The Graham Bond Organisation

 

Graham Bond - organ/alto sax/vocals (born 1937, Romford, Kent, died May 8th 1974)

John McLaughlin - guitar (born January 4th 1842, Yorkshire)

Dick Heckstall-Smith - saxophone (born September 26th 1934, Ludlow)

Jack Bruce - bass guitar (born May 14th 1943, Glasgow)

Ginger Baker - drums (born Peter Baker, August 19th 1939, London)

 

Throughout his career Bond made no attempt to become a major commercial property, he always seemed more interested in making music to please himself, and in pioneering new sounds. Originally a jazz Alto saxophonist (he was voted "Britain's New Jazz Star" in 1961) he became one of the first musicians to use a mellotron, in 1964.

He joined Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated in '62 and then formed his own group, The Graham Bond Trio, the following year. The Trio consisted of Bond (by this time concentrating on playing the organ) and two future members of Cream, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, both of whom he had met during his stint with Korner. They expanded to a quartet with the addition of guitarist John McLaughlin. This line-up quickly became favourites around the clubs of London.

McLaughlin left the band in late '63 and Bond, typically, replaced his guitarist with saxophonist, Heckstall-Smith. It was at this point that they became The Organisation. They played a jazz-influenced form of R'n'B and released several singles and an album over the next two years mixing imaginative cover versions with their own original material.

The band fell apart in 1966 when Bruce and Baker left to join Eric Clapton in Cream. Bond tried to carry on with Heckstall-Smith and drummer Jon Hiseman, but never recaptured the heights of his earlier work. In the late '60's Bond went to America for a year before returning to London where he worked with several bands including Ginger Baker's Airforce.

Graham Bond committed suicide in 1974 when he threw himself into the path of a London Underground train.



Singles

May '64

Long Tall Shorty/Long Legged Baby

Decca F 11909

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Jan '65

Tammy/Wade In The Water

Columbia DB 7471

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1965

Tell Me (I'm Gonna Love Again)/Love Come Shining Through

Columbia DB 7528

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1965

Lease On Love/My Heart's In Little Pieces

Columbia DB 7647

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Feb '66

St. James Infirmary/Soul Tango

Columbia DB 7838

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Feb '67

You've Gotta Have Love Babe/I Love You

Page One POF014

UK#5-

E.P.s

1964

Hi-Heel Sneakers/Hoochie Coochie Man/Little Girl/Long Legged Baby/Strut Around

 

L.P.s

1965

The Sound Of '65 - Hoochie Coochie Man/Baby Make Love To Me/Neighbour Neighbour/Early In The Morning/Spanish Blues/Oh Baby/Little Girl/I Want You/Wade In The Water/Got My Mojo Working/Train Time/Baby Be Good To Me/Half A Man/Tammy

Columbia 33SX 1711

1966

There's A Bond Between U - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?/Hear Me Call Your Name/Night Time Is The Right Time/Walking In The Park/Last Night/Baby Can It Be True/What'd I Say/Dick's Instumental/Don't Let Go/Keep A-Drivin'/Have You Ever Loved A Woman/Camels And Elephants

Columbia 33SX 1750

 

Re-issue

 

The Sound Of '65/There's A Bond Between Us - Hoochie Coochie Man/Baby Make Love To Me/Neighbour Neighbour/Early In The Morning/Spanish Blues/Oh Baby/Little Girl/I Want You/Wade In The Water/Got My Mojo Working/Train Time/Baby Be Good To Me/Half A Man/Tammy/ Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?/Hear Me Call Your Name/Night Time Is The Right Time/Walking In The Park/Last Night/Baby Can It Be True/What'd I Say/Dick's Instumental/Don't Let Go/Keep A-Drivin'/Have You Ever Loved A Woman/Camels And Elephants

Edsel DED 254

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