Be all you can be
Jake Holmes’ first album shouldn’t be an obscure footnote. The album has a few good songs and several very good ones.
While he was at Bennington College, Holmes joined a folk group with Tim Rose. That band broke up when Tim Rose signed to Columbia Records and Holmes formed a short-lived comedy trio with Jim Connell and Joan Rivers.
By 1967, Holmes had started a trio and was playing clubs in Greenwich Village. Holmes band had a unique lineup: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass and no drums. The lack of a drummer gives the songs a strange feel, esp. when the songs are structured as rock songs.
The Jake Holmes Trio did play a memorable show opening for the Yardbirds in August, 1967.
Holmes did a few more LPs for several different labels. Except for one song, I’ve never heard any of them but the second one – A LETTER TO KATHERINE DECEMBER – is supposed to be pretty good. Holmes also wrote songs for the Four Seasons on their pretty good pop-psych album GENUINE IMITATION LIFE GAZETTE and Frank Sinatra on his pretty good pop-psych album WATERTOWN.
In the seventies, Holmes turned to jingle writing and finally found success. “Be All You Can Be”, “Raise Your Hand If You’re Sure” and “Be A Pepper” are Holme's best known ads. Holmes has also backed Harry Belafonte in recent years.
While he was at Bennington College, Holmes joined a folk group with Tim Rose. That band broke up when Tim Rose signed to Columbia Records and Holmes formed a short-lived comedy trio with Jim Connell and Joan Rivers.
By 1967, Holmes had started a trio and was playing clubs in Greenwich Village. Holmes band had a unique lineup: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass and no drums. The lack of a drummer gives the songs a strange feel, esp. when the songs are structured as rock songs.
The Jake Holmes Trio did play a memorable show opening for the Yardbirds in August, 1967.
Holmes did a few more LPs for several different labels. Except for one song, I’ve never heard any of them but the second one – A LETTER TO KATHERINE DECEMBER – is supposed to be pretty good. Holmes also wrote songs for the Four Seasons on their pretty good pop-psych album GENUINE IMITATION LIFE GAZETTE and Frank Sinatra on his pretty good pop-psych album WATERTOWN.
In the seventies, Holmes turned to jingle writing and finally found success. “Be All You Can Be”, “Raise Your Hand If You’re Sure” and “Be A Pepper” are Holme's best known ads. Holmes has also backed Harry Belafonte in recent years.
posted by KS at 11/01/2006 08:29:00 PM
1 Comments:
wow. cool! too bad the link's expired.
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