Aum – Bay Bridge Blues
Aum – Mississippi Mud
Aum – A Little Help From You
I picked this up over at Groove Merchant several years ago, and for some reason I’ve only now had the good sense to bring post this one here. Don’t know a whole lot about these boys, other than Aum were a San Francisco blues-rock trio led by a dude who calls himself “Wayne The Harp.” I know the band released a record called Resurrection on the Fillmore label, but I’m not sure which of these two records is their debut, since it appears both were released in 1969. I would guess this one was the second LP, only because it seems it’s only pressed on Sire / London records and that kind of deal would seem likely to occur after the postive vibes from the debut and their following at the Fillmore and other Bay Area haunts.
The group had a very solid sound, especially in Larry Martin’s drums, which are extra crispy on “Mississippi Mud” (a title, at least, that seems ultra-appropriate as Mississippi votes tomorrow in a particularly mud slinging presedential campaign). Most of the songs showcase Wayne The Harp, with his vocals and guitar work, though he also lays down some nice organ on “A Little Help From You” and does in fact play the harmonica on “Mud.” “Bay Bridge Blues” must have been a crowd favorite back in the day, especially with Martin’s drum work as the song progress. It’s the kind of song that I could totally see the band could jamming on all night long, “Dirty and Funky” seems an apt description of not only the woman he’s singing about, but also the sound of this group.
Cheers,
Michael