This blog post will attempt to discuss some of the other musicians that may not be as well-known to Beatles fans as the standard group of session musicians that were often used by John, George, and Ringo on their solo recordings such as Nicky Hopkins, Klaus Voormann, Alan White that also appeared on John Lennon’s Imagine LP.
Many of the additional musicians that are the subject of this post and the post that will follow were members of other prominent bands when they were asked to play on John’s LP. This post deals with three vinyl LPs that I have recently acquired for my collection that have something to do with individuals that participated in or contributed to the Imagine sessions.
As many members of this blog are aware I also collect the signatures and recordings of other musicians that had some type of association with the Beatles or solo Beatles story. This post will deal with the following individuals, keyboard player and composer John Tout, songwriter & guitar player Ted Turner and composer, arranger, John Barham, who plays several instruments but is primarily known as a musical conductor and arranger.
John Tout-from the band Renaissance played on the Imagine LP
In my search of the signatures of many of the backing musicians on the John Lennon Imagine LP, I recently acquired a signed Renaissance Novella album which had one of those signatures of the late John Tout who passed away in 2015.
Tout was also a member of the group Rupert’s People that featured guitarist Rod Lynton, and drummer Steve Brendell who also played on the Imagine LP.
The following information is from Wikipedia:
From the Renaissance album entitled Novella–this track features the keyboard playing of John Tout and Tout co-wrote the song The Sisters with Dunford and Thatcher and the orchestral arrangements on the LP were by none other than Richard Hewson who orchestrated the strings on the Beatles Long and Winding Road on the Let It Be album and after Paul McCartney cooled down later, he asked Richard Hewson to score his Thrillington album!
Background information about Renaissance:
Renaissance (band) – Wikipedia
Background information about one of the LPs being showcased on this post:
Novella (album) – Wikipedia
Biographical information about Tout:
John Tout – Wikipedia
Tout played piano on two tracks (“Crippled Inside” and “How Do You Sleep?”) of John Lennon’s album Imagine, but he is incorrectly credited as playing acoustic guitar.
Renaissance Keyboardist John Tout Dies
One of Renaissance’s better-known titles in their recording output:
Northern Lights
Personnel on the Renaissance Novella LP
Novella Personnel (From Discogs)
Renaissance-Novella credits from Discogs:
Annie Haslam – lead and backing vocals
Michael Dunford – acoustic guitars, backing vocals
John Tout – piano, analogue synthesizers, Hohner D6 clavinet
Jon Camp – bass, acoustic guitars, co-lead vocals on “The Captive Heart”, backing vocals, Moog bass pedals, cello on “The Sisters”
Terence Sullivan – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Additional musicians
Richard Hewson – orchestral arrangements & conductor
uncredited – saxophone solo on “Touching Once”
Production
Dick Plant – engineer, co-producer [uncredited]
Barry Kidd – assistant engineer
Track listing
Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
- “Can You Hear Me?[a]” Jon Camp, Michael Dunford, Betty Thatcher 13:39
- “The Sisters” Dunford, Thatcher, John Tout 7:14
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
- “Midas Man” Dunford, Thatcher 5:45
- “The Captive Heart” Camp, Dunford 4:12
- “Touching Once (Is So Hard to Keep)” Camp, Dunford 9:25
Wishbone Ash – Wikipedia
The signed Novella LP:
My signed copy of the Novella LP:
The back cover of the LP:
From Wishbone Ash, guitarist Ted Turner:
A UK VINYL LP SLEEVE OF THE ALBUM ‘ARGUS’ HAND SIGNED BY THE 91-94 ASH LINE-UP OF ANDY POWELL, ANDY PYLE, TED TURNER, RAY WESTON
You can also notice that John Tout from Renaissance also appears on the Wishbone Ash LP on organ one track- Throw Down The Sword!
Wishbone Ash – Throw Down The Sword
Ted Turner (guitarist) – Wikipedia
Prior to Wishbone Ash, Turner played with the Birmingham band, King Biscuit.[2] In 1969, he auditioned to join Colosseum but didn’t make the cut.
Turner joined Wishbone Ash in 1969 after answering an advertisement in an issue of Melody Maker magazine published by Martin Turner. He and Andy Powell became known for their twin lead guitar playing. Extensive touring followed, whilst also recording the albums Wishbone Ash, Pilgrimage, and Argus. He left the band after their fourth album, Wishbone Four, in 1974.
In 1971, Turner was invited to play on John Lennon’s Imagine, on “Crippled Inside” and “How Do You Sleep”, playing acoustic guitar on both tracks. Other sessions included artists Cilla Black, George Harrison and Al Stewart.
Wishbone Ash – The King Will Come (Live With Ted Turner 1988)
The signed Wishbone Ash LP features the signature of Ted Turner:
Information about the tracks on the Argus LP are from the Discogs website: Discogs – Music Database and Marketplace
A1 Time Was
A2 Sometime World
A3 Blowin’ Free
B1 The King Will Come
B2 Leaf And Stream
B3 Warrior
B4 Throw Down The Sword
Copyright © – MCA Records International
Licensed From – MCA Records, Inc.
