I have just got hold of a copy of "The Impact of Brass" album which as you know came out on the Rare Earth label. I was wondering if you could tell me anything about them as there is no information on the sleeve apart from producer and arranger credits.
Did any of the guys play on other Motown sessions Ralph?. I have to say I think its a great album.
Richard, Just now came across this thread. Sorry for the delay. From what I remember, Impact Of Brass was an acquisition. The group was not used for any horn sessions at Motown.
The Impact of Brass was a local, South Florida group. They performed at the Crossways Airport Inn Lounge in Miami as a home base and toured for about 8 years. The members were all University of Miami music students when they met and formed the group in 1968. My ex-husband was the percussionist and song arranger for the group. I'm happy to share information about the group with you. I was online looking for a copy of one of their albums because mine was lost in a move a few years ago.
Hi Nancy, Many thanks for taking the time to post the information. I am certain that a lot of Rare Earth label collectors will also find it of interest.
My name is Glenn and I live in Sweden. I bought the "Down at the brass works" LP at Ebay a couple of weeks ago. It rocks big time! Ok, maybe not the covers like "Reach out I'll be there", but the other songs like "Put your hand in the hand", "Second street exit", "So far, so good" only to mention a few, are just awsome...
Have these guys made any more albums?
Could anyone tell me what kind of genre this is? Is it jazz, funk or perhaps soul? I'm trying to find more unknown 70's musik like this, but it's pretty hard when you don't know what to look for. I was born 1974 and have no experiance of this kind of music
My name is Rich and I went to the University of Miami with these guys. I played trumpet with several of them in the University of Miami Band of the Hour. In addition to their Album "Down At The Brass Works, they made one other album to my knowledge. The other Album was made under contract with guitarist, Al Caiola and was titled, "Al Caiola The Power of Brass" on the United Artists Records label in 1968. An interesting side note is that I currently play drums in a Classic Rock-n-Roll band known as The Bandits (www.the-bandits.net). The drum set I have used for many years was purchased from Richard Docen, the drummer for the Impact of Brass. It is mid-sixties vintage Slingerland blue sparkle set.
Used to see these guys at the Airport Inn in Miami. One of their signature closers was a great arrangement of MacArtuur Park - any recordings of this out there?
hello everyone I know that this response is a couple years later, I just came across. Anyways like it was said before The Impact of Brass joined togather in 1968, my dad (Wally McMurray) was the main trumpet player and was in the band for the longest. He pretty much put the band togather. I know for a fact that they put out atleese 3 albums, although im not sure the exact names of them, seeing that my dad has them in fort. Lauderdale and im in Jacksonville, but I will find out from him and let you know. Its good to hear that people are still listening to their music, I know that my dad has been a huge influence musically in my life
Its always good to hear things about other artists who appeared on the Rare Earth label even if they weren't directly associated with the band. I hope a few other ex RE artists or their relatives try posting something here. How about R. Dean Taylor telling us what he's up to these days. What about Dan the Banjo Man and even XIT. Also, I was just looking at some RE label stuff on ebay and I never realised that the artist Keef James is apparently Keef Hartley. I wonder if this is true or just a mistake by the ebay seller?
According to The Brothers Terrana (That's Russ & Ralph, y'know..), Keef James is, in fact, Kenny James's (nee' Folcik) brother. Ken, as you know, was the original keyboardist in Rare Earth.
I agree Ralph. No way is it Kenny James. Let's face it, if Kenny had wanted to go solo after leaving Rare Earth he'd have gone out as Kenny James and ridden on the back of the fact that he'd been involved with the first two highly successful Rare Earth albums.
we all know that in actual fact Kenny teamed up with John Persh for the shortlived Pywackett project on Bell Records.
