Sky King - Secret Sauce (1975/2025) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

A great little funky rock group – one we only know from this mid 70s record – a sharp little set that should have gone on to be their big calling card over the years! The group sports some amazing guitar interplay – almost as bold as some of the bigger rock fusion efforts of the time, but more focused and tight overall – so that all the energy is tied to the grooves of the tracks, which are given some nice soulful elements throughout the set – including backup vocals from Joshie Armstead and Cissy Houston, whose sound nicely offsets the raspy lead of singer Christy Coan. There's a track with a nice sample groove in the intro called "Why Don't You Take Us", plus a lot of other nice groovers like "Hot Mustard", "Pedro", and "Don't Be Afraid Of What You Don't Understand".

"I don't really remember after all these years how I came to find this album but I'm glad I did. It was a big favorite back in the day and it still sounds great tonight. Dave Brubecks Son, Chris, is the leader of the band, but he's just one of a myriad of very talented musicians that grace these vinyl grooves. I defy you to still still in your chair for the duration of all 10 tracks. Take off your shoes and bop around to all the great funky Tower Of Power horns and soulful Madcat harp. Being a drummer and bassist of sorts, a rhythm section like this band posseses is a stone gas to listen to. To the best of my knowledge they only put out this one disc and then disappeared. If you love music that gives you happy feet then I'd be willing to bet you'll enjoy this one. I've included a cover pic. I hope you'll take the time to take a listen."

Sky King formed in Ann Arbor Michigan in about 1974 and were a bit late in the piece, the style being pretty much dead by the date of this their first and only album in 1975. Their nucleus ((Chris Brubeck, David Mason, Peter Ruth) had all played together in “New Heavenly Blue" who had released two albums, "Educated Homegrown” (1970) and “New Heavenly Blue” (1972).

TRACKLIST

1. Sky King - Secret Sauce
2. Sky King - People, People, People
3. Sky King - Looking Forward
4. Sky King - Makes Me Feel So Good
5. Sky King - Don't Be Afraid (Of What You Don't Understand)
6. Sky King - Hot Mustard
7. Sky King - Still In Love
8. Sky King - Why Don't You Take Us
9. Sky King - Pedro (Instrumental)
10. Sky King - Special Place



Thanks to the Original customer.