| Marty Balin |  |  |  |
| Written by Joe Viglione |
| Monday, 04 May 2009 15:20 |
| Marty Balin singing "Atlanta Lady" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzHFAN41zYA&feature=related
Few touring artists in 2009 have the hit catalog of Marty Balin, and the voice to deliver those cherished melodies in a satisfying and familiar way. "Miracles" is a timeless classic that lesser musicians could have made an entire career of, but a Balin concert goes beyond the majesty of that Top 3 record from September of 1975, Marty being a master showman aware that a nugget like Otis Redding's "Dock Of The Bay" and other R & B and pop classics provide an audience with more than they expect. His endearing and identifiable voice caressing song after memorable song makes a Marty Balin concert appearance something new, different and exciting for concert goers who appreciate the work of a rock legend. "With Your Love", "Count On Me", "Runaway", "St. Charles", "Caroline" along with the two Top 30 hits from his Balin album in 1981, "Hearts" and "Atlanta Lady (Something About Your Love)" are only part of the equation to help Marty deliver a top notch performance that is distinctly different from his work with the recent Jefferson Starship. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and founding member of the Jefferson Airplane Marty Balin's storied career goes back to the days of his folk band, The Town Criers. From that 1963/1964 ensemble to the stages of the Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock and Altamont, Balin and The Jefferson Airplane performed at the three major rock festivals that occurred between 1967 and 1969. When Marty talks to his audience he draws from those historic experiences, able to reach into his songbook to pull out additional gems like "Today" from the Monterey Pop film, "Plastic Fantastic Lover", "It's No Secret" and the Woodstock classic "Volunteers", now a theme song on the radio in Boston for the soccer team The New England Revolution. "Summer of Love" from the 1989 Jefferson Airplane reunion album got substantial airplay and though Paul Kantner's "Planes" got videoplay as well as radio, "Summer Of Love" endures on satellite radio and soft rock radio, keeping contemporary fans aware of a special treat Marty likes to perform at shows. Adding to the intrigue are guest appearances from notable female vocalists to sing on "White Rabbit" and "Somebody To Love", though Marty has taken the microphone for "Somebody To Love" on occasion, which gets a phenomenal response. Wikipedia notes that: "Jean-Luc Godard, the French New Wave director, was so taken by Jefferson Airplane's performance in Monterey Pop that later in 1968 he set out to make a never-finished film called One A.M. (for "One American Movie") in collaboration with Pennebaker and Leacock. Godard shot a sequence of the Airplane, (included on the 2004 "Fly Jefferson Airplane" DVD) , playing at high noon on a business day on the roof of a New York hotel across the street from the Leacock-Pennebaker offices, with the tower of Rockefeller Center in the background. Attracted by the extremely high volume of the music, the police arrived and put an end to the shooting. This incident inspired other bands, notably the Beatles in their Let It Be film, to mount their own rooftop performances." Marty Balin is an original from the era of Mick & Keith, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and John & Paul. A pioneering rock & roller with a new album for 2009 and a new DVD recorded live in 2008 in front of tens of thousands of fans in Boston. In 2009 we will have some merchandising surprises including the Better Generation CD from 1992, T shirts, collectibles, and quite possibly copies of Craig Fenton's "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and Jeff Tamarkin's "Got A Revolution" along with other Balin catalog product. No need to start the revolution, thanks to Marty it's ongoing.
Rock Journalist Joe Viglione |
| Last Updated on Sunday, 06 September 2009 18:45 |
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