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Pete Sears "The Long Haul" - Special D.v.Duhn Das sind die Acts, die bislang auf Altrichter-Music erschienen sind. Ein noch ziemlich frisches ganz kleines Label mit dem Ziel, "Live-Raritäten sowie unveröffentlichte und rare Aufnahmen von Kult-Bands zu präsentieren". Pete Sears fällt hier etwas aus dem Rahmen, ist aber besonders gut! Pete Sears - The Long Haul CD Altrichter-Music. 2002er Release, wohl größtenteils 2000 aufgenommen. Der ex-Hot Tuna/Jefferson Starship mit einer Wahnsinns-Besetzungsliste: U.a. J. Kaukonen, Falzarano (auch Hot Tuna), John Lee Hooker (!), Gravenites, Musselwhite, Naftalin, Levon Helm, Kimock, Maria Muldaur, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Jack Casady, Peter Rowan, D.Grisman!! 2 Stücke schrieb er zusammen mit Robert Hunter. Musikalisch große Klasse, in warmer schöner Atmosphäre eingespielt. Meist Blues, in verschiedenster Form: Pur (auch Chicago Blues), leise, gefühlvollst und filigran, jazziger Blues im Stil der 30er/40er, "Cajun Country Blues", Southern-geerdeter RïnïB, leiser lyrischer Folk Blues... Dazu kommen 2 wunderschöne tradit. Country-Stücke und Folkeinflüsse. Meist übernimmt neben Gesang die Gitarre(n) die Führung, aber auch mal Piano, Trompete oder Akkordeon. Sehr lang und sehr zu empfehlen! (Detlev von Duhn) Hugh Fielder (Classic Rock) Pete Sears: "The Long Haul" (Altrichter-Music) Pete Sears war einst Bassist bei Jefferson Starship, als sie noch Ähnlichkeit mit Jefferson Airplane hatten, verließ die Band aber schließlich, als er merkte, dass man sich dem Mainstream zuwandte. Geboren und aufgewachsen in Großbritannien, wo er mit den Kult-Legenden Sam Gopal Dream und Rod Stewart spielte, bevor er nach San Francisco zog, lebt er seither in der Bay Area. Hier musiziert er mit Hot Tuna, John Lee Hooker, Maria Muldaur und Charlie Musselwhite. Diese und andere Musiker - wie auch Levon Helm von The Band - sind auf seinem bluesbeeinflußten Solo-Album zu hören. Pete rührt jedoch den Bass nicht an. Auf "The Long Haul" fungiert er als Pianist - und was für einer! (Fairerweise muß gesagt werden, daá er auch viel Keyboards zu Jefferson Starship beitrug). So spielt er sich seinen Weg durch eine Vielzahl verschiedener Blues-Stile - vom lebhaften "Fair To Even Odds" (Text von Robert Hunter) mit Shana Morrison (Gesang) zum langsamen, aber energischen Instrumentalst�ck "Old Friends". Man kann jedoch nur auf eine bestimmte Weise mit John Lee Hooker den Boogie spielen. Und Pete macht das! Good Times Experts in early 70s rock history know Sears as piano player with Jefferson Starship and Rod Stewart (on EVERY PICTURE and NEVER A DULL MOMENT). Apparently he hasn't recorded a solo album so far, because he is not a singer. As a compensation he's hitting us with an all-star avalanche now: His exclusively self-penned Blues, Boogie, Ragtime(!) and "R&B-Light" songs feature famous musicians like Charlie Musselwhite (hp), Levon Helm (hp + mand), Jorma Kaukonen (g) and John Lee Hooker (g). The vocals are shared by Sears' regular frontman Davey Pattison (ex-Robin Trower) and Hooker, Maria Muldaur and Shana Morrison. What makes the abundant programme comfortable is our experienced accompanying musician's ability to display his talent on keyboards without pushing himself to the front. The San Franciscan hippie bliss still seems to be alive and fascinating with its intense smoothness, no matter where the listener imagines him- or herself to be: in a bar, dance hall or just lingering on the front porch. (Altrichter-Music, 18/72:30) BluesNews (Altrichter-Music, 72:30) The music on a CD should be analysed in the first place, but some press releases of record companies are missing the point in such a manner that they need to be mentioned. It is by all means at least entertaining if - like in this case - a wonderfully relaxed bar blues ("Mississippi") is being announced as "heavy blues-rock with a jazzy trumpet". The co-operation with John Lee Hooker, which is very much emphasised, turns out as a guest appearance at one of the concerts. This results in the seven minute song "Elizabeth", which is really one of the highlights on this CD, that offers a lot of stylistic variation. "The Long Haul" by Pete Sears, whose musical involvement as a bassist/keyboard player with Rod Stewart, Jefferson Starship, Dragonfly, Earth and others certainly deserves recognition, is labelled as "basically a blues album, but a very good one" by Altrichter-Music. Think about it what you like. In fact, there really are bluesy parts: Among the titles mentioned above there is "Brother John" in Chicago blues style (with Charlie Musselwhite on harp and Nick Gravenites on guitar), the slow blues "Shady Lane" in New Orleans style, Ragtime ("Meadway Rag") and the number with a very good groove "12 Long Years & No Parole - Rod's Song". On the other hand Sears is also covering other styles - five out of the six last