Hasting's Street Opera
Slippery When Wet
Unknown until now US private pressing from 1969. Underground, psychedelic, electric jazz-rock with mellow folk-rock moves and homemade atmosphere. Mostly instrumental with some cut-up vocal sounds and effects. A mix of self-penned songs and amazing cover versions of classics like 'Summertime', 'Scarborough Fair' or 'A Taste Of Honey' turned into hip, extended jams not so far away from the sound of the pioneering psychedelic ballroom bands from San Francisco. Electric and acoustic guitars, bass, drums, flute... Recommended if you like similar private psych-jazz obscurities like Elysian Spring. Hasting's Street Opera was formed in Montclair, New Jersey by a group of young friends (Harry Wellott, Gordon Carlisle, Don Hathaway and Chris Nelson) influenced by blues, rock, jazz and the eclectic sounds: Blues Project, Butterfield Blues Band, Miles Davis, Pharaoh Sanders and Jethro Tull to name a few.