I read recently that Keef James was actually the British artist Keef Hartley. I've no idea if this is true. However, if you know nothing about this artist then the chances are he was English and was one of the artists licenced to Rare Earth along with the likes of Pretty Things and Toe Fat
Keef James (aka Keith Felstead) was a hugely talented musician from Kent, UK. He sadly lost his fight with cancer in December, 2005 and this myspace has been set up to share the brilliance of his music with the world! Keith was born in December, 1946 in Kent and by the age of 12 was thoroughly passionate about music and began playing guitar in bands with his school mates. When he left school, despite training as an accountant, Keith continued his musical activities and also began playing and recording his own compositions. It was his own work that would eventually lead to great success for Keith as in 1972, after a live audition with Adrian Miller, he was picked up by Rare Earth records and began work on his debut album. After several line-up changes during the recording process, the album "One Tree Or Another" was finished with help along the way from producer - Andrew Oldham (Rolling Stone manager of the time and mastermind behind "Satisfaction"), Rick Wakeman on keys, Sue and Sonny singing backing vocals and a full orchestra! The album went on to enjoy great success in the USA and as the label is now defunct, the vinyl is now a collectors' piece which can be found on American Ebay! During his life, Keith became a hugely talented musician with ability in guitar, bass, vocals, piano and basic drumming. His last venture was on the British country music scene in 4 piece band - Tequila Nights. This band toured the country for nearly 5 years and the rhythm section was a special feature of the band as it contained Keith on bass and his son, Paul, on drums! Thankyou for taking the time to read this profile and please feel free to leave a comment about Keith's music.
In November 1974, the UKmusicmagazine, NME, reported that Hartley, who had been largely inactive since his band broke up in early 1972, had formed a new outfit called Dog Soldier.[1] They recorded one album, the eponymously entitled Dog Soldier in 1975.
In 2007, Hartley released a ghost written autobiography, Halfbreed (A Rock and Roll Journey That Happened Against All The Odds).[2] Hartley writes about his life growing up in Preston, and his career as a drummer and bandleader, including the Keef Hartley Band's appearance at Woodstock in 1969.
-- Edited by admin on Saturday 19th of September 2009 04:28:59 AM
I used to go to the Crossways in Miami and watch your dad play. As a matter of fact your grandfather was my music teacher in the 7th and 8th grade at West Miami Jr. High.
I also participated in the West Miami junior high band with Mr. McMurray as the instructor. My father loved the Impact of Brass and would bring the whole family to the Crossways Airport Inn. MacArthur Park was their closer!
I first came to South Florida via NJ in '71 and being a trumpet player met a bunch of other musicians and worked with South Florida guys and still do since I moved here in '87. I am looking at the jacket to the LP and I know I must know at least a few of those guys but with all the hair and stuff not to mention a lot of years it's tough. nI do know that is Mark Hurwitz on the sax however and I recently saw him. Is that Tom Lytle's Brass repair shop where the shot was taken?
One of my fondest memories is of a date with a wonderful girl out at Crossways with the incredible power of "Maria" blasting off hte back wall of the room. They were so great.
Just found this thread and wat a trip down memory lane. Iloved the IOB and used to go to the Crossroads all the time. I don't remember names but the vocalist and trombone player stick in my mind. How can I get recordings?. Amazon? Any live stuff?
Just found this thread and wat a trip down memory lane. Iloved the IOB and used to go to the Crossroads all the time. I don't remember names but the vocalist and trombone player stick in my mind. How can I get recordings?. Amazon? Any live stuff?
Mark M wrote: In '67 and 68 the IOB was strictly instrumentalists. They were the best Miami attraction well worth the $5.00 cover and two drink minimum. They made me jump and jive!
Sly Fox wrote:
Just found this thread and wat a trip down memory lane. Iloved the IOB and used to go to the Crossroads all the time. I don't remember names but the vocalist and trombone player stick in my mind. How can I get recordings?. Amazon? Any live stuff?
