenkins, and their contributions are first class throughout.

Keef Hartley Band - Halfbreed (1969) {Esoteric Recordings ECLEC2050 rel 2008}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 300 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 122 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 40 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1969, 2008 Deram / Decca / Esoteric Recordings | ECLEC 2050
Rock / Blues Rock / Jazz Rock / British Blues

This album by the excellent Keef Hartley Band, one the best Blues / Rock / Jazz ensembles ever, founded by drummer Keef Hartley following his stint with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. The band featured a nucleus consisting of singer / guitarist Miller Anderson, guitarist Spit James, keyboardist Peter Dines, bassist Gary Thain and Hartley on drums. In addition a horn section was added to expand the band's sound, which on this album consisted of the best horn players in Britain: trumpeters Henry Lowther and Harry Becket and saxophonists Lynn Dobson and Chris Mercer. Together this nine-piece band had a tremendous power and considering the quality of its members it was simply the best "little Big Band" around at the time.