The Siegel-Schwall Band - Sleepy Hollow 1972

The Siegel-Schwall Band - Sleepy Hollow 1972

Blues

"Sleepy Hollow" was Siegel-Schwall's second effort for their new label, "Wooden Nickel Records" Released in 1972, it broke new ground with hits "Hey Billie Jean" and "Something's Wrong". Check out the harp workout Corky gives to "Billie Jean", then listen to the greased lightning fretwork Jim puts into "Something's Wrong"....whew!! How do dey do dat?? "You Don't Love Me Like That" is a blues boogie like you always wanted to hear, footstompin' music and awesome slide guitar. Rollo Radford, bass player extraordinaire, gets a tune here too, with an original called "I Wanna Love Ya" and appropriately, it opens the record setting the tone for what's to come. He has a very tuneful and powerful voice, and it's always a treat to hear Rollo belt one out. Jim's "Blues For A Lady" is the longest cut, and also the quietest...it's a slow blues and tells a story of love for his then wife Cherie, in Jim's own special way. And Jim even visits country music with his hilarious "Sick To My Stomach" in which he sings about the gastric distress he experiences whenever he thinks of his girl being with another man.
By William H. Haines.
**
Corky Siegel- Vocals, Harp and Piano
Jim Schwall- Guitar and Vocals
Rollow Radford- Bass and Vocals
Sheldon Ira "Shelly" Plotkin- Drums
**
Heads:

01.I Wanna Love You 4:01
02.Somethin's Wrong 4:12
03.Sleepy Hollow 3:33
04.Blues For A Lady 8:35

Tails:

05.His Good Time Band 3:59
06.You Don't Love Me Like That 3:31
07.Sick To My Stomach 2:23
08.Always Thinkin' Of You Darlin' 3:30
09.Hey Billie Jean 6:06
**
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The Siegel-Schwall Band - The Last Summer (Live) 1974

The Siegel-Schwall Band - The Last Summer  (Live) 1974
Label: Wounded Bird / Wooden Nickel
Audio CD: (December 14, 1999)

Blues

Paul Butterfield and Elvin Bishop were not the only white dudes who formed a blues band in Chicago in the early '60s. Siegel and Jim Schwall formed the Siegel-Schwall Band in the mid-'60s in Chicago and worked as a duo playing blues clubs like Pepper's Lounge, where they were the house band. All of the great blues players would sit in  all the time. Corky Siegel played harp and electric Wurlizter piano, with an abbreviated drum set stashed under the piano; Jim Schwall played guitar and mandolin. Both sang.

Corky Siegel was born in Chicago on October 24, 1943; Jim Schwall was born on November 11, 1942, also in Chicago. Siegel met Schwall in 1964, when they were both music students at Roosevelt University , Schwall studying guitar, Siegel studying classical saxophone and playing in the University Jazz Big Band. Siegel first became interested in the blues that same year. Schwall's background ran more to country and bluegrass. The Siegel-Schwall Band approach to music (and blues) was lighter than groups like Butterfield or Musselwhite, representing somewhat more of a fusion of blues and more country-oriented material. They seldom played at high volume, while stressing group cooperation and sharing the solo spotlight.

When the Butterfield band left their in gig at Big Johns on Chicago's North Side, it was the Siegel-Schwall Band that took their place. Signed by Vanguard scout Sam Charters in 1965, they released their first album in 1966, the first of five they would do with that label. Bass player Jack Dawson, formerly of the Prime Movers Blues Band joined the band in 1967.

In 1969 the band toured playing the Fillmore West, blues/folk festivals, and many club dates, one of several white blues bands that introduced the blues genre to millions of Americans during that era. They were, however, the first blues band to play with a full orchestra, performing "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra" in 1968 with the San Francisco Orchestra. The band later signed with RCA (Wooden Nickel) and produced five albums in the next several years. The band broke up in 1974.