Published By – Miles Music (2)
Published By – Miles (4)
Published By – Feldman Music
Lacquer Cut At – Decca Studios
Pressed By – Decca Record Co. Ltd., Pressing Plant, UK.
Manufactured By – The Decca Record Company Limited
Printed By – Robert Stace
Made By – Robert Stace
Bass Guitar – Martin Turner (2)
Composed By – Wishbone Ash
Design [Cover Design] – Hipgnosis (2)
Drums, Percussion – Steve Upton
Engineer – Martin Birch
Lacquer Cut By – L (16)
Lead Guitar – Andy Powell (tracks: A1 to A3, B2 to B4), Ted Turner (tracks: A2 to B1, B3)
Lyrics By – Martin Turner (2) (tracks: A1 to B1, B3, B4.), Steve Upton (tracks: B2), Ted Turner (tracks: A1)
Organ – John Tout (tracks: B4)
Photography By [Inside Photos] – Barry Wentzell*
Producer [Produced By] – Derek Lawrence
Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Lead Guitar [Harmony Lead Guitar] – Andy, Ted
Slide Guitar – Ted Turner (tracks: A3)
Vocals – Andy* (tracks: A2, A3, B1, B3, B4), Mart* (tracks: A1 to B4), Ted* (tracks: A1, A3)
Written-By – Powell, M. Turner, Upton, T. Turner
Original UK release in matt gatefold cover, on blue/black Hexagon labels.
Poly-lined [blue-stereo-box] standard company inner sleeve with record handling instructions, ‘Made In England R.S.’ [Robert Stace], ‘British patent No. 800513 Foreign patents pending’ and ‘U.K. Patents Applications No. 43212/68’.
First catalogue number on cover and labels, 2nd (Decca international cat.#) inside gatefold, 3rd (Decca international cat.#) on labels.
JOHN BARHAM-PROFILE
John Barham remains as one of the more difficult autographs for my collection to obtain. I have looked all over for something signed by him and my searches have been futile. Let me know if any of you can help with this search! Thank you
Saw this John Barham profile on the record collecting service called DISCOGS
Profile:
“English classical pianist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator, best known for his orchestration of George Harrison albums such as “All Things Must Pass” (1970) and for his association with Indian sitar maestro Ravi Shankar. Born in the 1940s in London, England, UK.
He trained at the Royal Academy of Music. Most often in the role of orchestral or choral arranger, Barham also contributed to albums such as “Let It Be”, “Imagine”, and “Footprint” in the early 1970s. His projects as a music producer during the same period included three albums by progressive rock band Quintessence (3), and he has worked on film or TV soundtracks for directors Otto Preminger, Alejandro Jodorowsky and Jonathan Miller (2). Other artists with whom Barham has worked include Elton John, André Previn, Phil Spector, Roger Daltrey, Yoko Ono and Jackie Lomax. He taught at the Trinity College Of Music, London.”
This is one of the LPs I recently acquired that are the focus of this post. It was released a couple of years after Imagine and All Things Must Pass with an emphasis on mixing eastern and Western styles. John Barham was a big devotee of the music of India, and he plays keyboard on this LP which feature liner notes by both George Harrison and Ravi Shankar!
The back cover which feature liner notes by John Barham and Ravi Shankar:
The inner sleeve features biographical info on Asish Khan and John Barham:
TRACKLIST
A1 Jugalbandi
Piano – John Barham
Sarod – Aashish Khan
Tabla – Zakir*
A2 Piano Solos
Piano – John Barham
B1 Ragmala (Garland Of Ragas)
Cello – Charles Tunnell
Santoor – Pranesh Khan
Tambora – Steven Odar
Viola – Brian Clarke (3)
Violin – Brian Goulton, Wilf Gibson
B2 Mishra Japtal
Manufactured By – WEA Records Pty. Limited
Distributed By – WEA Records Pty. Limited
Published By – Acuff-Rose
Lacquer Cut At – ARC, Artarmon – MX171273
Lacquer Cut At – ARC, Artarmon – MX171274
Pressed By – ARC, Artarmon
Published By – Acuff-Rose
Aashish Khan I John Barham I Zakir Hussain – Jugalbandi
Jon Barham’s connection with “the rare Apple LP “El Topo”-when you type El Topo in your search field, this description comes up:
The “El Topo” soundtrack by Alejandro Jodorowsky was released on Apple Records in 1971. The soundtrack features a unique blend of styles, including Tibetan Buddhist thighbone trumpets, chamber orchestra pieces, and avant-garde elements, reflecting Jodorowsky’s eclectic musical vision. The album is known for its spiritual and artistic goals, showcasing a wide range of musical genres and compositions. You can listen to the soundtrack on platforms like Apple Music“:”
Jon Barham’s connection with “the rare Apple LP “El Topo”-when you type El Topo in your search field, this description comes up:
John Barham’s involvement with the El Topo soundtrack: This information is from ABKCO Music & Records, Inc.
