Mother Earth - Living With The Animals (1968 us, enormous blues rock with folk and jazz touches, original vinyl edition)

Though Mother Earth is often remembered as a vehicle for Tracy Nelson, Living With the Animals is a true group effort, combining memorable vocal performances with tight R'n'B-derived playing with excellent guitar work from Michael Bloomfield. Side one is a showcase for Nelson's blues belting and piano, particularly on "Down So Low" and "Mother Earth." Not to be overlooked is the blues shuffle "I Did My Part" and R.P. St. John's sardonic "Living With the Animals" and "Marvel Set," which features him on lead vocals. 

Side two offers some stellar moments here as well, including "Cry On" and "Goodnight Nelda Grebe," with fine horn section work and excellent Nelson vocals. Written and fronted by St. John, "The Kingdom of Heaven Is Within You" is a brilliant closer; it's nocturnal, moody, and spacy and showcases beautiful muted trumpets and reeds with a gorgeous flute solo by Link Davis Jr. 

by J.P. Ollio and Thom Jurek

Tracks
1. Marvel Group (Saint John) - 3:17
2. Mother Earth (Memphis Slim) - 6:16
3. I Did My Part (Neville) - 2:51
4. Living With The Animals (Saint John) - 4:57
5. Down So Low (Nelson) - 3:51
6. Cry On (Toussaint) - 4:36
7. It Won't Be Long (McFarland) - 3:39
8. My Love Will Never Die (Dixon) - 4:59
9. Goodnight Nelba Grebe, The Telephone Company Has Cut Us Off  (Caldwell, Nelson) - 2:42
10.The Kingdom of Heaven (Is Within You) (Saint John) - 5:05

Musicians
*Tracy Nelson - Vocals, Piano, Keyboards
*Martin Fierro - Vocals, Flute, Saxophone, Altohorn, Tenorhorn, Synthesizer
*Powell St.John - Vocals, Harmonica
*Bob Salisbury - Vocals, Saxophone, Baritone Horn
*Losella Funque,Sylvia Caldwell,Shalimar Samuelson,Bob Arthur - Vocals
*Michael Bloomfield,  John Andrews, Makal Blumfeld - Guitar
*Spencer Perskin - Violin
*Ron Taormina - Saxophone, Baritonehorn
*Frank Morin - Saxophone, Tenorhorn
*George Rains - Saxophone, Drums
*Link Davis - Saxophone
*Luis Gasca - Trumpet
*Link Davis Jr. - Altohorn
*Mark Naftalin - Piano, Organ, Keyboards
*Danny Goldberg, Barry Goldberg - Organ
*Jose Rodriguez, Jose Emilio Rodriqueziii - Drums
*Earthettes - Background Vocals

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