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Two 1960s Rock Bands that Kicked Brass
Their horn sections blew everybody away in 1967
Popular music in 1967 may well be remembered for psychedelic rock and the continued domination of The Beatles and other British bands. But that was also the year that two brassy rock bands premiered a sound that seamlessly paired the best of rock with elements of jazz.
Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago exploded onto the scene in 1967, kicking brass into high gear. While most of their original members may have come and gone, both bands survived the Sixties and continue to tour in one form or another almost sixty years later.
The early years
Blood, Sweat & Tears, formed in New York City in 1967, started out with just four members: Bobby Colomby (drums), Jim Fielder (bass), Steve Katz (guitar, vocals) and Al Kooper (keyboards, vocals). They quickly decided to differentiate their sound, first adding Fred Lipsius on alto sax and then horn players Randy Brecker, Dick Halligan and Jerry Weiss.
The band signed with Columbia and in February 1968, Blood, Sweat & Tears released their debut album, Child Is Father to the Man. It was modestly successful, breaking into the Billboard Pop Albums chart at #47. Unfortunately, personnel changes happened rather suddenly that same year; the band lost Brecker…
