Soul Caravan - Live 1969
(Garden Of Delights) Catalog no: CD115


From Aural Innovations October 2009 update

Recorded in early 1969, just prior to when the band had changed their name to XHOL Caravan. I've heard there's one other earlier effort from this German krautrock / experimental band - 'Get In High' ( ' 67), not sure if it's been reissued on CD yet or not. What we get here is an 'incomplete' thirty-seven minute live performance that is so well edited, I honestly could not tell which songs might have had certain parts cut out. Either way, sound quality is great. Starting off with Roger / Hammerstein's all-out jazzy "My Favorite Things", it dawned on me that this CD import would likely be a bit different than the other XHOL titles I've heard. Next up is the thirteen-minute "All Green" with (sort of) a psychedelic vibe to it - although it's a bit more jazzy than I was maybe expecting as so was "Skipping" but I have to admit the drum solo was somewhat impressive. Last two songs are covers - their well played remake of Otis Redding's "(Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay" and their inspiring homage to James Brown with "Lick A Stick" - personally, I thought this tune was the best song on the entire CD. Personnel: Leon - vocals, Werner Funk - guitar, Klaus Briest - bass, Ocki Von Brevern (R. I. P.) - keyboards, Hansi Fischer - soprano sax, Tim Belbe (R. I. P.) - tenor sax and Skip Van Wyck - drums. Myself, I like some of the other discs by XHOL and their various / similar line-ups better - like 'Electrip', 'Motherf***kers Live' 2-CD or (also out on the Garden Of Delights label) 'Hau-Ruk'. CD comes with a 28-page booklet with a listing and an image of every GoD title put - releases numbers 1 through 117, so you can see what other label titles you don't have.

Check out the Garden of Delights web site at: http://diregarden.com

Reviewed by Mike Reed


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