line-up 1 (1968-69)

- Terry Andersen -- vocals, drums, percussion
- Dennis Geyer -- guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Marcotte -- bass 
- Howard Wales (RIP 2020) -- keyboards

  line-up 2 (1969)

- Terry Andersen -- vocals, drums, percussion
- James "Curlye" Cooke (RIP 2011) -- guitar, vocals 
- Dennis Geyer -- guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Marcotte -- bass 
- Howard Wales (RIP 2020) -- keyboards

  supporting musicians: (1969)

- Marvin Brown -- trumpet 

- Bud Brisbois--  trumpet 

- Russell DaShiel -- guitar

- Otis Hale -- flute

- Laroon Holt -- trumpet 

- James Horn -- baritone saxophone

- Jim Liban -- harmonica

- Phillip Pruden -- tenor saxophone

- Dave Roberts -- trombone

- Don Waldrop -- bass trombone

   line-up 2 (1969-70)
NEW- James "Curley" Cooke (RIP 2011) -- guitar, vocals 
- Dennis Geyer -- guitar, backing vocals 
NEW - Rick Jaeger (RIP) -- drums, percussion (replaced 

  Terry Anderson)
- Jim Marcotte -- bass 

- The Beau Gentry (Rick Jaeger)

- Cat and the Fiddle (James Cooke)
- Crowbar (Rick Jaeger)

- Curley Cook And The Versitone (James Cooke)

- James Curley Cook (solo efforts)

- Johnny Green & The Green Men (Howard Wales)

- Curley Gurdy Band (James Cooke)

- Jerry Harrison: Casual Gods (Rick Jaeger)

- Ray Kannon & the Corals (James Cooke)

- The Phil Keaggy Band (Terry Andersen)

- The Launchers (James Cooke)

- The Let The Whole Earth Singers (Terry Andersen)

- The Jim Liban Blues Combo (Jim Liban)
- Loading Zone (Howard Wales)

- The Steve Miller Band (James Cooke)

- Rod and the Shotgun Blue (Howard Wales)

- Short Stuff (Jim LIban)

- Howard Wales (solo efforts)

- Howard Wales and Jerry Garcia

Genre: horn-rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  A.B. Skhy

Company: MGM

Catalog: SE-4268

Year: 1969

Country/State: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: slight ring wear; gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

Catalog number: --

Price: $30.00

One of Milwaukee, Wisconsin's little known exponents of the late-1960s psychedelic-blues genre, A.B. Skhy survived long enough to record a pair of mildly entertaining early 1970s albums. Originally known as "The New Blues", drummer Terry Andersen, guitarist Dennis Geyer, bassist Jim Marcotte and keyboard player Howard Wales had the common sense to move themselves to San Francisco. Working in a pseudo-blues vein, the quartet found a ready audience and steady work on the city's club circuit, including opening for Jimi Hendrix at the Whiskey A Go Go and opening for The Jefferson Airplane at Bill Graham's Fillmore West. 

Signed by MGM, 1969's self-titled debut teamed them with producer Richard Delvy. Offering up a mixture of covers and original material, "A.B. Skhy" sported three writers in Anderson, Geyer and Wales. Andersen and Geyer were both decent, if slightly anonymous vocalists, while the band proved consistently competent, if seldom explosive. Unlike the majority of their San Francisco brethren, their debut found the band focusing on a mixture of competent, if uninspired R&B moves ("You Upset Me Baby") and Blood, Sweat and Tears-styled horn rock.  Crediting a seven piece horn ensemble.  I've never been able to find the background, but the extensive horn arrangements were apparently the post production work of producer Richard Delvy and arranger Dave Roberts. Clearly horn-rock had become a late-'60s crowd favorite, but trying to market the group in the same niche as BS&T, Chase and Chicago simply didn't do the band any favors.  Time after time their blues-rock "sound" was buried by the seven piece horn ensemble. Among the few songs without horns, I'm guessing the slinky blues number "Just What I Need" and the catchy "Love Isn't" served as examples of their original, pre-horn sound.  They were also two of  the standout performances.   

