Sweet Smoke – Sweet Smoke Live 1974 (USA, Psychedelic-Jazz Rock)

Sweet Smoke – Sweet Smoke Live 1974 (USA, Psychedelic-Jazz Rock)

The live album "Sweet Smoke Live," released in 1974, can be compared to the debut album in its improvisational spirit.I have the 2001 edition put out by EMI/ Electropola with the three bonus tracks from the same concert. This was recorded live in Berlin, Germany in 1973 at the College Of Music and the sound quality couldn't be better. SWEET SMOKE often get lumped into the Krautrock sub-genre because people think they are German, but these Americans moved from Brooklyn, New York in the Winter of 1969 to Germany supported by sculptor Waldemar Kuhn. The music is very jammy and they remind me somewhat of what AGITATION FREE might have sounded like if they had these long extended jams. I find the music very uplifting, filled with light and the lyrics are positive as well, kind of hippy-like. I really like the relaxed vocals as well. All six guys are credited with playing percussion during this concert.
"First Jam" opens with it sounding like they are warming up but they are grooving after 2 minutes. A calm before 5 minutes as they all but stop then they kick again. The instrumental work stops 7 minutes in as we get vocals for the first time. The music kicks back in and the vocals will come and go the rest of the way. It settles right down before 15 minutes as he starts to sing "The creator has a master plan, peace and happiness for every man" over and over. Trippy stuff. "Shadout mapes" is so uplifting with vocals and that gorgeous guitar, we get backing vocals too. It turns all-instrumental a minute in then it all stops 6 minutes in where it turns surprisingly experimental until it changes back 10 minutes in.

"Ocean Of Focus" has this trippy, melancholic sound as the vocals join in fairly quickly. It turns instrumental before 2 minutes to the end with the guitar and bass shining, such a pleasant sound. The final three tracks are the bonus songs. "People Are Hard" is a melancholic and beautiful piece of music. Love the vocals too. This becomes instrumental only with picked guitar, percussion, keys and bass as usual. 01. First Jam - 0:00

02. Shadout Maps - 19:18

03. Ocean Of Fears - 30:36

Bonuses:

04. People Are Hard (Previously Unreleased) – 37:19

05. Schyler's Song (Previously Unreleased) – 45:36

06. Final Jam (Previously Unreleased) - 54:40


Personnel:

Marvin Kaminowitz - lead guitar, vocals, percussion
Rick G. Rasa - rhythm guitar, sitar, percussion
Andrew Dershin - bass, percussion
Martin Rosenberg - tambura, percussion
John Classi – percussion, sound effects
Jay Dorfman - drums, percussion
+
John G. Moring – producer



⚠ If there are any copyright issues please contact me. I will remove the video.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use"