line-up 1: (1978)

- Danny Douma -- vocals, lead guitar

- Don Francisco -- percussion, vocals

NEW - Peter Freiberger -- bass (replaced Andy Sylvester)

- Richard Kosinski -- keyboards

- David Palmer (RIP) -- vocals

- Claude Pepper -- drums, percussion

- Nick van Maarth -- vocals, lead guitar

  line-up 2: (1978)

NEW - Chuck Cameron -- lead guitar (replaced Danny Douma)

- Don Francisco -- percussion, vocals

- Peter Freiberger -- bass 

- Richard Kosinski -- keyboards

- David Palmer (RIP) -- vocals

- Claude Pepper -- drums, percussion

- Nick van Maarth -- vocals, lead guitar

- Chicago (Donny Douma)

- Steely Dan (David Palmer)

Genre: rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Berkshire

Company: ABC

Catalog: AA-1043

Year: 1977

Country/State: California, US

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: cut top right corner; original lyric inner sleeve

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 5231

Price: $20.00

My interest in this band stemmed from the fact David Palmer was one of the lead singers.  Palmer had been one of Steely Dan's original vocalists and I was curious to hear what he sounded like in a different environment.

Abbreviating the name from Big Wha-Koo to Wha-Koo (what was the point?), the group's third album "Berkshire" was co-produced by the band and Ken Caillat. Musically the set wasn't anything earth shattering.  David Palmer and lead guitarist Donnie Douma shared songwriting credits on most of the nine tracks.  For his part Douma retained his knack for writing top-40ish rock material.  Tracks like 'Midnight Kitchen' and the single 'Rig-a-Marole' would have sounded fine on FM radio next to The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac. Catchy and forgettable, it made for first-tier, if slightly anonymous California rock product.  It's a great example of a "yacht rock" collection.  The band was also blessed in having three strong lead singers in Douma, Palmer and Nick van Maarth.  Elsewhere, it may have been little more than wishful thinking on my part, but propelled by his pleading voice, Palmer contributions like pretty ballad 'Mother of Pearl', the title track and '(You're Such a) Fabulous Dancer' recalled "Can't Buy a Thrill" era Steely Dan.  The music may have been a little more conventional and the lyrics may not have been as obtuse, but the haunting sound bore more than a passing resemblance to the former band.  Perhaps of passing interest to Steely Dan fanatics and folks who like mid-1970s Southern California rock ...

Certainly not aided by the attroceous Vigon-Nahas-Vigon designed cover  the album went nowhere  Douma subsequently released an interesting solo album ("night Eyes") before replaced Terry Kath in Chicago.

"Berkshire" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Rig-a-Marole (Donny Douma - David Palmer) - 3:10 rating: **** stars

Douma's best known as a guitarist, but I've always liked his voice (be sure to check out his solo work).  WHile it may have lacked originality, the lead-off rocker 'Rig-a-Marole' was a great slice of FM-ready rock that should have captured more than it's share of airplay.  Who knows why, but for some reason ABC didn't bother tapping it as an American single, though it was released as a 45 in Portugal:.

- 1977's 'Rig-a-Marole' b/w 'Mother of Pearl' (ABC catalog number SP-27-017 )

2.) Fat Love (Donnie Douma - David Palmer) - 3:37 rating: **** stars

Okay, I'll admit that powered by cheesy '70s synthesizers, tight group harmonies and smirking lyrics like “You got the volume mama, I got the mass ...” 'Fat Love' always make me smile.  The song was tapped as a quickly forgotten US single:

- 1978's 'Fat Love' b/w I'm Here' (ABC catalog number AS-12401)

3.) Mother of Pearl (David Palmer - Richard Kosinski) - 3:22 rating: *** stars

Palmer finally got a shot at the spotlight with a pretty ballad that had considerable commercial potential.  Once again ABC elected to ignore the song, though it was released as a single in New Zealand:

- 1978's 'Mother of Pearl' b/w 'I'm Here' (ABC catalog number (103213)

4.) Midnight Kitchen (Donny Douma) - 3:20 rating: ** stars

One of the album's taunter rockers, 'Midnight Kitchen' suffered from a forgettable melody and even lamer lyrics.  

5.) (You're Such a) Fabulous Dancer (Donnie Douma - David Palmer) - 3:52

(side 2)
1.) Berkshire (Donnie Douma - David Palmer) - 5:13 rating: *** stars

Another track featuring Palmer's instantly recognizable voice, the title track was a pretty ballad that stripped off much of their yacht rock moves.  The song was unlike most of their material, but still enjoyable.

2.) I'm Here (Donnie Douma - David Palmer) - 3:44

3.) Expire On Me (Donnie Douma) - 4:05

4.) Dreaming As One (W. Smith - David Palmer) - 4:50

Wha-Koo (originally called The Big Wha-Koo) was an American rock band best known for their 1978 single, "(You're Such a) Fabulous Dancer", which peaked at #101 on the Billboard and #10 on the Australian charts.

History The Big Wha-Koo were a Los Angeles, California-based soft rock ensemble formed in 1975 under the leadership of singer, songwriter and guitarist Danny Douma. Douma assembled an entourage of veteran musicians that included David Palmer, who had sung lead vocals on two tracks of Steely Dan's debut album Can't Buy a Thrill, Nick Van Maarth, from Buddy Holly's backup band, The Crickets,[1] Don Francisco, formerly of Crowfoot and Atlee and British blues man Andy Silvester, formerly of Savoy Brown. L.A.-based session musician Reinie Press, bass player on many of Neil Diamond's most successful recordings, contributed bass and saxophone on two tracks on the band's 1977 debut album, The Big Wha-Koo for ABC Records.

Post-breakup In the early 1980s, Douma founded "The Writers Store" a resource center and retail outlet for writers and filmmakers. In 2002 he founded a second company, "Innoventive Software", publishers of film production and storyboard software.[5] Danny Douma died on June 1, 2010, from cancer in Florence, Oregon.

Palmer contributed the song "Silhouette" to the film Teen Wolf and the song "She's My Baby" to the film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He also contributed songs to the TV series, The Heights and he went on to record with Laura Branigan and Jamie Walters amongst others. Today he's a fine art and portrait photographer in the Los Angeles area.

Andy Silvester, who departed after Wha-Koo's first album, became a member of the Honeydrippers (featuring Robert Plant) and was a founding member of the acoustic British rhythm and blues revival group, The Big Town Playboys. He has also played with The Mike Sanchez band.

Eddie Tuduri suffered a serious spinal cord injury in a body surfing accident in 1997. He founded "The Rhythmic Arts Project" (TRAP) later that year as an educational program for children and adults with developmental and intellectual differences. http://www.traponline.org

Richard Kozinski has scored or co-scored almost 30 motion pictures and 300 aired network television episodes including episodes of Mad About You, Gravedale High and Teen Wolf.[6]

Claude Pepper, alias Jack Mack, formed the Los Angeles-based rhythm and soul band Jack Mack and the HeartAttack in 1980 and played with the band until 1987. He died at his home in Sacramento in February 2003.

David Woodford has since recorded and toured with Aaron Neville, Bonnie Raitt, Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, The Shirelles and P. Diddy amongst others.

Chuck Cochran later worked as a singer and guitarist with Jim Messina, Tim Weisberg, Norman Gimbel, Fred Karlin, Mike Finnigan, Robb Royer, Larry Knechtel, Kim Carnes and David Lasley. He also wrote songs for Laura Branigan, Captain & Tennille and others.