Nicholas George Gravenites (/ɡrævɪˈnaɪtɪs/; born October 2, 1938) is an American blues, rock and folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his work with Electric Flag (as their lead singer), Janis Joplin, Mike Bloomfield and several influential bands and individuals of the generation springing from the 1960s and 1970s.[1] He has sometimes performed under the stage names Nick "The Greek" Gravenites and Gravy.
Gravenites was born in Chicago, into a Greek-speaking family; his parents were from Palaiochori, Arcadia, in Greece. After his father died, he worked in the family candy store before he was enrolled at St. John's Northwestern Military Academy; he was expelled shortly before he was due to graduate. He then attended the University of Chicago, met Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield, became a fan of blues music, and learned guitar.[2]
He regularly patronised clubs where Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy and other leading blues musicians played. Gravenites spent time both in Chicago and San Francisco in the early 1960s. He wrote the song "Born in Chicago", which became the opening track on the Paul Butterfield Blues Band debut album, and, with guitarist Bloomfield, co-wrote the title track of their second album, East-West; the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.[3]
Gravenites played in clubs with Mike Bloomfield, Charlie Musselwhite and others, and settled in San Francisco in the mid 1960s.[4] In 1967 he formed the Electric Flag with Bloomfield.[5] Gravenites also wrote the score for the film The Trip and produced the music for the film Steelyard Blues. According to author and pop music critic Joel Selvin, Gravenites is "the original San Francisco connection for the Chicago crowd."
Gravenites is credited as a "musical handyman", helping such San Francisco bands as Quicksilver Messenger Service and Janis Joplin's first solo group, the Kozmic Blues Band.[5] He wrote several songs for Joplin, including "Work Me, Lord"[5] and the unfinished instrumental track "Buried Alive in the Blues". Gravenites was the lead singer in the re-formed Big Brother and the Holding Company (without Joplin) from 1969 to 1972.[5] He also worked extensively with John Cipollina after producing the first album by Quicksilver Messenger Service.[6] He and Cipollina formed the Nick Gravenites–John Cipollina Band, which toured throughout Europe.[5]
John Cipollina (August 24, 1943 – May 29, 1989) was a guitarist best known for his role as a founder and the lead guitarist of the prominent San Francisco rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service. After leaving Quicksilver he formed the band Copperhead, was a member of the San Francisco All Stars and later played with numerous other bands.
1. Walkin' Blues (Robert Johnson, Arranged by Nick Gravenites) 0:00 2. Funky News (Nick Gravenites) 6:49 3. Anna (Nick Gravenites) 11:11 4. Get Together (Chet Powers) 17:37 5. Born in Chicago (Nick Gravenites) 23:44 6. Small Walk-In Box (Nick Gravenites) 28:50 7. Four Floors or Forty (Nick Gravenites) 38:50 8. You Can't Hurt Me No More (Nick Gravenites) 44:18
John Cipollina / Guitars, Vocals Nick Gravenites / Guitars, Vocals Tony Johnson / Drums Doug Kilmer / Bass, Vocals
In 1967, Nick Gravenites influential group founded Electric Flag, which included as Bloomfield, organist Barry Goldberg, bassist Harvey Brooks and drummer Buddy Miles. The band debuted at the Monterey Pop Festival, her debut album A Long Time Comin 'was a success in the charts. As a music producer Gravenites recorded pop hit «One Toke Over the Line» for the duo Brewer & Shipley, and the album Right Place-Wrong Time Otis Rush, for which he was nominated for a Grammy. In 2003 he was introduced to the Blues Hall of Fame. Gravenites continues to give concerts - with a team of Chicago Blues Reunion, as well as the new composition of Electric Flag.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου