Black Pearl
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1967-70) - Bruce Benson -- rhythm guitar - Jerry Causi -- bass - Bernie "B.B" Fieldings (RIP 2005) -- vocals - Oak O'Connor -- drums, percussion - Tom Mulcahy -- rhythm guitar - Geoffrey Morris -- lead guitar
line up 2 (1970-71) - Tom Mulcahy -- rhythm guitar - Geoffrey Morris -- lead guitar - Oak O'Connor -- drums, percussion
line up 3 (1971-78) NEW - Tom Becker -- vocals, harmonica NEW - Rodney Jones -- bass NEW - Bobby Mason -- vocals (replaced Bernie Fieldings) - Tom Mulcahy -- lead guitar - Geoffrey Morris -- lead guitar - Oak O'Connor -- drums, percussion
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- The Barbarians (Bruce Benson, Jerry Causi and Geoffrey Morris) - Fusion (Bernie Fieldings) - The Journeymen Quartet (Bruce Benson) - The Tallysmen - The Vikings (Tom Mulcahy)
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Genre: rock Rating: 2 stars ** Title: Live! Company: Prophesy Year: 1970 Country/State: Boston, Massachusetts Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $15.00
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Black Pearl's roots trace back to Boston where the members had been playing in a series of local bands. Rhythm guitarist Bruce Benson, bassist Jerry Causi and lead guitarist Geoffrey Morris had all been members of The Barbarians of 'Are you a Boy, or Are You a Girl' fame. Lead guitarist Tom Molcahy had been in The Vikings.
In 1967 The Barbarians were contracted to open up for Big Brother and the Trucking Company and Cream for a series of dates in Aspen, Colorado. Drummer/front man Victor "Moulty" Moulton decided he wasn't going to drive to Colorado, leaving Benson, Causi and Morris to recruit vocalist Bernie B.B. Fielding, ex-The Vikings guitarist Tom Mulcahy and drummer Oak O'Connor for the job. Within a short period they'd adopted the nomenclature Black Pearl, and after a couple of months in Colorado, moved on to San Francisco. San Francisco saw them attract considerable attention opening for a broad range of nationally known acts including The Grateful Dead and The Mothers of Invention. Atlantic Records came knocking, signing them to a contract in 1969.
Produced
by Richard Moore, 1970's "Live!" supposedly
reflected material recorded during a pair of 1968 performance at San
Francisco's Fillmore West. Curiously nobody's been able to find evidence
they played the Fillmore during that timeframe. Whereas Atlantic
released their earlier studio album, the sophomore released came out on
Mickey Shapiro's Bell Records associated Prophesy label. The album was
also interesting in that is seems to have been released without the band's
approval, or cooperation. That
probably has something to do with the fact by the time the sophomore album
was released the band had splintered into competing factions. Fielding
reappeare
"Live!" track listing: 1.) Uptown (Betty Mabry) - 4:35 rating: *** stars Fielding's spoken word introduction to New York City was goofy (some of the lyrics were not exactly politically correct in this day and age) and ultimately the track went on way too long. If you could get through the intro then 'Uptown' served as a chaotic, but surprisingly funky tune. Yeah, coming and going the plethora of guitars was disconcerting, but ultimately it was harmless fun. 2.) I Get The Blues Most Every Night (traditional - arranged by Black Pearl) - 6:35 rating: ** stars zzzzzzz I'd love to say something positive about the lengthy 'I Get The Blues Most Every Night' but it was a plodding and forgettable slice of blues that you'll forget within moments of hearing it. Most of the six minutes were instrumental with each of the band's three guitarists getting time in the spotlight. 3.) Hermit Freak Show (Black Pearl) - 4:30 rating: ** stars 'Hermit Freak Show' was the album's only "rock" tune. The only problem is it wasn't very good. Yeah, there were lots of guitars, but the tune didn't have much of a melody and Fielding's vocals weren't anything to write home about.
(side
2) Why? Why would you want to hear Fielding trot out this lame James Brown wannabe effort? It goes on forever and includes a band introduction starting with a completely needless O'Connor drum solo. Yeah O'Connor was a decent drummer, but none of the solos were necessary. Okay, Bruce Benson's fuzz solo was short and sweet. For goodness sakes, just track down the James Brown original version. 2.) People Get Ready (Curtis Mayfield) - 7:40 rating: * star Covering Curtis Mayfield's 'People Get Ready' displayed good taste in outside material, but this ragged version added nothing to the original. Fielding's over-the-top sincerity certainly hasn't aged well. Find The Impressions original instead.
© Scott R. Blackerby
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d
with the short-lived band Fusion. Morris, Mulchay and O'Connor took
the band name, returning to Colorado
where they recruited vocalist singer/harmonica player Tom Becker, bassist
Rodney Jones and vocalist Bobby Mason. With a series of personnel
changes the band played Colorado clubs through the mid-'70s. Anyhow,
back to the album ... Exemplified by Fielding's frenetic
soul-influenced vocals (check out the eleven minute cover of James Brown's
'Cold Sweat'), the live album found the band seemingly interested in
becoming a blues, or soul outfit, rather then the three guitar powered rock
band featured on the debut. Whereas the debut featured original
material, the live album featured four covers with 'Hermit Freak Show' being
the only band original. Too be honest, I found the set to be plodding
and predictable. The opener 'Uptown' was the best of the lot.
Their cover of The Impressions' 'People Get Ready' was absolutely terrible.