“John Barham’s involvement with the El Topo soundtrack is significant as he was the conductor who brought the film’s unique musical style to life. His collaboration with Jodorowsky’s El Topo is a testament to Barham’s versatility as a musician and his ability to adapt to the demands of a film’s soundtrack. The soundtrack’s blend of rock ‘n’ roll, Eastern philosophy, and Judeo-Christian symbolism is a hallmark of Barham’s work, which has left a lasting impact on the indie cinema scene and the film industry as a whole.
ABKCO Music & Records, Inc.“
The El Topo Apple LP:
Q&A with Alejandro Jodorowsky, “El Topo”
You will also note the involvement of other Lennon associated individuals who have spent much time recording with John Lennon, engineer Roy Cicala and Double Fantasy producer, Jack Douglas!
John Barham played harmonium on Jealous Sky on this legendary LP and he also played Vibraphone on How!
Track credits of the Imagine LP which list John Tout, Ted Turner, John Barham and Steve Brendell among the many other backing players on the disk:
Jealous Guy
Bass – Klaus Voormann
Drums – Jim Keltner
Guitar, Whistling – John Lennon
Harmonium – John Barham
Vibraphone [Good Vibes] – Alan White
How?
Bass – Klaus Voormann
Drums – Alan White
Piano – John Lennon, Nicky Hopkins
Vibraphone [Vibes] – John Barham
John Barham did the orchestral arrangements on All Things Must Pass:
The orchestral arrangements on All Things Must Pass were by John Barham.
Other Beatles-related recordings from John Barham:
Text from Wikipedia: John Barham – Wikipedia
“Barham also worked on Harrison’s projects with acts signed to the Beatles’ Apple record label.[34] Among these releases was Is This What You Want? (1969) by Jackie Lomax,[35] That’s the Way God Planned It (1969) by Billy Preston,[36] and Radha Krishna Temple (London)’s 1970 hit single “Govinda”.[37] The latter was a musical adaptation of a sacred Hindu poem from the Satya Yuga.[38] Through his connection with Harrison, Barham also played harpsichord on Yoko Ono’s “Who Has Seen the Wind?”,[39] released in February 1970 as the B-side to John Lennon’s Spector-produced single “Instant Karma!”[40]
Following the success of All Things Must Pass, Barham contributed to Ronnie Spector’s “Try Some, Buy Some” single,[41] Lennon’s song “Jealous Guy” (from Imagine) and Gary Wright’s album Footprint, all recorded in 1971.[42] He has said of working with Wright and Harrison that “there was a strong [musical] rapport among the three of us” and describes Wright’s song “Love to Survive” as “one of the most emotionally powerful love songs that I have ever worked on”.[43] In his book Phil Spector: Out of His Head, music journalist Richard Williams writes of Barham’s orchestration on “Try Some, Buy Some”: “[The strings and mandolins] sweep and soar in great blocks of sound, pirouetting around each other like a corps de ballet in slow motion. The closing portions of the orchestral arrangement are breathtaking, displaying a geometrical logic which makes use of suspended rhythms drawn out to screaming point.”[44]
Production for Quintessence and Jugalbandi album
Barham became involved in music production in the late 1960s, working with Quintessence.[34][45] The latter were a Notting Hill-based progressive rock band who, like Harrison,[46] incorporated a Hindu-aligned spiritual message in their music.[47] Barham produced and provided arrangements on the band’s first three albums – In Blissful Company, Quintessence and Dive Deep – all released on Island Records between 1969 and 1971.[48] Reviewing Quintessence (1970) in Melody Maker, Richard Williams described Barham’s production as “quite superb”.[49] In a 2014 feature article on Quintessence, for Record Collector, Colin Harper praised Barham’s contributions to the band’s work, labelling him “their very own George Martin … honing their onstage magic into sublime studio sculptures”.[48] Following singer Shiva Shankar Jones’s departure from Quintessence,[47] Barham produced his new band’s eponymous album, Kala (1972).[34]
In 1973, Barham and Indian sarod player Aashish Khan released an album on Elektra Records, titled Jugalbandi[34][50] – the word commonly used for duets in Hindustani classical music.[51][52] Produced by Barham, with tabla accompaniment from Zakir Hussain,[34] the album featured a piece called “Piano Solos”,[50] on which he combined the ragas Nat Bhairav, Brindavani Tilang, Marwa and Mishra-Kalavati.[53] Asked in a 2009 online interview about the long-unavailable Jugalbandi, Barham said: “I haven’t composed any more music like that, although I still do compose regularly, but in a more Western style.”[45]
With the prominent assistance of both the Wikipedia and Discogs websites, I hope you have enjoyed this discussion of some of the other musicians and musical arrangers that have contributed so richly to the wonderful legacy of the Beatles and the solo Beatles! I love learning about the other players in the Beatles story especially in the post-breakup time frame and I hope you do as well!
Thank you for sharing your time with us!
Be healthy and be happy!
Buzz
