To Be Cool: The Rehearsal Sessions

Brit Soul-Funk legends Kokomo came together as musicians from previous groups Arrival and the Grease Band in 1973. Lead singer and keyboardist Tony O'Malley had been in the Mick Cox Band for one album immediately post Arrival. There he was joined on backing vocals by Paddie McHugh, Frank Collins and Dyan Birch who by then were doing sessions together. Tony and drummer Terry Stannard started an open invitation session at The Pheasantry, Kings Road, London. A regular troupe began to perform consisting of the aforementioned musicians and singers plus Alan Spenner, Neil Hubbard and Jim Mullen, late of Joe Cocker's Grease Band. Named after an Aretha Franklin song, 'First Snow In Kokomo', the band Kokomo were born. "To Be Cool" documents this period between late 1973 and 1974 when the band would perform regular sets of contemporary soul around London. Disc 1 captures the band recorded live in rehearsal; the songs are a collection of Bill Withers / Joe Tex / Allen Toussaint / Herbie Hancock / Bobby Womack numbers. The band, now a 10-piece, were - DYAN BIRCH : vocals /FRANK COLLINS : vocals /MEL COLLINS : sax/flutes / NEIL HUBBARD : guitar JODY LINSCOTT : percussion / PADDIE McHUGH : vocals /TONY O'MALLEY : keyboards/vocals JIM MULLEN : guitar / ALAN SPENNER : bass/ vocals / TERRY STANNARD : drums.The music is free-flowing soul/funk with experienced musicians brilliantly expressing themselves, free from any label constraints, yet still tight enough from playing the live scene. The songs also include 'It Ain't Cool (To Be Cool No More)', written by Frank Collins, which is still in the live set today. Disc 2 is the result of an extraordinary moment in January 1974 when an A&R man (Paul Phillips) decided to back his hunch and bring the band into Apple Studios to record a demo session. The five tracks here were ignored and the original tapes only recently rediscovered and are released here for the first time. Only the Carolyn Franklin song 'Angel' was later re-recorded when the band eventually signed with CBS. Two bonus tracks have been included, also previously unreleased, recorded a decade later when Frank, Paddie and Dyan, fresh from backing Tom Robinson, were given studio ime to record demos. These two Frank Collins originals were recorded with the help of Alan Darby from Cado Belle, and feature Paddie's wonderfully soulful soprano vocals soaring above a Fame-like groove. The package is presented with a booklet containing a new essay by Austin Powell including fresh quotes from Frank Collins and Paul Phillips. Plus new-to-CD contemporary photos from Barry Plummer.