In 1987, the band re-formed and produced a live album on Alligator, The Siegel-Schwall Reunion Concert. Jim Schwall is a university professor of music and lives in Madison, WI. Corky Siegel has been involved in many projects over the years that fuse classical music with blues, including his current group, Chamber Blues, a string quartet with a percussionist (tabla) and Siegel on piano and harmonica. And on rare occasions, the old band still gets together and performs.
By Michael Erlewine, All Music Guide.
**
Corky Siegel- Harmonica, Piano
Jim Schwall- Guitar
Rollo Radford- Bass, Vocals
Joseph Davidson- Bass
Shelly Plotkin- Drums
Kenny Clown- Vocals
Gordon Jones- Guitar, Mandolin
**
01. Rock Me Baby  5:31
02. You Don't Love Me Like That  3:47
03. I Won't Hold My Breath  4:26
04. Sun Is Shining  6:13
05. Let's Boogie  0:08
06. Hey Billie Jean  7:30
07. West Coast Blues  5:28
08. Out A Gas  7:13
**
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The Siegel-Schwall Band - 953 West 1973

The Siegel-Schwall Band  - 953 West 1973
Label: Wooden Nickel / Wounded Bird

Blues  

Ok, I couldn't wait to review this one. This is my favorite Siegel-Schwall album. It's the one I would take with me to a desert island, if I had to choose just one. Why? Well, the songs are all so well played and the writing is the most mature of all thier records. Jim's "I Think It Was The Wine" is a great story song and features one of the best guitar solos he ever played. Just superb. Corky gets a harp solo in there too and it compliments the song so well, it just sounds seamless. "Just Another Song About The Country Sung By A City Boy", besides being the longest song title in the band's canon, laments the spread of urban sprawl, unchecked growth, pollution and traffic choked city streets. "Reed Zone" (Psychiatric Institution Blues) is a number about a fellow bent on suicide ('Bring me my shotgun babe, bring me my sleeping pills') and Big Bill Broonzy's "When I've Been Drinkin'" tells the story of a fellow who's had a few too many and just wants to sleep it off. Jim's acoustic finger picked guitar and vocal and Corky's harp accompaniment combine to make this a standout track on the album. This album also features drummer Shelly Plotkin's only vocal and songwriting appearance on a Siegel-Schwall record ("Good Woman"). All in all, a great album and a satisfying listen.
Oh, yeah. Jim Schwall told me it's his favorite too, so there ya go.
By  William H. Haines.
**
The sweet wine of youth that is, oh we were such naughty children then,
where did all that massive, mindless, mischievous, mindblowing, m&F fun
go, the same place our energy and hair went I suppose, I lived outside
of that city praised by Carl Sandburg, (Chicago), I wasn't old enough
to legally see the Siegel Schwall Band either, but it did not stop me or
my cronies, Driving an ice bound Lakeshore Drive with a just 21 drunken
maniac in a monkey s--- brown Torino shouting 'know your equipment" as we
took the curves way too fast and tight. But any hoo, The Siegel Schwall
Band was never just another bunch of white boys with the blues, no offense
to Rollo of course. They were always able to trancended all that, just as
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was able to do for the first couple of
albums. But I always carry a happy spot in my heart for Siegal Schwall.
This album "953 West" was always the perfect counterpoint to their first
album, The Siegel Schwall Band, where the first album relayed the feeling
of a live club gig of the Band, "953 West" really showcased their group
abilities as musician's. The band was like the 1970's, not to be
believed in the amount of bountiful music that sprang forth from its
pressure cooker womb. The Siegal Schwall Band's first two disc's are
as musically relevent today as they were then. My only beef is, where
is "Hush Hush" on the Siegal Schwall Band-"The Wooden Nickle Years"?
By  D. G. Luttrell.
**
Jim Schwall- (Vocals, Guitar);
Corky Siegel- (Vocals, Harmonica, Piano);
Rollow Radford- (Vocals, Bass);
Sheldon Ira Plotkin- (Drums, Percussion).
John Payne- (Saxophone)
**
01. I'd Like to Spend Some Time Alone With You Tonight My Friend  4.12
02. Traitor From Decatur  2.55
03. Good Woman  4.10
04. Just Another Song About the Country Sung By a City Boy  5.25
05. When I've Been Drinkin'  4.05
06. Old Time Shimmy  3.55
07. Off to Denver  3.12
08. I Think It Was The Wine  3.51
09. Reed Zone (Psychiatric Institution Blues)  5.59
10. Blow Out The Candle  2.26
**
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