Always liked Robert Fried's album cover.  One of the album's mysteries centers around bassist Jim Marcotte.  Marcotte shows in all of the band personnel lists, but he wasn't shown on the album credits, of the back photo.. 

With the album failing to sell Anderson and Wales tendered their resignations.  Anderson turned his attention to Christian music, while Wales started to play with the likes of Harvey Mandel, The Grateful Dead and even recorded an album with Jerry Garcia.  Geyer subsequently recruited a new A.B. Skhy line-up featuring former Steve Miller Band guitarist James "Curley" Cooke, bassist Jim Marcotte and drummer Rick Jaeger.

"A.B. Skhy" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) You Upset Me Baby (Joe Josea - Maxwell Davis) - 7:10 rating: ** stars

Opening up with a blues classic like "You Upset Me Baby" was risky.  The track has been covered so many times (I knew if from the B.B. King arrangement) that no matter how good your arrangement was, there were going to be comparisons and many were going to be negative.  That's the case here.  Their "big band" version was competent, but never particularly exciting.  Jim Marcotte's walking bass line was prominent and the highlight for me.
2.) Just What I Need  (Dennis Geyer) - 3:30 rating: **** stars

Spotlighting guest Jim Liban's harmonica, I'm guessing the slinky blues number "Just What I Need" captured the band's unadulterated, pre-horns blues-rock sound.  If so, about all I can say is they were way more impressive without the intrusive horns.  Always liked the sound of Terry Andersen's drums on this one.  Delvy's production  mix has them pop out of the speakers, or quality headphones.
3.) It's Love Baby, 24 Hours a Day (Ted Jarrett) - 2:31 rating: *** stars

Written by Ted Jarrett, both Louis Brooks and His Hi-Toppers and Ruth Brown had enjoyed big R&B hits with  It's Love Baby, 24 Hours a Day".  If you've heard one of those earlier versions, then A.B. Skhy's bluesy version was going to come off as competent, but nothing more.  Extra star for the fact there were no horns on this one and the funny group sung chorus "24 House Around the Clock" ....
4.) Camel Back (instrumental) (Howard Wales) - 5:05 rating: *** stars

Penned by keyboardist Wales, the instrumental "Camel Back" welcomed back the horns.  Shame since Wales' keyboard powered instrumental had a funky groove that would not have sounded out of place on a Young-Holt Trio collection.  The horns merely distracted from Wales's Clavinet and Hammond B-3.  I won't claim to having an understanding of late-'60s music marketing, but why in the world would MGM have tapped this as a single?

- 1969's "Camel Back" b/w "Just What I Needed" (MGM catalog number K-14086) # 100 Billboard Hot 100 singles chart

(side 2)
1.) Understand  (Joe Josea - B.B. King) - 5:37 rating: ** stars

\Another Chicago blues cover ...  Like the earlier number this one really didn't excite the listener.
2.) Love Isn't  (Dennis Geyer - McCue) - 4:10 rating: **** stars

Another hornless performance, the opening country-tinged guitars were tasty and the song got progressively cooler as Geyer and guest guitarist Russel DaShiell traded licks.
3.) Of All Sad Words (Terry Anderson) - 3:10 rating: **** stars

Drummer Anderson's lone writing contribution, the ballad "Of All Sad Words" sounded nothing like the rest of the album.  With backing from flute player Otis Hale, the track exhibited a pastoral, jazzy vibe.  Anderson's lyrics were secular in nature, giving the track a smooth, calming vibe. I'm normally not a big fan of "Jesus Music" but I'll make an exception for this song.  Easy to see why Anderson left the band, turning his attention to Christian music.  
4.) Love May Cure That (Dennis Geyer) - 5:10 rating: *** stars

The closer "Love May Cure That" brought guest harmonica player Jim Liban back to the spotlight. Another slice of funky blues-rock, this one also benefited from the absence of horns, though the closing jam session goes on a couple of minutes too long.  Couple of cold beers and I could see myself bopping around to this one in a small club.

© Scott R. Blackerby May 2025