songs (of 18 titles altogether) on this CD - haven't got anything to do with the blues at all. Country, Bluegrass, Pop and a bit of Jazz - plain blues followers will have problems. Despite this it ought to be mentioned that Davey Pattison's vocals strongly remind the listener of Rod Stewart, and that various guests are featured on some of the tracks, like Van Morrison's daughter Shana (voc), Maria Muldaur (voc), Charlie Musselwhite (harp), Alvin Youngblood Hart (guit) and John Lee Hooker (voc, guit). Of course, the album has its charm, the record company is right in this respect! A Personal Contemplation Do you remember PETE SEARS? PETE SEARS was already famous at the beginning of the Seventies, when Rod Stewart recorded his best work "Gasoline Alley", "Every Picture Tells a Story", "Never a Dull Moment" and "Smiler". PETE SEARS played the piano, and from time to time the bass on those albums. He joined JEFFERSON STARSHIP in 1974 and stayed aboard for 13 years. With this group he recorded the legendary albums "Dragonfly", "Red Octopus", "Spitfire", "Winds of Change," "Earth" and "Freedom At Point Zero". After leaving Jefferson Starship, Sears spent ten years touring with the JORMA KAUKONEN TRIO and with HOT TUNA. Today Pete tours with his own band, "Dawn Patrol," and "The Flying Other Brothers." One of the personal highlights in his career was his collaboration with JOHN LEE HOOKER on the song for this album, "Elizabeth." Only a short time before John Lee died, he invited Sears to do a concert with him as a special guest at Stanford University. As well as being in bands, Sears has earned his living as a much sought-after session musician, recording, playing and jamming with an almost endless line of musicians: Jerry Garcia, Ron Wood, Los Lobos, Harvey Mandel, Taj Mahal, Eric Burdon, Long John Baldry, Steamhammer, Mike Bloomfield, Chris Jagger, Roy Harper, Ike & Tina Turner, Steve Cropper, David Lindley, Sly Stone, Pointer Sisters, Nils Lofgren, Big Brother, Quicksilver Messenger Service and with many more. The list Pete has compiled can be seen on his homepage www.petesears.com/bio.htm. Other sundry characters, such as Pete Brown, Fleur de Lys, Wavy Gravy, Leigh Stevens, Smokey Smother, Papa John Creach, Silver Meter, Stoneground, Fankhauser Cassidy Band, Nick Gravenites and Kathy McDonald are part of Pete's long list of associations. Recently Sears has been invited several times to work with the members of the former GRATEFUL DEAD. He played with Bob Weir as a guest with RATDOG and has recorded the new double album "And Love Will See You Through" with Phil Lesh. Drummer Billy Krutzman's new album, due out soon, features some songs Pete wrote with Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter. He has also played with the Steve Kimock Band, Gov't Mule and Warren Haynes. In truth, he has had a really fulfilling life in music. But now let's get to his latest album, "The Long Haul". This album is currently only available throughout the United States on Tower Record's, "33rd Street Records" label, or through concert sales. Now, finally, interested fans throughout Europe can buy this album. "The Long Haul" is basically a blues album, a very special one! The pieces move with no trouble at all through the different styles, from blues-rock, to New Orleans ragtime, back to smoky bar blues. The album's heart is, of course, "Elizabeth", the piece we mentioned above, with John Lee Hooker. John Lee praises his beloved woman friend for 7 minutes while Sears accompanies him on the piano, along with John Lee's own Coast To Coast Blues Band rhythm section. Turn up your loudspeakers, it's fantastic. More highlights: "Meadway Rag", a blues coloured with New Orleans wind players and tuba, together with Jorma Kaukonen playing the guitar. "12 Long Years", a lively blues rock with Steve Kimock (guitar), Charlie Musselwhite (harmonica) and Davey Pattison, (Robin Trower, Gamma) on expressive vocals. "Marin County Blues", Maria Muldaur shines as the singer, while Alvin Youngblood Hart (guitar) and Jack Cassidy (bass) deliver solid work. "Dance With The Past" and "Darien", with Van Morrison's daughter Shana singing, are reminiscent of Mountain Bluegrass music and Celtic Folk. "Mississippi" is a great blues rock number with Jim Gammon's trumpet supplying a jazzy touch. Moreover you will find some soulful SEARS piano instrumentals, accompanied by Steve Kimock, Bobby Vega, Jim Sanchez and Rich Kirch. "A Light Rain of Grace" completes the album, a folkloric project written by Sears, with his daughter Natalie singing, his son Dylan on penny whistle, and lyrics by wife, Jeannette Sears. This album radiates an enormous charm. In the footsteps of his 1993 album "Watchfire" Sears has once again produced an album that will surely interest Westcoast music lovers as well as Blues Fans. Wilfried Lilie Hans Werner Altrichter back

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