I am the sister of the guitarist, Bill Dunham, that played with IOB at the Crossways, and is also on the album. Bob Evans, from Little Rock, was the vocalist, and Steve Sherard and Reggie Gobel are two trombone players from Houston that played with the group at different times. They also did a tour with Michele LeGrand in Japan. Great band and a great time for live entertainment.
Sweet. Any familiarity with the group "Pearls Before Swine"? They were originally from Florida as well, and used many classical elements in their music.
The Impact of Brass group that I used to see was in Reno, Nv. They played the lounge at Harrahs Club. They were "Big Band Sound" with contemporary music. I loved 'em! We would go see them everytime they were in town. Then one day, poof!! They disapeared. I'm glad to hear that their album is available.
IOB was incredible to listen to and so fun to watch. A great bunch of guys! I dated sax player, Eric Traub for a short while in '76 or '77. An old friend recently asked me if I knew his whereabouts so 'Google' to the rescue! He's done well for himself. No one who's ever heard him play would be surprised. Played with Mayard Ferguson and other greats. He's up in Louisiana now and still playing. This blog sure brought back lots of great memories! MacArthur's Park is still one of my very favorite songs thanks to IOB!
Hi Im a swede whos bought the record for just som hours ago for about 5 us dollars ca 35 swedish kr , just awesome good funky soul brass music, im looking for more of this music, got a big collection at home
I'm finding this thread really interesting. IOB certainly created a big impression.
I'd love to read similar first hand accounts of other RE label artists such as Wolfe, XIT, Sunday Funnies, Dan the Banjo Man etc etc not to mention old hand R Dean Taylor. Ralph is surely the man to contribute. I keep hearing Toploader's UK hit version of the old King Harvest song "Dancing In The Moonlight" and I think back to when I bought Wolfe's version back in the early 70s on the RE label.
Other than Dean Taylor, Sunday Funnies and Xit, which I produced, much of the Rare Earth lable content in the early days were acuisitions and I had no real contact with those particular artists.
Ralph, correct me if i'm wrong, but I spoke to Gil some years ago and he told me a lot of the RE Label albums were imports of albums from overseas, mainly Great Britain, that just got put in the RE label, so I can see why you would have had not contact with the majority of the artists.
I was married to Wally McMurray and never heard of the musicians you mentioned except for Bob Evans the vocalist who came later. I was originally a waitress at the Crossroads in their beginning before they started touring and before I married Wally.
Hi Nancy. After reading an article in our local Las Vegas newspaper about a singer named Teena Marie who they said was the first white recording artist for Motown I had to write an opinion about the "Impact" recording on the "white" label Rare Earth. And somehow I found this website when I search for the "Impact" and was so surprised there were so many people writing about them. I'm hoping you are Nancy Docen and would love to hear from you if you can forgive my past ignorance the last time we were in contact in the Mid-80's. I apologize sincerely. Please accept my apologize and I'd love to reconnect with you my email is van_lasvegas@yahoo.com. Hope all is well with you and that you get this message.
Hi Bob!! I just found this web today. I'm Elaine McMurray now Van Nostran. Remember me?? I was Wally's wife and the BIGGEST fan. Would love to hear from you if you are so inclined. I live in Las Vegas now. Would love to catch up with you!!!
Hi Bob Y. My mom is Elaine and was married to Mac back in the 70's. I am her daughter. I used to love you guys and you were kind enough to buy me a Little Women book that I still have to this day! It is very special to me.
What a trip down memory lane. I attended UM music school and played with every member of IOB back then. I even attended their amazing "NY party" when they played at Radio City. George Doukas and I still keep in contact. They were all great friends and I could not have gotten through college without them. I was friends with Ina, Karen and MaryAnn, even attended Mac's wedding. Amazing we are still alive to remember the days. If any of them see this connect with me on FB under Andy Perdue. Peace, love & music.........."Andy"
Impact of Brass fans, you can now check out their new Face Book page. Just type in Impact of Brass and you'll find it. There is a great info page to give you more information about who was in the group and a Biography giving more information about their work. Also, there are some great pictures posted. Enjoy!
