Al Kooper "Backstage Passes"

[sgcim]

I found this book in the NYPL after searching everywhere for it.

AK gives his account of his time with Dylan, The Blues Project and founding BS&T, in addition to the music scene of NYC in the 60s.

The highlight is a detailed account of the first BS&T LP, "CIFTTM", and how the band decided to oust AK as he tried to oust Steve Katz.

According to Kooper, they didn't think he was a good enough singer/leader, and Bobby Colomby seemed to have really despised Kooper.

Some other interesting little tidbits:

AK wrote "Flute Thing" for the Blues Project based on a cadenza by Kenny Burrell on "some jazz tune".

He did a session for the Simon Sisters (early Carly Simon LP) with gary McFarland arranging.

Jerry Weiss (whom a friend of mine tells me was seriously mentally ill, and punched him out on the stand once) told Kooper "Go fuck yourself" onstage during the encore of their last show at the Garrick Theater, and Kooper resigned after that.

"The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud" was about a shrink AK knew of, who was an admirer of Timothy Leary, and used drugs in his sessions, while having sex with all his female patients.

"Schoolteachers, junkies, real old dudes, pimps and winos" turned up at the open audition for the horn section in BS&T.

[Stereojack]

I read this a few years ago. It's an entertaining, informative, and candid account of Al's experiences in the music biz. I recommend it highly.

[kh1958]

I recall Al Kooper used to post on the AOL jazz board that he was working on a Mike Bloomfield box set, which of course has never come out.

[Stereojack]

According to Kooper, the Bloomfield set is soon to be released.

[medjuck]

I read this and really liked it. IIRC he's updated it a couple of times. Not sure which edition I read. BTW One of the best rock autobiographies I've read is Tommy James' The Music, the mob and Me (or something like that). Morris Levy, owner of Birdland and Roulette records is a major character in it.

[AllenLowe]

I wondered about the Tommy James book; gotta go find it now.

[mr jazz]

Al Kooper's book is a great rock and roll read.

[fasstrack]

He was my idol a million years ago in HS. Gotta check this out.