Blood, Sweat And Tears
Blood, Sweat And Tears

Since no album by Blood, Sweat And Tears has been reviewed yet, I will now talk to you about this famous band. They are one of the most representative groups of the late sixties and early seventies, a period teeming with hard rock and progressive bands.

The lineup consists of David Clayton-Thomas (vocals), Steve Katz (guitar), Jim Fielder (bass), Bobby Colomby (drums), Dick Halligan (piano, organ), Fred Lipsius (sax, piano), Lew Soloff and Chuck Winfield (trumpet), Jerry Hyman (trombone). There are nine musicians! Their sound is very varied, encompassing rhythm'n'blues, jazz, fusion, and classic rock, a mix of all these genres performed with great professionalism. For example, a truly beautiful piece is "Sometimes In Winter," where the delicate sound of the flute brings us to the prog standards of Camel and Van Der Graaf Generator. A very important role is played by the wind instruments, namely the sax and the ever-present trumpets, which support the energetic voice of the charismatic vocalist David Thomas.

The band, already with their first work "Child is The Father To The Man," managed to get noticed and gain a good reputation, considering that initially, even Al Kooper was limited. The most representative tracks of that record are the Beatles-like "I Can't Quit Her," a mix between Lennon and Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," and "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know."

In 1969 they released the self-titled album, which many consider the most beautiful and representative album of Blood, Sweat & Tears. The highest peaks are represented by "Sometimes In Winter," as mentioned before, a piece that will influence the prog explosion that followed. The flute is very delicate, and Katz's dreamy and airy voice gives a touch of originality to the piece. It almost feels like hearing the serene atmospheres of Camel and the catchy melody of King Crimson! A truly famous and interesting track. Another beautiful track is "And When I Die," which returns to the band's classic sound, namely rhythm'n'blues and jazz, with the fine work of the trumpeters accompanying Thomas's voice. A cheerful song with an upbeat rhythm executed very well. The cover "God Bless The Child" has a slow pace, a relaxing blues with a memorable refrain that will become a staple of the band. One of those pieces that makes you want to hang out in a club with a good bottle of whisky! "Spinning Wheel" is one of the group's most representative tracks, with that captivating rhythm where Thomas's voice shines at its best. The refrain is very beautiful, but the performance of the trumpeters, who later get carried away by incredible blues solos, is memorable.

"You've Made Me So Very Happy" is a famous hit by the band, a delicate and melodic song, with a dreamy and engaging refrain. The rest of the track is characterized by sudden rhythm variations that range from rock riffs to pleasant keyboard solos, the latter finally standing out in this piece. "More And More" is an R&B without infamy or accolade, which honestly doesn't excite me much. The rest of the album features the good "Smiling Faces," the intro and outro "Variations On A Theme By Erik Satie," and the lengthy virtuosity of "Blues - Part II."

In short, Blood, Sweat & Tears" is a truly original band for their time and still interesting today, especially for fans of fusion, blues, and jazz. The group will continue to release CDs like "Blood, Sweat & Tears 3," containing the hit "Lucretia Mac Evil," and "Blood, Sweat & Tears 4," which includes "Go Down Gamblin.” The subsequent albums are less famous and memorable, but for those who don't know them, I highly recommend the first four fabulous CDs. SPINNING WHEEL!!