Hi, I have a bit of info. to pass on to anyone interested from one of the original musicians in the Impact of Brass, Ed Bevil.
"Power of Brass" - was 1st Album recorded with United Artist & included:
Ed Bevil played Trombone
Val Houston - Trombone
Mark Hurwitz - Woodwins
Wally Macmurray - Trumpet
Doug Smith - Trumpet
George Dukas - Trumpet
Tony Vino - Guitar
Ken Conklin - Bass
Steve Wittmack - Keyboards
Rick Docen - Drums
"Down at the Brass Works" was the 2nd Album recorded with Rare Earth. I was told that the only change to the band for the 2nd recording was John Clausi replacing Tony Vino. Both excellent musicians.
I used to be a big fan of their live performances at the Crossways in Miami. They had a big sound and the musicians were true showmen, which is a rare thing to find in present day performers. It was A music presentation like you would expect to see in a big Vegas or New York Broadway Show. I remember meeting many big stars and their agents who would drop in the club on a regular basis to catch the bands performances. That says alot when other performers become regular fans. It was a special time in music history which I am afraid may never return.
A well known music agent once told me that there are alot of really great musicians in the world, but very few who have the professionalism, wisdom and magic, to climb the ladder of success. In my business I find this to be completely true. The Impact of Brass was a great example of exceptional tallent mixed with the highest level of professionalism. They had the normal stresses and trials any group of musicians will experience, but they were top caliber professionals who understood how to create an entertaining show filled with that undefinable magic that mesmerizes audiences . Hang on to those vintage LP's and appreciate a by-gone treasure in music history.
i was one of the original members of the impact of brass and was with the group for 9 years. the only album we did ror Mo Town was "Down at the Brass Works," however we did record as studio musicians on Mo Town's album "Keys to the Kingdom." I played a trombone solo on that album on the song "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."
I look forward to the LP jacket, I know I need to know at least a few things with all the hair and not to mention many years, it's tough, but those guys. NI know, SAX Mark Hurwitz, however, recently, LED Flashlights I saw him.
James I knew your dad (Mackie) when he first started the band. My Aunt lived next door to your grandparents in S. Miami....I lost touch with your dad and the band. I would love to know where I can purchase all the CD's they have. I no longer live in Florida, but miss the bands music..
I'm guessing your Ed Bevil. I was an air traffic controller at Miami airport from 1973-77. A lot of controllers would take leave on friday night after the the departure rush at 9 and head for the Crossway Inn- me among them. I saw a lot of great performances by the band- they did a great medley from West Side Story.
A guy named Billy Marcus- very heavy set- played in a piano bar across the street from the Crossway. He was phenominal!
If you are Ed we met on the track at the University of South Florida campus. I was running mile intervals; my girlfriend was waiting on the infield where you were working out. I recognized you and struck-up a conversation. If I remember correctly you mentioned you were a black belt.
It was a great time to be in Miami. Thanks for some great music.
My husband and I were fans and had a cono at Castle Condo on Kendall where Ed Bevil also lived. those were great times with him doing karate on the putting green.
I remember totally going with my parents to the Crossways when they played there. I was very young. I dont remember which member of the group was, but he got married at my parents home in Coral Gables, FL.
They also played at my parents anniversary party in Coral Gables in about 1967 and also played at our annual Christmas party in the 1970's in which my mother Lila sang that evening. I would love to find who it was that got married at our home as I have such fond memories !!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish I could remember who was who but I can surely remember they were the nicest men I have ever met and played the absolute awesome music that I will never forget.
Ed Bevil goes by the name of Tex Weir these days, and lives in Reno, Nevada. He plays the guitar and sings cowboy music. You can find him on Facebook if you search for Tex Weir.
How and who do I contact to acquire some of the arrangements of the Impact of Brass? Saw them many times in Miami and have a group of very talented young students who have ranges that match the T-bone and trumpets.