Saturday, July 20, 2019

Everything's Jake With Us

A bunch of charmers from NY musician Jake Jacobs (The Magicians, Bunky & Jake, Jake & The Family Jewels). A good-timey feel, rock solid melodies, and a fundamental happiness of spirit that seems at odds with almost any other NY act, except the Spoonful.

 Perhaps you can help me, readers! I remember (from my long-gone vinyl) that the cover shot was taken at Clarence's Magic Garden. I'm probably totally misremembering, because a google reveals nada. It was a crazy sculpture park built by an old guy - the sculptor equivalent of Moondog - utilizing garbage and stuff he found, and much-loved by hippies at the time who saw all that stuff in their heads anyway. Probably long-gone, but I'd like to know more.
The second album by J&TFJ has the genius title The Big Moose Calls His Baby Sweet Lorraine, and that one took me an age to hunt down, back in the days when my life was mapped by routes between used album stores. It's more of the same - lilting tunes, more hooks than a fisherman's hat, and Jake's infectiously likeable vocals.

 If you dig The Spoonful, you'll go ape for these swingin' sounds!

 EDIT: After a request in the comments, I've added the two earlier albums by Bunky & Jake, the self-titled first from '68, and LAMF (nobody knew what that meant back then, least not the record company) from the following year. Jake released A Lick And A Promise in 2012, and still lives in Manhattan, the lovely guy.

At left: the first Bunky & Jake album. Love that sleeve - the playful/serious poses they strike, the paraphernalia of the hippy pad.
... and the second. Like a motherfucker, indeed! What a great couple they make. Go to jakeandthefamilyjewels dot com for more great photos!

Fun Foam Fact: Jake once helped carry a passed-out Jimi Hendrix into a car after a late-night jam at Steve Paul’s Scene.

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6 comments:

  1. Farquhar Throckmorton IIIJuly 20, 2019 at 8:22 PM

    Link later.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BillJuly 20, 2019 at 11:11 PM

    Anything by (Bunky &)Jake is gonna be good! He put out a disc a few years ago. Also good stuff.

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  3. Farquhar Throckmorton IIIJuly 21, 2019 at 5:00 AM





    Sweet bites of the Big Apple

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  4. AnonymousJuly 21, 2019 at 11:05 AM

    hello farquhar, something of a fanatic on this end- especially with the "folky stuff," with some effort doing all 4 with covers. very curious as this reeks of being the really good stuff. thank you very much for your cool site. have to make time for phil ochs and richard farina with the news of late. r. keith noble

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    Replies
    1. Farquhar Throckmorton IIIJuly 21, 2019 at 1:14 PM

      Anonymous, thank you for single-handedly keeping the comments alive!

      This is the good stuff, fer sure, although the folky element is only present (some) on the Bunky & Jake albums, although they started performing in NY folk clubs in the early sixties. As a mixed-race duo, they were and still are almost unique, I think.

      The only Ochs I have is Pleasures Of The Harbor - I find him hard going these days!

      Delete
  5. AnonymousJuly 22, 2019 at 3:16 AM

    Yawning Angel sez...

    Thanks, Farq. Though I'm certainly old enough to remember these folks, I don't recall ever hearing them. Oh hey, I just got new hearing aids! Also, I'm still not a robot.

    ReplyDelete

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