Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: ... An Evening with Dando Shaft
Company: Decca
Catalog: DL 75217
Year: 1969
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: cut out hole bottom left corner
Available: 1
Price: $110.00
Living in Coventry, England, bassist Roger Bullen, guitarists Dave Cooper and Kev Dempsey, percussionist Ted Kay and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Martin Jenkins first came together in September, 1969. Mining the same musical territory as Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span found the band attracting a small, but loyal local following and enough support for the band to relocate to London the following year.
Signed by the small Youngblood label (Decca inexplicably acquiring American distribution rights), the quintet made their debut with
1969's"... An Evening with Dando Shaft". Produced by Miki Dallon, the band's acoustic attack proved surprisingly original and impressive. With all five members sharing writing credits (ah the wonders of socialist belief systems), all-acoustic material such as "Rain", "Cold Wind" and the instrumental "Drops of Brandy" came off as inexplicably rockish ... (did that make any sense?) Interesting arrangements (check out "September Wind") and intriguing lyrics (many sporting an ecological orientation), made for one of the year's more impressive debuts. Among the few complaints, Cooper, Dempsey and Jenkins were professional, if rather anonymous singers. That shortcoming would change with their sophomore release. For those
musicial snobs out there, this one was included in Han's Pokora's "1,001 Record Collector's Dreams".
"... An Evening with Dando Shaft" track listing:
1.) Rain (Roger Bullen - Dave Cooper - Kev Dempsey - Ted Kay - Martin Jenkins) - 5:03
2.) Cold WInd (Roger Bullen - Dave Cooper - Kev Dempsey - Ted Kay - Martin Jenkins) -4:12
3.) September Wine (Roger Bullen - Dave Cooper - Kev Dempsey - Ted Kay - Martin Jenkins) -3:37
4.) Cat Song (Roger Bullen - Dave Cooper - Kev Dempsey - Ted Kay - Martin Jenkins) -2:32
5.) In the Country (Roger Bullen - Dave Cooper - Kev Dempsey - Ted Kay - Martin Jenkins) -6:46
6.) Drops of Brandy (instrumental) (Roger Bullen - Dave Cooper - Kev Dempsey - Ted Kay - Martin Jenkins) -2:26
7.) End of the Game (Roger Bullen - Dave Cooper - Kev Dempsey - Ted Kay - Martin Jenkins) -3:27
8.) Lazily Slowly (Roger Bullen - Dave Cooper - Kev Dempsey - Ted Kay - Martin Jenkins) -3:08
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: Dando Shaft
Company: Neon
Catalog: NE 5
Year: 1970
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: gatefold sleeve
Available: 1
Price: $110.00
One of the first acts signed to the short-lived RCA affiliated Neon label, 1970's
"Dando Shaft" is probably their creative highpoint (and one of our favorite slices of English folk-rock). Compared to the debut, musically the set wasn't a major change in direction, though the addition of the attractive Polly Bolton gave the band considerably more firepower in the vocals (and looks) departments. Like the debut, the set featured another attractive, all-acoustic collection of folk-oriented material. Propelled by Bolton's sweet voice (to our ears she recalled both Sandy Denny and Maddy Prior) material such as "Coming Home To Me" and the gorgeous "River Boat" was nothing short of great. Interestingly, while the set occasionally recalled Fairport Convention, or Steeleye Span, on material such as "Sometimes", "Pass It On" and
"Kalyope Driver" (check out Jenkin's rocking mandolin), the arrangements were far more complex and rock oriented - you literally forgot these folks were folkies. As one would expect, the album proved too English for American audiences and quickly vanished into cut-out bins. (In case you were wondering, it didn't do much better in the UK.) (The collection was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.) For those fanatical collectors out there, this one's also included in Han Pokora's "3,001 Record Collector Dreams".
"Dando Shaft" track listing:
1.) Coming Home To Me (Dando Shaft) - 3:46
2.) Railway (Dando Shaft) - 2:45
3.) Whispering Ned (Dando Shaft) - 1:35
4.) Sometimes (Dando Shaft) - 4:02
5.) River Boat (Dando Shaft) - 4:27
6.) Kalyope Driver (Dando Shaft) - 3:01
7.) Waves Upon the Ether (Dando Shaft) - 4:33
8.) Dewet (isntrumental) (Dando Shaft) - 0:41
9.) Till the Morning Comes (Dando Shaft) - 1:45
10.) Pass It On (Dando Shaft) - 3:46
11.) Prayer (Dando Shaft) - 0:29